Harry Potter: Should Hogwarts start using pens/pencils inste

[Vanessa Tilley]

A new year and a new term has started at HOL and you can practically feel the excitement in the air as students register for classes and teachers finish polishing up their classes.

As you all know, to complete any homework assignment, you must have some form of a writing instrument. Traditionally, Hogwarts has required students to bring quills and ink but should they start considering using Muggle pens/pencils?

I know that I personally would prefer using a pencil because it is so much easier to erase something than to mess up in ink and have to either start over or deal with a big mess.

[Anna Westbrook]

I would definitely agree that Muggle pens/pencils should be used; however I don't think it should be one verses another. Some witches/wizards might prefer ink because it's what they grew up with. Some witches/wizards might prefer pens/pencils because they grew up in a Muggle household. I think it would be fun to be able to use both and learn from each other!
(But personally, I'm ALL about pencils because you can erase something and I'm here for that).

[Finn Cullen]

The insidious creep of Muggle standards into Hogwarts is just one symptom of the growing apathy toward magical culture and tradition. Quill and ink is perfectly suitable. They require skill and patience to use correctly and the study of magic is worth the effort. Rushing for the quick and easy solution breeds sloppy thinking that may be acceptable when digging a ditch (or whatever it is that Muggles do for a living) but is certainly not suitable when harnessing the energies that shape reality.

Deciding that pencils are superior because mistakes with them can be easily erased speaks volumes. Either learn not to make mistakes or at need deploy scourgify or Atramentum Perdo.

Pens and pencils! It will be telephones and electrickery next!

[Finn Cullen]

Nonsense. Without innovation what hope does the magical world have? Without innovation where would we be? Splintered little groups of ill educated sorcerers with a handful of basic spells each, cobbled together from wild magic and good luck? It was innovation that gave us wands, innovation that led us to develop a coherent theory of magic that could be communicated and shared, and innovation that broke the old master/apprentice shackles and opened up the proper education of magical youth. Quills and ink are old fashioned tools that have been bettered. To shun them simply because Muggles created them (as they created quill and ink) is blinkered nonsense and speaks of unhealthy prejudice.

We should use the best tools for the job. Whatever the tool, whatever the job. Anything else is just silly.

[Finn Cullen]

If we get rid of the need for liquid ink then we'd have to lay the Giant Squid off as the only reason it's kept around is to provide the ink for the school. After so many years of faithful service it would be ungrateful to make it redundant and expect it to retrain for another career.

[Hiya Debnath]

I think that while quills mustn't completely go out of style because they are cool, Muggle pens/pencils should also be allowed because of the simple matter of convenience. Having to dip the quill in ink again and again is very tedious and hinders speed. While a Self-Inking Quill solves the problem, using quill and ink can still be messy, besides not affording the ability to erase whatever has been written, however, that is a problem faced with Muggle pens as well. Muggle pencils can be used for difficult assignments or drawings that may need erasing, while either quills or Muggle pens based on the students' personal choice may be used for exams. Just because it was invented by Muggles does not mean it is inappropriate for use by magical people, as magical people already use a lot of Muggle-invented things such as bedsheets, clothes, jewelry, tea-kettles, fireplaces, and shoes, albeit in a different way or magically modified by casting a few charms or enchantments on them. As for the Giant Squid providing squid ink for the school, squid ink may also be filled into a Muggle pen instead, : D. However, doing away completely with quills is not necessary, because as we all know, magic meshes well with natural materials and natural materials like wood (that is used to make a pencil) and feathers of a bird (used as quills) are more likely to be easily charmed and enchanted into the various magical quills with special effects such as Self-Inking, Quick-Quotes, etc. that we have. These special effects are very useful and the variety that is available in these effects is missing in Muggle pens/pencils though Muggles are trying, such as creating a Muggle non-magical version of invisible ink which can't be seen unless laser light is shone on it. Muggle pens are made of plastic or metal and may not be as easily charmed into becoming enchanted objects, therefore, it is necessary to let quills be allowed as well, in addition to allowing Muggle pens and pencils to be used.

[Galena May]

Pens/ pencils are more convenient and shouldn't be disallowed. Quills and squid ink can be messy, not to mention difficult to obtain, as both quill and ink need to come from magical creatures. Pens/pencils are relatively easy to source if manufactured in the Muggle way. But, I wouldn't pass an opportunity to get photographed as a witch in mbes and a witch hat writing away on a self-unrolling parchment with a self-Inking Quill. It makes things that much more fun, not to mention a traditional and antique vibe. Although pens/pencils can be charmed to resemble/work like charmed quills, I think we have it in our minds a discretion between Muggle and magical stationery. I would probably agree with those who think that Hogwarts should start using pens /pencils for convenience st charming your pens/pencils to look like/function like quills for the sake of taking of photographs or for any other purposes for fun should be allowed.