Scars and the Importance Harry Potter Can Have for Children by Rachel Leishman

Pottermore’s Forbidden Forest quiz really illuminates how not-so-forbidden that forest really was. Harry went there all the time!

For a supposedly forbidden forest, Harry and his friends sure do spend a lot of time there. Pottermore has decided to quiz us all on our Forbidden Forest knowledge and see how well we all remember that 100% forbidden, do-not-go-there-place that Harry visited almost every book.

Some of the questions are quite easy — who lives in a shack near the edge of the forest? — but some require more brain power.

For example, do you remember which books Harry visits the Forbidden Forrest, and which ones he doesn’t?

Or what about the spell Umbridge attempts to use on the centaurs before they carry her away? (It’s the Incarcerous Spell, to bind people with ropes).

If you’re anything like me, you’d be surprised to learn there’s only two chapters in the whole series named after the forest: The Forbidden Forest in The Philosopher’s Stone, and The Forest Again in Deathly Hallows. All of those visits to the forest throughout books 2, 3 and 4 and no further mention?

Sad to say, on my first run through of the quiz I was Centaur Food — aka in the 30-39% correct range. It’s the most popular range for the quiz so far, with 20,923 people getting there. (That’s about 7 right answers out of a possible 23. Not my best work).

On my second try (because a score that low on Pottermore is unacceptable,) I managed to get 17/23 and move up to the ranks of Grawp’s Best Mate. No cheating, just trying to think a little harder.

I still got stumped on a few (clearly), and embarrassingly missed out on an easy one:

True or False: Dumbledore informs students the Forest is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death?

I remembered the quote so well I jumped to hit true without realising it wasn’t the forest Dumbledore was warning everyone about, but the third-floor corridor of Hogwarts. Rookie mistake!

Take the quiz and let us know how you did!