Harry Potter Glossary ⚡

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  • Abeforth Dumbledore was a British wizard and the brother of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. Abeforth owned the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade.
  • Accio, or the Summoning Charm, is a spell in the Harry Potter universe used to summon objects towards the one who is casting it. It is beneficial for summoning any object that is out of one's reach.
  • Acid Pops are a type of sweet in the magical world that are similar to lollipops from the real world. They are known to literally burn a hole in the tongue of the person eating them.
  • Aconite, also known as Monkshood or Wolfsbane is a plant with several healing properties. This plant was also found in the muggle world.
  • Acromantulas are huge magical spiders native to the dense forests of places like Borneo. They are known to have eight eyes, and eight legs, which are black, hairy and gigantic in size.
  • Albert Runcorn was a British wizard and an important employee in the British Ministry of Magic during the Pius Thicknesse administration.
  • Alchemy is a discipline in the Harry Potter Universe which studied the properties of the four basic elements and used them to create valuable substances.
  • Alecto Carrow was a British witch and a Death Eater who was a follower of Lord Voldemort. She was the sister of Amycus Carrow.
  • Alohomora, also known as the Unlocking Charm is a spell used by wizards and witches in the Harry Potter universe to open a lock. It is first seen when Hermione uses it to open the lock on a door to escape the caretaker, Argus Filch.
  • Amos Diggory was a British wizard and the father of the Triwizard Champion Cedric Diggory who died during the final championship task.
  • Amycus Carrow was a British dark wizard and one of the Death Eaters of Lord Voldemort. He was also a professor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts from 1997 to 1998.
  • Andromeda Tonks was a British Witch who studied in Hogwarts. Her father was Cygnus Black, an important member of the Black family. Her mother was Druella Black (née Rosier). She is known mainly for being the mother of the Auror Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter series.
  • An Animagus is a witch or wizard who could take the form of an animal at will and come back to the human form whenever needed.
  • Antioch Peverell was a wizard who is said to have lived in the eleventh century. He was one of the three brothers around whom the mythical Tale of the Three Brothers was built upon.
  • The Antipodean Opaleye was a type of dragon from New Zealand. It is eventually said to have moved to Australia due to a lack of territory in New Zealand.
  • Aparecium, or the Revealing Charm, was a spell in the Harry Potter universe that revealed messages written with secret ink or invisible ink.
  • The act of apparating or apparition is a means of transport through which magical beings teleport from one point in space to another with the help of magic.
  • Arithmancy was a magical discipline in the wizarding world that dealt with the study of the magical properties of numbers.
  • Professor Armando Dippet was an English wizard who was born in the year 1637 and lived until 1992. He was the headmaster of Hogwarts in the mid-twentieth century.
  • Astoria Malfoy (née Greengrass) was a Pure-blood witch who was married to Draco Malfoy and was the mother of Scorpius Malfoy. She died in 2019 due to a blood curse.
  • Astronomy is a discipline taught in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Like Muggle Astronomy, this discipline deals with the study of stars and the skies.
  • The Astronomy Tower in the Harry Potter series is a part of Hogwarts Castle. Students used it to study the skies and the movements of the stars and planets.
  • Aurors are elite ministry officials assigned with the task of catching dark wizards and preventing dark magic and any other magical crimes.
  • Azkaban was a large establishment that served as a high-security prison for the magical community of Britain. Living in Azkaban was considered very scary and dangerous as it was guarded by strange creatures called Dementors.
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  • A Basilisk is a giant snake and a magical beast that is mainl associated with the dark arts and dark wizards.
  • The Bat-Bogey Hex is a hex used to turn the bogies of the victim of the curse into bats and make them fly out of their nose, thereby causing them discomfort.
  • Bathilda Bagshot was a celebrated historian, witch and author in the world of magic in the Harry Potter series. She was the author of "A History of Magic", a prescribed textbook in Hogwarts.
  • A beater is a member of a Quidditch team assigned with the task of beating the Bludgers towards the players of the opponent team and protecting their players from Bludgers.
  • Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is a school for wizards and witches located in the Pyrenees Mountains in Southern France.
  • Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans is an assortment of sweets equivalent to muggle jellybeans. However, these beans are of almost every flavour imaginable.
  • A bezoar is a hard stone-like substance usually found lodged in the stomach of a goat. It is used extensively in the Harry Potter universe to make antidotes for a wide variety of toxins and poisons.
  • The Black Forest is a forest in Germany in the Harry Potter universe known to be a dwelling for vampires and many other magical creatures.
  • Blast-Ended Skrewts are rare magical creatures that grow up to ten feet long. They are hybrids of Manticores and Fire Crabs and were first bred by Hagrid for the Triwizard Tournament.
  • Blood Blisterpod is believed to be a pod that is an essential ingredient in Nosebleed Nougat, although many also believe that Blood Blisterpod is synonymous with Nosebleed Nougat, which is a sweet manufactured by the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
  • Blood-flavoured lollipops were a sweet sold in Honeydukes Sweet Shop in Hogsmeade. They were available in the 'unusual tastes' section of Honeydukes sweetshop in Hogsmeade and tasted like blood.
  • A Bludger was the ball used in the game of Quidditch to be hit onto the players of the opponent teams. Beaters specifically hit Bludgers in a game with the help of a club.
  • A Boggart is a shape-shifting being that took the form of one's worst fear immediately after being encountered. Its true form was unknown as it would always shift its shape as soon as it encountered someone.
  • Borgin and Burkes is an antique dealing shop in Knockturn Alley, known for its wide range of Dark Magical items and several heirlooms and artefacts of renown.
  • Bouncing Bulbs were plants in the magical world of Harry Potter that bounced around if not held tightly.
  • Bowtruckles are magical beings which resemble a plant in most ways but are mobile and active in their natural habitat. Bowtruckles are found residing in trees and are said to guard them against anyone who threatens their survival.
  • The Broomstick Servicing Kit was an assortment of items and tools used to service flying broomsticks in the magical world of Harry Potter.
  • The Bubble-head Charm is a charm cast by a wizard or witch usually upon themselves, to help them breathe underwater by creating a bubble-like structure around their face that prevents water from entering.
  • The Bubotuber was a magical plant that like a potato, grew as a tuber. The part that grew outside the ground resembled a thick large black slug.
  • Buckbeak was a Hippogriff in the Harry Potter universe who was taken care of by Hagrid until he was wrongfully accused of being violent by Lucius Malfoy.
  • Bulbadox Powder is a magical product sold in joke shops of the magical world that would cause boils or blisters on the skin of someone who came in contact with it.
  • Butterbeer is an alcoholic beverage available in the Harry Potter universe that is especially seen in The Three Broomsticks, a popular inn in Hogsmeade.
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  • Cassandra Trelawney was a gifted Seer who was highly celebrated and renowned in the wizarding community. She was also the great-great-grandmother of Sybill Trelawney, the Divination professor at Hogwarts.
  • Charity Burbage was a British witch and the Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
  • Cockroach Clusters were a type of confectionary made from cockroaches and made to look like peanuts. They were sold in sweet shops especially Honeydukes Sweetshop at Hogsmeade.
  • Colin Creevey was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was a Muggle-born wizard. He was very fond of Harry Potter and was an ardent fan of his.
  • Cornish Pixies were magical beasts with a proclivity for immense mischief and annoyance to anyone who came across them. They were bright blue in colour and very small in size.
  • Crookshanks was the name of Hermione Granger's pet cat. She found him at the beginning of her third year when the trio had gone to the Magical Menagerie pet shop.
  • The Cruciatus Curse is one of the three Unforgivable Curses which is banned from use by the Ministry of Magic. It is a very painful curse to experience as it tortures the person undergoing it both mentally and physically.
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  • The Dark Mark was the emblem or symbol used by Lord Voldemort. It was used frequently as a call for his Death Eaters to assemble somewhere, or even as a victory mark when some gruesome crime had been committed.
  • The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was the largest department in the Ministry of Magic. It dealt with lawmaking and the upkeeping of wizarding laws and regulations.
  • A diricawl is a flightless magical bird with a plump body and fluffy feathers. It is known as a dodo by Muggles who believe it to be extinct.
  • Dominique Weasley was the younger daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley (neé Delacour). She was part Veela from her mother's side and was the sister of Victoire Weasley and Louis Weasley.
  • Dorcas Meadowes was a British witch and an essential member of the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. She helped the order fight Lord Voldemort during his initial rise to power.
  • Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus is the motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a Latin phrase which translates to "Never tickle a sleeping dragon".
  • The Draught of Living Death is one of the most potent potions strong enough to put someone to sleep perpetually. It is prepared through a very arduous process and requires skills to master preparation.
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  • Ekrizdis was a dark wizard who lived in the fifteenth century. He is believed to be the first inhabitant of Azkaban, which later became a prison to hold criminals from the magical world.
  • The Elixir of Life was a potion that gifted its drinker immortality as long as they kept drinking it at regular intervals. It was made with the help of the Philosopher's Stone.
  • Euphemia Potter was a British witch and wife of Fleamont Potter. She was the mother of James Potter and the paternal grandmother of Harry Potter.
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  • Frank Bryce was a Muggle gardener and a caretaker of the Riddle house in Little Hangleton. He was accused of the murder of Tom Riddle Sr and his parents.
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  • Godric Gryffindor was a wizard and was among the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Gryffindor house was named after him in his honour.
  • The Golden Snitch is the smallest ball among the three balls used during Quidditch, the other two being the Quaffle and the Bludger.
  • The Gringotts Wizarding Bank is one of the most popular landmarks in Magical London. It was a bank for witches and wizards in Great Britain.
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  • Hannah Abbott was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was sorted into the Hufflepuff house and joined Hogwarts in the same year as Harry Potter.
  • Harry Potter is probably one of the bravest characters to ever exist in the history of children's literature. Despite being brought up in a non-magic family for a major period of his early life, Harry went on to defeat one of the strongest dark wizards to ever have lived.
  • Hermione Granger is one of the brightest and most talented students Hogwarts has ever seen and is a very close friend of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.
  • Hippogriffs are magical beasts in the Harry Potter universe that resembled both an eagle and a horse through their distinct bodily features.
  • Hogsmeade is a small village in Britain where the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is situated. It is an all-wizarding village, and Muggles have no access to it.
  • The Great Hall was the main area of assembly for all the members residing in Hogwarts Castle. It was situated beyond the Entrance Hall behind a large door which opened into it.
  • J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter is a global phenomenon. The school of Hogwarts is the setting for the majority of the Harry Potter books and movies. We take a closer look at Hogwarts here.
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  • The Invisibility Cloak that Harry Potter possesses is a very ancient magical object that is considered along with the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand to comprise the Deathly Hallows.
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  • James Sirius Potter was the eldest son of Harry Potter and Ginny Potter (née Weasley). He was named after his paternal grandfather James Potter and his best friend, Sirius Black.
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  • A Kneazle is a magical being, specifically a beast that closely resembles cats found in the Muggle world. Kneazles had slight distinctions in appearance from cats especially because of their pointy ears.
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  • A legilimens was a person who practised the art of Legilimency. Legilimency was the branch of magic that dealt with sifting through the layers of thought inside a person's mind and extracting useful information from it.
  • Lily Luna Potter was the youngest and only daughter of Harry Potter and Ginny Potter (née Weasley). She was around two years younger than Albus Severus Potter and four years younger than James Sirius Potter.
  • Lord Voldemort was a dark wizard and the prime antagonist of the Harry Potter series. He was born Tom Riddle but changed his name to Lord Voldemort as he gained power.
  • Ludovic "Ludo" Bagman was a British Wizard, Quidditch player and the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports in the Ministry of Magic.
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  • A Maledictus was a woman in the wizarding world who was cursed with a blood curse that made her permanently transform into a creature after the curse was complete.
  • Mandrakes are magical plants that grow underground in the Harry Potter universe. They are used to treat people who are petrified. The cry of the Mandrake is considered fatal for anyone who hears it.
  • The Marauder's Map was a map that was capable of revealing almost all the details surrounding Hogwarts castle including the names of the people and their positions within the castle.
  • Marcus Belby was a wizard and a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1990 to 1997. He was sorted into Ravenclaw House.
  • Marietta Edgecombe was a British witch and a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was sorted into the Ravenclaw house.
  • Marvolo Gaunt was one of the last descendants of Salazar Slytherin and the father of Merope and Morfin Gaunt. He was also the grandfather of Tom Riddle who later became Lord Voldemort.
  • Mary MacDonald was a British witch and a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was sorted into the Gryffindor house and went to Hogwarts the same time as Lily Evans.
  • The Ministry of Magic is the governing body of magic in Great Britain and is responsible for the administrative requirements of its citizens in magical Britain.
  • The Mirror of Erised was a magical item that was capable of very strong magic. It showed someone their innermost desires as they stood in front of it.
  • Morfin Gaunt was a British wizard and a Parseltongue born to the Gaunt family which was from the ancestral line of Salazar Slytherin. Morfin was the son of Marvolo Gaunt, brother of Merope Gaunt and uncle of Lord Voldemort.
  • Mudblood is a very offensive term used to refer to people in the wizarding world who were born to muggle parents or had some muggle connections. It was widely used by pure-blood supremacy enthusiasts who continued to insult their fellow muggle-born wizards and witches with this term.
  • Muggles are non-magic people who form the majority of the population in the world. Unlike wizards and witches in the Harry Potter Universe, Muggles have no magical abilities.
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  • Neville Longbottom was a British Wizard who was one of the close friends and allies of Harry Potter. Despite being considered a very meek and timid boy, he rose to the occasion and was crucial in ending Lord Voldemort's reign.
  • The Niffler is a magical animal from the Harry Potter universe that resembles a platypus. It is known for its constant attraction to shiny things which makes it very useful in treasure hunting.
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  • An Occamy was a winged, two-legged serpentine magical beast with plumes. It could grow up to fifteen feet and could change its size based on its surroundings.
  • Occlumency was the magical art of preventing one's mind from being open to interpretation through Legilimency. It was very difficult to master and required several years of practice to become an expert.
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  • Penelope Clearwater was a British Muggle-born or Half-blooded witch and a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1987 to 1994. She was sorted into Ravenclaw house.
  • Petrificus Totalus, or the Full-Body Binding Curse, is a spell that is used to neutralise its victims, making it impossible for them to move. This spell causes temporary paralysis.
  • Phyllida Spore was a famous Herbologist who lived in the Fifteenth Century and is credited with her famous treatise 'One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi' which is used as a textbook of Herbology at Hogwarts.
  • Polyjuice Potion is a potion in the Harry Potter books that allows its drinker to disguise themselves into another person. It was a very effective disguising agent until its effects wore off.
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  • Harry Potter's family, also known as the Potter Family is a reputed family of wizards and witches in the magical world of Harry Potter.
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  • Pygmy Puffs were specially bred Puffskiens which were sold in the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop that Fred and George Weasley ran.
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  • Rabastan Lestrange was a British wizard, a dark wizard and a Death Eater who followed Lord Voldemort. He was the brother of Rodolphus Lestrange and the brother-in-law of Bellatrix Lestrange.
  • Red Caps were small dwarfish beings that lived in places where human blood was more likely to be found. They lived mostly in the crevices of battlegrounds and places where blood had been shed.
  • Re'ems are magical animals that are similar to giant Ox. They were endemic to the forests of the Far Eastern regions like China and Japan and to North America.
  • The Riddle family was a family of Muggles who lived in the village of Little Hangleton. The only magical descendant of the family was the abandoned son of Tom Riddle Sr, Tom Marvolo Riddle who came to be known as Lord Voldemort.
  • Rodolphus Lestrange was a British dark wizard and one of the most crucial Death Eaters who was imprisoned in Azkaban after Voldemort's disappearance. He was also the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange.
  • Rolf Scamander is a British Magizoologist and wizard. He is Luna Lovegood's husband and the grandson of Newt and Porpentina Scamander.
  • Romilda Vane was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She belonged to the Gryffindor house and was known to have an intense crush on Harry Potter.
  • Ronald Weasley is the best friend of Harry Potter and a significant character throughout the Harry Potter series.
  • The Room of Requirement was a room at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which had a hidden door that only appeared when someone asked for it. It would take the form of an exact type of room they wanted.
  • Roxanne Weasley was a British witch and a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the daughter of George Weasley and Angelina Weasley and the younger sister of Fred Weasley II.
  • Runespoors were a special type of serpent with three heads endemic to the Burkina Faso. They were one of the most popular mythological creatures in Africa.
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  • Scourgify, or the Scouring Charm was a charm used in the Harry Potter universe to clean things. This spell removed all the dirt or unwanted particles that were on the surface that needed to be cleaned.
  • A Seer was a wizard or witch in the wizarding world gifted with the ability to predict the future, more specifically events or occurrences in the future to great precision.
  • Seraphina Picquery was an American witch who lived in the 20th century. She was the President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America from 1920 to 1928.
  • The Sphinx was a magical beast in the wizarding world with the head of a human and the body of a lion. It was mostly used by witches and wizards to guard treasures and valuables.
  • Squibs were people who did not possess the ability to perform magic despite having at least one witch or wizard as a parent. They were similar to Muggles expect that they had magical parents.
  • Stupefy, also known as the Stunning Spell was a charm in the Harry Potter universe that caused its victim to get stunned and lose their consciousness. It was very effective during duels.
  • Susan Bones was a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She belonged to the Hufflepuff house and joined Hogwarts in 1991, the same year Harry Potter did.
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  • The Burrow is the name of the house in which the Weasley family stays in the Harry Potter series. It is situated near a village called Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon, England, Great Britain.
  • Porpentina "Tina" Scamander (née Goldstein) is an American witch and one of the major characters in the Fantastic Beasts movie series. She is also the wife of Newt Scamander, the Magizoologist.
  • A troll was a magical being in the Harry Potter universe that was larger than humans in size and very strong but was known to be underdeveloped mentally.
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  • Vincent Crabbe was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was sorted into the Slytherin house along with his friends Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle.
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  • Wingardium Leviosa or the Levitation Charm is a spell used to levitate an object in the air from its resting position. It is a very useful spell in the magical world.
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