W.O.M.B.A.T. results are in…
Well, the W.O.M.B.A.T.s are in, they have all been scored. I got an Exceeds Expectations. According to JK Rowling,
This excellent result proves you to be a witch or wizard of considerable learning. You have proven yourself to be part of the academic elite, and the Wizarding Examinations Authority was most impressed with your paper. The Ministry of Magic is always on the lookout for accomplished recruits as yourself and would welcome your application owl. Very well done indeed!
Unfortunately, Greg seems to have misplaced his identification number so we will be unable to compare results (a likely story most probably fabricated by someone who received a score of “dreadful” or “troll”), but please post your own exam results. I look forward to seeing how y’all did.
-Penny:)
June 25th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
When I saw my “Outstanding” W.O.M.B.A.T. I couldn’t help but laugh in delight! I missed the first two tests, because although I was an avid reader of HP, I was not at all involved in the fan community, so I had no idea there was such a thing.
Here is the comment from the “O” result:
“You are a witch or wizard of extraordinary flair and sagacity. Very few candidates achieve ‘Outstanding’ at Grade 3 W.O.M.B.A.T. Have you ever considered a teaching post at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Application owls from such highly qualified candidates are always welcome. Heartiest congratulations!”
This was quite a lot of fun, and I am wondering if that’s a wrap up on the W.O.M.B.A.T. ’s? Anyone heard any speculations on if there will be anything else regarding them?
June 25th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Wow! We have our first “O”! Congratulations, Tani! Out of curiosity, how did you do that?!? How were you able to get those obscure History of Magic questions etc?
June 25th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Congrats all around!! Obscure is really the word for some of those questions. I got “Exceeds Expectations”, and i’m very happy about it.
I really hope there will be something else, regarding the W.O.M.B.A.T.’s. This was actually the first time i could participate. I had to miss out on the first two because of real life exams. Now i just hope those exams are as good as my W.O.M.B.A.T.
June 25th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
An “O”? Man, that’s fantastic. Can we start calling you Hermione?
June 25th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
ohhhhhhh
i cant wait 4 the winner of the logo design contest to be announced
and closing day was yesterday ryght?
: D
many happy wishes
June 25th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I got Acceptable. That’s much better than I was expecting. How were we supposed to know the answers to all those? Were they even in the books? Oh well.
June 25th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Penny - I’m sure it didn’t hurt that I’ve read and or listened to the books many times each! When I didn’t “know” an answer in the usual kind of way (like having learned it), I relied on another form of gnosis - look at the answers and choose the right one. I know it’s not a rational way of taking a test, but it usual works when I am calm and relaxed. There’s really nothing metaphysical about it, it’s more as if you trust yourself to “know”. Have you read the His Dark Materials trilogy? One of the things I liked most about them was the descriptions of Lyra & Will using their respective tools - the alethiometer and the subtle knife. I’ve been working on that with my writing and painting for years and years after studying Taoism and other of the more philosophical “religions”. So there is no superior intellectual merit in my Outstanding
The History of Magic questions were really tough, but they did seem to follow a timeline that made sense as long as I wasn’t stressing over it.
But! Thanks for all the congrats everyone
I can’t deny I loved it! I had a week long migraine that I’ve just gotten over, and it was a nice treat and really lifted my spirits.
June 25th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I got an “Exceeds Expectations” only wish you could go back and look at what you answered as I can’t remember and I want to see if any of the questions alluded to hints for Book 7.
June 25th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I got an “ACCEPTABLE”…
June 25th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
I got a rock.
June 25th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Hello everyone! Andy, it’s funny that you mention taking notes…because I had a few extra minutes and went back and wrote down all the things that interested me, or I thought “either this is a joke, or it explains a lot.” I tried to write it down verbatim, but obviously I may have missed something here or there. It’s a list, so here we go:
-a curse is stronger than a hex, which is stronger than a jinx
-transfigure animals into humans
-inter-country apparition has been outlawed due to extreme splincing
-Some countries have wizarding royal families
- there are wizards in every country in the world
-toward the end of his life Salazar Slytherin reconciled with the other founders of Hogwarts school and returned to the castle to die
-the second wife of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, was accused by Muggles of being a witch, but was actually a squib (a special nod to Greg for ‘the other Boleyn girl’, which I also love)
-The location and name of Hogwarts was chosen by Rowena Ravenclaw, who dreamed that a warty hog was leading her to the cliff by the lake
-deafeat of the Appeal Against House-Elf Slavery in 1973
I don’t really think any of this would have much bearing on book 7, except possibly the one about salazar slytherin returning to hogwarts or the house-elf slavery one. I’m actually quite dissapointed that that was deafeated. They should at least have a CHOICE!!
The one I found most interesting is trasfiguring Animals into humans. would they be able to speak or just look human? have memories? so many questions!!
I hope you enjoyed my essay! Let me know what you think about these tidbits, and if you remember any others!
June 25th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
oh, and I also got an exceeds expectations!
June 25th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Exceeds Expectations for me!
June 25th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I received an Outstanding. This was the first time I took the WOMBATS (quite honestly, did not know what to expect taking it). Half of the test seemed straight forward, the rest were pure educated guesses.
I honestly thought I might have gotten Troll.
June 25th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Oh and yes, the History questions were a bit unusual, but with extensive Art History and European History backgrounds (and other obscure studies thrown in the mix) there is a logical pattern in the timelines when you ignore the peripherals. (Plus reading a lot of Tolkien doesn’t hurt either).
June 25th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I got an E! Same as last time, so I am proud of myself! Congrats to those who got an O, and for those who failed, well you made Gred and Forge proud.
June 26th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Hey! I read Tolkein LOR + Simarillon every year, have an art history background, aside from having read the HP books probably 5 times each at least and I only got an Acceptable! I’ve always sucked at tests - I didn’t see any timeline in there! Guess I’m not much at lateral thinking . . . sheesh!
June 26th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Congrats to everyone! I got an “Outstanding” which thrilled me! The second WOMBAT I only got an “Acceptable”. Well, it’s the final grade taht counts, right??
June 26th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
I had to laugh when webby mentioned reading a lot of Tolkein. I won’t admit how many times I’ve read LOTR (actually, I lost count at around 20). Now every December I pull it out for my winter vacation! I don’t go anywhere - just stay home and read LOTR and it feels like vacation…
June 27th, 2007 at 12:51 am
acceptable, the history of magic questions really put me off…
June 27th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Greg and Penny- I don’t know where to post this more general comment. I just listened to the entire podcast archives in the last five days. I wanted to tell you how much I like your discussions. And I have to tell you that the Shawshank Redemption character you referred to a few months ago is not named Books. (How could you both have been so wrong?) His name is BRooks. Brooks. BROOKS.
I adore you.
DBChupp
June 27th, 2007 at 10:33 am
I was shocked to get an O. Both of my other WOMBATS were E’s.
I did my test at work and had to reason out most of the questions. There were some she had answered, like the curse, hex, jinx question. That was straight out of her FAQ. I generally thought the questions were fairly obscure, but I also know that JKR likes to give us logic problems (of course), so I went from there, figuring I couldn’t go too far wrong with logic problems.
June 27th, 2007 at 11:33 am
My first WOMBAT ever and I got an E! Not too shabby….
Congrats to everyone who got an O. I am awed by your skillz.
June 28th, 2007 at 8:32 am
BROOKS! Can’t believe we made that mistake…Thanks!
June 28th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
My 10 year old daughter was away at camp when the WOMBAT’s first came out. I took my test & then when she got home I helped walk her through it as well. This morning I finally retrieved our results. I checked hers first & was excited for her that she received an Acceptable! Not bad for a 10 year old, right?!? Then I plugged in my id code & when that small envelope dropped to the shelf I about died!!! I got a dreadful!!! How sad is that? At least I didn’t get a Troll, but still…my daughter is having a field day letting everyone know that she passed her WOMBAT and that her stupid mom failed!! I’m comforted to think that I am in the good company of Fred & George though! That does make me feel a bit better!
June 29th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Wooot! I got an “O”…I thought for sure, I’d barely get ‘Acceptable’! lol
June 29th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Wow! well i cant enter to the room! xDD jejejejee i´ve tried but i cant! maybe someone can help me…
June 29th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
I have achieved — ahem — no less than O for Outstanding, and have been insufferably obnoxious since finding this out.
I was very nervous when retrieving my results, half afraid that I’d failed miserably.
June 30th, 2007 at 11:37 am
I went over to the Lexicon and copied out the WOMBAT Grade 3 test questions for all who might be interested.
PART ONE
Magical History
(Points available: 30 out of a possible 100)
1. In your opinion, which of the following contributed MOST to the introduction of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy in 1692? Choose ONE.
a. widespread persecution of wizarding children by Muggles
b. escalating attempts by Muggles to force witches and wizards to perform magic for Muggle ends
c. escalating attempts by Muggles to force witches and wizards to teach them magic
d. increasing numbers of witch-burnings
e. increasing numbers of Muggles being burned in mistake for witches
f. failure of Ministry of Magic Delegation to Muggle King and Queen (William and Mary) begging for protection under Muggle law
2. Which of the following did NOT provoke one of the bloody goblin rebellions of the 17th and 18th centuries? Choose ONE.
a. the allegation by goblin king Ragnuk the First that Godric Gryffindor had stolen his sword
b. the pursuit and imprisonment of Ug the Unreliable, who had been peddling Leprechaun Gold
c. the accidental death of Nagnok, Gringotts Goblin, at the hands of an untrained security troll sent by the Ministry of Magic
d. the imprisonment of the notoriously violent Hodrod the Horny-Handed, who had attempted to kill three wizards
e. the public ducking in the village pond, by a gang of young wizards, of goblin activist Urg the Unclean
f. The Ministry of Magic Decree of 1631, preventing all magical beings other than wizards carrying a wand.
3. Choose the Ministry of Magic decision that, in your estimation, had the MOST DAMAGING effect on present day wizarding life.
a. The creation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy in 1692.
b. The defeat of the Appeal Against House-Elf Slavery in 1973.
c. The drive into hiding of the surviving giants in the early 1980s.
d. The 1865 decision to leave full control of Gringotts in goblin hands.
e. The Wand Ban of 1631, which forbade Non-Human Magical Beings to carry wands.
4. In your opinion, which of the same Ministry of Magic decisions have had the BEST effect on present day wizarding life?
a. The creation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy in 1692.
b. The defeat of the Appeal Against House-Elf Slavery in 1973.
c. The drive into hiding of the surviving giants in the early 1980s.
d. The 1865 decision to leave full control of Gringotts in goblin hands.
e. The Wand Ban of 1631, which forbade Non-Human Magical Beings to carry wands.
5. Which of the following popular historical theories have now been proven to be TRUE? Choose the correct THREE.
a. The oldest building in Diagon Alley is Gringotts Bank; the other shops grew up around it.
b. Towards the end of his life, Salazar Slytherin reconciled with the other Founders of Hogwarts School and returned to the castle to die.
c. The Muggle ‘War of the Roses’ began as a dispute between wizarding neighbours over a Fanged Geranium.
d. The second wife of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, was accused by Muggles of being a witch, but was actually a Squib.
e. A secret task force of Wizards and Muggles helped the Allies to victory in the Second World War.
f. The Forbidden Forest began life as a wood planted and tended by a centaur herd.
g. The Great Fire of London in 1666 was not, as Muggles believe, started by a blaze in a bakery in Pudding Lane, but by a young Welsh Green Dragon kept in the basement of the house next door.
h. The Sorting Hat of Hogwarts was stolen and substituted by a group of delinquent students in 1325. The whereabouts of the real hat remain unknown.
i. Upon his death in battle in 1762, goblin rebel Vargot was discovered to be a renegade house elf.
j. The location and name of Hogwarts were both chosen by Rowena Ravenclaw, who dreamed that a warty hog was leading her to the cliff by the lake.
6. Match the Minister of Magic with the major upheaval of his/her term in office, dates of which are marked.
6-1. Artemisia Lufkin (1798 - 1811)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
6-2. Grogan Stump (1811 - 1819)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
6-3. Faris “Spout-Hole” Spavin (1865 - 1903)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
6-4. Nobby Leach (1962 - 1968)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
6-5. Millicent Bagnold (1980 - 1990)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
6-6. Cornelius Fudge (1990 - 1996)
a. Attempted assassination by centaur
b. Pureblood riots during Squib Rights marches
c. Several of the oldest Wizengamot wizards walk out in protest at Minister’s appointment
d. Persistent denial of notorious Dark wizard’s existence forces Minister’s resignation after notorious Dark wizard appears at the Ministry of Magic
e. Ghost demonstrations at the Ministry of Magic (”protest floats”)
f. A night of large-scale breaches of the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy
PART TWO
International Wizardry
(Points available: 20 out of a possible 100)
7. Mark the following statements True or False
7-1. There are witches and wizards living in every country in the world.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-2. Some countries have wizard royal families.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-3. The trade in flying carpets has been banned everywhere except the Far East.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-4.The world’s largest Centre for Alchemical Studies in situated in Egypt.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-5. The age at which magic may be performed legally varies from country to country.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-6. Inter-country Apparition has been outlawed due to extreme Splinching.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-7. There is a wizarding school in every country where wizards and witches are found.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-8. Portkeys may be arranged between countries only with the consent of both nations’ Ministries of Magic.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-9. It is illegal to send mail-bearing owls across international borders unless the owl has been granted authorisation.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
7-10. The most persistent offender against the International Wizarding Statute of Secrecy is Scotland.
a. TRUE
b. FALSE
PART THREE
Magical Theory
(Points available: 20 out of a possible 100)
8. Which of the following is CORRECT?
a. Food can be conjured out of thin air.
b. Any object can be Transfigured into food.
c. Foodstuffs can be increased, Transfigured, summoned from a distance and magically cooked.
d. It is impossible to make the inedible, edible.
e. Food-related Charms are some of the simplest forms of magic.
9. Which of the following is INCORRECT?
a. An Animagus is able to perform a kind of Self-Transfiguration.
b. An Animagus is able to perform a kind of Self-Charm.
c. An Animagus is able to perform a kind of magic that is NEITHER Transfiguration NOR Charm.
10. Which of the following is/are POSSIBLE?
a. Curing a poison victim without the correct antidote
b. Curing a curse victim without the correct counter-spell
c. Un-transfiguring a person or object without knowing what they were originally
d. Transfiguring animals into humans
e. All of the above
f. None of the above
11. Which of the following is/are IMPOSSIBLE?
a. Transfiguring inanimate objects into animate objects
b. Transfiguring animate objects into inanimate objects
c. Vanishing inanimate objects
d. Vanishing animate objects
e. All of the above
f. None of the above
PART FOUR
Dark Magic
(Points available: 30 out of a possible 100)
12. Which TWO of the following policies do you think would best serve the Ministry of Magic in its fight against the Dark Arts?
a. Destroy all Dark Arts spellbooks
b. Unforgivable Curses to be taught from year 1 at Hogwarts
c. Outlaw sale of all goods that can be used in the Dark Arts
d. Automatic life sentences in Azkaban for all convicted of Dark Arts crimes
e. Improve Ministry of Magic Public Information Services
f. Lift jinx on post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts
g. Persuade Boy Who Lived to front anti-Dark Arts publicity campaign
13. Which of the following is TRUE?
a. To become an Inferius, a person must have been murdered by Dark Magic.
b. Occlumency can guard against possession.
c. Dementors are unknown in tropical climates.
d. A curse is stronger than a hex, which is stronger than a jinx.
e. If a werewolf mates at the full moon, they will produce a cub rather than a human baby.
14. Which of the following is FALSE?
a. Patronuses vary in strength according to which animal’s form they take.
b. There is only one documented case of a person surviving the Killing Curse.
c. Hags have only rudimentary magic, similar to that observed in trolls.
d. No defensive spell exists against the Cruciatus Curse.
e. Giants have traditionally allied themselves with the Dark Arts.
15. Match the dangerous being, plant or potion with the spell, substance or object that will conquer it.
15-1. Boggart
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-2. Dementor
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-3. Devil’s Snare
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-4. Draught of Living Death
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-5. Imperius Curse
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-6. Inferi
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
15-7. Werewolf
a. Aconite
b. Asphodel
c. Bezoar
d. Chocolate
e. Expecto Patronum
f. Fire
g. Phoenix tears
h. Riddikulus
i. Sunlight
j. Will
k. Wingardium Leviosa
l. Wormwood
m. NO CURE
January 10th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Now you can add a second person. I just received an Outstanding. Yay!
May 4th, 2008 at 1:50 am
I just took the third WOMBAT and received an Outstanding. I was awfully surprised since I haven’t read the books since last summer, but gratified.