In
J. K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and Philanthropy, philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to ...
's ''
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' series,
magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual
laws of nature. Many fictional
magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibit magical properties.
Magical objects are also described. Witches and wizards refer to the rest of the population, who are generally unaware of magic, as "
Muggle
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, a Muggle () is a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born in a magical family. Muggles can also be described as people who do not have any magical blood inside them. It differs fr ...
s" in the United Kingdom and "No-Maj" in the United States.
In humans, magic or the lack thereof is an inborn attribute. It is usually inherited, carried on "dominant resilient genes". Magic is the norm for the children of magical couples and less common in those of Muggles. Exceptions exist: those unable to do magic who are born to magical parents are known as
Squibs, whereas a witch or wizard born to Muggle parents is known as a
Muggle-born
The fictional universe of British author J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series of fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the Wizarding World and the Muggle world. In the novels, the Muggle world is the world inhabited by the non-ma ...
, or by the
derogatory term
A pejorative or slur is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or a disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hostility, or disregard. Sometimes, a ...
"Mudblood". While Muggle-borns are quite common, Squibs are extremely rare.
Rowling based many magical elements of the ''Harry Potter'' universe on real-world mythology and magic. She has described this as "a way of giving texture to the world". The books present the idea that the Muggle interpretation of these stories is a distorted version of what goes on in the wizarding world.
The magic of ''Harry Potter'' became the subject of a 2017
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
exhibition and accompanying documentary. The exhibition, entitled ''Harry Potter: A History of Magic'', is the first at the British Library to be inspired by a single series by a living author.
Using magic
Witches and wizards train to learn how to control their magic. With young and untrained children, magic will manifest itself subconsciously in moments of strong apprehension, fear, anger and sadness. For example,
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
once made his hair grow back after a bad haircut, set a boa constrictor on his cousin
Dudley
Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...
at the London Zoo, and made
Aunt Marge inflate to an enormous size. While this reaction is usually uncontrollable, as an untrained child,
Tom Marvolo Riddle
Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' ...
was able to make things move without touching them, make animals do what he wanted without training them, make "bad things happen" to people who annoyed him, or make them hurt if he wanted to.
[, chapter 13] In addition,
Lily Evans was able to guide and control the blooming of a flower simply by wanting it to happen.
Almost all magic is done with the use of a
wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic.
Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which c ...
. On the subject of wandless magic, Rowling says:
A wizard or witch is only at their best when using their own wand. When using another's wand, one's spells are not as strong as they normally would be.
Within the books, technical details of magic are obscure. Of Harry's lessons, only those involving magical beasts
magical creatures,
potions
A potion () is a liquid "that contains medicine, poison, or something that is supposed to have magic powers.” It derives from the Latin word ''potus'' which referred to a drink or drinking. The term philtre is also used, often specifically ...
or divination are given in any detail.
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose sarcastic, controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft ...
once told
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
that "Time and space matter in magic" during Harry's first Occlumency lesson in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and
Albus Dumbledore
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is ...
told Harry after finding the magically concealed boat to reach the locket
Horcrux that "Magic always leaves traces, sometimes very distinctive traces."
Spellcasting
Spells
Spell(s) or The Spell(s) may refer to:
Processes
* Spell (paranormal), an incantation
* Spell (ritual), a magical ritual
* Spelling, the writing of words
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Spell'' (1977 film), an American ...
are the every-purpose tools of a wizard or witch; short bursts of magic used to accomplish single specialised tasks such as opening locks or creating fire. Typically casting requires an
incantation
An incantation, a spell, a charm, an enchantment or a bewitchery, is a magical formula intended to trigger a magical effect on a person or objects. The formula can be spoken, sung or chanted. An incantation can also be performed during ceremo ...
, most often in a modified form of
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
(see
Dog Latin
Dog Latin or cod Latin is a phrase or jargon that imitates Latin, often by "translating" English words (or those of other languages) into Latin by conjugating or declining them as if they were Latin words. Dog Latin is usually a humorous devi ...
), and gesturing with a
wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic.
Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which c ...
. However, Rowling has revealed that particularly talented wizards can cast spells without the aid of wand, although magic produced with one is generally more precise and powerful. Spells can also be cast non-verbally, but with a magical wand. This special technique is taught in the sixth year of study at Hogwarts and requires the caster to concentrate on the incantation. Some spells (e.g., ''Levicorpus'') are apparently designed to be used non-verbally. While most magic shown in the books requires the caster to use their voice, some do not (and this may depend on the witch or wizard). Dumbledore has been known to do impressive feats of magic without speaking, such as
conjuring
Conjuration or Conjuring may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Concepts
* Conjuration (summoning), the evocation of spirits or other supernatural entities
** Conjuration, a school of magic in ''Dungeons & Dragons''
* Conjuration (illusion), the performance of s ...
enough squashy purple sleeping bags to accommodate the entire student population or during his duel with Voldemort towards the end of ''Order of the Phoenix''.
It is possible to use a wand without holding it. In ''Order of the Phoenix'', Harry himself performs ''Lumos'' to light his wand when it is lying on the ground somewhere near him. Additionally,
Animagi and
Metamorphmagi do not need wands to undergo their transformations.
Spells are divided into rough categories, such as "
charm
Charm may refer to:
Social science
* Charisma, a person or thing's pronounced ability to attract others
* Superficial charm, flattery, telling people what they want to hear
Science and technology
* Charm quark, a type of elementary particle
* Ch ...
s", "
curse
A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, ...
s", "hexes", or "
jinx
A jinx (also jynx), in popular superstition and folklore, is a curse or the attribute of attracting bad or negative luck.
The word ''"jynx"'' meaning the bird wryneck and sometimes a charm or spell has been in use in English since the seventeent ...
es". Although offensive and potentially dangerous curses exist in number, three are considered usable only for great evil, which earns them the special classification of "
Unforgivable Curses
In J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibi ...
".
The limits of magic
Before publishing the first ''Harry Potter'' novel, Rowling spent five years establishing the limitations of magic—determining what it could and could not do. "The most important thing to decide when you're creating a fantasy world," she said in 2000, "is what the characters ''can't'' do." For instance, while it is possible to conjure things out of thin air, it is far more tricky to create something that fits an exact specification rather than a general one; moreover, any objects so conjured tend not to last.
Death
Rowling has described death as the most important theme in the books. Consequently, as Dumbledore states in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'', there is no spell that can truly bring the dead back to life. While corpses can be transformed into obedient
Inferi on a living wizard's command, they are little more than
zombies
A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...
with no soul or will of their own. However, there are some methods of communicating with the dead, though with limited results. For example, all Hogwarts headmasters appear in a
portrait
A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...
when they die, allowing consultation by future generations. It is also possible through the rare
Priori Incantatem effect to converse with ghost-like "shadows" of magically murdered people. The
Resurrection Stone also allows one to talk to the dead, but those brought back by the Stone are not corporeal, nor do they wish to be disturbed from their peaceful rest. Throughout the series, this limit is continually mentioned, and wizards try to transcend it at their own peril.
Likewise, it is not possible to make oneself immortal unless one makes use of an object of great power to sustain life, such as the
Philosopher's Stone
The philosopher's stone or more properly philosophers' stone (Arabic: حجر الفلاسفة, , la, lapis philosophorum), is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (, from the Greek , "gold", a ...
or
Horcruxes. If one were to possess the three
Deathly Hallows
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
, it is fabled that they would possess the tools to become the "master of death". However, it is hinted that to be a true "master of death" is to be willing to accept that death is inevitable. Other methods of extending life include drinking unicorn blood, which will keep a person alive even if death is imminent, but at the terrible price of being cursed forever. Being magical can contribute to one's
longevity
The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always d ...
, as there are several characters in the series who are unusually long-lived (such as
Griselda Marchbanks, who was an
invigilator
Proctor (a variant of ''procurator'') is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another.
The title is used in England and some other English-speaking countries in three principal contexts:
* In law, a proctor is a historical class of lawye ...
during Albus Dumbledore's O.W.L examinations). It is revealed by
Nearly Headless Nick
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
in the fifth book that all witches and wizards have the choice of becoming
ghosts
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...
upon dying; however, it is described as "a pale imitation of life". Snape states that a ghost is merely "the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth".
Death is studied at the
Department of Mysteries
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
in a chamber containing an enigmatic veil, which Rowling has described as "the divide between life and death". With regard to what is on the other side, she elaborated: "Do I believe you go on? Yes, I do believe you go on. I do believe in an afterlife, although I'm absolutely doubt-ridden and always have been but there you are." Sirius falls through this veil in ''Order of the Phoenix'' after he is hit with a curse from Bellatrix.
Principal exceptions to Gamp's ''Law of Elemental Transfiguration''
The principal exceptions to Gamp's ''Law of Elemental Transfiguration'' is a magical theory mentioned by Hermione and later repeated by Ron in the final book. She explains that food is one of these: Witches or wizards can cook and prepare food using magic, and even multiply it, but not create it out of nothing.
There are numerous examples in the series of food ''seeming'' to have been conjured from nothing, such as the sudden
materialization of ingredients in the pots of Molly Weasley's kitchen, and when Professor McGonagall creates a self-refilling plate of sandwiches for Harry and Ron in ''
Chamber of Secrets''. In all cases, these events can be reasonably explained as food either being multiplied, or transported from elsewhere. One example of the latter is banqueting at Hogwarts – the food is prepared by elves in the kitchens and laid onto four replica tables, directly below the actual house tables in the Great Hall. The elves then magically transport the food from the replica tables up to the house tables.
This is the only exception mentioned explicitly in the series. However, Rowling herself has stated once in an interview that ''money'' is something wizards cannot simply materialize out of thin air,
or the economic system of the wizarding world would then be gravely flawed and disrupted. While the
Philosopher's Stone
The philosopher's stone or more properly philosophers' stone (Arabic: حجر الفلاسفة, , la, lapis philosophorum), is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (, from the Greek , "gold", a ...
does permit
alchemy
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, ...
, this is portrayed as an extremely rare, even unique object, whose owner does not exploit all its powers.
Emotion
As explained earlier, young untrained wizards can trigger uncontrolled magic when they are in the state of intense emotion. But emotions also affect trained witches and wizards and their magical abilities. For instance, in ''Half-Blood Prince'', a heartbroken
Nymphadora Tonks
The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
temporarily loses her power as a
Metamorphmagus
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhib ...
when
Remus Lupin
Remus John Lupin is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He first appears in ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Lupin remains in the s ...
starts distancing himself from her; the form of her
Patronus changes to reflect her depression. Another example is
Merope Gaunt
Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a Character (arts), character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Ph ...
, who only demonstrated any magical ability when removed from her father's oppression, but then lost it again when her husband abandoned her.
Several magical spells require the use of certain emotions when casting them. The Patronus charm, for example, requires the caster to concentrate on a happy memory.
Another example is the
Cruciatus Curse, which causes immense pain; as Harry discovers during a duel with
Bellatrix Lestrange
Bellatrix Lestrange () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. ...
, effective use of this forbidden dark magic requires sadistic desires.
Love (in its broadest meaning) is depicted as a particularly powerful form of magic. According to Dumbledore, love is a "force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than forces of nature". Lily's voluntary sacrifice on Harry's behalf saves him from Voldemort as a baby, and Harry makes a similar sacrifice to save his friends at the end of ''Deathly Hallows''. A certain key prophecy in the series describes Harry as having "power the Dark Lord knows not", referencing his capacity for love.
True love is impossible to create magically;
Amortentia
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhibit ...
, a love potion, can only create a powerful sense of infatuation and obsession.
Magical abilities
The following is a list of special abilities that a wizard or witch in the Harry Potter universe may have.
Animagi
An Animagus (
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[magus
Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin ''magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the ...](_blank)
) is a witch or wizard who can turn into a particular animal or magical creature at will. This ability is not innate: it must be acquired by magical means. All Animagi must register at a central authority by law, though a number of characters are revealed over the course of the series to have remained unregistered illegally:
James Potter,
Sirius Black
Sirius Black is a character in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort killed ...
,
Peter Pettigrew
Peter Pettigrew (born 9 September 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia se ...
and
Rita Skeeter
The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
.
Minerva McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguratio ...
was a Ministry-registered Animagus taking the form of a tabby cat.
Animagi transformation can be performed wandlessly. Sirius and Peter are left wandless for over 10 years, but both retain the ability with no apparent ill effects. When Animagi transform they take on the appearance, not necessarily all traits, of a normal animal. In ''
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'', it is noted that Ron's pet rat Scabbers (later revealed as Peter Pettigrew's Animagus form) has lived over twelve years when only expected to live three. Also, an Animagus in animal form retains the ability to think like a human, which is the principal difference between being an Animagus and being transfigured into an animal. Otherwise, they would forget that they were a wizard and be trapped, unknowingly, in this form unless transformed back by another wizard. Characteristics of an Animagus' human form can manifest themselves in the animal transformation; McGonagall and Rita Skeeter have markings around their eyes that resemble their glasses, while Pettigrew has a missing toe on one of his front paws representing his missing finger. When an Animagus registers, they must record all the defining physical traits of their animal form so that the Ministry can identify them.
Each Animagus has a specific animal form, and cannot transform into any other animal. The animal cannot be chosen: it is uniquely suited to that individual's personality, and in most cases the Animagus will change into the same animal used in the person's
Patronus Charm
The fictional universe of British author J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series of fantasy novels comprises two distinct societies: the Wizarding World and the Muggle world. In the novels, the Muggle world is the world inhabited by the non-mag ...
.
Explicit emphasis is placed in the books on the differences between Animagi and
werewolves
In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely or ...
. Animagi have full control over their transformations and retain their minds, whereas werewolves' transformations are involuntary and include severe changes in personality. After the person has transformed into a werewolf "...he no longer remembers who he is. He'd kill his best friend. The werewolf only responds to the call of his own kind." The only way that a werewolf can retain his sanity, intelligence and memory while transformed is using the Wolfsbane Potion.
Metamorphmagi
A Metamorphmagus (a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[metamorph
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited ...](_blank)
'' and ''
magus
Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin ''magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the ...
'') is a witch or wizard born with the innate ability to change some or all of their appearance at will. The talent cannot be learnt; a witch or wizard must be born with it.
Nymphadora Tonks
The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
and her son,
Teddy Lupin
The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix (fictional organisation)#Members of the Order, Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army#Notable Dumbledore' ...
are currently the only known Metamorphmagi in the series; it is a very rare ability, possibly hereditary. Tonks is known to change her hair colour and style according to her mood. She even appears as an old woman on occasion. She can also change her nose appearance, as she does when eating with the Weasley family to entertain Ginny and Hermione. Her son, Teddy Lupin, also inherited this trait, as his hair is mentioned to be repeatedly changing colour.
The extent of these appearance-altering abilities and the limits thereof are not entirely clear. According to Rowling, a Metamorphmagus can alter his or her appearance completely, for instance, from black to white, young to old, handsome to plain and so on. In one example, Tonks changes her facial appearance by reshaping her nose into "a beaklike protuberance like Snape's", to "something resembling a button mushroom", and "one like a pig snout" which reminded Harry of his cousin Dudley. The emotional state of a Metamorphmagus can affect their abilities.
Parseltongue
Parseltongue is the language of snakes. It is often associated with Dark Magic, although Dumbledore stated that it is not necessarily an evil quality. Those possessing the ability to speak it (Parselmouths) occur very rarely. People apparently acquire the skill through learning or via a method of
xenoglossia
Xenoglossy (), also written xenoglossia () and sometimes also known as xenolalia, is the supposedly paranormal phenomenon in which a person is allegedly able to speak, write or understand a foreign language that they could not have acquired by n ...
, such as through genetic inheritance or by use of Dark or dangerous magic. Harry was a Parselmouth until the age of 17. ''
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the second novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The plot follows Harry Potter (character), Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'' explains this was because of Voldemort's passing on some of his abilities to Harry the night he tried to kill him. ''Deathly Hallows'' reveals that a part of Voldemort's soul within Harry grants him this ability, which is later destroyed leaving Harry stripped of the ability.
Harry temporarily regains the ability in ''The Cursed Child'', along with a pain in the scar.
Other known Parselmouths include
Salazar Slytherin
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not h ...
and his descendants, including the
Gaunts and Voldemort. Dumbledore could also understand Parseltongue; he learned it and did not naturally possess the ability. In ''Half-Blood Prince'', he repeats Morfin Gaunt's words "the big house over the way", which were spoken in Parseltongue.
Ron uses Parseltongue in the
final book to reopen the
Chamber of Secrets, but he is only imitating the sound of a phrase Harry used in the book ''
Chamber of Secrets''.
Rowling borrowed the term from "an old word for someone who has a problem with the mouth, like a
hare lip
A cleft lip contains an opening in the upper lip that may extend into the nose. The opening may be on one side, both sides, or in the middle. A cleft palate occurs when the palate (the roof of the mouth) contains an opening into the nose. The te ...
".
Seers
A Seer is a witch or wizard with the
clairvoyant
Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
ability to predict future events. The predictions given through this ability can sometimes be
self-fulfilling prophecies
A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that comes true at least in part as a result of a person's or group of persons' belief or expectation that said prediction would come true. This suggests that people's beliefs influence their actions. T ...
, and Dumbledore states in ''Order of the Phoenix'' that not all of them come true, depending on the choices made by those mentioned. This would seem to indicate that a Seer predicts possible or likely events, at least in some cases.
In the
Hall of Prophecy at the
Department of Mysteries
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
, thousands upon thousands of glass spheres are imbued with records of prophecies made by Seers. Only a person mentioned in a prophecy can safely retrieve it; anyone else who tries to do so will be driven insane.
According to McGonagall, true Seers are extremely rare.
Sybill Trelawney
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
is the only Seer portrayed in the books, and is considered an "old fraud" by her students -- although it is mentioned that Sybill's great-great-grandmother, Cassandra Trelawney, was a renowned Seer in her day. Trelawney is ultimately sacked by
Dolores Umbridge
Dolores Jane Umbridge is a fictional character from the ''Harry Potter'' series created by J.K. Rowling. Umbridge is the primary antagonist of the fifth novel of ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and has been stationed at Hogwar ...
in the fifth book for her lack of ability. She has twice made true prophecies -- both of significance to Harry Potter -- but had no recollection of either prediction afterward.
Legilimency and Occlumency
Legilimency is the magical skill of extracting feelings and memories from another person's mind—a form of magical "
telepathy
Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W ...
" (although Snape, an able practitioner of the art, dismisses the colloquial term "mind-reading", as a drastic oversimplification). It also allows one to convey visions or memories to another person, whether real or imaginary. A witch or wizard possessing this skill is called a Legilimens, and can, for example, detect lies and deceit in another person, witness memories in another person's past, or "plant" false visions in another's mind.
The counter-skill to Legilimency is Occlumency (and its user, known as an Occlumens), by which one can compartmentalize one's emotions, or prevent a Legilimens from discovering thoughts or memories which contradict one's spoken words or actions. An advanced form of Occlumency is planting false temporary memories inside an Occlumens' own head while blocking all other true memories, so if a Legilimens, even a highly skilled one, were to attempt to read the mind, he or she would find false memories only and believe everything was right.
The skills are first mentioned in ''Order of the Phoenix''. Legilimency and Occlumency are not part of the normal curriculum at Hogwarts, and most students would graduate without learning them.
Voldemort,
Snape, and Dumbledore are all skilled in Legilimency and Occlumency, albeit with the use of their wands. Voldemort is said to be the master of Legilimency by Snape, as he, in almost all cases, immediately knows if someone lied to him. In addition, in ''Deathly Hallows'', Voldemort repeatedly uses Legilimency to interrogate his victims. Voldemort practices Occlumency throughout the period of ''Half-Blood Prince'' to deny Harry access to his thoughts and emotions. However, in ''Deathly Hallows'', Voldemort repeatedly loses grip, resulting in occasional but very powerful burst of thoughts, visions and emotions to be sent to Harry.
Throughout the books, Snape is repeatedly said to be highly skilled in Occlumency, explaining how he was able to deceive Voldemort for years. Even before ''Order of the Phoenix'', Harry has the impression that Snape can read minds.
During the ''Order of Phoenix'' Snape is instructed by Dumbledore to give Harry lessons in Occlumency. Due to the antagonism between the two, and Harry's secret desire to know Voldemort's thoughts, he makes poor progress, and only once manages to overcome Snape and enter his mind.
[, chapter 26] In ''Deathly Hallows'', Harry finally masters Occlumency—shutting his mind to Voldemort—when Dobby dies. He realises that his grief—or as Dumbledore calls it, love—is what can block out the Dark Lord.
Queenie Goldstein, in ''
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
''Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'' (often referred to as simply ''Fantastic Beasts'') is a 2001 guide book written by British author J. K. Rowling (under the pen name of the fictitious author Newt Scamander) about the magical creat ...
'', is revealed to be a proficient Legilimens, born with the ability, as she is able to read the minds of Jacob Kowalski and others in the film, as well as sense and hear them from afar through their thoughts and emotions. Unlike Snape, Voldemort and Dumbledore she does not require a wand to cast the spells of Legilimency as the ability to read minds comes naturally to her.
Apparition and Disapparition
Apparition is a magical form of
teleportation
Teleportation is the hypothetical transfer of matter or energy from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them. It is a common subject in science fiction literature and in other popular culture. Teleportation is oft ...
, through which a witch or wizard can disappear ("Disapparate") from one location and reappear ("Apparate") in another. It is usually accompanied by a loud cracking or popping sound, though the more skilled wizards such as Dumbledore can Apparate "so suddenly and silently" that they seem to have "popped out of the ground". According to Harry, apparition is also accompanied by a very unpleasant squeezing sensation, as though being sent through a tight rubber tube.
The Ministry of Magic licenses Apparition. A witch or wizard must be 17 years old or older and have a licence to Apparate as a means of transportation in much the same way real-world governments require individuals to have a
licence to drive a motor vehicle. Students at Hogwarts may attend Ministry-administered Apparition lessons during their sixth year, and take their examination once they turn seventeen. It is shown that although it is possible to Apparate without a licence, it is not usually done (unless in lessons) and is illegal. In ''Deathly Hallows'', Harry does not possess a licence, but since his Trace has been lifted, the Ministry is likely unaware that he does it.
Learning to Apparate is difficult, and students run the risk of ''splinching''—being physically split between the origin and destination—which requires the assistance of the Ministry's
Accidental Magic Reversal Squad
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
to undo properly, although essence of
dittany can also mend certain wounds. Splinching is quite common during lessons, and can be uncomfortable (and at times rather gruesome) depending on the body parts splinched, but is ultimately harmless if properly reversed. Although Ron can Apparate, he isn't terribly skilled at it, and splinches himself at least three times (once losing half an eyebrow, two fingernails and part of his arm). Harry and Hermione both pick up the skill quickly in comparison. As explained in the ''Half-Blood Prince'', there is no word spell to Apparate or Disapparate, but the caster has to concentrate on the location on which he has to apparate, needs to be fully focused on the spell, and also has to "feel" it through the whole body.
It has been indicated that it is considered rude to Apparate directly into a private area, such as a home. Dumbledore states in ''Half-Blood Prince'' that it would be "quite as rude as kicking down the front door". For this reason, and for reasons of security, many homes have Anti-Apparition spells protecting them from uninvited intrusions. The accepted way to travel to a home is to Apparate to a nearby location and continue to the final destination on foot. Apparition is considered unreliable over long distances, and even experienced users of the technique sometimes prefer other means of transport, such as
broomstick
A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...
s. Rowling has stated that Apparating over long distances depends on the skill of the wizard, and "Cross-continental Apparition would almost certainly result in severe injury or death." Indeed, even the prodigiously skilled
Lord Voldemort
Lord Voldemort ( , in the films) is a sobriquet for Tom Marvolo Riddle, a character and the main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of ''Harry Potter'' novels. The character first appeared in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' ...
elects to fly back to England after visiting the far-flung
Nurmengard
J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.
Dwellings
The Burrow
The We ...
.
For reasons of security, the grounds and buildings of Hogwarts are protected by ancient Anti-Apparition and Anti-Disapparition spells, which prevent humans from Apparating on the school grounds. There is also a spell that prevents individuals from Disapparating, which Dumbledore places on the Death Eaters captured at the Ministry in ''Order of the Phoenix''; a sister spell, which allows one to Apparate into a location but prevents them from Disapparating out of it, is cast by the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade in concordance with the Caterwauling Charm. Dumbledore is the only person who can both Apparate and Disapparate from the school grounds, since he is the headmaster.
A witch or wizard can use ''Side-Along Apparition'' to take others with them during Apparition. Dumbledore successfully transports Harry this way several times in ''Half-Blood Prince'', and Harry's first non-lesson attempt at the skill is the Side-Along Apparition with the weakened Dumbledore when they return from the seaside cave.
In the ''Order of the Phoenix'' film, Death Eaters and Order members Apparate and Disapparate in clouds of black and white smoke respectively. In the film, both sides also appear to be able to "half-apparate" in which their bodies were made out of smoke, giving them the ability to fly. Both times Fred and George apparated and disapparated, they did it with a ''pop'' as in the books.
In the books, the words "Apparate" and "Disapparate", like many other
neologism
A neologism Greek νέο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...
s used by Rowling, are
Capitalization, capitalised, whereas established English words such as "jinx" and "hex" are not. The words themselves are most likely derived from the French ''apparaître'' and ''disparaître'', meaning 'to appear' and 'to disappear'. Another possible derivation is from the English word "apparition", meaning "a supernatural appearance of a person or thing; anything that appears, especially something remarkable or startling; an act of appearing", which comes from the Latin ''"apparitio"'', meaning attendance. "Disapparate" probably comes from the same word but with the prefix "dis-" expressing negation or reversal.
Other teleportation
Some magical creatures have their own forms of instantaneous travel, such as a house elf's ability to teleport or a phoenix's ability to appear and disappear in a burst of flame. Unlike wizards, these creatures are not restricted by anti-Apparition magic.
Dobby
Rhyan Clapham, known by his stage name Dobby (stylised as DOBBY), is a Filipino-Aboriginal Australian musician. He describes himself as a "drapper", a contraction of rapper and drummer, although he also plays other instruments and is also a compo ...
,
Kreacher
Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends en ...
, and the rest of the house-elf population can Apparate within the Hogwarts grounds, as they demonstrate on multiple occasions, most notably when Dobby visits Harry in the hospital wing, and when Harry summons Dobby and Kreacher and assigns them to tail Draco Malfoy.
Fawkes
Fawkes is a surname of Norman-French origin, first appearing in the British Isles after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The surname may be a corruption of the Norman surname Vaux, which means valley. Notably, Guy Fawkes was sometimes reco ...
Disapparates from the headmaster's office at Hogwarts along with Dumbledore when the latter evades arrest at the hands of Ministry officials in ''Order of the Phoenix''.
Some magical devices like the
Floo Network,
Portkeys and
Vanishing Cabinets also provide forms of magical teleportation.
Veela charm
An ability attributed to
Veela and those of Veela heritage, such as
Fleur Delacour
The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the ''Harry Potter'' series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the ...
, Veela charm is used to charm males, much as the
Siren
Siren or sirens may refer to:
Common meanings
* Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies
* Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology
Places
* Siren (town), Wisconsin
* Siren, Wisc ...
s do in ''
The Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', the ...
''. Men who are exposed to it over time become more resistant to it, although the Veela charm takes full effect if the Veela surprises the man, as noted by Ron in ''Half-Blood Prince''.
As shown in ''Goblet of Fire'', one can use Veela hair as cores in magical wands. According to famed wandmaker Mr. Ollivander, these wands are a little "temperamental".
Magical resistance
Powerful creatures such as
trolls
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
,
dragons
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
, and
giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
may exhibit magical resistance - a certain degree of immunity against hexes and spells. Hagrid is resistant to certain spells (like the Stunning Spell) due to his giant blood. This type of resistance is not insurmountable; if enough Stunning Spells, for example, are fired simultaneously at a creature with magical resistance, the creature may still be rendered unconscious. Also, wizards and witches can resist certain spells with the power of their own sheer will, as Harry does in ''Goblet of Fire'', when
Barty Crouch Jr. (disguised as Alastor Moody) tries to control Harry with the Imperius curse and Harry resists. The same book shows
Barty Crouch Sr. throwing off the Imperius Curse after spending several months under it.
Subjects at Hogwarts
At Hogwarts, students must study a core group of subjects for the first two years, after which they must choose between several electives. During their final two years, students are permitted to take more specialized subjects such as Alchemy.
Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions, Astronomy, History of Magic, and Herbology are compulsory subjects for the first five years, as well as flying lessons for the first year, which becomes optional for the remaining six years. At the end of their second year, students are required to add at least two optional subjects to their syllabus for the start of the third year. The five choices are Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. Very specialised subjects such as
Alchemy
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, ...
are sometimes offered in the final two years, if there is sufficient demand. There is a total of twelve named
Professors
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
at Hogwarts, each specializing in one of these subjects.
Transfiguration
Transfiguration is essentially the art of changing the properties of an object.
Transfiguration is a theory-based subject, including topics such as "Switching Spells" (altering only a part of some object, such as when Hagrid gave Dudley a pig tail); Vanishing Spells (causing an object to completely disappear); and Conjuring Spells (creating objects out of thin air). It is possible to change inanimate objects into animate ones and vice versa –
Minerva McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguratio ...
, the class's teacher, transfigures her desk into a
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
and back in ''Philosopher's Stone''.
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Defence Against the Dark Arts, commonly shortened to D.A.D.A., is the class that teaches students defensive techniques to defend against the
Dark Arts, and to be protected from Dark creatures. In ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
'', with Death Eaters in charge of the school, the subject is renamed the Dark Arts, and involves pupils practicing the
Cruciatus Curse on those who have earned detentions. The subject has an extraordinarily high turnover of staff members—throughout the series no Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher has retained the post for more than one school year. Dumbledore also once stated that this post is cursed. Harry is exceptionally skilled in this subject. During the period the story takes place, the class is taught by
Quirinus Quirrell (
book one),
Gilderoy Lockhart
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
(
book two
A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical ...
),
Remus Lupin
Remus John Lupin is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He first appears in ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Lupin remains in the s ...
(
book three),
Bartemius Crouch Jr impersonating
Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody (
book four),
Dolores Umbridge
Dolores Jane Umbridge is a fictional character from the ''Harry Potter'' series created by J.K. Rowling. Umbridge is the primary antagonist of the fifth novel of ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and has been stationed at Hogwar ...
(
book five),
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose sarcastic, controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft ...
(
book six), and
Amycus Carrow
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a Radicalization, radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by ...
(
book seven).
Hagrid suggests in ''
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the second novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The plot follows Harry Potter (character), Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'' that ''"They're startin' ter think the job's jinxed. No one's lasted long for a while now."'' as each D.A.D.A. teacher has only taught for one year. In ''Half-Blood Prince'', Dumbledore suggests that Voldemort cursed the position because his application for it was rejected. The existence of the jinx was eventually confirmed by Rowling. The position had also been coveted by Snape, but he was denied the position as well. Snape was finally appointed D.A.D.A. professor in ''Half-Blood Prince''. Rowling announced in an interview that once Voldemort had died, the jinx he placed on the office was lifted and a permanent professor had been teaching the subject between the end of ''Deathly Hallows'' and the
epilogue
An epilogue or epilog (from Greek ἐπίλογος ''epílogos'', "conclusion" from ἐπί ''epi'', "in addition" and λόγος ''logos'', "word") is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature, usually used to bring closure to the w ...
, set nineteen years afterwards. Furthermore, she imagines that
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
occasionally comes to the class to give lectures on the subject.
Charms
Charms is the class that teaches how to develop incantations for the uses of bewitchment. Rowling has described Charms as a type of magic spell concerned with giving an object new and unexpected properties.
Charms classes are described as notoriously noisy and chaotic, as the lessons are largely practical. Many of the
exposition
Exposition (also the French for exhibition) may refer to:
*Universal exposition or World's Fair
*Expository writing
**Exposition (narrative)
*Exposition (music)
*Trade fair
* ''Exposition'' (album), the debut album by the band Wax on Radio
*Exposi ...
sequences in the books are set in Charms classes, which are on the second floor of Hogwarts. The class is taught by
Filius Flitwick
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
.
Potions
![The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012 (7415388714)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/The_Making_of_Harry_Potter_29-05-2012_%287415388714%29.jpg)
Potions is described as the art of creating mixtures with magical effects. It requires the correct mixing and stirring of ingredients at the right times and temperatures. As to the question of whether a Muggle could brew a potion, given the correct magical ingredients, Rowling said on
Pottermore
Wizarding World Digital is the digital publishing, e-commerce, entertainment and news company. It offers news, features, and articles as well as new and previously unreleased writing by J. K. Rowling regarding the Wizarding World. The site featu ...
that "There is always some element of wandwork necessary to make a potion."
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose sarcastic, controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft ...
's lessons are depicted as unhappy, oppressing times set in a gloomy dungeon in the basement of the castle, whilst
Horace Slughorn
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
's, who replaces Snape as Potions Master, are shown as more cheerful and even fun at times. J.K. Rowling explains that she wrote Snape, Harry's arch enemy on Hogwarts faculty, because she herself hated chemistry class, and this was the Hogwarts equivalent.
Notable potions featured in the series include the love potion Amortentia,
Confusing Concoction, Draught of Living Death,
[ ] Draught of Peace,
the luck potion Felix Felicis,
Pepperup Potion,
Polyjuice Potion,
Skele-Gro Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, and the
truth serum
"Truth serum" is a colloquial name for any of a range of psychoactive drugs used in an effort to obtain information from subjects who are unable or unwilling to provide it otherwise. These include ethanol, scopolamine, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate ...
Veritaserum.
Astronomy
Astronomy classes take place in the Astronomy Tower, the tallest tower in Hogwarts, and are taught by Professor Aurora Sinistra. Lessons involve observations of the night skies with
telescope
A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally meaning only an optical instrument using lenses, curved mirrors, or a combination of both to observe ...
s. No astronomy lessons are shown in the books, but they are frequently referenced. Rowling describes one of Harry's Astronomy exams in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix''. Also, bits of the Astronomy Tower are seen throughout the
film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series.
This article explains what film series are ...
, such as ''
Chamber of Secrets'' and ''
Prisoner of Azkaban
''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and is the third in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The book follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, in his third year at Hogwarts School of W ...
'', featured in ''
Half-Blood Prince
''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'', as the place where Dumbledore died, and seen in ''
Deathly Hallows
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel of the main ''Harry Potter'' series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publi ...
''. Known student homework activities include learning the names of stars, constellations and planets, and their location, movements, and environments. The Astronomy Tower is also one of the three tallest towers in the Hogwarts grounds, as mentioned in ''The Deathly Hallows.''
History of Magic
History of Magic is the study of magical history.
Cuthbert Binns' lessons are depicted as some of the most boring at Hogwarts. They are only lectures, given without pause, about significant events in wizarding history. Topics have included goblin rebellions, giant wars, and the origins of wizarding secrecy. This is the only class at Hogwarts that is taught by a ghost, as the professor never noticed he had died and simply continued teaching as if nothing had changed.
Herbology
Herbology is the study of magical plants and how to take care of, utilise and combat them. There are at least three greenhouses described in the books, holding a variety of magical plants. Herbology is also the only subject
Neville Longbottom
Neville Longbottom is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' book series. He is described as a round-faced Gryffindor student in the central character Harry Potter's year. Throughout the series, Neville is often portrayed as a ...
excels in and later on also becomes a professor in the same subject. The epilogue to ''Deathly Hallows'' explains that he later replaces
Professor Pomona Sprout as the Herbology teacher.
Arithmancy
Arithmancy is a branch of magic concerned with the magical properties of numbers. As Harry Potter does not take this subject, the class is never described in the books. It is, however, a favourite subject of Hermione. Arithmancy is reportedly difficult, as it requires memorising or working with many charts. In ''Order of the Phoenix'', it is mentioned that the study of Arithmancy is required to become a Curse-Breaker for
Gringotts
J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.
Dwellings
The Burrow
The We ...
. The subject is taught by Professor
Septima Vector.
Study of Ancient Runes
Study of Ancient Runes, more commonly known as Ancient Runes, is a generally theoretical subject that studies the ancient runic scripts. Because only
Hermione
Hermione may refer to:
People
* Hermione (given name), a female given name
* Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name
Arts and literature
* ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
studies it, little else is known about this subject, taught by Professor Bathsheda Babbling. In ''Deathly Hallows'' Dumbledore bequeaths his copy of ''
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
''The Tales of Beedle the Bard'' is a book of children's stories by the author J. K. Rowling. There is a storybook of the same name mentioned in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', the last book of the ''Harry Potter'' series.
The book ...
'', which is written in ancient runes, to
Hermione
Hermione may refer to:
People
* Hermione (given name), a female given name
* Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name
Arts and literature
* ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
.
Divination
Divination
Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...
is the art of predicting the future. Various methods are described, including
tea leaves
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...
,
fire omens,
crystal ball
A crystal ball, also known as an orbuculum or crystal sphere, is a crystal or glass ball and common fortune-telling object. It is generally associated with the performance of clairvoyance and scrying in particular.
In more recent times, the cry ...
s,
palmistry
Palmistry is the Pseudoscience, pseudoscientific practice of fortune-telling through the study of the Hand#Areas, palm. Also known as palm reading, chiromancy, chirology or cheirology, the practice is found all over the world, with numerous cul ...
,
cartomancy
Cartomancy is fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards. Forms of cartomancy appeared soon after playing cards were first introduced into Europe in the 14th century. Huson, Paul (2004). ''Mystical Origins of the Tarot: From Ancient R ...
(including the reading of conventional
playing cards
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared card stock, heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic that is marked with distinguishing motifs. Often the front (face) and back of each card has a fi ...
and the
tarot
The tarot (, first known as '' trionfi'' and later as ''tarocchi'' or ''tarocks'') is a pack of playing cards, used from at least the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play card games such as Tarocchini. From their Italian roots, ...
),
astrology
Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial o ...
, and
dream interpretation
Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to dreams. Although associated with some forms of psychotherapy, there is no reliable evidence that understanding or interpreting dreams has a positive impact on one's mental health.
In m ...
s. Divination is described by
Professor McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguratio ...
as "one of the most imprecise branches of magic". Supporters of the subject claim that it is an inexact science that requires innate gifts such as the "Inner Eye". Those opposed claim that the subject is irrelevant and fraudulent. Harry is first taught Divination by
Professor Trelawney
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not h ...
, and then later by
Firenze
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
after Trelawney is sacked by
Dolores Umbridge
Dolores Jane Umbridge is a fictional character from the ''Harry Potter'' series created by J.K. Rowling. Umbridge is the primary antagonist of the fifth novel of ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and has been stationed at Hogwar ...
in Harry's fifth year. In the sixth (and presumably seventh) year, Firenze and Professor Trelawney share Divination classes, divided by year.
Care of Magical Creatures
![The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012 (7527263992)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/The_Making_of_Harry_Potter_29-05-2012_%287527263992%29.jpg)
Care of Magical Creatures is the class which instructs students on how to care for
magical beasts. Classes are held outside the castle. In Harry's first two years, the class is taken by Professor
Silvanus Kettleburn
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
who then retires "in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs". Dumbledore then recruits the gamekeeper
Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He is introduced in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a half-giant and half-human who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys ...
to accept a teaching position along with his gamekeeping duties. Although Hagrid is obviously very experienced and knowledgeable, he doesn't "have a normal person's view of what's dangerous", an example being that the Care of Magical Creatures students were required to get a literally ferocious textbook called the "Monster Book of Monsters", and so consistently misjudges the risk that the animals he uses in his lessons pose to his students, which sometimes results in chaos. When Hagrid is absent, his lessons are taken over by
Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, a witch and an acquaintance of Dumbledore's.
Muggle Studies
Muggle Studies is a class that involves the study of the
Muggle
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, a Muggle () is a person who lacks any sort of magical ability and was not born in a magical family. Muggles can also be described as people who do not have any magical blood inside them. It differs fr ...
(non-magical) culture "from a wizarding point of view." The only need for witches and wizards to learn about Muggle
ways and
means
Means may refer to:
* Means LLC, an anti-capitalist media worker cooperative
* Means (band), a Christian hardcore band from Regina, Saskatchewan
* Means, Kentucky, a town in the US
* Means (surname)
* Means Johnston Jr. (1916–1989), US Navy adm ...
is to ensure they can blend in with Muggles while needing to do so (for example, at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup). As the class is only mentioned as being taken by
Hermione
Hermione may refer to:
People
* Hermione (given name), a female given name
* Hermione (mythology), only daughter of Menelaus and Helen in Greek mythology and original bearer of the name
Arts and literature
* ''Cadmus et Hermione'', an opera by ...
, and for just one year, little is known about its curriculum.
In the opening chapter of the final book, Voldemort murders Professor
Charity Burbage
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
because she portrays Muggles in a positive light and is opposed to limiting wizardry to only people of pure-blood origins. For the rest of the academic year covered by ''Deathly Hallows'', the Death Eater
Alecto Carrow
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the '' Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wi ...
teaches Muggle Studies. However, her lessons (which are made compulsory) mainly describe Muggles and Muggle-borns as subhuman and worthy of persecution.
Alchemy
Alchemy classes are not mentioned in the ''Harry Potter'' series; however, Rowling has used Alchemy as an example of a 'specialized' subject offered when there is sufficient demand. Alchemy is a philosophical tradition searching for the
philosopher's stone
The philosopher's stone or more properly philosophers' stone (Arabic: حجر الفلاسفة, , la, lapis philosophorum), is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (, from the Greek , "gold", a ...
, which is said to have the power to turn base metals into gold and to contain the
elixir of life
The elixir of life, also known as elixir of immortality, is a potion that supposedly grants the drinker eternal life and/or eternal youth. This elixir was also said to cure all diseases. Alchemists in various ages and cultures sought the means ...
, which makes or keeps the drinker young and immortal. As mentioned in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'',
Nicholas Flamel
Nicolas Flamel (; 1330 – 22 March 1418) was a French scribe and manuscript-seller. After his death, Flamel developed a reputation as an alchemist believed to have created and discovered the philosopher's stone and to have thereby achieved im ...
created a Philosopher's Stone, but it was destroyed at the end of Harry's first year.
Flying
Flying is the class that teaches the use of
broomsticks
A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...
made for the use of flying and is taught only to Hogwarts first years by
Rolanda Hooch. The subject is the only one that requires physicality. The only flying lesson depicted in the Harry Potter series is in ''
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' is a 1997 fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series and Rowling's debut novel, it follows Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers hi ...
''; the class is never mentioned in following installments; and is not a part of the O.W.L. exams during Harry's fifth year.
Apparition
Apparition is an optional class for those in the sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts in preparation for obtaining their license to apparate, or disappear and reappear instantly in another location. In Harry's sixth year,
Wilkie Twycross
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
, a Ministry of Magic Apparition instructor, teaches the lessons. Magical enchantments on Hogwarts castle and grounds prevent Apparition and Disapparition inside the castle; however ''Half-Blood Prince'' explains that these protections are temporarily relaxed within the Great Hall for short periods to permit students to practice. Students are warned, though, that they will not be able to Apparate outside of the Great Hall and that it would be unwise to try. Splinching is a common mistake in apparition which causes body parts to split. It is impossible to track anyone by apparition unless the person grabs the apparator’s clothing or body.
Spell-like effects
Unbreakable Vow
The Unbreakable Vow is a voluntary agreement made between two witches or wizards. It must be performed with a witness ("Bonder") on hand, holding their wand on the agreeing persons' linked hands to bind them with magic as a tongue of flame. The Vow is not literally "unbreakable" as the person taking it is still able to go back on his or her word, but doing so will cause instant death. The Unbreakable Vow was first introduced in ''Half-Blood Prince'', in which Snape made a promise to Narcissa Malfoy to protect Draco, with Bellatrix as the "Bonder", as her son attempted to fulfil the Dark Lord's task, and for Snape to fulfil the task if Draco fails. Another example in ''Half-Blood Prince'' occurs when Ron tells Harry how Fred and George tried to make him undertake an Unbreakable Vow, but because of their father's intervention, they did not succeed.
Priori Incantatem
Priori Incantatem (from Latin: ''priorem incantatum'' – a previous spell), or the Reverse Spell Effect, is used to detect the spells cast by a wand. The spells cast by the wand will emerge in smoky or ghost-like replicas in reverse order, with the latest spell emerging first. It is first encountered in ''Goblet of Fire'' when Barty Crouch Sr.'s house elf Winky is caught holding Harry's wand. This spell is used to reveal that it was indeed Harry's wand that was used by Crouch's son to cast the Dark Mark. In ''
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'', it is revealed that the teenage Voldemort murdered his father and grandparents using his uncle Morfin's wand, knowing that, when examined, the wand would incriminate Morfin as the murderer. In ''Deathly Hallows'', Harry fears that a ''Priori Incantatem'' spell will be used on Hermione's wand after the
Death Eaters
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wiza ...
get hold of it. This would reveal that she had accidentally broken his holly-and-phoenix-feather wand when a curse misfired and they both narrowly escaped Voldemort earlier. As a result, the protection of the shared cores was lost and, worse still, this would now be made known to Voldemort. During the final duel between Harry and Voldemort, the latter mentions that he knows that the holly and phoenix wand is destroyed, implying that the Priori Incantatem has indeed been performed on Hermione's wand, as they had feared.
Forcing two wands that share the source of their cores to do battle can also cause a more potent form of Priori Incantatem. The tips of the two wands will connect, forming a thick golden "thread" of energy, and the two wands' masters fight a battle of wills. The loser's
wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic.
Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which c ...
will regurgitate shadows of spells that it has cast in reverse order. This phenomenon occurs during the duel between Harry and Voldemort at the end of ''Goblet of Fire''. Their simultaneous spells (Harry and Voldemort cast "Expelliarmus" and "Avada Kedavra" respectively) trigger the threads, and as Voldemort loses the battle of wills, his wand regurgitates, in reverse order, echoes of the people his wand had last murdered:
Cedric Diggory
Cedric Diggory is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series. Cedric is one of the main characters in the fourth book, '' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'', as he represents Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry ...
;
Frank Bryce
The following are supporting characters in the ''Harry Potter'' series written by J. K. Rowling. For members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, Hogwarts staff, Ministry of Magic, or for Death Eaters, see the respective articles. ...
;
Bertha Jorkins; as well as Harry's parents.
Dark Arts
The Dark Arts are magical spells and practices that are usually used for malicious purposes. Practitioners of Dark Arts are referred to as Dark witches or wizards. The most prominent of these is Voldemort, known to them as the Dark Lord. His followers, known as
Death Eater
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wiza ...
s, practice the Dark Arts while doing his bidding.
The type of spells characteristic of Dark Arts are known as ''curses'', which usually cause harm to the target. All, to a certain degree, are in some circumstances justifiable. The motivation of the caster affects a curse's result. This is most clearly outlined for the ''Cruciatus'' curse: When cast by Harry, angered by the death of his godfather at Bellatrix's hands and desiring to punish her, it causes a short moment of pain. As Bellatrix herself comments, righteous anger does not allow the spell to work for long. When cast by figures such as Voldemort, who desire to inflict pain for its own sake, it causes intense agony that can last as long as the Dark witch or wizard persists.
Use of Dark Magic can corrupt the soul and body; Voldemort has used such magic in his quest to prolong his life and obtain great power. The Dark Arts also cause Voldemort to look deformed and inhuman, a side effect of splitting his soul into Horcruxes.
According to Snape, the Dark Arts "are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal ... unfixed, mutating, indestructible".
[, chapter 9] In magical dueling, there are any number of spells that may be used to attack, immobilise, or disarm an opponent without causing pain or lasting harm; however, spells such as the Cruciatus Curse wound or seriously distress a victim in some way. Dark spells can be classified into three groups: Jinxes, hexes, and curses.
In the wizarding world, use of the Dark Arts is strongly stigmatised and extreme forms are illegal; however, these spells are prevalent enough that even before the rise of Voldemort, many schools (including Hogwarts) taught
Defence Against the Dark Arts
In J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series, magic is depicted as a supernatural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures also sometimes exhib ...
as a standard subject. Techniques include anti-curses and simple spells to disable or disarm attackers, or fight off certain creatures. Some schools, such as
Durmstrang
J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.
Dwellings
The Burrow
The We ...
, teach Dark Magic. A Dark Arts class is also taught at Hogwarts while it is under Death Eater control.
Unforgivable Curses
The Unforgivable Curses are the most powerful known Dark Arts spells. They were first classified as unforgivable in 1717. Used by the books' villains, such as Voldemort and the
Death Eater
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wiza ...
s and in some cases the Ministry of Magic, their use inspires horror and great fear amongst others. The curses are so named because their use is forbidden and unforgivable in the wizarding world and is punishable by a life sentence in
Azkaban
J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.
Dwellings
The Burrow
The Wea ...
. The only exception is if a person is proven to have done them under the influence of mind control. These curses are thus very rarely used openly.
* The Killing Curse (incantation: ''Avada Kedavra'', Latin for "behold a corpse") manifests as a jet of green light that causes immediate death. The Killing Curse has no counter-curse and cannot be blocked by most magical means, although it can be blocked by love (i.e. Lily Potter giving up her life for her son). However, the green energy bolt may be dodged, blocked by solid objects, or intercepted with a few other powerful fast spells, particularly Stunning spells.
* The Cruciatus Curse (incantation: ''Crucio'', Latin for "I torture") causes the victim intense pain and is used for
torture
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts c ...
, but does not physically harm them. The strength of the curse is determined by the person who cast it. It was used regularly by the Death Eaters. The curse can torture a person to the point that they are exhausted to death, or in a more sadistic case, it causes permanent amnesia and insanity. Effective casting requires the caster to have sadistic desires. It is shown as a bright-faded blue light (though it is usually invisible or even a red bolt of light in the films).
* The Imperius Curse (incantation: ''Imperio'',
dog Latin
Dog Latin or cod Latin is a phrase or jargon that imitates Latin, often by "translating" English words (or those of other languages) into Latin by conjugating or declining them as if they were Latin words. Dog Latin is usually a humorous devi ...
for "I command") is used for
mind control
Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...
or
hypnosis
Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychologica ...
and can force the victim to do things they would normally be unwilling or unable to. The strength and duration of the curse depends on the caster, as well as the level of resistance of the victim. The curse is shown as a bright haze (while it was either invisible or green, mist-like haze in the films).
The use of the Unforgivable Curses was authorised against Voldemort and his followers by
Bartemius Crouch Sr
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
, during the First Wizarding War. (Shortly after his resurrection, Voldemort names two Death Eaters "killed by
Auror
The Ministry of Magic is the government of the Magical community of Britain in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, headed by an official entitled the Minister for Magic. The magical government in Britain is first mentioned in ''Harry Potter and t ...
s".) In addition, in ''Deathly Hallows'', the Unforgivable Curses are used liberally by good characters, ranging from
Professor McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series. Professor McGonagall is a professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, the head of Gryffindor House, the professor of Transfiguratio ...
with the Imperius Curse, to Harry effectively using the Cruciatus Curse. He also uses the Imperius Curse on a goblin and a suspicious Death Eater during their disguised attack upon Gringotts Bank.
Dark Mark
The Dark Mark is the symbol of Voldemort and the Death Eaters and takes the form of a skull with a snake coming out of the mouth in place of a tongue. The mark is cast into the sky by
Death Eater
The Death Eaters are characters featured in the ''Harry Potter'' series of novels and films. They are a radical group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the wizarding community by eliminating wiza ...
s whenever they have murdered someone. ''Morsmordre'' is the spell to conjure the Mark. It first appears in ''Goblet of Fire'' and is described as a "colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue". Once in the sky it was "blazing in a haze of greenish smoke". Dark Marks are also branded on the left forearm of the closest followers of Voldemort. The mark serves as a connection between Voldemort and each who bears it; he can summon them by touching his mark, causing it and those of his followers to burn and change colour. Death Eaters can summon Voldemort in the same fashion. Following Voldemort's ultimate defeat, the Dark Marks on his Death Eaters fade into a scar "similar" to Harry's.
In the books, the Dark Mark is described as green; however, in the films, it was only green at the Quidditch World Cup. In all other film appearances it has been grey.
Inferius
An inferius (plural: inferi)
is a
corpse
A cadaver or corpse is a dead human body that is used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites, determine causes of death, and provide tissue to repair a defect in a living human being. Stu ...
controlled through a dark wizard's spells. An inferius is not alive, but a dead body that has been bewitched into acting like a puppet for the
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
or wizard; this manifests as a white mist in the controlled corpse’s eyes. They do not think for themselves: They are created to perform a specific duty assigned by the dark wizard who commands them, and as seen in the inferi guarding Voldemort's horcrux in a seaside cave, remain idle until their task can be performed. This task is then thoughtlessly carried out, whether or not it will produce any result. Inferi are difficult to harm by magic; however, they can be repelled by fire or any other forms of heat or light, as the inferi in Voldemort's cave are. When defeated, they return to their idle state.
Inferi are considered dangerous and frightening enough by the magical world that impersonating an inferius (as
Mundungus Fletcher is reported to have done in ''Half-Blood Prince'') is an offense worthy of imprisonment in
Azkaban
J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' universe contains numerous settings for the events in her fantasy novels. These locations are categorised as a dwelling, school, shopping district, or government-affiliated locale.
Dwellings
The Burrow
The Wea ...
.
The Ministry of Magic fears that Voldemort is killing enough people to make an army of inferi: As they are dead, they are very difficult to stop. When Voldemort was hiding one of his
Horcruxes in the past, he filled a lake in a cave with many inferi, which were to attack and drown anyone but Voldemort who came into the cavern and took the locket. When Harry and Dumbledore took the locket, the inferi attacked Harry; Dumbledore repelled them with a rope of fire. It is also revealed that the inferi almost killed Kreacher after he drank from the basin to help Voldemort hide his horcruxes, but having been ordered to return to his master after his task with Voldemort was complete, he was able to apparate out of the cave. These inferi later killed Regulus Black when he stole the horcrux and ordered Kreacher to destroy it.
Horcrux
A horcrux is an object created using dark magic to attain effective immortality. The concept is first introduced in the sixth novel, ''
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the sixth and penultimate novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series. Set during Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, the novel explores th ...
'', although horcruxes are present in earlier novels without being explained or identified as such.
To create a horcrux, a witch or wizard must first prepare the chosen object in a ritual which Rowling described only as “too horrible to go into detail about”. Following the preparation of the object, the witch or wizard must then take a life, an act which splits the soul. Following that, further dark rituals are required in order to remove the soul shard from the maker and place it into the prepared object. Once this is done, the horcrux becomes magically protected from almost all forms of destruction, requiring extremely powerful magic or especially destructive substances to do so.
Ordinarily, when one’s body is killed, the soul departs for the next world. If, however, the body of a horcrux maker is killed, that portion of his soul which was still in his body will not pass on to the next world, but will rather exist in a non-corporeal form capable of being resurrected by another wizard. If all of someone’s horcruxes are destroyed, then his soul’s only anchor in the material world would be his body, the destruction of which would then cause his final death. To destroy the horcrux, the destroyer must destroy it in such a way that it is put beyond magical repair. In the second book, Tom Riddle’s diary (later found to be a horcrux) is destroyed by Harry with a basilisk’s venomous fang. In the seventh book, Gryffindor’s sword, which is impregnated with basilisk venom, an old basilisk fang, and fiendfyre are the substances used to destroy them.
Portraits
In the ''Harry Potter'' series the subjects of magical portraits (even those of characters that are dead) can move, interact with living observers, speak and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. Some can even move to other portraits to visit each other, or relay messages, or (if more than one painting of the subject exists) move between separate locations by way of their portraits. An example of this is Phineas Nigellus Black (
Sirius Black
Sirius Black is a character in J. K. Rowling's '' Harry Potter'' series. Sirius was first mentioned briefly in ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a wizard who lent Rubeus Hagrid a flying motorbike shortly after Lord Voldemort killed ...
's great-great-grandfather), who has a painting in the Headmaster's office to offer advice to the current headmaster and another one at 12 Grimmauld Place. Many such portraits are found on the walls of Hogwarts.
Some portraits are used to conceal the entrance of a room or passageway. For example, the Fat Lady's portrait covers the entrance to the
Gryffindor
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series and serves as a maj ...
common room, and she can swing the portrait open when given the correct password or close to prevent entry. In ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'', there is a portrait of Ariana Dumbledore in the
Room of Requirement
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series and serves as a m ...
that conceals a secret passageway to the Hog's Head Inn. Also, a painting of a large fruit bowl disguises the entrance to the Hogwarts kitchen and house elves' quarters, which will swing open to reveal a hidden door if the pear is tickled.
Portraits are enchanted to move by the artist, but the degree to which they can interact with others depends on the power of the subject.
Rowling has commented that a portrait is merely a faint imprint of the deceased subject, imitating their basic personality and thought patterns. They are therefore "not as fully realised as ghosts".
In ''
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' is a play written by Jack Thorne from an original story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Thorne. Previews of the play began at the Palace Theatre, London, on 7 June 2016 as a two-part play, and it prem ...
'' the portrait of Albus Dumbledore describes himself as only "paint and memory" and Professor McGonagall (his successor as headteacher of Hogwarts) comments that, although she speaks to Dumbledore to help her in making decisions, she is careful to remember that "portraits don't represent even half of their subjects".
Portraits in the Headmaster's office
The portraits in the Headmaster's office depict all the former Heads of Hogwarts, with the exception of Dolores Umbridge. They advise the Headmaster and are "honour-bound to give service to the present headmaster" (according to Armando Dippet). Rowling has explained that portraits of past headteachers tend to be more realistic than most, as the subject in question usually imparts knowledge and teaches them how to behave before their death. The portrait of Snape was installed in the Headmaster's Office at Harry's request.
The Fat Lady
The portrait of the Fat Lady covers the door to
Gryffindor
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry () is a fictional Scottish boarding school of magic for students aged eleven to eighteen, and is the primary setting for the first six books in J. K. Rowling's ''Harry Potter'' series and serves as a maj ...
Tower.
She will open it (sometimes grudgingly) when the correct password is uttered. She is often upset after being awoken, and is sometimes seen drunk with her best friend, Violet. The Fat Lady has no other known name – even the unfailingly polite Albus Dumbledore refers to her only as "the Fat Lady" – and it may be that she does not represent a real person but is instead an invention of her portrait's artist. In ''Philosopher's Stone'', she leaves her portrait in the middle of the night, locking Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville out of Gryffindor Tower, forcing them to run across the school. Luckily for them, when they return, she has returned to her portrait, allowing them to escape into Gryffindor Tower.
In ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', Sirius Black slashes the Fat Lady's portrait when she won't let him in without a password and it is some time before she dares to guard Gryffindor Tower again. After her portrait is restored, she requests protection in case someone tries to attack her portrait again. Thus, two security trolls are hired. In ''Half-Blood Prince'', she gets so annoyed with Harry's late return that she pretends the password has changed and tries to call him back when he heads off to talk to Dumbledore. When Harry later confirms Dumbledore's death, she lets out a sob and, for the only time in the series, she opens without the password for Harry in her grief.
Photographs
Wizarding photographs of people have similar properties to magical painted portraits: the figures within move about or even sometimes leave the frame. They appear in wizard newspapers and other print media, as well as on
Chocolate Frog cards.
Colin Creevey mentions in ''Chamber of Secrets'' that a boy in his dormitory said that if he develops the film from his Muggle camera 'in the right potion', the pictures will move.
[, chapter 6] However, unlike portraits, figures in wizarding pictures cannot speak and display little sentience. It appears that they do have some knowledge of current events, as in ''Order of the Phoenix'', the family photograph on Arthur's desk shows everyone except Percy "who appeared to have walked out of it".
[, chapter 7]
Footnotes
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic in Harry Potter
Fictional elements introduced in 1997
Fictional universe of Harry Potter
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
fr:Univers de Harry Potter#Magie