Encyclopedia of the Harry Potter Universe
Welcome to the Encyclopedia of the Harry Potter Universe. This encylopedia, when finished,
will contain nearly 2, 000 entries from the first five Harry Potter books... by which time,
the sixth and possibly seventh books will have been published, making this obsolete. Oh well.
Cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we? I have all the entries listed, but not all of
them have their descriptions. The remainder of the encyclopedia will be posted when I have
time. Thank you for your patience. Finally, I have, of course, no connection or claim to the
Harry Potter books, and am merely a humble fan of the series and of J.K.Rowling. Enjoy the
encyclopedia.
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# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
62442
This is the code number to enter the Ministry of Magic
via the visitor’s entrance. The visitor enters an old red phone booth and presses these
numbers on the telephone. A cool female voice says “Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please
state your name and business.” A silver badge falls through the coin return for each visitor.
The inside of the telephone box travels downward, like an elevator, to the Atrium, where the
visitor must submit to a search and present their wand for registration.
The numbers 6-2-4-4-2, when dialed on a standard telephone with letters on the number keys,
spell m-a-g-i-c. (OP5)
PB>
A NAME="10grimmauldplace">10 Grimmauld Place
0 Grimmauld Place is one of the neighbors of the headquarters of the Order of the
Phoenix. It is probably home to Muggles. Facing the
fronts of the houses, number 10 is to the left, followed by numbers 11, 12, and 13. (OP3, 4)
PB>
A NAME="11grimmauldplace">11 Grimmauld Place
1 Grimmauld Place is the next-door neighbor of the headquarters of the Order of the
Phoenix. It is inhabited by Muggles, who like to
play their stereo very loudly, and don’t appear to notice or feel anything when number 12 squeezes
into existence between it and number 13. (OP3, 4)
PB>
A NAME="12grimmauldplace">12 Grimmauld Place
he headquarters of the Order of the
Phoenix. On the outside, it has a battered door, “dirty walls and grimy windows.” Worn
stone steps lead to a door with “shabby and scratched” black paint and a door-knocker in the
form of a silver serpent. This door may only be opened with a wand. Inside, the front
hall is very dark until lit by gas lamps. A “sweetish, rotting smell” is in the air, the
walls are covered with peeling wallpaper and old portraits, the carpet is threadbare, and
everything is serpent-shaped. Other decorations include shrunken house-elf heads on
the walls, a troll’s-leg umbrella
stand, and a portrait of the former owner of the house, Mrs. Black. The
kitchen is located in the basement, and the bedrooms are upstairs. The house is now inhabited
by Sirius Black,
son of Mrs. Black, the Weasley family, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger,
and Kreacher, a
house-elf. Other members of the Order drop in occasionally, but seem to be staying in other
places. (OP4)
PB>
A NAME="129bdiagonalley">129B Diagon Alley
29B Diagon Alley is the location of Whizz Hard Books,
which published Quidditch Through the
Ages, by Kennilworthy Whisp.
PB>
A NAME="13grimmauldplace">13 Grimmauld Place
13 Grimmauld Place is one of the neighbors of the headquarters of the Order of the
Phoenix. It is probably inhabited by Muggles, who don’t
seem to notice when 12 Grimmauld
Place appears next to it.
PB>
A NAME="1637werewolf">1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct
his is presumably a code of conduct for humans affected by lycanthropy. Hogwarts first-years
study it in their History of
Magic class, but it didn’t appear on the examination for Harry Potter’s first
year.
PB>
18 Acanthia Way
18 Acanthia Way is the Little Norton
home of Doris
Purkiss, who claimed in the Quibbler
that she knew that Sirius Black was
actually a pseudonym of Stubby Boardman, a
singer. Mrs. Purkiss said that she knew that Sirius couldn’t have committed his alleged
crimes because she was having dinner with Stubby on that night.
18A Diagon Alley
18A Diagon Alley is the location of Obscurus Books, the
company that published Fantastic Beasts and Where to
Find Them, by Newt Scamander.
2 Laburnum Gardens
2 Laburnum Gardens is the home of Sturgis Podmore.
Sturgis is a member of the Order of the
Phoenix, but was sent to Azkaban for
trespassing at the Ministry of Magic on
August 31, 1995.
4 Privet Drive
4 Privet Drive is home to the Dursley family: Vernon, his wife Petunia, and their
son, Dudley, who
is the same age as Harry. Because of an
ancient magic invoked by Albus
Dumbledore after Voldemort tried to
kill Harry, Voldemort cannot hurt Harry while he lives there. Since Harry’s mother, Lily, died for him,
Harry can be protected by living with his mother’s blood relatives, and her sister, Petunia
Dursley, is her only living relative apart from Harry.
93 Diagon Alley
93 Diagon Alley is (presumably) an empty store for rent. Fred and George Weasley
rented it using some of the gold Harry gave them.
Near the end of their seventh year at Hogwarts, Fred and
George flew out of school on their broomsticks, and
began to set up their joke shop, Weasleys’ Wizard
Wheezes (OP29).
Abbott, Hannah
Hannah is a Hufflepuff in
Harry’s year, made a prefect in 1995,
along with her friend Ernie Macmillan.
She was a member of the
D.A. in the same year. She was described as “a pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails”
during her first year (SS7). She seems to be very concerned about doing well in school,
though she’s never mentioned as being particularly good at it. In her fifth year, she was the
first to receive a Calming Draught from
the nurse, Poppy
Pomfrey, after she “burst into tears during Herbology and
sobbed that she was too stupid to take exams and wanted to
leave school now” (OP27). She was also seen in the library, looking
“frantic”, and taking out a pile of books to study (OP29). During her Transfiguration practical examination, she “lost her head completely” and changed a ferret into a flock of
flamingos (OP31).
Abercrombie, Euan
Euan was a first-year during Harry’s fifth year.
He is described as “terrified-looking” and as having “prominent ears”. Euan was sorted into
Gryffindor, but
when Harry smiled at him, another first-year whispered to him, and he looked “petrified”.
Abominable Snowman, the
The Abominable Snowman is an alternate name for the yeti (FB).
Abraxan
An Abraxan is a type of winged horse. Abraxans are “immensely powerful giant palominos (FB).
These are almost certainly the type of horse that pulled the Beauxbatons coach
to Hogwarts for
the Triwizard
Tournament in 1994, which are described as “palominos… each the size of an elephant”,
with fiery eyes and drinking only single-malt
whiskey (GF15). Hagrid told Dolores Umbridge
that he had a friend who bred Abraxans, but that may have been part of the story he was
telling her to explain his cut and bruised face, and his lateness in returning to Hogwarts
(OP20).
Abyssinian Shrivelfig
The Abyssinian Shrivelfig is a plant that Professor Sprout had
her second year Herbology class
prune (CS15). In Potions class, third
year Gryffindors and Slytherins used
something called a shrivelfig as one
of the ingredients in a Shrinking Solution
(PA7).
Acceptable
A, or Acceptable, is the lowest passing mark on an O.W.L. exam (op15).
Accidental Magic Reversal Squad
This squad does exactly what their name suggests. They fix problems caused by accidental
magic. Their office is found on Level Three, in the Department of Magical
Accidents and Catastrophes, in the Ministry of Magic
(OP7). Some of their duties include helping people who splinch themselves
(GF6), reversing magic done by underage wizards, and
modifying the memories of the Muggles involved
(PA3). Their staff includes some Obliviators,
including Arnold
Peasegood (GF7). It was the Squad that helped sort out Harry’s accidental
magic on Aunt
Marge.
Accio!
This is the incantation for the Summoning Charm,
which will bring an object to you. There are two ways of using the spell: point the wand at an object and
say Accio!, or just say Accio ___ ! and whatever you say will come to you. This
spell was very useful to Harry in his fourth
year, during the Triwizard
Tournament. He used it to Summon his Firebolt, which he
used to successfully grab a golden egg out
from under a Hungarian Horntail
dragon. Harry’s
fourth year Charms
class had been learning the spell, but Harry had a mental block, and couldn’t perform it
correctly. When he realized that he needed it to complete the first task of the Tournament,
however, he stayed up until 2:00 in the morning with Hermione,
practicing (GF20).
Achievements in Charming
This is a book that Hermione studied in
preparation for her Charms exam.(OP31).
Acid Pop
Acid pops are a kind of lollypop sold at Honeydukes
Sweetshop in Hogsmeade. While
visiting the sweetshop, Ron reminisces
about how Fred
once gave him one when he was seven, and it burnt a hole through his tongue. Apparently, Ron
still holds this grudge against Fred, because he considers trying to pay him back by giving
him some Cockroach
Cluster (GF10).
Ackerly, Stewart
Stewart was sorted into Ravenclaw during Harry’s fourth year.
Aconite
Aconite is a plant used in Potions and also goes
by the names of monkshood and wolfsbane. On Harry’s first day of
classes at Hogwarts, Severus Snape, the Potions teacher,
tried to humiliate Harry by asking him questions about things he didn’t know, including
aconite (SS8).
Acromantula
The Acromantula, given an XXXXX rating by the Ministry of Magic,
is a giant spider, possibly wizard-bred, and first sighted in 1794. It is capable of human
speech, but also makes clicking noises when excited. The legspan of an Acromantula may reach
15 feet. Acromantulas are carnivorous, and will eat humans. Their eggs are classified as Class A Non-Tradeable
Goods by the Department for the
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (FB). A colony of Acromantulas has been
established in the Forbidden Forest of
Hogwarts. The
first spider, Aragog, was brought to
Hagrid by a
traveler from a distant land around 1943. Hagrid managed to find Aragog a wife, Mosag, and their family
has grown much larger. Aragog was suspected of being the monster in the Chamber of Secrets,
and Hagrid was expelled. However, the monster was actually a basilisk (CS15).
Acromantulas were also used as obstacles in the third task of the Triwizard
Tournament (GF31).
Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle
This is a comic book that Ron liked to read
during his second year (CS3).
Aethonan
An Aethonan is a type of winged horse. It
is described as chestnut, and is popular in Britain and Ireland (FB).
Age Line
An Age Line is a golden line over which no one of less than a certain age can cross. It is
not fooled by Aging Potions.
During the Triwizard
Tournament of 1994, Albus
Dumbledore drew an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire to
prevent any underage students from entering the tournament. If any students tried to use
Aging Potions to cross the line, they were immediately thrown backwards and sprouted long
white beards. Students who couldn’t resist the temptation included Fred and George Weasley, S. Fawcett, and Mr. Summers (GF16).
Aging Potion
As the name implies, this potion makes someone older. Apparently its effects are not
permanent, however, as it doesn’t fool an Age Line, as several
students found out during the Triwizard
Tournament.
Agnes
Agnes was hospitalized in the permanent spell damage ward, on the fourth floor of St. Mungo’s in 1995.
Her face was covered in fur, and she could only bark. Harry thought that
she might have attempted an animal transformation with Polyjuice Potion,
as Hermione did
during their second year, but in her case, the damage was temporary (though it did take her
two months to recover). Agnes was in the same ward as Frank and Alice
Longbottom, Gilderoy Lockhart
and Broderick Bode
(OP23).
Agrippa
Agrippa was featured on a Chocolate Frog
card. Ron
was looking for an Agrippa card, since he is missing that one (SS6).
Aingingein
Aingingein was an Irish broom game. A
legendary wizard called Fingal the Fearless
may have been a player. Players would take the ball, called the Dom, and fly through a
series of burning barrels held up on stilts. The Dom was thrown through the final barrel. The
player to finish the fastest, without catching on fire, was the winner.
Albania
While devoid of power, Voldemort hid in a
forest in Albania, waiting for one of his followers to come and rescue him (CS18).
Eventually, Wormtail did so.
While in Albania, Wormtail came across a Ministry of Magic witch on holiday, Bertha Jorkins.
Voldemort tortured her for information, learning enough to formulate the plan that restored
him to his body and almost managed to kill Harry (GF).
Alchemy
A branch of magic concerned with creating the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Albus
Dumbledore did a good deal of alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel, who
did manage to create the Stone. Because the Stone can turn any metal into gold, and produces
the Elixir of Life,
Nicolas and his wife Perenelle lived to
be over 600 years old (SS13). African wizards are said to be particularly skilled at alchemy
(QA8).
Alihotsy
The Alihotsy is a plant whose leaves, when eaten, induce hysteria. Treacle produced by a Glumbumble is an
antidote (FB).
All-Africa Cup
A Quidditch cup
awarded to the best team in Africa after a series of tournaments (QA8).
All-England Best-Kept Suburban Lawn Competition
This competition was fabricated by Tonks, who needed to
get the Dursleys
out of their house for a few hours so that the Order of the
Phoenix could come and take Harry to
headquarters. The Dursleys, of course, being obsessed with their lawn care, fell for the
trick (OP3).
Alohomora Charm
This charm may be used to open most locked doors (SS9), though it is possible to charm a door
not to respond to this spell (OP34). The incantation is Alohomora!
(SS9)
Alohomora!
This is the incantation for the Alohomora
Charm, used to unlock doors (SS9).
Amulet
Amulets are small objects that are supposed to protect someone from harm. They don’t seem
very real in the Wizarding world, however. The only usages are during Harry’s second year,
for protection against the Basilisk (CS9), and
by Gilderoy
Lockhart, who was a charlatan (CS11), The amulet trade was hidden from the teachers,
which makes it sound as though it wasn’t something they would approve of. Amulets used then
included a rotting newt tail, a purple crystal, and a green onion. Lockhart claimed that he
used amulets to halt a series of attacks when he was in Ouagadougou.
Ancient Runes Made Easy
Hermione read
this book during her second year, while choosing her special classes for third year (CS14).
Animagus
An Animagus is a wizard who can turn
into an animal at will. The animal usually reflects their looks or personality. Animagi must
be registered with the Ministry of Magic.
To neglect to do so is a very serious offense, but it seems that this does not deter wizards
from becoming illegal Animagi. Known illegal Animagi are Sirius Black, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew,
and Rita Skeeter.
The three former worked out how to transform during their years at Hogwarts. It took
them three years to work out how, but they eventually managed to transform into a dog, a
stag, and a rat, respectively. There have been only seven registered Animagi this century,
one of whom is Minerva
McGonagall, who transforms into a tabby cat.
Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms, An
Harry, Ron, and Hermione searched
through this book for information that might help Harry in the second task of the Triwizard
Tournament during their fourth year (GF26).
Anti-Burglar Buzzer
The Bluebottle, advertised at the Quidditch World Cup
in 1994, comes with this feature for extra security (GF8).
Anti-Cheating Charm
Quills used during O.W.L.s, N.E.W.T.s, and regular
Hogwarts exams are bewitched
with this spell to prevent cheating (OP31). They are also called Anti-Cheating Spells (SS16).
Anti-Dark Force Spell
This may refer to any spell that works against the Dark Arts (SS15).
Anti-Disapparation Jinx
This spell binds a wizard or witch so that they are
unable to Apparate. Dumbledore used
this after the battle in the Department of
Mysteries to capture some of the Death Eaters
(OP36).
Antidote
This refers to any potion or substance that counteracts the effects of a poison or unpleasant
substance. A sign in St. Mungo’s warns
that “Antidotes are anti-don’ts unless approved by a qualified Healer” (OP22).
Anti-Muggle Security
This involves using Muggle-Repelling
Charms to keep Muggles away from
wizarding activity. This was especially important at a very large event such as the Quidditch World
Cup.
Antipodean Opaleye
The Antipodean Opaleye is a type of dragon native to New
Zealand, which likes to dwell in the valleys. They weigh two to three tons, medium-sized for
a dragon, and are the most beautiful type, having “iridescent, pearly scales”. They are not
very aggressive, and will not kill except for food. The eggs of these dragons are pale gray,
and are sometimes mistaken by Muggles for fossils
(FB).
Anti-Umbridge League
This was a name suggested by Angelina Johnson for
what became Dumbledore’s
Army, or the
D.A. (OP18)
Aparecium!
This incantation, along with three taps of a wand, reveals invisible
ink (CS13).
Apothecary
An Apothecary is a store that sells potion ingredients.
One is located in Diagon Alley.
Apparate
This is the act of disappearing, and reappearing in another place. It is extremely difficult
to do, and may result in accidents such as splinching if not
done properly. At the age of 17, a student may take a test at the Apparation Test
Center and receive their license. Apparition becomes more difficult over long distances,
and should not be attempted across continents. An Apparating wizard makes a noise
that can vary from a small pop to a loud crack.
Apparation Test Center
This is located on Level Six of the Ministry of Magic,
in the Department of
Magical Transportation. A student may apply for a license and be tested here.
Apparator
A name for a wizard
who can Apparate
or is Apparating (OP7).
Apparation
The process of disappearing from one place and reappearing in another (GF6).
Appleby Arrows
The Arrows are a Quidditch team of
northern England, founded in 1612, wearing pale blue robes with a silver arrow emblazoned on
them. Their best victory was that against their rivals, the Vratsa Vultures, after
a 16-day match. The Arrows’ supporters used to shoot arrows from their wands after a score,
but this practice was banned by the Department of Magical Games
and Sports after one of them pierced the referee through the nose. Another rival team is
the Wimbourne
Wasps (QA7).
Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, An
This was a book that Hermione read about
wizarding schools in Europe. It said that Durmstrang
Institute put a heavy emphasis on the Dark Arts, giving
it a “horrible reputation” (GF11).
Approval for Whipping
The Approval for Whipping is a piece of parchment that
allows the caretaker to whip misbehaving students. The current caretaker, Argus Filch, greatly
misses the days when he was allowed to whip students and hang them by their wrists from the
ceiling. The nearest he got to being allowed to continue was during the 1995-6 reign of Dolores Umbridge.
However, just as Filch brought out the Approval, the culprits, Fred and George Weasley, Summoned their broomsticks and
flew out of the school (OP29).
Aqua-Lungs
This is a Muggle
invention, allowing a person to breathe underwater. When Harry was trying to
figure out how to accomplish the second task of the Triwizard
Tournament, rescuing people from the bottom of the lake, he thought of
these as a possible solution. However, Hermione pointed
out that to Summon
a set, Harry would break the Statute of
Secrecy (GF26).
Aquavirius maggot
In the Department of
Mysteries, in the Brain Room, Luna Lovegood
mistook a tub of brains for a tub of “aquavirius maggots”, which her father had told
her that the Ministry
of Magic was breeding (OP34).
Aragog
Aragog is an Acromantula,
raised by Hagrid,
and currently living in the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid hid Aragog in a cupboard (CS18) and managed to sneak him out of the school when he
was suspected of killing a student. Hagrid found him a wife, Mosag, and the family
has grown considerably. Aragog is now extremely old, and is blind. Harry and Ron met him during
their second year. Aragog told them that his family do not harm Hagrid, because he is their
friend, but that he “cannot deny them fresh meat when it wanders so willingly into our
midst.” Harry and Ron barely escaped from the man-eating spiders (CS18).
Arbroath
This was the destination of Guthrie Lochrin, a wizard who complained
about the discomfort of early brooms after
taking his ride, in 1107.
Archie
Archie was an old wizard at the Quidditch World Cup
of 1994, who wore a long flowery nightgown, thinking that it was normal Muggle clothing. He
refused to change (GF7).
Argyllshire
The Fat Lady was
found hanging in a map of Argyllshire after the attack on her by Sirius Black. The map
is located on the second floor (PA9).
Arithmancy
Arithmancy is a form of divination using numbers, similar to numerology. It is Hermione’s favorite
class, though she says it’s probably the most difficult subject there is. It involves long,
complicated charts of numbers (OP27). The Hogwarts class is
taught by Professor
Vector, a witch
(PA12).
Arnie
This is a nickname of Arnold
Peasegood, an Obliviator (GF7).
Artifact Accidents
This is the name of the ground floor in St. Mungo’s.
Injuries treated on this floor include wand backfiring, cauldron explosions,
and broom
crashes (OP22).
Ash
This is the type of wood of which the Firebolt, the
world’s best racing broomstick, is
made. It is covered with a diamond-hard polish (PA4). Cedric Diggory’s wand was made of ash
(GF18).
Ashwinder
The Ashwinder, given a Ministry of Magic
classification of XXX, is created when a magical fire is unsupervised for too long. It is
described as a “thin, pale-gray serpent with glowing red eyes”. Upon leaving the fire, the
Ashwinder will only live for an hour, but tries to find a spot to lay eggs during that time.
The brilliant red, extremely hot eggs will set the house on fire if not found quickly and
frozen with a charm. After being frozen, the eggs are very valuable, as they are a key
ingredient in Love
Potions, and are also eaten whole as a cure for ague (FB).
Asiatic Anti-Venoms
Harry was looking
up potion ingredients, an assignment from Snape, in this book,
while he, Hermione, and Ron discussed their
fifth-year Defense
Against the Dark Arts situation (OP16).
Asphodel
Powdered root of asphodel added to an infusion of wormwood produces a
sleeping potion so
powerful that it is called the Draught of Living
Death. This is one of the questions Snape asked Harry on his first
day of school, knowing that Harry wouldn’t know the answer (SS8).
Astrology
Sibyll
Trelawney taught her own version of astrology to her Divination class,
but the centaur Firenze said that
what she taught the class was “human nonsense,” saying that centaurs watch the skies for the
tides of evil or change, not wasting time on “trivial hurts, tiny human accidents” (OP27).
Astronomy
This class is taught by Professor Sinistra,
a witch. In Harry’s first year,
it met on Wednesdays at midnight (SS8). Little is known about the class other than the fact
that the students study planetary movements and locations of stars and other celestial
bodies. They seem to do a lot with star charts.
Astronomy Tower
The Astronomy Tower is the tallest tower of Hogwarts and is the
location where Astronomy classes
take place, but is off-limits outside of class. In their first year, Harry and Hermione sent Hagrid’s dragon, Norbert, with some of
Charlie
Weasley’s friends from the top of this tower (SS15).s
Atrium
The Atrium is the main floor of the Ministry of Magic,
found on Level Eight. It is described as being a “long and splendid hall with a highly
polished, dark wood floor.” The ceiling is peacock blue, with golden symbols that move and
change continuously. The walls are paneled to match the floor, and many fireplaces line the
walls, for witches
and wizards to
travel with Floo
powder. In the center of the hall is a fountain, called the Fountain of Magical
Brethren. It is comprised of a circular pool of water, with golden statues of a wizard, a
witch, a centaur,
a goblin, and a house-elf. Passing
wizards throw coins into the water. A sign tells that all proceeds are given to St. Mungo’s. The
elevator of the visitor’s entrance brings visitors to this floor, where they must present
their wand for
registration and submit to a search. This is done by a watchwizard
behind a golden desk located at the far end of the Atrium. Further along, a pair of golden
gates lead into a small hall with at least twenty elevators, used to reach the other floors
(OP7).
Augurey
Also known as the Irish Phoenix,
the Augurey is a thin, “mournful-looking” greenish-black bird, which feeds on fairies and
large insects. Its low wailing cry is heard at the approach of rain. Augurey feathers repel
ink, making them
useless as quills (FB).
Aunt Elladora
This is an aunt of Sirius Black, who
“started the family tradition of beheading house-elves when
they got too old to carry tea trays” (OP6).
Auror
An Auror is a Dark
wizard catcher. Aurors are considered by some to be “the elite”, and Auror
Training takes a further three years of schooling, but it is very difficult to be
accepted, and sometimes years go by without any acceptances. To be accepted, top N.E.W.T.s are required
in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defense Against the Dark
Arts, and one other subject. Character and aptitude tests are also part of the acceptance
process, including demonstrating the ability to do well under pressure, have perseverance,
and be dedicated. The Ministry of Magic
even checks the criminal records of applicants. Components of this training include Stealth and Tracking
and Concealment
and Disguise. The Auror Headquarters
is located in the Ministry of Magic. Known Aurors include Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley
Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Dawlish, Williamson, and Frank and Alice
Longbottom.
Auror Headquarters
The Auror Headquarters, found on Level Two (Department of
Magical Law Enforcement) of the Ministry of Magic,
is a “cluttered open area divided into cubicles”. The walls are covered with paper and
pictures, including pictures of wanted wizards, photos of
their families, and posters of Quidditch teams.
Auror training
Auror training takes three years after graduation from Hogwarts, and is
said to be very difficult to get into, and challenging to get through. Classes in Stealth and Tracking
and Concealment
and Disguise are part of the curriculum.
Auto-Answer Quill
This is a cheating device banned from the O.W.L. exams.
Avada Kedavra Curse
This is the worst Unforgivable
Curse. It is also called the Killing Curse, and it
is unblockable. Only one person has ever survived the curse: Harry Potter. It is
not known why, but when Voldemort tried to
kill Harry as a baby, the curse bounced off of Harry, and struck Voldemort. With the
incantation Avada
Kedavra! a flash of green light shoots out of the wand, killing whatever
it strikes.
Avada Kedavra!
This is the incantation for the Killing Curse.
However, merely saying the incantation will not produce the curse, it has to be truly meant
in order to work.
Avery
Avery is one of the Death Eaters. He
escaped capture after Voldemort’s downfall by claiming to have been under the Imperius Curse
(GF27). He was the first to break and start begging for Voldemort’s
forgiveness when Voldemort returned to his full strength, which gained him nothing except a
dose of the Cruciatus Curse
(GF33). When Voldemort was trying to steal the prophecy from the Department of
Mysteries, Avery told him that an Unspeakable, such
as Broderick Bode,
would be able to remove it. However, this was incorrect. Voldemort punished him severely for
the misinformation (OP26). Avery also took part in the battle of the Department of Mysteries
(OP35).
Avis!
This spell causes a wand to let out a loud
bang, and several small birds fly out of the end. During the Weighing of the
Wands ceremony before the Triwizard
Tournament, Mr.
Ollivander checked Viktor Krum’s wand
with this spell (GF18).
Award for Special Services to the School
This award is given to students who do something extraordinary in service to Hogwarts. The award
is kept in the trophy
room. One such award is in the form of a “burnished gold shield”. Known winners are Tom Riddle, who
convincingly framed Hagrid as the Heir of
Slytherin (CS13), and Harry and Ron, who discovered
the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in
their second year, and went into it to rescue Ron’ s sister Ginny. Harry killed
the basilisk
lurking there, destroyed Riddle, and saved Ginny. They also proved Hagrid’s innocence (CS18).
It’s also called Special Award for
Services to the School.
Axminster
An Axminster is a brand of flying carpet. Barty Crouch’s
grandfather used to have one that could seat twelve, before flying carpets were banned (GF7).
Azkaban
Azkaban is the wizard prison. Set on a cold, lonely island, with dementors for
guards, it is the worst punishment given to a criminal. The first known person to escape was
Barty Crouch,
Jr., who escaped with help from his parents (GF35). The second, more widely known escapee
was Sirius Black,
who, being an Animagus, could
change into a dog, slip through the bars, and swim to mainland (PA19). Finally, during Harry’s fifth year,
a mass breakout of ten high-security prisoners, Death Eaters,
escaped, but exactly how is unknown (OP25).
Babbling Beverage
Snape tells Harry that if he
wants to hear nonsense, he will give him one of these. It’s apparently a potion that causes
the drinker to babble nonsense (OP32).
Babbling Curse
Gilderoy Lockhart
claimed to have cured a Transylvanian villager of this curse, but he was probably lying
(CS10).
Baddock, Malcolm
Malcolm was sorted into Slytherin when Harry was a fourth
year (GF12).
Bagman, Ludovic
Ludo used to be the Head of the Department of Magical Games
and Sports, but got into trouble with gambling. After the Quidditch World
Cup, he was unable to pay several people what he owed them, including Fred and George, and Lee Jordan’s father.
He made deals with goblins to try to win
back some gold, but lost even more, and went into hiding after the Triwizard
Tournament (GF37). He had always been a very lax Head of Department.
He was the one who got tickets in the Top Box for Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys for the
Quidditch World
Cup of 1994 (GF7).
Bagman, Otto
Otto is the brother of Ludo Bagman. He got
into trouble with the Misuse of Muggle
Artifacts Office because of a lawnmower with unnatural powers, but Arthur Weasley
smoothed the whole thing over as a favor to Ludo (GF5).
Bagnold, Millicent
Millicent was the Minister of Magic
directly before Cornelius Fudge came
to power. When she retired, many people wanted Albus
Dumbledore to be Minister, but he refused (OP5). Millicent retired sometime after the
downfall of Voldemort, but
before Harry’s
eleventh birthday. At the time of Wormtail’s faked
death and Sirius
Black’s alleged crime, Fudge said that he was Junior
Minister of the Department of
Magical Catastrophes (PA10). When Hagrid spoke to
Harry on his eleventh birthday, he mentioned how Fudge was always asking Dumbledore for
advice (SS5), and Lupin said that that
only occurred in the early days of Fudge’s Ministry (OP5).
Bagshot, Bathilda
Bathilda is the author of A History of
Magic, a textbook for Hogwarts History of
Magic classes (SS5).
Balderdash
This was the password into the Gryffindor common room during
the beginning of Harry’s fourth year.
It was changed on a Wednesday, sometime in December.
Ballycastle Bats
The Bats, of northern Ireland, have won the Quidditch
League 27 times. Wearing black robes with a scarlet bat across the chest, their mascot is
Barny the Fruitbat.
Barny is also featured in butterbeer
advertisements (QA7).
Ban on Experimental Breeding
This ban, created by Newt Scamander in
1965, “effectively prevented the creation of new and untamable monsters in Britain” (FB).
Violations do occur, such as Hagrid’s manticore/fire-crab mix,
resulting in Blast-Ended Skrewts.
Creatures created before the Ban include the Basilisk and Acromantula (FB).
In 1995, a wizard
named Bob investigated
a fire-breathing chicken as a serious breach of the Ban (OP7).
Banana fritters
This password to
the Gryffindor
common room was
used beginning sometime in January (GF25)..
Banchory Bangers
This Scottish Quidditch team was
renowned for their poor skills and post-match parties. After an 1814 match against the Appleby Arrows, the
team allowed their Bludgers to escape, and then set out to captures a Hebridean Black as
a team mascot. Ministry of Magic
representatives arrested them, and the team never played again.
Bandon Banshee
Gilderoy Lockhart
falsely claimed to have banished this banshee. In fact, it
was done by a witch
who had a harelip. Lockhart tracked her down, and then obliterated her memory so that he
could take the credit (CS16).
Bane
Bane is a centaur
living in the Forbidden Forest.
His hair, beard, and body are black, and he’s a little wild-looking. He was very angry at Firenze for helping
Harry out of the
forest, calling him a common mule (SS15). Bane was even angrier when Firenze agreed to be Divination teacher
at Hogwarts
during Harry’s fifth year, and when Harry and Hermione used the
centaurs to frighten away Umbridge.
Bang-Ended Scoot
is a mispronunciation of Blast-Ended Skrewt
used by Rita
Skeeter.
Banishing Charm
The Banishing Charm is the opposite of the Summoning Charm. It
causes an object to fly away from the spell-caster. Unlike (apparently) the Summoning Charm,
however, it is possible to Banish a human, as Neville keeps
accidentally sending Professor Flitwick
across the room (OP26).
Banshee
Described as a woman with “floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face” who
lets out an unearthly wailing shriek, banshees are the worst fear of Seamus Finnigan
(PA7).
Barnabas the Barmy
An enormous tapestry (with moving pictures) shows this foolish wizard attempting to
train trolls for the
ballet and getting clubbed. The tapestry is located directly across from the entrance to the
Room of
Requirement (OP18).
Barny the Fruitbat
Barny is the mascot of the Ballycastle Bats.
He is also featured in a butterbeer ad
(QA5).
Barty
Nickname of both Bartemius Crouch
Sr. and Bartemius Crouch
Jr.
Baruffio’s Brain Elixir
Sixth year Eddie
Carmichael almost sold a bottle of this elixir to Harry and Ron before their O.W.L.s for twelve Galleons. However, Hermione
confiscated it and flushed it down a toilet before they could buy it. She told them that it
could not help them, since it wasn’t even real: it was dried Doxy droppings (OP31).
Bashir, Ali
Ali was determined to sell flying carpets in Britain, but they are banned, being considered a
Muggle
Artifact by the Registry of Proscribed
Charmable Objects. Most British witches and wizards use brooms, but Ali
thinks that carpets as a family vehicle would sell (GF7). When told repeatedly that carpets
were banned, he tried to smuggle some into the country, but was caught (GF23).
Basic Blaze Box
The basic size box of Fred and George’s
firecrackers, Weasleys’
Wildfire Whizz-Bangs. The Basic Blaze Box cost five Galleons (OP28).
Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed
Harry looked in
this book for a way to defeat the dragon he had to get
past for the first task of the Triwizard
Tournament. He found things such as instant scalping, pepper breath,
and horn
tongue, but nothing helpful (GF20).
Basics for Beginners
This is the first chapter of Wilbert Slinkhard’s
book, Defensive Magical Theory (OP12)
Basil
At the Quidditch
World Cup, Basil organized the Portkeys and told
arriving witches and
wizards where their
campsites were (GF7).
Basilisk
Also known as the King of
Serpents, the basilisk is given a classification of XXXXX by the Ministry of Magic.
It was first bred by the Greek wizard Herpo the Foul, who
discovered that hatching a chicken’s egg beneath a toad produced a giant
and powerful serpent. Basilisks are brilliant green and may grow to 50 feet in length. It has
venomous fangs, and the gaze of its large yellow eyes kills anyone who looks at it (FB).
Seeing a basilisk indirectly (such as a reflection or through a camera) will cause the victim
to be Petrified
(CS16). The creation of basilisks has been illegal for hundreds of years, but, since they are
dangerous to everyone except Parselmouths, who
can control them, they are not often created. Harry killed a
basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets
that had been released by Voldemort’s
16-year-old memory. He was pierced by a fang in the process, and only the tears of Dumbledore’s phoenix, Fawkes, saved his
life.
Bat-Bogey Hex
This hex is a specialty of Ginny Weasley. She
performed it on Malfoy in order to
escape from the Inquisitorial Squad at
the end of her fourth year (OP33).
Bayliss, Hetty
Hetty is a Muggle
who saw Harry and
Ron flying Arthur Weasley’s
flying Ford Anglia.
She lives in Norfolk, and was
hanging out her washing when she saw the car (CS5).
Beaky
This is Hagrid’s
nickname for Buckbead, his pet Hippogriff.
Beast
A beast, as defined by the Ministry of Magic,
is any creature that does not have sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the
magical community. Also included are a few creatures who do understand the laws and have
requested to be classified as beasts, such as centaurs and merpeople. Previous
attempts to define a beast have included creatures that do not walk on two legs, and
creatures who can not speak a human language. The current definition was adopted in 1811 by
newly elected Minister of Magic Grogan Stump (FB).
Beast Division
The Beast Division is a division of the Department for the
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The other two divisions are the Being Division and
Spirit Division.
It is found on Level Four of the Ministry of Magic
(OP7).
Beater
There are two Beaters on a Quidditch team.
Their job is to use clubs to hit the Bludgers away from
the members of their team, and towards those of the opposing team. Fred and George Weasley were
Gryffindor
Beaters until the beginning of their seventh year, when they were banned from playing. Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper took their
places. The Slytherin Beaters
were Bole and Derrick, until they
graduated, and crabbe and Goyle took their
places.
Beaters’ Bible, the
This book, written by Brutus
Scrimgeour, lists as its first rule for Beaters, “Take out the
Seeker” (QA6).
Beauxbatons Academy
This school, probably located in France, as the native language of the students is French, is
run by Olympe
Maxime, a half-giant. The
school sent a delegation of 12 students to Hogwarts for a year
to participate in the Triwizard
Tournament. The Beauxbatons champion was Fleur Delacour.
Fleur was disdainful of Hogwarts and often complained about Peeves the
poltergeist, and said that the food was too heavy, the castle was not as beautiful as the
palace of Beauxbatons.
Beetle eyes
Beetle eyes are sold at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley at 5 Knuts a scoop (SS5).
Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration, A
This book, written by Emeric Switch, is a Transfiguration textbook for first and second year students at Hogwarts (SS5, CS4).
Being
Described as a woman with “floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face” who
lets out an unearthly wailing shriek, banshees are the worst fear of Seamus Finnigan
(PA7).
Being Division
The Being Division is a division of the Department for the
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The other two divisions are the Beast Division and
Spirit Division.
It is found on Level Four of the Ministry of Magic
(OP7).
Belby, Flavius
Flavius wrote the earliest known account of an attack by a Lethifold. In his
story, he tells how a Stupefying Charm
and an Impediment
Hex didn’t stop the creature, but a Patronus Charm
did (FB).
Belch Powder
Filch thinks this is
something Hogwarts students
buy in Hogsmeade
to torment him with (PA8).
Bell, Katie
Katie is probably one year older than Harry. She is a Chaser on the Gryffindor team.
Katie was the victim of Fred and George’s Skiving Snackboxes
when they accidentally gave her a Blood Blister
Pod.
Bella
This is what Voldemort calls Bellatrix
Lestrange, one of his most faithful Death Eaters, and
his only known female one (OP36).
Belladonna
Essence of belladonna is one of the ingredients in Harry’s basic potion-making kit
(GF10).
Benedict, Brother
Brother Benedict was a Franciscan monk from Worcestershire who discovered a Jarvey in his herb
garden, though no one believed him.
Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans
These jelly beans come in literally every flavor. As Ron told Harry on their first
Hogwarts
Express ride, “…ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you
can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he
had a booger-flavored one once.” Other flavors include vomit, ear wax, toast, coconut, baked
bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and pepper (SS6).
Bethnal Green
This was the site of three regurgitating toilets set by Willy
Widdershins. The Misuse of Muggle
Artifacts Office had to go and anti-jinx them.
Bezoar
A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, which is an antidote to most
poisons (SS8). During a poisons and antidotes test in Harry’s fourth year,
he forgot to add a bezoar to his potion, resulting in bottom marks on the test (GF22).
Bicorn
Powdered horn of a bicorn is one of the ingredients in Polyjuice Potion
(CS10).
Big D
Members of Dudley’s gang call
him this (OP1).
Bigfoot
Bigfoot is an alternate name for the yeti.
Bigonville Bombers
The Bombers are a Quidditch team from
Luxembourg, known for their offensive strategy (QA8).
Bilius
Bilius was Ron’s
uncle. According to Ron, Bilius saw a Grim and died 24 hours
later (PA6). His last name is not known, as it is unsure whether Bilius is the brother of Mr. Weasley (who
did have two brothers) or Mrs. Weasley, whose
maiden name is Prewett.
Billywig
Classified as XXX by the Ministry of Magic,
the Billywig is a half-inch, blue insect native to Australia. Billywigs have rotating wings
attached to the top of their head and a long thin sting at the bottom of the body. After
being stung by a Billywig, a person suffers giddiness and levitation, unless a severe
allergic reaction occurs, which can result in permanent floating. Billywig stings have
several uses, including dried in Potions and possibly
an ingredient in Fizzing Whizbees
(FB).
Binky
Binky was Lavender’s
pet rabbit, who was killed by a fox during her third year on the sixteenth of October. This
seemed to fulfill a prophecy made by Sibyll Trelawney.
Although Hermione was very
skeptical, Lavender took this as proof that Trelawney was a genuine Seer (PA8).
Binns, Professor
Professor Binns, with no first name given, is the only Hogwarts teacher to
be a ghost. He
teaches History
of Magic, in an extremely boring monotone voice. He also doesn’t seem to know the names
of any of his students, calling Harry, Hermione, Seamus, and Parvati Perkins, Miss Grant, O’Flaherty, and Miss
Pennyfeather, respectively. Apparently, he had been a living teacher at Hogwarts, who, at
a very old age, got up from a chair by the fire and left his body behind.
Bishop
A bishop is a piece in both Muggle and wizard chess. It moves
diagonally on the board. On the giant chess board in the Sorcerer’s Stone
corridor, Harry
took the place of a bishop.
Biting Fairy
This is an alternate name for a Doxy (FB).
Black Forest, the
A large group of wizards arrived by Portkey from the
Black Forest at 5:15 a.m. on the day of the Quidditch World
Cup., directly after the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione (GF7).
Black, Andromeda
Andromeda Black was the maiden name of Andromeda Tonks. She
was Sirius’s
favorite cousin, quite unlike her sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa. She is or
was married to Ted
Tonks and has at least one daughter, Nymphadora.
Black, Bellatrix
This is the maiden name of Bellatrix
Lestrange, a cousin of Sirius Black and
sister of Narcissa and Andromeda. Bellatrix
is now married to Rodolphus
Lestrange.
Black, Mrs.
Mrs. Black is the mother of Sirius Black. She has
been dead for ten years, but her portrait still hangs in her old home of 12 Grimmauld
Place. She is extremely concerned with blood purity. An old family tree tapestry hanging
in the house has little burn marks all over it, where she burned away the names of those who
turned traitor by marrying Muggles or Muggle-born
wizards. Mrs. Black’s portrait sleeps most of the time, but any noise will wake her up,
and she will start shrieking and screaming about blood traitors and abominations. The
portrait is stuck there with a Permanent
Sticking Charm, making it difficult or impossible to remove (OP5).
Black, Narcissa
This is the maiden name of Narcissa Malfoy,
cousin of Sirius
Black and sister of Bellatrix and Andromeda. Narcissa
is now married to Lucius Malfoy with
one son, Draco.
Black, Regulus
Regulus was Sirius’s brother. He
joined the Death
Eaters, but panicked when he found out exactly what he was supposed to do. He tried to
back out, but was killed on Voldemort’s orders.
He has been dead since about 1980 (OP6).
Black, Sirius
Sirius grew up in a family that had a ”pure-blood mania”. However, he didn’t share their
philosophy, and at seventeen ran away. Sirius was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts, along with
his best friends, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.
The four boys shared a lot during school, including becoming Animagi. Their
reason for this was because Lupin was a werewolf, and, as
animals, they were safe from him, and could go have adventures when the moon was full.
Because of their animal forms, they each used a nickname, which they sometimes used even
years after leaving school. Sirius, who became a black dog, was called Padfoot, Lupin, the
werewolf, was called Moony, James,
transforming into a stag, was known as Prongs, and Peter, a
rat, was Wormtail. After
school, the four helped Dumbledore
fight Voldemort,
joining his secret society, the Order of the
Phoenix. James Potter and his wife, Lily, went into
hiding in 1981, putting their trust in the Fidelius Charm. They
had planned for Sirius, who had been the best man at their wedding, to be the Secret-Keeper,
but at the last minute, they changed to Peter, for unknown reasons. No one knew about the
switch except Sirius, Peter, and the Potters. A week
later, Peter betrayed them to Voldemort, who went to their house and killed Lily and James,
and tried to kill their son, Harry. Sirius
tracked Peter down and confronted him on a street full of Muggles. However,
Peter knew that the world would believe that Sirius betrayed them, so he shouted, “Lily and
James, Sirius! How could you!” before pulling out his wand, blowing the street apart (killing
12 Muggles), cutting off a finger, and transforming into his rat form. The entire world
believed that Sirius had cast the spell, blowing up Peter and the street. He was sent to Azkaban without
trial. While in prison, he somehow managed to keep his sanity by the thought of escaping to
kill Peter. Finally, he managed it, after seeing a picture of Ron in the Daily
Prophet with a rat on his shoulder – missing a toe. Sirius changed into his dog shape
and swam to shore, traveling to Hogwarts. He finally
managed, after several attempts, to capture Scabbers, the rat,
and to return him to Peter’s form. Peter manages to escape once more, and Harry and Hermione, using a
Time-Turner,
manage to save both Sirius and Buckbead, a hippogriff who had
been executed unfairly. The pair escaped. Sirius returned to his old house, now empty, and
eventually offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the re-formed Order of the Phoenix
after Voldemort’s return.
Sirius rushed to Harry’s aid when Harry was trapped by Death Eaters in
the Department of
Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic,
but was killed in the dueling that ensued by a jet of red light from his cousin Bellatrix’s wand.
bladvak
This word is the only word of Gobbledegook,
the language of goblins, that Ludo Bagman knows.
He says it means “pickaxe” (GF24).
Blagging
Blagging is a common Quidditch foul,
when a player seizes hold of an opponent’s broom tail to slow
or hinder them (Q6). Malfoy committed
this foul on Harry’s broom during
the final match for the House Cup in their
third year (PA15).
Blast-Ended Skrewt
Blast-ended skrewts, more commonly shortened to skrewts, are a
cross between manticores and fire-crabs.
Breeding of new magical creatures was outlawed by the 1965 Ban on Experimental
Breeding, but Hagrid insists that
they’re friendly pets. His Care of Magical
Creatures classes, however, don’t agree. The skrewts are very dangerous, being able to
explode the end of their tails and shoot ahead several feet, suck blood (females) and sting
(males). When Hagrid first acquired them in the beginning of Harry’s fourth year,
they looked like “deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs
sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads.” Hagrid started off with about a
hundred, but they killed each other very rapidly, and eventually declined down to one. They
grew from six inches to six feet long from the beginning to end of the year, and were one of
the obstacles featured in the third task of the Triwizard
Tournament.
Blatching
is a Quidditch
foul when players fly with intent to collide (Q6).
Bletchley, Miles
Bletchley is the Slytherin Keeper. During Harry’s fifth year,
he jinxed Alicia
Spinnet from behind while she worked in the library, causing her eyebrows to grow so
quickly that they obstructed her mouth. Professor Snape, however, refused
to believe the fourteen eyewitnesses who had seen Bletchley, and insisted that Alicia must
have used a Hair-Thickening
Charm incorrectly on herself (OP19).
Blibbering Humdinger
The Humdinger is some sort of creature that Luna Lovegood
believes in whole-heartedly, but most skeptical people (like Hermione) don’t
think that it exists (OP13).
Blinky
This is a name that Percy Weasley
mistakenly calls Winky the house-elf
(GF23).
Blood Blister Pod
The Blood Blister Pod was a type of Skiving Snackbox
candy invented by Fred and George which, when
one half is eaten, causes severe nosebleed. The other half makes it stop. They accidentally
gave one to Katie
Bell during a Quidditch practice,
causing her to bleed until she nearly fainted (OP14).
Blood traitor
This is an insulting name to call a witch or wizard who associates
or intermarries with Muggles, Muggle-born
wizards, or half-bloods. They
are considered by some to have betrayed their pure wizard blood (OP6).
Blooder
An archaic name for a Bludger (Q3, Q4, Q6).
Blood-Replenishing Potion
This is a type of potion used instead of blood transplants at St. Mungo’s. Arthur Weasley had
to take one when he was bitten by a snake (OP22).
Blood-Sucking Bugbear
A Blood-Sucking Bugbear is a type of animal that Hagrid believed
might be killing the school chickens. As it is never mentioned anywhere else, this animal is
either imaginary or recently wizard-bred (CS11).
Bloody Baron
The Bloody Baron is a Slytherin ghost covered with
silver bloodstains of unknown origin and is described as “gaunt” and “staring”. Even
Slytherins are a little nervous around him. He is the only one at Hogwarts who has any
control over Peeves. In his first
year, Harry
imitated the Baron to frighten Peeves away, and it worked spectacularly. Peeves almost “fell
out of the air” in his shock, and immediately “scooted away” (SS16).
Bludger
Bludgers, originally called “Blooders”, were
originally flying rocks, probably inspired by the falling boulders of the Scottish game Creaothceann. By
1398, they were still merely rocks carved into spheres. However, they were easily cracked by
the Beaters’ bats,
and then all the players would be pursued by flying gravel. By the early sixteenth century,
Bludgers were being made of lead. In the present day, lead, which is too soft, has been
replaced by iron for the manufacture of Bludgers. They are ten inches in diameter. In a game
of Quidditch,
the two Bludgers, when left to their own devices, will attack the nearest player
indiscriminately, and attempt to knock them off their broomstick.
Therefore, the function of the two Beaters is to knock them away from their teammates, and
towards their opponents (Q6). Although it would seem otherwise, few injuries are sustained
from Bludgers. Harry broke his arm
in his second year when a house-elf named Dobby charmed a Bludger
so that it followed Harry and attacked him incessantly. Oliver Wood told Harry
in his first year that their worst Quidditch injuries were a couple of broken jaws.
Bludger Backbeat
This is a Quidditch move
where a Beater hits
a Bludger with a
backhand swing of the club, sending it backwards rather than forwards. This is fairly
difficult to achieve, but is very confusing for opponents (Q10).
Bluebottle
The Bluebottle was a broom advertised
at the Quidditch
World Cup. It was called a broom for all the family (GF8).
Blurting
Blurting is a Quidditch foul when
a player locks broom handles with
another player to try and steer them off course (Q6).
Boa constrictor
Before Harry knew
that he was a wizard, he had some early manifestations of his power. Notable among these is
the time when he accidentally set a boa constrictor on his cousin Dudley. He spoke to
the snake in its cage, and then, when Dudley pushed him out of the way, Harry accidentally
made the glass disappear. Harry seemed to believe that it was a special snake, not that he
himself was special. He did not realize until his second year at Hogwarts that he
could speak Parseltongue to
any snake.
Boardman, Stubby
Stubby was, according to a Quibbler
subscriber named Doris
Purkiss, the lead singer of a band called the Hobgoblins.
Stubby retired nearly fifteen years ago (around the time of Harry’s birth) after
being hit in the ear by a turnip at a concert in Little Norton Church Hall. Mrs. Purkiss
believed that Stubby was a pseudonym of Sirius Black. She
claimed that this proved Sirius’ innocence, because on the night when Sirius allegedly killed
a wizard and twelve
Muggles, Stubby was
enjoying a romantic dinner with her (OP10).
Bob
Bob was a wizard
that Mr. Weasley
and Harry met
when Harry was on the way to his disciplinary hearing the summer before his fifth year. He
was carrying a box under his arm which contained a fire-breathing chicken. He suspected that
it was a ‘severe breach’ of the Ban on Experimental
Breeding (OP7).
Bode, Broderick
Bode is described as “sallow-skinned” and having a “mournful” face. Along with Croaker, he is an Unspeakable in
the Department of
Mysteries (OP7). During Harry’s fifth year,
Bode was placed under an Imperius Curse by Lucius Malfoy, but
was permanently injured, forcing him to spend time in St. Mungo’s, where
he began to regain the power of speech. At Christmas, however, someone (presumably Voldemort or a Death Eater under
his orders) sent Bode a Devil’s Snare
clipping in a pot. Unnoticed by Healers, the plant
strangled him (OP23).
Bodmin Moor
A Quidditch
story was circulated that a Snitch avoided capture
on this moor for six months in 1884, until both teams gave up. Some wizards insist that
the Snitch is still living wild on the moor, but this is unconfirmed (Q6).
Bodrod the Bearded
This is the name of a goblin