Harry Potter Glossary

A-Z Glossary List of Harry Potter Characters, Spells, Places & more

Accio	Summoning spell.
Acid Pops	Wizarding sweets that burn holes in your tongue. Available at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
Aconite	Plant used in potions. Also known as Monkshood or Wolfsbane.
Agrippa	Name of a wizard depicted on a wizard trading card.
Alchemy	Medieval science that was founded on the search to turn any metal into gold.
Alohomora	Door-unlocking spell.
Animagi	Wizards who can turn themselves into animals at will. The singular form is animagus.
Aparecium	Spell to make invisible ink visible.
Apparate	To transport oneself instantly to any destination. Apparating is difficult and must not be done without a license from the Department of Magical Transportation. There is a danger of splinching.
Aragog	Name of a huge spider that lives in the Forbidden Forest.
Arithmancy	Ancient study of the magical properties of numbers.
Astronomy	Study of the stars and planets.
Aunt Marge	Dudley Dursley's dreadful aunt, sister to Vernon Dursley and no friend of Harry's.
Auror	Professional Dark-wizard-catcher.
Avada	KedavraKilling curse. It brings about instant death in a flash of green light. There is no way of blocking it. It is one of the three Unforgivable Curses.
Azkaban	Prison fortress where wizarding criminals are sent. Guarded day and night by the terrifying Dementors, who drain peace, hope and happiness out of any human who comes too close to them.

Bagman, Ludo	Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the Ministry of Magic. A former Quidditch player, he was a Beater on the Wimbourne Wasps team and played for England. He is large and blond, with a round, pink face.
Bagshot, Bathilda	Author of A History of Magic.
Bane	Name of a centaur in the Forbidden Forest.
Basilisk	Snake-like creature whose eyes will turn you to stone.
Beater	Quidditch player who tries to knock the Bludgers towards the opposing team.
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic	School of witchcraft and wizardry somewhere in Europe.
Bell, Katie	Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans	Wizarding jellybeans. Come in every flavour, including spinach, liver, tripe, sprout, curry, grass and even bogey and vomit flavours.
Bezoar	Stone taken from the stomach of a goat. A bezoar will counteract the majority of poisons.
Binns, Professor	History of Magic teacher at Hogwarts. The only ghost teacher at the school. He fell asleep in front of the fire and forgot to wake up.
Black Forest	Place in Germany where Professor Quirrel was rumoured to have encountered vampires.
Blast-Ended Skrewt	Cross between a manticore and a fire crab. They have no recognisable head or eyes, but they explode intermittently at one end. Males have a sting like a scorpion and females have suckers on their bellies. Adult Skrewts have thick grey armour and may grow to be ten feet long.
Black, Sirius	Escaped prisoner from Azkaban.
Blood-flavoured Lollipops	Lollipops for vampires.
Bloody Baron, the	Resident ghost of Slytherin Tower.
Bludgers	Black balls that try to knock players off their brooms in Quidditch.
Boggart	Shape-shifter that takes on the likeness of your worst fear.
Bouncing Bulb	Plant used in Herbology.
Bozo	Photographer for the Daily Prophet.
Borgin and Burkes	Dark Arts shop in Knockturn Alley.
Broomstick Servicing Kit	Thirteenth birthday present for Harry from Hermione Granger. A black leather case containing a jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, Tail-Twig Clippers, brass compass and a Handbook of Do-it-Yourself Broomcare.
Brown, Lavender	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry. She is in Gryffindor house and her best friend is Parvati Patil.
Bryce, Frank	Muggle killed by Voldemort. Frank worked as a gardener at Riddle House in the village of Little Hangleton.
Buckbeak	Name of a Hippogriff: a large flying creature that is half bird and half horse.
Bulstrode, Millicent	Hermione Granger's duelling partner in the second year duelling club. Millicent is in Slytherin house, in Harry's year.
Bubble-Head Charm	Magic that enables you to breathe underwater.
Bubotuber	Plant that resembles a black slug with swellings that contain a yellowish green liquid. Bubotuber pus is used to cure acne, but undiluted it causes sores and boils.
Burrow, The	Home of the Weasley family.
Butterbeer	Frothy, buttery drink served in Hogsmeade .

Cadogan, Sir	Knight from a portrait in the North Tower. Temporary guardian of Gryffindor Tower while the Fat Lady was being repaired.
Canary Creams	Trick custard-cream biscuits that turn the eater briefly into a canary. Invented by Fred and George Weasley.
Care of Magical Creatures	Class taken at Hogwarts teaching students how to look after magical creatures.
Centaurs	Half-man, half-horse creatures. Centaurs live in the Forbidden Forest.
Chamber of Secrets, the	Concealed room created by Salazar Slytherin wherein he sealed an unknown horror that could only be freed by his true heir to purge the school of those unworthy to study magic.
Chang, Cho	Seeker of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. A year above Harry.
Charm	Spell that adds properties to an objector person.
Chaser	Quidditch player who tries to score using the Quaffle.
Chocoballs	Wizarding sweets full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream.
Chocolate Frogs	Wizard confectionery that contains collector's cards of famous witches and wizards.
Chudley Cannons, the	Ron Weasley's favourite professional Quidditch team. They wear bright orange and black robes and are in ninth in the League at the start of Harry's second year.
Circe	Name of a witch depicted on a wizard trading card.
Cleansweep 7	Type of broomstick used by Fred and George Weasley.
Clearwater, Penelope	Percy Weasley's girlfriend.
Cliodna	Name of a witch depicted on a wizard trading card.
Cockroach Clusters	Wizarding sweets made from cockroaches.
Comet	Type of broomstick flown by Cho Chang.
Common room	Meeting room for each Hogwarts house.
Common Welsh Green	Type of dragon found in Britain.
Cornish Pixies	Naughty little fairies that create havoc.
Crabbe, Vincent	One of Draco Malfoy's stupid henchmen. Thickset and looks very mean. Has a pudding-basin haircut and a very thick neck. He is in Slytherin House.
Creevey, Colin	Admirer of Harry who follows him constantly and is always taking his picture. A year below Harry in Gryffindor house.
Creevey, Dennis	Hogwarts pupil, younger brother of Colin Creevey. Dennis is three years below Harry in Gryffindor house.
Cribbages Wizarding Crackers	Crackers are party favors used in the United Kingdom at Christmastime. Small cardboard tubes are filled with candy and trinkets, then wrapped in brightly colored paper twisted at each end. When two people pull on opposite ends of the paper, the tube bursts open with a crack and the treats inside fall out.
Crouch, Bartemius	Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation at the Ministry of Magic. He looks like a bank manager, with a toothbrush moustache, and is a great believer in rules.
Crockford, Doris	Witch Harry meets in the Leaky Cauldron.
Crookshanks	Hermione Granger's pet cat. Ginger with thick and fluffy fur, it is a little bow-legged with a slightly crumpled face.
Crouch, Bartemius, Junior	Son of the above. He was imprisoned in Azkaban as a follower of Voldemort.
Cruciatus curse	Inflicts torture with the command Crucio. One of the three Unforgivable Curses.

Daily Prophet, the	The national wizarding newspaper,.
Dark Mark, the	Sign of the Death Eaters: a skull with a serpent in its mouth.
Davies, Roger	Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.
Deathday Party	Celebration held by the ghosts at Hogwarts to commemorate the day they died.
Defence Against the Dark Arts	Magic lessons at Hogwarts that teach students how to defend themselves against evil creatures such as werewolves and vampires.
Deflating Draft	Potion that counteracts a swelling solution. Causes swelled body parts to return to normal size.
Death Eaters The	followers of Voldemort. They were summoned by the Dark Mark.
Delacour, Fleur	Pupil at Beauxbatons. Beautiful, with long, silvery blonde hair; her grandmother was a Veela.
Delacour, Gabrielle	Younger sister of Fleur.
Delaney-Podmore, Patrick	Leader of the Headless Hunt.
Dementor	Creature who feeds on the happy emotions of humans. Dementors are employed as guards at Azkaban. The kiss of a Dementor will suck out a human's soul, leaving an emotionless shell.
Deletrius	Spell to make something disintegrate.
Dervish and Banges	Wizarding equipment shop in Hogsmeade.
Densaugeo	Spell causing teeth to grow.
Diagon Alley	A long cobbled street filled with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world. Accessible through the Leaky Cauldron pub in London.
Diffindo	Spell to make something split.
Diggle, Dedalus	Wizard Harry met in the Leaky Cauldron. He also once bowed to Harry in a shop.
Diggory, Amos	Father of Cedric. He is tall and has a brown beard.
Diggory, Cedric	Seeker of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team.
Disapparate	To disappear at will.
Dissendium	Spell that opens entrance to secret passage to Hogsmeade.
Divination	Magical art of telling the future using tea-leaves, crystal balls and so forth. Professor Trelawny is Divination teacher at Hogwarts.
Dobby	Name of a House-Elf who idolises Harry but gets him into lots of trouble.
Dr Filibuster's Fabulous No-Heat Wet-Start Fireworks	Wizarding fireworks and one of Fred and George Weasley's favourite jokes. They fill the room with red and gold stars that last for about half an hour.
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus	The Hogwarts motto. It means "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."
Dragon	Mythical reptilian creature who can fly and breathe fire. Hagrid is particularly fond of dragons and has a Norwegian Ridgeback called Norbert for a while.
Draught of Living Death, the	Powerful sleeping draught.
Drooble's Best Blowing Gum	Wizarding sweet. Fills the room with blue bubbles that last for about half an hour.
Duelling Club	Club started by Professor Lockhart to teach students how to duel with spells.
Dungbomb	Stinkbomb
Dumbledore, Albus	Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore is widely regarded as the finest wizard of his generation and was the only person that Voldemort was frightened of. He is tall, thin and very old and has very long, silver hair and beard. He has blue eyes and wears half-moon spectacles and a long, purple cloak that sweeps to the ground. Dumbledore was an old English word for bumblebee.
Durmstrang Institute	School of witchcraft and wizardry somewhere in the far north of Europe. It is smaller than Hogwarts but has more extensive grounds.
Dursley, Dudley	Harry's horrible non-magic cousin.Dudley is fat, blond and rather stupid, but that doesn't stop him trying to bully Harry whenever he can.

Eeylops Owl Emporium	Owl shop in Diagon Alley where Harry bought Hedwig.
Elixir of Life, the	Potion produced by the Philosopher's Stone that will make the drinker immortal.
Enervate	Reviving spell. In non-magic usage 'enervate' means to make someone weaker.
Engorgio	Swelling charm.
Errol	Name of the Weasley family owl.
Expecto patronum	Spell to guard against the Dementors.
Expelliarmus	Disarming spell.
Exploding Bonbons	Wizarding sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
Exploding Snap	Card game.

Fang	Name of Hagrid's boarhound.
Fat Friar, the	Resident ghost of Hufflepuff Tower.
Fat Lady, the	The subject of the portrait guarding the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.
Fawkes	Name of Albus Dumbledore's pet phoenix.
Ferula	Spell to conjure a sling for a broken limb.
Fidelius Charm	A charm that conceals a secret within a person (Secret-Keeper) so that no one will know about it unless the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it.
Filch, Argos	Caretaker at Hogwarts and failed wizard. Filch hates students and especially does not like Harry or his friends. Filch has a cat called Mrs Norris.
Figg, Mrs	Elderly Muggle who used to baby-sit for Harry. She keeps cats.
Finch-Fletchley, Justin	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry. Justin is in Hufflepuff house.
Finnigan, Seamus	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry. Seamus is in Gryffindor house. His best friend is Dean Thomas.
Firebolt	Fastest, most technologically advanced broomstick. Can accelerate from 0-150 miles per hour in ten seconds.
Firenze	Name of a centaur living in the Forbidden Forest.
Fizzing Whizbees	Wizarding sweets. Sherbet balls that make you levitate several feet in the air when you eat them.
Flamel, Nicholas	Albus Dumbledore's partner and the holder of the only known Philosopher's Stone in existence.
Flint, Marcus	Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.
Flitwick, Professor	Charms teacher at Hogwarts. Tiny little wizard who has to stand on piles of books to see over his desk.
Flobberworm	Species of worm that Harry and his friends have to keep alive to pass the Care of Magical Creatures course.
Floo powder	Glittering powder used for traveling by magical people. Throw it into the fireplace, say the name of your destination and step into the flames.
Florean Fortesque's Ice-Cream Parlour	Wizarding ice-cream shop on Diagon Alley.
Flourish and Blotts	Diagon Alley wizarding bookshop.
Flutterby Bush	Plant used in Herbology.
Foe-Glass	Magic mirror in which you can see your enemies.
Forbidden Forest, the	The dark woods surrounding the Hogwarts grounds. Students are not allowed to go there unless accompanied by a teacher.
Ford Anglia	Make of Mr Weasley's bewitched car.
Four-Point Spell	Say Point me to make your wand function as a compass.
Fudge Flies	Wizarding sweets.
Fudge, Cornelius	Minister for Magic.
Furnunculus	Curse that causes boils.

GalleonGold	wizarding money. There is currently no exchange rate for galleons to pound, dollar or euro.
Gambol and Japes	Wizarding joke shop on Diagon Alley.
Ghoul	Ghostly creature that lives in the attic and bangs on pipes. The Weasleys have one living in their attic.
Giant	Huge humanoid. Giants can grow to a height of 20 feet. They have a history of violence and warring among themselves. Many giants allied themselves with Voldemort and massacred Muggles. Others withdrew to remote mountain ranges. Their numbers are in decline and in Britain they are believed to be extinct.
Gillyweed	Water plant. If you eat it, you temporarily grow gills and fins.
Gnomes	Very small creatures with leathery skin and large, bald heads like knobbly potatoes. They have horny feet and razor-sharp teeth. They live in holes in gardens and aren't very bright. To de-gnome a garden, grab the gnome by the ankles, swing it round your head and throw!
Goblet of Fire	Wooden cup full of flames, used as an impartial selector for the contenders in the Triwizard Tournament.
Goblins	Small creatures with swarthy faces, pointed beards and very long hands and feet. Goblins staff Gringotts Bank.
Gobstones	The wizarding version of marbles. The pieces squirt a stinky substance into other players' faces when they lose a point.
Godric's Hollow	Home where Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter, lived.
Golden Snitch	Small, golden ball with silver wings used in Quidditch. Must be caught by a Seeker to end the match.
Goshawk, Miranda	Author of The Standard Book of Spells.
Goyle, Gregory	One of Draco Malfoy's stupid henchmen. Thickset and looks mean. Has short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-like arms. Also in Slytherin house.
Granger, Hermione	Smart know-it-all at Hogwarts in Gryffindor house. She has bushy, brown hair, large front teeth and a loud, rather bossy voice. Hermione works very hard and always gets the best marks in her exams. Harry's next best friend after Ron Weasley. Her parents are Muggle dentists.
Great Hall, the	The main hall in Hogwarts where Sorting takes place and where meals are served and meetings take place. The ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky outside.
Gregory the Smarmy	Statue at Hogwarts.
Grey Lady, the	Resident ghost of Ravenclaw Tower.
Grim	A giant black dog taken to be a death omen.
Grindylow	Water demon. Sickly green with sharp horns and very long fingers.
Gringotts	The wizard bank in London, with vaults far below the streets, run by goblins.
Griphook	Goblin at Gringotts Bank.
Grubbly-Plank, Professor	Supply teacher. She taught Care of Magical Creatures when Hagrid was indisposed. An elderly witch with cropped grey hair and a prominent chin.
Grunnings	Firm where Harry's uncle Vernon Dursley is a director. Grunnings make drills.
Grunnion, Alberic	Name of a wizard depicted on a wizard trading card.
Gryffindor house	One of the four houses in Hogwarts. Harry, Hermione Granger and the Weasleys are all in Gryffindor house. It was founded by Godric Gryffindorand the Gryffindor symbol is a lion. The resident ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, also known as Nearly Headless Nick. Professor McGonagal is head of Gryffindor house and Professor Dumbledore was in Gryffindor in his youth.
Gryffindor, Godric	One of the four founders of Hogwarts. Gryffindor house was named after him.

Hagrid, Rubeus	Keeper of Keys and Grounds and teacher of Care of Magical Creatures class at Hogwarts from Harry's third year. He was a student at Hogwarts but was expelled for unknown reasons. Professor Dumbledore allowed Hagrid to stay as gamekeeper. Hagrid is almost twice a tall as any other person and seems five times as wide. He has masses of bushy, black hair and a huge tangled beard. Has a liking for strange and dangerous creatures – especially dragons.
Hand of Glory	Withered hand on a cushion that gives light to the person holding it when a candle is inserted.
Headless Hunt, the	Team of ghosts whose heads have been completely cut off. Activities include Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. Nearly Headless Nick is keen to join the hunt but can't because his head has not been completely severed.
Hebridean Black	A breed of wild Dragon found in Britain.
Hedwig	Harry's owl and mail courier. Harry bought Hedwig from Eeylops Owl Emporium. Wizards use owls to deliver mail. Hedwig was also the name of a medieval saint.
Heir of Slytherin	True heir to Salazar Slytherin who can open the Chamber of Secrets to release the horror within.
Hengist of Woodcroft	Name of a Wizard depicted on a wizard trading card.
Herbology	Study of plants. Professor Sprout is the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts.
Hermes	Name of Percy Weasley's owl.
He Who Must Not Be Named	The evil Lord Voldemort, Dark Wizard. Also referred to as 'You-Know-Who'.
Higgs, Terenc	eSeeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team in Harry's first year.
Hinkypunk	Small creatures that live in bogs and swamps, they wander about at night with a lantern to lure lost travellers into the swamps.
Hippogriff	Magical creature that has the front legs, wings and head of an eagle, and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. Buckbeak is a Hippogriff.
Hit Wizards	Wizard police from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad who are specially trained to deal with powerful criminals.
Hog's Head, the	Pub where Hagrid once won a dragon's egg.
Hogsmeade	The only completely magical village in Britain. Hogsmeade is not far from Hogwarts and has an array of wonderful shops including Honeydukes sweet shop, the Three Broomsticks pub and Zonko's joke shop.
Hogwarts	School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The best school of its kind in the world. The greatest witches and wizards of the age founded Hogwarts more than a thousand years ago: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built a remote castle, far away so that witches and wizards could train in safety. Pupils attend from age eleven for seven years of rigorous training in the art of witchcraft and wizardry. There are a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts and everything keeps moving around, so things are not always in the same place. Hogwarts is in a secret location somewhere in the North.
Honeydukes	Wizarding sweet shop in Hogsmeade.
Hooch, Madam	Broomstick and flying teacher at Hogwarts.
House Cup, the	Trophy awarded to the Hogwarts house with the most points at the end of the year.
House-elf	Small creature that works as a servant in some wizarding houses. A house-elf can only be set free when the master gives the elf a piece of clothing.
Howler	Wizarding letter which, when opened, shrieks and howls at the reader in an extremely loud voice. Comes in a red envelope and is usually sent by someone who is very angry. Ron Weasley received one from his mother after crashing the Ford Anglia into the Whomping Willow .
Hufflepuff house	One of the four houses in Hogwarts. It was founded by Helga Hufflepuff and the Hufflepuff symbol is a badger. The resident ghost is the Fat Friar.
Hufflepuff, Helga	One of the four founders of Hogwarts. Hufflepuff house is named after her.

Ice Mice	Wizarding sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. Make your teeth squeak and chatter.
Impediment Jinx	Spell to slow down and obstruct attackers. Say Impedimenta!
Imperius curse	Spell to control another person completely, using the command Imperio. One of the three Unforgivable Curses. It can be resisted with great mental effort.
Incendio	Fire-lighting spell.
Invisibility Cloak	Magic cloak granting the wearer invisibility.

Jelly-Legs Jinx	Makes your adversary's legs wobbly.
Jelly Slugs	Wizarding sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
Jigger, Arsenius	Author of Magical Drafts and Potions.
Johnson, Angelina	Hogwarts student. Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She is a tall black girl.
Jordan, Lee	Pupil at Hogwarts. Has dreadlocks and is famed for his commentaries at Quidditch matches. Lee is in Gryffindor house, in the same year as Fred and George Weasley.
Jorkins, Bertha	Witch employed by the Ministry of Magic. She was abducted in Albania and suffered a terrible fate.

Kappa	Monkey-like creatures that live in water and strangle people who invade their territory.
Karkaroff, Igor	Headmaster of the Durmstrang Institute. Knows a lot about the Dark Arts. He is tall and thin with white hair and a goatee.
Keeper	Quidditch player who guards the goalposts.
Kettleburn, Professor	Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts. Retired at the end of Harry's second year.
King's Cross Station	The station in London where the Hogwarts Express leaves from platform nine and three-quarters.
Knight Bus, th	eEmergency bus that transports witches and wizards to any destination. Stick out your wand hand to stop the bus. Has no seats, only brass bedsteads.
Knockturn Alley	Street of wizard shops devoted totally to the Dark Arts. Shops include Borgin and Burkes .
Knut	Bronze wizarding money. Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle.
Krum, Viktor	Seeker for the Bulgarian national Quidditch team. Pupil at the Durmstrang Institute. Dark, with a large curved nose and thick eyebrows; walks duck-footed! and round-shouldered but is in his element on a broomstick.
Kwikspell	Correspondence course in beginner's magic for Squibs (magicians who have little magical powers).

Leaky Cauldron, the	The wizarding pub and boarding house through which witches and wizards gain access to Diagon Alley.
Leprechaun	Irish elf or pixie. Small and able to fly.
Lockhart, Gilderoy	Teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts in Harry's second year. Author of self-glorifying autobiographies and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award.
Longbottom, Neville	Forgetful and rather clumsy friend of Harry's. Neville has a round face and thinks he is not very good at magic. He comes from a magical family but was a late starter. In Gyffindor house, in Harry's year.
Lumos	Spell to light your wand.
Lynch, Aidan	Seeker for the Irish national Quidditch team.

Macmillan, Ernie	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry, in Hufflepuff house.
Macnair, Walden	Executioner for the Ministry of Magic. A former Death Eater.
Madam Malkin's	Shop in Diagon Alley selling wizarding robes for all occasions.
Magical Law Enforcement Squad	Wizard police or Hit Wizards who are specially trained to deal with powerful criminals.
Magical Menagerie	Wizarding pet shop in Diagon Alley.
Malfoy, Draco	Harry's arch-enemy at Hogwarts. A thin boy with a pale, pointed face and a sneering expression. He has a bored, drawling voice and looks with contempt upon everyone else. Malfoy believes himself to be superior to Harry and hates Harry and all his friends. Malfoy is in Slytherin house.
Malfoy, Lucius	Draco Malfoy's father. Former supporter of You-Know-Who.
Malfoy, Narcissa	Mother of Draco and wife of Lucius Malfoy. A tall, slim, snooty blonde.
Mandragora	Another word for Mandrake.
Mandrake	Powerful restorative used to return cursed or transfigured people to their natural state. The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it. Also known as Mandragora.
Marauder's Map	A map that shows all the secret passageways and the whereabouts of everyone in Hogwarts. Harry and Ron use it to get to Hogsmeade.
Maxime, Olympe	Head of Beauxbatons Academy. Because of her size, Madame Maxime is believed to be half giant. She has black eyes and olive skin.
McGonagall, Professor Minerva	Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. She is a rather serious-looking woman, with jet-black hair scraped into a tight bun on her head. She wears square glasses and an emerald- green cloak. Professor McGonagall is Head of Gryffindor house and is Transfiguration teacher.
Merlin	Name of a wizard depicted on a wizard trading card.
Merpeople	Underwater dwellers who build cities at the bottom of lakes. They have fishtails, green hair and grey skin, and they fish with spears. Above water their voices are unintelligible.
Midgeon, Eloise	Hogwarts pupil who accidentally removed her nose when trying to cure her acne.
Mimsy-Porpington, Sir Nicholas de	Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. Also known as Nearly Headless Nick.
Ministry of Magic	Government agency that tries to keep witches and wizards secret from non-magical people.
Mirror of Erised	Magical mirror that shows the onlooker their heart's desire.
Moaning Myrtle	Ghost girl at Hogwarts who hides in an S-bend in the first-floor girls' toilets.
Mobilarbus	Spell to move objects.
Mobilicorpus	Spell to move someone who can't walk.
Monkshood	Plant used in potions. Also known as aconite or wolfsbane.
Monster Book of Monsters	Large green book of monsters. Required reading for third years. Must be stroked down the spine or it will bite your fingers.
Moody, Alastor	Retired Auror hired to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts in Harry's fourth year. Known as Mad-Eye Moody since he lost an eye in the fight against Voldemort and his supporters, and replaced it with a magical eye. Badly scarred and has a wooden leg.
Moony	Professor Lupin's nickname at Hogwarts.
Morgana	Name of a witch depicted on a wizard trading card
Morsmordre	Spell to conjure up the Dark Mark.
Mostafa, Hassan	Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch. He is Egyptian, small and bald with a huge moustache.
Mudblood	Term used to describe a person of non-magic parents. Considered a great insult.
Muggle	Person totally without magical powers. Muggles live in ignorance of the world of wizards and witches.
Muggle Studies	Class taken by wizarding folk to study non-magical people.

Nagini	Name of a very large, venomous snake kept by Voldemort.
N.E.W.Ts	Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. Higher-level examinations at Hogwarts.
Nearly Headless Nick	Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. So called because his beheading was not completely successful. Full name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington.
Niffler	Magical creature that can find buried treasure. Nifflers are black and fluffy with long snouts and spadelike feet.
Nimbus 2000	Type of broomstick. Harry's first broomstick.
Nimbus 2001	The successor to the Nimbus 2000 broomstick...
Norbert	Name of Hagrid's Norwegian Ridgeback dragon.
Norris, Mrs	Name of Filch's cat. She is a scrawny-looking, dust-coloured cat with bulging eyes. Students must be wary not to break rules in front of her for she will run to Filch and report them.
Norwegian Ridgeback	Breed of dragon that is very rare. Hagrid had one as a pet for a while.
Nox	Spell to extinguish light on your wand.

O.W.Ls	Ordinary Wizarding Levels. The standard-level examinations at Hogwarts.
Obliviate	Memory spell that makes the subject forget.
Obliviator	Member of an Accidental Magic Reversal Squad. They work for the Improper Use of Magic Office.
Ollivanders	Diagon Alley wand shop. 'Makers of Fine Wands since 382 bc'.
Omnioculars	Binoculars with slow-motion and replay settings.

Padfoot	Sirius Black's nickname at Hogwarts.
Paracelsus	Name of wizard depicted on a wizard trading card
Parkinson, Pansy	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry, in Slytherin house. She has a pug-like face.
Parselmouth	Wizard who can talk to snakes - very rare. Thought to be the sign of a Dark wizard.
Parseltongue	Language spoken by a Parselmouth
Patil, Padma	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry, in Ravenclaw house. Twin sister of Parvati Patil.
Patil, Parvati	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry, in Gryffindor house. Twin sister of Padma Patil and best friend of Lavender Brown.
Patronus	Positive force which acts as protection from a Dementor. It is conjured up by the incantation 'Expecto patronum'.
Peeves	Hogwarts' resident poltergeist. Tries to get students in trouble and loves causing havoc at any opportunity.
Pensieve	Storage device for thoughts and memories. It looks like a stone basin holding a silvery liquid.
Pepper Imps	Wizarding sweets available from Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. Make you smoke at the mouth.
Peppermint Toads	Toad-shaped peppermint sweets that hop about in the stomach after they've been eaten.
Pepper-Up Potion	Magical restorative.
Petrificus Totalus	Spell to bind arms and legs together
Pettigrew, Peter	Friend of James Potter , Harry's father, while at Hogwarts.
Philosopher's Stone	Legendary stone which will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life , which will make the drinker immortal. The only known stone belongs to Nicholas Flamel,Albus Dumbledore's partner.
Phoenix	Rare bird that bursts into flames and rises from its ashes. Their tears can heal wounds. Albus Dumbledore has a pet phoenix, Fawkes.
Pince, Madam	Librarian at Hogwarts.
Pigwidgeon	Name of a young grey owl belonging to Ron Weasley. Often called Pig for short.
Platform nine and three-quarters	The platform at King's Cross Station where students gather to board the Hogwarts Express.
Pocket Sneakoscope	Small wizarding toy - a spinning glass top that lights up when there is somebody or something suspicious around.
Polyjuice potion	Potion that will turn the drinker into another person for one hour.
Pomfrey, Madam Poppy	Matron at Hogwarts.
Portkey	Object that transports wizards to a prearranged place. As soon as you touch the Portkey, you are whisked to the destination. Any object can be turned into a Portkey.
Potions	Class at Hogwarts to learn how to make potions. Professor Snape is Potions master at Hogwarts.
Potter, Harry	Student at Hogwarts. Famous for having survived an attack by Lord Voldemort in infancy.
Potter, James	Harry's father.
Potter, Lily	Harry's mother, born to muggles but married a wizard. Lily is the sister of Petunia Dursley who is decidedly un-wizardly.
Prang, Ernie	Driver of the Knight Bus
Prior Incantato	Command that reveals the most recent spell or spells a wand has performed.
Privet Drive	The street where Harry lives with the Dursleys.
Prongs	James Potter's nickname at Hogwarts.
Ptolemy	Name of a wizard depicted on a wizard trading card.
Pumpkin juice	Wizarding drink.
Pumpkin pasty	Wizarding food.
Put-Outer	Device resembling cigarette lighter, used to turn street-lamps on and off. Used by Albus Dumbledore.

Quaffle	Red ball used for scoring in Quidditch.
Quality Quidditch Supplies	Quidditch shop in Diagon Alley.
Quick-Quotes Quill	Pen that writes tabloid journalism by itself.
Quidditch	The wizarding national sport. Played on broomsticks by seven players: three Chasers, one Keeper, two Beaters, one Seeker. Played with four balls: the Quaffle (red) is used for scoring; two Bludgers (black) which try to knock players off their brooms; One Golden Snitch (bright gold with silver wings). The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try to score by throwing the Quaffle through one of the six hoops. Ten points every time a player scores. The Keeper guards the goalposts and tries to prevent the Chasers from scoring. The Beaters try to keep the Bludgers away from their team and knock them towards the opposing team. The Seeker tries to catch the Golden Snitch. Whichever team catches the Golden Snitch earns 150 points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught.
Quietus	Command that reverses the charm Sonorus.
Quirrell, Professor	Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts in Harry's first year.

Ravenclaw house	One of the four school houses in Hogwarts. Founded by Rowena Ravenclaw. The Ravenclaw symbol is an eagle. The resident ghost is the Grey Lady.
Ravenclaw, Rowena	One of the four founders of Hogwarts. Ravenclaw house was named after her.
Red Cap	Goblin-like creature found in places where bloodshed has occurred. They lie in wait to bludgeon the lost.
Reducio	Shrinking charm.
Reductor curse	Say Reducto to blast apart a solid object.
Relashio	Spell to make someone let go of something.
Remembrall	Magical glass ball, the size of a large marble, filled with white smoke. The smoke turns red to tell you that there is something you have forgotten to do.
Reparo	Repairing charm.
Rictusempra	Tickling spell.
Riddickulus	Spell to make a Boggart take on another appearance.
Riddle House	Deserted former home of Voldemort's father, in the village of Little Hangleton.
Riddle, Tom Marvolo	The young Lord Voldemort, who attended Hogwarts.
Ripper	Aunt Marge's dog.
Ronon	Name of a centaur in the Forbidden Forest.
Rosmerta, Madam	Publican of the Three Broomsticks pub in Hogsmeade.

Scabbers	Ron Weasley's pet rat. He once belonged to Ron's older brother Percy Weasley.
Scamader, Newt	Author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Secrecy Sensor	Aerial that vibrates when it detects concealment and lies.
Seeker	Quidditch player who tries to catch the Golden Snitch.
Self-shuffling Playing Cards	Wizarding playing cards which shuffle themselves.
Shield Charm	Casts a temporary invisible wall around you to deflect minor curses.
Shrieking Shack	Supposed to be the most haunted building in Britain. Situated in the town of Hogsmeade.
Shunpike, Stan	Conductor on the Knight Bus.
Sickle	Silver wizarding money. Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon.
Sinistra, Professor	Teacher of Astronomy at Hogwarts.
Skeeter, Rita	Journalist. She is nosy and malicious, and has stiff blond curls.
Skele-Gro	Potion used to re-grow bones after they have been removed.
Sleekeazy's Hair Potion	Tames bushy hair.
Slytherin house	One of the school houses in Hogwarts. Founded by Salazar Slytherin. The Slytherin symbol is a snake. The resident ghost is the Bloody Baron. Harry's arch-enemy, Draco Malfoy, is in Slytherin. Professor Snape is head of Slytherin house.
Slytherin, Salazar	One of the four founders of Hogwarts. Slytherin house is named after him. Created the Chamber of Secrets.
Smeltings	Dudley Dursley's private school. Uncle Vernon also attended.
Snape, Severus	Potions master at Hogwarts. He is tall and thin with sallow skin, greasy black hair and a hooked nose. He hates Harry Potter. Head of Slytherin house.
Sneakoscope	Glass spinning top that lights up and spins when there is someone untrustworthy around.
Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare	Pressure group organised by Hermione in her fourth year at Hogwarts. You must not call it Spew.
Sonorus	Charm to magnify one's voice.
Sorting Hat	The hat that decides which house students shall be in while at Hogwarts.
Spellotape	Wizarding repair tape. It was used by Ron Weasley to mend his broken wand.
Spinnet, Alicia	One of the Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She is two years above Harry at Hogwarts.
Splinching	Injury caused by careless Apparating: part of the Apparating person's body is left behind.
Spore, Phyllida	Author of One Thousand Magical Herbs.
Sprout, Professor	Herbology lecturer at Hogwarts. Uses Mandrakes to cure petrified creatures.
Squib	Someone born to mixed magic and non-magic parents. Some Truebloods consider Squibs to be inferior.
Stupefy	Stunning spell.
Swelling Solution	Potion that causes body parts to swell to enormous proportions.
Switch, Emeric	Author of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

Tarantallegra	Dancing spell.
Three Broomsticks, the	Pub in Hogsmeade.
Thomas, Dean	Hogwarts pupil in the same year as Harry, in Gryffindor house. His best friend is Seamus Finnigan. Dean comes from a Muggle background.
Time-Turner	Hour-glass that allows the wearer to travel back in time.
Ton-Tongue Toffee	Trick sweet that causes the tongue to swell. Invented by Fred and George Weasley.
Toothflossing Stringmints	Wizarding sweets that floss your teeth while you suck them.
Transfiguration	The art of turning one thing into another.
Transfiguration Today	Specialist wizarding magazine about Transfiguration.
Trelawny, Professor Sybil	Divination teacher at Hogwarts. Has a liking for (wrongly) predicting student deaths every year at Hogwarts. She is very thin with large glasses that magnify her eyes so much that she looks like a giant insect.
Trevor	Name of Neville Longbottom's pet toad.
Trimble, Quentin	Author of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.
Triwizard Tournament	Competition between the three largest European schools of witchcraft and wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Each school selects a champion, and the champions compete in three magical tasks. The prize money is 1000 Galleons. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some 700 years ago.
Trueblood	Someone born to pure magical parents.

Unforgivable Curses	The three Unforgivable Curses are Avada Kedavra, the Imperius curse and the Cruciatus curse.
Unicorn	Mythical white horse-like creature with golden mane and a golden horn sprouting from the head. Innocent, beautiful creatures. Tail hair and horn can be used in magic. Dark wizards have been known to kill unicorns and drink their blood; this will sustain the life of the drinker but at a grave price.
Unspeakable	Employee of the Department of Mysteries. No one knows what they do.

Vablatsky, Cassandra	Author of Unfogging the Future, a guide to basic fortune-telling methods.
Vampire	Evil creature that roams the night feeding on the blood of living beings. Cannot go out in the daylight.
Vector, Professor	Arithmancy teacher at Hogwarts .
Veela	Beautiful women with white-gold hair. Men are hypnotically fascinated by them. When enraged, Veela grow beaks and scaly wings.
Veritaserum	Powerful Truth Potion. Its use is restricted by the Ministry of Magic.
Vindictus, Viridian	Author of Curse and Countercurse (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More).
Violet	Name of a wizened witch, a friend of the Fat Lady. Violet lives in a painting in a room next to the Great Hall in Hogwarts.
Voldemort, Lord	Evil Wizard greatly feared by wizarding folk. His dark reputation is such that his name is hardly ever spoken out loud. Most wizards will only refer to him as He Who Must Not Be Named or You-Know-Who. Disappeared from view after the death of James and Lily Potter following a battle that left Harry an orphan and bearing a lightning scar on his forehead.

Waffling, Adalbert	Author of Magical Theory.
Wand	Implement used by wizards for magic. Available from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley.
Weasley, Arthur	Ron Weasley's father. Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic.
Weasley, Bill	Ron Weasley's brother. Works for Gringotts Bank in Africa.
Weasley, Charlie	Ron Weasley's brother. Studying dragons in Romania.
Weasley, Fred	One of Ron Weasley's older brothers. Twin to George. In Gryffindor house.
Weasley, George	One of Ron Weasley's older brothers. Twin to Fred. In Gryffindor house.
Weasley, Ginny	Ron Weasley's younger sister. Idolises Harry. In Gryffindor house.
Weasley, Molly	Ron Weasley's mother.
Weasley, Percy	Ron's older brother. Thinks he is terribly grown-up and important. A prefect at Hogwarts. In Gryffindor house.
Weasley, Ron	Harry's best friend at Hogwarts. Ron has flaming red hair and freckles, like all his brothers. Has a pet rat called Scabbers. In Gryffindor house.
Weird Sisters, the	Popular music group. The line-up includes guitars, drums, lute, cello and bagpipes.
Werewolf	Half-man, half-wolf creature. A werewolf will kill given the chance. If not fatal, the werewolf's bite will turn the victim into a werewolf too.
Which Broomstick?	Broomstick consumer magazine. Test-rides all makes of broom and reviews them.
Whomping Willow	Large tree in the grounds of Hogwarts that hits anything that comes too close.
Winky	Name of a house-elf.
Wingardium Leviosa	Spell to make things fly.
Wolfsbane	Plant used in potions. Also known as monkshood or aconite.
Wood, Oliver	Captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team until leaving school at the end of Harry's third year.
Wormtail	Nickname of Peter Pettigrew.
WWN	The Wizarding Wireless Network.

You-Know-Who

The evil Lord Voldemort, a Dark wizard who killed Harry's parents. Also referred to as He Who Must Not Be Named.

Zonko's

Wizard joke shop in Hogsmeade.

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