Gobstones

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Gobstones is one of the many magical games played by young wizards in the Harry Potter books, along with Wizard's Chess and Exploding Snap. Gobstones is similar to the game of marbles played by non-magical persons, except that in Gobstones the balls spit, or gob, a foul smelling liquid in the face of the opposing player when they lose a point. Hogwarts students are seen playing Gobstones throughout the books, and there is even a Gobstones Club at the school.

Some interesting pieces of information about Gobstones:

• According to the Chocolate Frog cards, wizard Roland Kegg was (or may still be—it’s unclear) the President of the English Gobstones Team.
• The wizard Flavius Belby, famous for his account of fighting off a Lethifold (as told in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), was once President of his local Gobstones club.
• There are some Gobstone sets that are quite high-end. Harry saw a solid gold set in Diagon Alley in the summer before his third year.
• In the Ministry of Magic the Official Gobstones Club is part of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which is on Level Seven.
• Eileen Prince, mother of Severus Snape, was once captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team.
• Ron Weasley's older brother, Percy Weasley, owns a set of Gobstones.
• In the Daily Prophet sent to members of the Bloomsbury Official Harry Potter Fan Club (1998-99), we are told that:
  • There is an also International Gobstones League.
  • Cornelius Fudge, former Minister for Magic, is a Gobstones fan.
  • The Daily Prophet failed to report a recent victory of the Welsh National Gobstones Team over the Hungarian national side, which caused a member of the Welsh team to write an angry letter to the paper.