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Devil's Snare

Devil's Snare

Species information
Endemic to	Scotland
Natural environment	Dark and damp
Related to	Flitterbloom (most likely)
Distinction(s)	Tentacle-like appendages Suffocates whatever touches it Cannot stand light or fire
Usage	Assassination, guarding valuable objects, or attacking enemies

[Source]

Hermione: "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare...what did Professor Sprout say? - it likes the dark and damp"

Harry: "So light a fire!"

Hermione: "Yes - of course - but there's no wood!"

Ron: "HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

Hermione: "Oh, right!"

— Hermione, Harry, and Ron struggle with Devil's Snare^[src]

Devil's Snare is a plant with the magical ability to constrict or strangle anything in its surrounding environment or something that happens to touch it. Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare will cause the plant to exert a greater force of constriction.

Devil's Snare does not seem to be common, but certain herbologists have access to it. It is composed of a mass of soft, springy tendrils and vines that possess some sense of touch. This plant uses its creepers and tendrils to ensnare anyone who touches it, binding their arms and legs and eventually choking them. The harder a person struggles against Devil's Snare, the faster and more tightly it binds them; if they relax, it will not kill them as quickly. Devil's Snare prefers a dark, damp environment. It will stop its movement in the environment in front of bright light and will recoil away from the heat of fire, so a well-placed flame spell such as bluebell flames will drive it away from its victims.

1 History
2 Behind the scenes
3 Appearances

HistoryEdit

1991-1992Edit

Hermione Granger: "Stop moving! I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"

Ronald Weasley: "Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help."

Hermione Granger: "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!"

Harry Potter: "Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!"

— Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley struggle with Devil's Snare.^[src]

In 1991, Professor Sprout placed a large Devil's Snare as the second defence of the Philosopher's Stone, just below the trapdoor guarded by Fluffy. In 1992, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were caught in the plant when they attempted to prevent the theft of the Philosopher's Stone, but were saved by Hermione Granger when she repelled the Devil's Snare with her Bluebell flames because Devil's Snare cannot stand heat and light.

Harry: "Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione."

Ron: "Yeah, and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - "there's no wood", honestly."

— Harry and Ron shortly after escaping the Devil's Snare.^[src]

1995-1996Edit

In 1995, Broderick Bode, an Unspeakable working for the Ministry of Magic, was a comatose patient at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, after having been Impuriused into attempting to steal a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries. When Bode began to recover, a Death Eater sent a potted Devil's Snare to the hospital in the guise of a Christmas gift in order to silence him. Healer Miriam Strout apparently mistook the plant for a Flitterbloom, and it asphyxiated Bode.

1998Edit

In 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Professor Sprout used Devil's Snare against the attacking Death Eaters and Giants. They were placed around the castle of Hogwarts by Pomona Sprout and Neville Longbottom.

Behind the scenesEdit

In the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Hermione and Harry were able to escape the Devil's Snare by simply remaining calm. When Ron began to panic, Hermione saved him by casting Lumos Solem.
In the film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the Hedge Maze attacked the Champions during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Some roots attacked Cedric, it may be related to Devil's Snare. Eventually, it kept strangling Cedric, then Harry freed him from it.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Devil's Snare can be seen inside the Room of Requirement growing out of a glass case at the bottom of a column and growing toward the ceiling.
In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, the first year Herbology students have a lesson on Devil's Snare. The plant gets out of control and captures Ron, as well as stealing Pomona Sprout's wand, requiring Harry and Hermione to destroy the plant with Lumos Solem.
In the Xbox version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Devil Snare actually looks like a giant Venomous Tentacula but coloured blue instead of green.

AppearancesEdit

Herbology

Professors: Herbert Beery · Pomona Sprout · Neville Longbottom
Textbooks: Flesh-Eating Trees of the World · Goshawk's Guide to Herbology · Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean · One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi · Winogrand's Wonderous Water Plants
Hogwarts class: Herbology Award · Herbology Lesson Cup · Herbology Race Cup · Herbology Store
Hogwarts greenhouses: One · Two · Three · Four · Five · Six · Seven · Professor's Office
Herbologists: Herbert Beery · Miranda Goshawk · Elladora Ketteridge · Beaumont Marjoribanks · Nepali wizard · Phyllida Spore · Tilden Toots · Hadrian Whittle · Winogrand · Leonardo Da Vinci
Plants Studied: Bouncing Bulb · Bubotuber · Devil's Snare · Fire Seed Bush · Mandrake · Mimbulus Mimbletonia · Puffapod · Screechsnap · Self-fertilising shrub · Snargaluff · Spiky Bush · Spiky Prickly Plant · Umbrella Flower · Venomous Tentacula · Whomping Willow · Wild rice