Name:
Period:
The Wizarding World of Genetics
Scientists have been investigating the genetic makeup of the wizarding world. Use the information provided and your
knowledge of genetics to answer each question below.
1. For each genotype below, indicate whether it is heterozygous (he) OR homozygous (ho).
BB
Pp
Mm
FF
PP
Bb
Dd
mm
ff
MM
pp
DD
Which of the genotypes above would be considered purebred?
Which of the genotypes above would be considered hybrid?
2. Determine the phenotype for each genotype using the information provided about Harry Potter.
Non-parseltongue is dominant to parseltongue.
PP
Pp
pp
Dark hair is dominant to red hair.
DD
Dd
dd
3. For each phenotype, give the genotypes that are possible for Draco Malfoy.
Black hair (B) is dominant to white hair (b).
Black =
White =
Muggle (M) is dominant to magic (m). *Muggle means non-magical*
Muggle =
Magic =
4. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley recently married. Harry is hybrid for his dark hair, while Ginny is a redhead. Create a
Punnett square to show the possibilities that would result if Harry and Ginny had children. HINT: see question #2!
A. List the possible genotypes AND phenotypes for their children.
B. What are the chances of a child with dark hair?
out of
OR
%
C. What are the chances of a child with red hair?
out of
OR
%
5. Hagrid found two baby dragons in the forest. Both are heterozygous for their fire-breathing ability, which is the
dominant trait. Create a Punnett square to show the possibilities that would result if these two dragons had children. Use
F for the dominant allele and f for the recessive.
A. List the possible genotypes AND phenotypes for their children.
B. What are the chances of a fire-breathing baby?
C. What are the chances of a non-fire-breather?
out of
out of
OR
%
OR
%
6. Draco Malfoy is purebred for his white hair, which is a recessive trait. He is very proud of this trait and wants to pass it
on to his children, but he married a girl who is heterozygous for her black hair. Create a Punnett square to show the
possibilities that would result if Draco and his new bride had children.
A. List the possible genotypes AND phenotypes for their children.
B. What are the chances of a child with white hair?
%
C. What are the chances of a child with black hair?
%
D. Would any of Draco’s children be purebred for their hair color? Explain!
7. Assume that one of Draco’s sons, who is heterozygous for black hair, marries a girl that is also heterozygous. Create a
Punnett square to show the possibilities that would result if they had children.
A. List the possible genotypes AND phenotypes for their children.
B. What are the chances of a child with white hair?
%
C. What are the chances of a child with black hair?
%
8. Neville Longbottom settled down a few years ago with a nice Muggle girl, Susie, and had a baby. No one in Susie’s family
has ever had magical abilities, but Little Longbottom is showing signs of being a wizard! Susie is now convinced that there
was a mix-up at the hospital. Create a Punnett square to help answer the questions below. *HINT: see question 3!
A. List the possible genotypes AND phenotypes for their children.
B. Did the hospital make a mistake? Explain your answer.
9. Harry Potter is a parseltongue, which means that he can speak to snakes. No one in his family has ever had this ability,
however. If you didn’t know where Harry’s ability came from, and assuming that there was no mistake at the hospital and
Harry was not adopted, how could you GENETICALLY explain it? Be specific and use complete sentences.