Care of Magical Creatures: First Year: Week 6: Monday

Professor Kettleburn
Monday
Gryffindor Time: 2:00
Ravenclaw Time: 1:00
Hufflepuff Time: 2:00
Slytherin Time: 1:00

Hello everyone. I would like you to please take out a piece of paper and a quill. We're going to learn about gnomes today. Yes, I know, gnomes are often thought of as common garden pests and not worth studying but we're going to learn about them all the same. Even garden pests are worth studying, for if anything, only by studying a creature can one figure out how to eradicate it.

The gnome is a common garden pest in Great Britain, northern North America, and northern Europe. It lives in burrows underground, preferably in a garden. They've been known to steal food items from houses if there isn't a sufficient protection charm. Such a protection charm is easily cast, however, as gnomes have little magic of their own for breaking enchantments.
Gnomes are about a foot high with overly large feet and head. Their head looks like a potato. Their skin is a medium brown, also quite potato-like. Other than their size and disproportions they are human in appearance.
Getting rid of gnomes permanently is quite difficult. Temporarily, the most common solution is to grasp a gnome by the ankles and swing them around until they're dizzy. Once they're properly disoriented they can be dropped over the garden wall and won't return for some time. A more brutal way of pest control is to use a jarvey, which is very fond of eating gnomes.

All right, your homework is to read the entry of gnomes in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. There is an excellent illustration of a gnome in there. Next class we're going to be trying to come up with a pest control that wards of gnomes. Most likely we shall not succeed but we'll try anyway. So bring in five or six things that might ward off gnomes.
Class dismissed!