Ask Elm (Vol. 2)

Now that Pottermore is open, I’m finally getting questions again through Ask Elm. To ask a question CLICK HERE. I will answer all questions as quickly as possible, questions answered below the cut.

ELM! Alohamora is very very mean to me! It does not does not does not does not cooperate and I can NOT get the spell right! Ugh! What’s a shortcut?
-Cissy

Answer:

The key, for me at least, when it comes to casting spells, is that instead of using the mouse I use my computer keyboard. The second important thing to realize is that you hit each letter TWICE. You hit the letter once to conjure up that little circle, then you hit it again when the circle is at it’s largest. Then the beam of light will move and you want to hit the subsequent letter just as the light reaches it, and repeat the same thing from the first letter. Hit it once to produce the circle, and a second time when that circle is at it’s largest. Do this for all the letters until the spell is complete.

Did this help? If not leave a comment here and I will be glad to try to elaborate furthur, soon Dueling 101 will be posted I just haven’t had time to write it up yet.

Did you unlock the Pottermore icon on the far left? What’s it for? It’s still locked for me.
-Jeanne

Answer:

The icon on the far left is still locked for everyone. Originally intended to link to the e-book shop, we aren’t really sure why they haven’t activated it. I am starting to suspect that they realized they may need that icon for some other purpose down the line since they didn’t really leave themselves any room to expand the top menu of the site.

Here is what the shop icon WILL look like if they ever activate it:

When I tried to make the Wide Eye /Awakening potion, I can only stir anti clockwise once.Is this a glitch?
-Zara

Answer:

As far as I know there is not a left stirring glitch on Awakening potion, or at least I haven’t experienced one. I had trouble stirring anti-clockwise at first too. First, try moving your spoon to the opposite side of the cauldron before picking it up for the anti-clockwise stir. Then click it and make LARGE counterclockwise circles with it.

Also, if you are doing this on a laptop touch pad mouse I recommend getting you a nice plug and play usb mouse for your computer. Has made potion brewing so much easier for me.

If after trying this it STILL genuinely won’t stir that direction you will want to report it (Pottermore Help -> Other -> What’s Next? -> Need more help?) Also for my full guide to potions check out POTIONS 101.

When I click on a link on the ‘Read About’ board of the left side, it doesn’t do anything…even if it’s unlocked. Am I doing something wrong?
-Laura

Answer:

On the read about board you hover over the cattegories and a menu should pop out to your right with lists in it to different information, when you hover over each of the items on the list they should change color. These are the things you should be able to click on.

If you can not click on these you will want to report the glitch through the Pottermore Help section. (Help -> Other -> What’s Next? -> Need more help?) 

Thanks for your time! I would like to know how to start with the next book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Out of curiosity: does it work for everybody at the same time or not? Thanks again.
-Rosy

Answer:

At the moment, they have not released any information about whether or not when Chamber of Secrets first opens if everyone will be allowed on or if that book will go through it’s own Beta phase. So far all we know is that it won’t be available for “months”. I will be keeping everyone posted here on the blog as details start to come out about the second book.

Hi, I have two questions. 1) I know you can get more potion ingrediants after you’ve used up the existing one, and I went to get more horned slugs from the Troll chapter. I looked and looked and there didn’t seem to be any of them anywhere! I know I used up the original ones because I rechecked several times. Do you know why this is? 2) I’ve made the potion ‘A antidote for common poisons’ several times, but every time I finished part 2 it says it wasn’t brewed right because I didn’t put the right amount of unicorn horn in. But I did, and it was even crossed off in the book! Is this a glitch? Thank you!
-MiMi

Answer:

 1) – A lot of people think the horned slugs have vanished, but really they like to hide in the far sink. Zoom in and just sort of wiggle your mouse around the sink and the little bugger should start to crawl out so you can click on him and collect him.

2) – I have not experienced this myself thought I have heard others say it has done so to them. If it continues I urge you to report it (Pottermore Help -> Other -> What’s Next? -> Need more help?). But before you do so, make sure you are not adding TOO MUCH unicorn horn. Because you can add more then necessary and it be crossed off in the book but still count as the incorrect amount. For my complete guide on potions check out POTIONS 101.

Every time I try to leave a comment on Pottermore it signs me out. I’m wondering if there is anything that can be done about this or if it’s just a glitch I should learn to get used to? It makes me sad that I can’t leave comments!
-Suze

Answer:

 At what stage does it log you out? When you actually hit the comment button? You are the first to come to me with this one and I would be quite frustrated with it myself. I urge you to report it to staff so that they can figure out why it keeps doing so. (Pottermore Help -> Other -> What’s Next? -> Need more help?)