h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've never encountered "damp squid" before.

I think Footnote 6 is, at least to some extent, a result of JK Rowling's lexicon as much as anything else.

The squib one reminds me of the petard canard. The phrase "hoist by his own petard" is common in English, thanks to Shakespeare. So common that most of us probably don't know what it meant in the first place. It's quite common now to hear about people being "strung up", "hung", or even "reeled in" by their own petards.

Having some friends who are into sailing, I remembered that a squib is a type of sail-boat, in which case a damp squib is preferable, if not essential. How they chose the name I don't know, it doesn't sound particularly energising and uplifting.

"in which case a damp squib is preferable"

I don't know about that - I prefer boats to be waterproof, on the whole. Or should that be on the hull?

Good points. Just boats are more enjoyable being out on the water than sat in dry dock being maintained or stored.

Harry Potter and damp boats

It'll do for a working title, but needs some work...

Harry Potter and the Damp Boats - coming soon to a bookshop near you.

Tentative plot outline: a sinister force lurking at the bottom of the lake in the Hogwart's grounds, possibly something to do with Hagrid?

And the giant squid he's been breeding?

Damp boats? Sounds like a Babel ism for a German steamer ship.

True.