A Question For Harry Potter Fans...

[chewytulip]

What color ink do you think Professor McGonagall would use?

[swanjun]

When Harry receives his acceptance letter (which is signed by McGonagall), it is "addressed in emerald green." The specific color of her signature is not mentioned here, but if we assume that she took care of both signing letters and addressing envelopes, then I think emerald green is the answer.

[Peppers]

I second swanjun's suggestion. Also, McGonagall's robe and hat accents are green.

[Hallel]

I agree that the hogwarts acceptance letters were green, but for her personal use? Green is generally a Slytherin colour. Maybe for griffendor she would use a red/gold like Rouge Hematite.

[bongo47]

I'm thinking her ink may change color depending on the mood conveyed by the message. Perhaps it doesn't even stay ink, but may transfigure and scurry off if need be. And when Harry receives dozens of duplicate addressed invitations, I'm thinking no one sat and wrote them out by hand, in spite of their afixed signature. Maybe a house elf does her day to day menial correspondence, which may explain the green.

[hilsedwards]

Magical McGonagall 'Tartan Shimmer' of course!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Magical McGonagall 'Tartan Shimmer' of course!

We haz a winner!

[graystranger]

Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks about the inks that the Harry Potter characters would use! I made up a list a couple of years ago and shared it with Alex Ross at Goulet Pens (she has left since) and we came up with these ideas (just based on our immediate thoughts, not any in-depth analyses):

 

Luna Lovegood: De Atramentis Dianthus

Snape: El Lawrence (looks like old oil)

Hermione: PR Spearmint (she smelled spearmint toothpaste in the love potion)

Harry: Rohrer & Klingner - Alt-Goldgrun (no idea)

Ron: Private Reserve Chocolat

Ginny: Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses

McGonagall: Diamine Merlot (for a leadership personality)

Dumbledore: Noodler's Red

Umbridge: De Atramentis Apple Blossom

Alstair Moody: Blue Ghost (Alex picked this, I was stumped)

 

Things may have changed with some of the new inks like J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor and Diamine's Shimmertastic collection. Brandy Dazzle looks like antique liquid gold to me, maybe that should be Luna's ink.

 

And, I too think Tartan Shimmer is a winner!!

 

Any other ideas?

Edited December 6, 2015 by graystranger

[Arkanabar]

At some point in the Philosopher's Stone, Harry's ink was described as changing color as he wrote. It was almost certainly the basic bog-standard school ink ... though, I suppose Hagrid picked it out for him.

 

I tend to doubt Harry would have kept using it for long, though. One of the things I learned from the Varmint Vapor Vestry back when it looked like this, was that you should NOT put words on a varicolored background. I suppose multicolored words on a white or near-white surface wouln't be quite so bad.

[gordonhooker]

Given the Harry Potter series is fiction you could make it any colour you want and you would be neither right or wrong.....

[Sailor Kenshin]

Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks about the inks that the Harry Potter characters would use! I made up a list a couple of years ago and shared it with Alex Ross at Goulet Pens (she has left since) and we came up with these ideas (just based on our immediate thoughts, not any in-depth analyses):

 

Luna Lovegood: De Atramentis Dianthus

Snape: El Lawrence (looks like old oil)

Hermione: PR Spearmint (she smelled spearmint toothpaste in the love potion)

Harry: Rohrer & Klingner - Alt-Goldgrun (no idea)

Ron: Private Reserve Chocolat

Ginny: Noodler's Black Swan in Australian Roses

McGonagall: Diamine Merlot (for a leadership personality)

Dumbledore: Noodler's Red

Umbridge: De Atramentis Apple Blossom

Alstair Moody: Blue Ghost (Alex picked this, I was stumped)

 

Things may have changed with some of the new inks like J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor and Diamine's Shimmertastic collection. Brandy Dazzle looks like antique liquid gold to me, maybe that should be Luna's ink.

 

And, I too think Tartan Shimmer is a winner!!

 

Any other ideas?

 

This is awe-inspiring! El Lawrence, stroke of genius.

[amberleadavis]

Well, we should ask DCRoe05 since he bought ink at the Harry Potter store.

[Newjelan]

I'm convinced she uses De Atramentis Bookworm. A dark, shading green that smells like books.

[graystranger]

If it smells like books, then De Atramentis Bookworm would probably also be used by Hermoine. I had not heard of this ink before. Great match, Newjelan!

[dfo]

What color ink do you think Professor McGonagall would use?

 

Come on people.

 

Professor McGonagall would only use J.Herbin Emerald of Chivor and Harry KWZ inks (they change color as they dry and as they oxidize).

[Hallel]

Lol. This is a fun thread. But El Lawrence for Snape is an uncanny match. I'll always remember that when I use it.

 

And Emeraud de Chivor seems to be a very Dumbledore colour. Or perhapes Purple Pazzazz would suit him.