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A Dark Detector was the name given to a wide variety of sophisticated magical devices used to discover or identify the presence of Dark Wizards and their activities.

Usage[]

While some were used to detect lying, some were to uncover concealment, or even when Dark wizards or one's enemies were around, they were all unique in their shared ability to interact and improve upon each other when made to work together; a trait no other magical artefact was known to possess.[2] However, those experienced in their use still tended to advise those who were not against relying on them too much, as they could be fooled. They could be purchased at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment in Diagon Alley.[3]

Known Dark Detectors[]

History of usage[]

Eleazar Fig[]

Eleazar Fig owned several Dark Detectors, which he kept in his classroom at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1890–1891 school year.[5]

Alastor Moody[]

Alastor Moody seemed to own quite a few of these. This is probably because of his overly cautious and paranoid nature. They were used by Barty Crouch Jnr when he was impersonating Moody using Polyjuice Potion during the 1994–1995 school year at Hogwarts.[6]

Dumbledore's Army[]

When Dumbledore's Army was formed in 1995, there were various Dark Detectors in the Room of Requirement when it served as the D.A.'s Headquarters.[1]

Harry Potter[]

Harry Potter owned two sneakoscopes throughout his Hogwart's years. The first one he got from Ron in 1993 for his Birthday.[7] In 1997 Hermione gave him a new one for his Birthday, as his old one was cracked and worn out.[8]

Statute of Secrecy Task Force[]

Following the outbreak of The Calamity and the subsequent establishment of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force in the late 2010s, the British Ministry of Magic supplied members of said department with modified Dark Detectors, which had been "re-purposed" and "attuned" to find hidden Traces created by the Calamity.[4]

A Calamity Investigator working for the task Force visited Azkaban with Dark Detectors to assess the level of inmate misbehaviour after reading a scathing Daily Prophet article regarding "uncontrollable inmates." Their investigation found that, while newer inmates were viciously scheming, the older inmates, who had previously been guarded by Dementors, remained docile.[4]

External links[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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