Manningtree superfan sets Harry Potter Guinness record

Eli Chmelik, 11, who got 19 correct answers within one minute, said it felt “very strange” to hold a world record.

The Colchester Royal Grammar School student, who lives in Manningtree, said he has read the books “dozens of times each” and he “instantly loved the entire series”.

But preparation for the video record attempt, which was verified by Guinness World Records, was no easy challenge.

Eli’s mother Bonny Chmelik, 43, had to secure two independent timekeepers, two independent witnesses and an independent reader.

Eli said it felt “very strange” to hold a world record Picture:PA

Bonny, who is a marketing strategist, said: “Everyone was frightened they were going to do something wrong and be the ones who stopped him from getting the record.

“I had to choose 50 quotes that were not more than four from each person and not fewer than four words each.

“He didn’t feel nervous about this because he knows all of it. He copes really well under pressure.

“There are some books he knows much better than the others, but his knowledge comes from the books and not the films.”

Eli was originally practising to guess 40 quotes for three minutes, but to match a similar record for Star Wars, the time was reduced to a minute.

Asked how he prepared for his record attempt, the Harry Potter superfan said: “I read the books a lot, for a start.

“I read them more than I normally do, which is saying something.

“I got people around me to test me occasionally.”

Eli started reading the Harry Potter books when he was six-years-old Picture:PA

According to Bonny, the character development in the books as well as “the realness and the depth of knowledge you get from each one of them” is what fascinates Eli the most.

She added:“Eli’s quite a self-starter and, honestly, when he said what about doing a world record, I was like: ‘Yeah go for it’.

“He put himself in a world record breaking situation with people he don’t know, doing something he has never done.

“I am so proud.”

Here are the 19 quotes from which the 11-year-old correctly identified the characters:

1. Dobby is used to death threats sir. Dobby gets them five times a day at home.

2. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for.

3. Are you insane? Of course, I want to leave the Dursleys. Have you got a house? When can I move in?

4. Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.

5. Keep everybody in their seats, a boy has just been killed.

6. Just because it’s taken you three years to notice Ron, doesn’t mean no-one else has spotted I’m a girl.

7. Once again, you show all the sensitivity of a blunt axe.

8. Fame is a fickle friend, Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does. Remember that.

9. Why, dear boy, we don’t send wizards to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts.

10. I’ve always wanted to use that spell.

11. Yer a wizard Harry.

12. He can run faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo.

13. I think we’ve outgrown full-time education. Time to test our talents in the real world, d’you reckon?

14. There is no need to call me ‘sir’, Professor.

15. Honestly, am I the only person who’s ever bothered to read Hogwarts: A History?

16. You’re a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant … but scary.

17. Enemies of the heir, beware. You’ll be next, Mudbloods.

18. I’m going to kill you, Harry Potter. I’m going to destroy you. After tonight, no-one will ever again question my power.

19. Training for the ballet, Potter?

Answers

1. Dobby
2. Sirius Black
3. Harry Potter
4. Luna Lovegood
5. Cornelius Fudge
6. Hermione Granger
7. Nearly Headless Nick
8. Gilderoy Lockhart
9. Cornelius Fudge
10. Minerva McGonagall
11. Rubeus Hagrid
12. Fred Weasley
13. Fred Weasley
14. Harry Potter
15. Hermione Granger
16. Ron Weasley
17. Draco Malfoy
18. Voldemort
19. Draco Malfoy