Mentioned as a potion ingredient during Harry’s research for the second task (GF26).

  • While in the Hogwarts Library researching the Second Task for the Triwizard Tournament, Harry came across an unknown potion recipe which included water, mandrake leaves, and a newt (GF26).
  • "Newt" is the nickname for Newton Artemis Fido Scamander (1897 - ?), the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He also has a Chocolate Frog Card (FB, Pm)
  • The lowly amphibian known as a newt may be used as a potions ingredient, but it is also found in the abbreviation used for "Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests" or N.E.W.T.s - final exams to be taken in seventh year before graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. These are first mentioned when Percy Weasley is studying for them (PA16).
  • A Ginger Newt is a type of biscuit (cookie) kept in a tin on Professor McGonagall's desk, possibly a play-on-words of the British "ginger nuts." She offers some of them to Harry after his first argument with Umbridge over whether Voldemort has returned  (OP12). After Harry's fight with Draco at the Quidditch match, McGonagall slams her fist onto the desk so hard she scatters the Ginger Newts onto the floor (OP19).

Commentary

Notes

  • A newt is a small amphibian in the Salamander family that lives in watery woodland areas worldwide. Every newt is a salamander, but not every salamander is a newt.  source: Wikipedia

Common warty-newt

Common Warty Newt via ClipArtEtc

  • The newt is mentioned prominently in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, as the Witches stir their cauldron:

"Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

source: Shakespeare Quotes

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