Random Harry Potter idea

[kerravonsen]

They use quills in the Wizarding World because quills are easier to cast charms on, because they aren't manufactured, they're closer to their natural state than fountain pens or biros.

Comments

[watervole]

Sounds logical to me. Maybe they all wear robes to reduce artificial fibres?

[sue-bursztynski.livejournal.com]

Plus the fact that the wizarding world doesn't go in much for modern technology anyway. I always thought Hermione could have been another Willow on research if wizards used the net - and felt sorry for the Hogwarts librarian who probably still has a card catalogue...

[kerravonsen]

Indeed, but the card catalogue could be charmed to be self-sorting...

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

It struck me as odd that they didn't use the old fashioned pen that you dip in ink. But then a quil does hold the ink better.

Then again they seem stuck in the technological era of the split with the rest of humanity which was 1660 something and the earliest know fountain pen was made in 1702.

Then again think of the fun that could be had hexing a fountain pen. At least a quillonly holds a relatively small amount of ink.

The writing instrument that dominated for the longest period in history (over one-thousand years) was the quill pen. Introduced around 700 A.D., the quill is a pen made from a bird feather. The strongest quills were those taken from living birds in the spring from the five outer left wing feathers. The left wing was favored because the feathers curved outward and away when used by a right-handed writer. Goose feathers were most common; swan feathers were of a premium grade being scarcer and more expensive. For making fine lines, crow feathers were the best, and then came the feathers of the eagle, owl, hawk and turkey.

I suppose it is one way to make use of the feathers normally used to prevent domestic geese etc from flying off.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

Another random thought. At least they use paper not parchment from animal skins.