"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." <-- what is this quote from?

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   ForLoveofCupcakesposted 9 years ago

   "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." <-- what is this quote from?
   
   I see this all the time at Renaissance Faires and among geeky groups, but what fandom does it belong to?

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   Sara Copleyposted 9 years ago

   Hi Jamie! According to goodreads.com this quote comes from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J. K. Rowling. I have never read it but supposedly that is where it's from. Hope that helps!

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   Amanda108posted 9 years ago

   It comes from Harry Potter. Those were the words needed to unveil the "Marauder's Map", which was a thorough map of the Hogwarts castle and grounds and could show the location of people within the land. Without those words, the map would otherwise appear as a blank parchment. To again hide the map, one would say, "Mischief managed!" Of course a magic wand was also involved.
   
   The creators of the map were a group of teen boys (Harry's father and his schoolboy friends) who quite liked pranks and the idea of adventure. Hence the words involved. They also benefited greatly from a way to hide from teachers and get through secret passageways, hence the map's creation. ;-)
   
   As for the popularity, well Harry Potter fandom in itself is huge of course. But the words have spread to have a broader meaning than just a quote. It can be a fun reference in fantasy loving circles (such as Ren Fest) and has the qualities of an internet meme: even in groups with no particular feelings toward Harry Potter one might say "mischief managed" to end a jokingly devious story or tease the "I solemnly swear..." bit when talking about guilty pleasures or things we want to do but shouldn't do. Just as a couple examples.

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      tsmogposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Amanda. Now my interest is piqued to read the Harry Potter series. Now, with spare time I may :-)

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      ForLoveofCupcakesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Oh I *do* remember this part! Thank you for such a detailed answer!

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