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Pub trivia – fun facts you didn't know about wizarding inns

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__Spoiler warning! There are some mild spoilers ahead – turn back now if you’re not familiar with the stories…__

## The Leaky Cauldron is the oldest pub in London

Despite what many [Muggles](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/muggles) think, the title of oldest pub in London goes to this well-loved wizarding establishment. Found on Charing Cross Road, the [Leaky Cauldron](/fact-file/locations/the-leaky-cauldron) was built in the 1500s – long before Charing Cross Road was even planned! Its true address is number one, [Diagon Alley](/fact-file/locations/diagon-alley).

## Muggles used to frequent the Leaky Cauldron

This wizarding institution wasn’t always a place that where only magical folk congregated. As it was built two centuries before the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy, it was initially visible to Muggle eyes too. Muggles weren’t made to feel unwelcome or turned away. Having said that, thanks to the *interesting* conversations and even more *interesting* magical pets, many scarpered before finishing their mead.

![LeakyCauldron WB F1 SomeoneOutsideLeakyCauldron Illust 080615 Land](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5sxx5inySIAWsKA0gcuUEG/ca736eb81e715e092136f42c579a2719/LeakyCauldron_WB_F1_SomeoneOutsideLeakyCauldron_Illust_080615_Land.jpg)

## Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott lived above the Leaky Cauldron

In a turn of events that we find extremely adorable, after leaving [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) not only did [Neville](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/neville-longbottom) continue his passion for magical plants as [Herbology](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/herbology) professor, but he also married [Hufflepuff](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/hufflepuff), [Hannah Abbott](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hannah-abbott-fact-file). The happy couple decided to make a home for themselves living above the one-and-only Leaky Cauldron.

## A pub was the headquarters of a rebellion

Although we never learnt which one it was, according to *Sites of Historical Sorcery*, one of the wizarding pubs in [Hogsmeade](/fact-file/locations/hogsmeade) was said to have been the headquarters of the 1612 [goblin](/fact-file/creatures/goblin) rebellion. Could it have been the [Hog’s Head Inn](/fact-file/locations/the-hogs-head) which was known for its dubious dealings and schemes? Or perhaps it was the cosiness of the [Three Broomsticks](/fact-file/locations/the-three-broomsticks) that convinced the goblins to make it their base?

![pottermore-moments-hp-b5-hogs-head-homepage-hero](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2zygTLqXtChkWM7Asbbca3/14624eac244b6e0d0dd667458176dd1a/pottermore-moments-hp-b5-hogs-head-homepage-hero.jpg)

## The Hog’s Head Inn was run by a Dumbledore

While [Albus Dumbledore](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/albus-dumbledore) ran Hogwarts, just down the road his brother, [Aberforth Dumbledore](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/aberforth-dumbledore-fact-file), ran the Hog’s Head Inn. Crochety and a big fan of goats, he and his brother didn’t always see eye-to-eye. Ultimately, they were both extremely good people and Aberforth even helped the resistance at Hogwarts after Albus’ death – thanks to a secret passage that connected the [Room of Requirement](/fact-file/locations/the-room-of-requirement) to his pub.

## Sybill Trelawney made her infamous prediction at the Hog’s Head Inn

The Hog’s Head Inn was the location of many crucial story moments from the founding of [Dumbledore’s Army](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/dumbledores-army) to [Hagrid](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/rubeus-hagrid) winning a dragon egg in a game of cards. However, there was one particular moment that changed the course of wizarding history forever. On a gloomy night, Albus Dumbledore went to interview [Sybill Trelawney](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/sybill-trelawney) for the role of [Divination](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/divination) teacher. He was thoroughly unimpressed until, among the ramshackle décor and sticky floor, she made her prediction about the boy destined to end [Voldemort](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lord-voldemort) and rid the world of his evil!

![pottermore-moments-three-broomsticks-homepage-hero](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/YvfQFf3Sc7Y1rQNcmqoKm/7278f0704d0a659047a66375127ed129/pottermore-moments-three-broomsticks-homepage-hero.jpg)

## Katie Bell was given the cursed opal necklace at The Three Broomsticks

Run by Madam Rosmerta, the Three Broomsticks was a warm and welcoming establishment in Hogsmeade. Yet Dark Magic still managed to worm its way in there in the form of the cursed opal necklace. Part of a clumsy attempt on Dumbledore’s life, [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) Quidditch team member, [Katie Bell](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/katie-bell), took the necklace from the pub while under the influence of the [Imperius Curse](/fact-file/spells/the-imperius-curse) and narrowly escaped its deadly power.

## It wasn’t just witches and wizards who frequented the Three Broomsticks

Said to be as old as the only all-wizard village in Britain, the Three Broomsticks was a bit of a haven for all sorts of magical beings, such as hags, who couldn’t disguise themselves particularly well in the Muggle world. In fact, Ron and Hermione once thought they spotted an ogre!

Every quote to live by from your favourite witches

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Hermione wearing a red dress and smiling at Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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## The importance of keeping things in perspective

![HP-F1-philosophers-stone-hermione-charms-learning-classroom-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/qVjLFPXczR2mwGR54M1JK/5ffbc10854b90be415e66d18504a0f56/HP-F1-philosophers-stone-hermione-charms-learning-classroom-web-landscape)

‘Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery…’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

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Despite being known for her exceptional brain power, [Hermione](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hermione-granger) also knew the importance of nurturing the other elements of her personality too. It’s a lesson she learnt in her first year after finding genuine friendship. It is also one that we could do with remembering too.

## Don’t be afraid to be bold

![HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-ginny-da-wand-determined-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3yxtbUPaKL5YRyOXEmcss7/b5f3840e6afd0c2e76548570d0532593/HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-ginny-da-wand-determined-web-landscape)

‘…anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.'

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Ginny Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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If you don’t ask you don’t get! As [Ginny](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ginny-weasley) reminds us, if we shy away from a challenge, we’re never going to achieve our dreams. If we find our courage? Well, the world is our oyster.

## Be proud of who you are

![HP-F4-goblet-of-fire-mcgonagall-desk-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/71JqjFqxFPKBLmoFUGKYJD/22d4d28400d268c5d1382d675b5ce1ae/HP-F4-goblet-of-fire-mcgonagall-desk-web-landscape)

‘It’s high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she’s got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have...’

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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The no-nonsense [McGonagall](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/minerva-mcgonagall) was a witch worth listening to! It’s all too easy to get caught up in the comparison trap, trying to think about who you *should* be and feeling inadequate next to others. However, you are brilliant just the way you are. You are one-of-a-kind. If the Head of [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) can see that – so can you.

## There is always hope

![HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-luna-da-room-of-requirement-casting-patronus-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5zrwB81bovDEUXWbMyCWia/26babee3a72e41ff8557681a28703f5a/HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-luna-da-room-of-requirement-casting-patronus-web-landscape)

‘The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect.’

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Luna Lovegood: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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When times are hard, it can be easy to give up hope and become despondent. Yet this poignant point from the wonderfully eccentric [Ravenclaw](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/ravenclaw) is a reminder that good days are on the horizon – even if we can’t quite see them yet.

## Don’t be afraid to dream big

![WB-HP-F7-hermione-reading-promo-crop](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7uWvZ2RIgkybj8J1lCs5RA/39672ce02de6ff4e27d39381deb3c05f/WB-HP-F7-hermione-reading-promo-crop.jpg)

‘I’m hoping to do some good in the world!’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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No matter who you are, you *can* make a difference. If you channel Hermione’s determination, we’re sure you will go on to do great and brilliant things.

## An excellent reminder

![HP-F5-molly-weasley-harry-potter-web-10744](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1ugOAEKJsmxHxy7rDSEkO8/d6f828346ab08de9e2eb69ed086fdf71/weasley-quiz-title-.jpg)

‘A good first impression can work wonders.'

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Molly Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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A sage piece of advice from [Mrs Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/molly-weasley)! She might have said this to Harry before his [Ministry](/fact-file/locations/the-ministry-of-magic) hearing, but we think this is something that can be applied to many different areas of your life. From making friends to job interviews, things are always easier if you start off on the right foot.

## Do what is right, not what is easy

![WB-HP-F2-hermione-examining-potion-ingredients-with-cauldron-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4L5hkIozTd68acqd3hpP2I/27590dc492caea34621b56bdd472e45b/WB-HP-F2-hermione-examining-potion-ingredients-with-cauldron-web-landscape.jpg)

‘Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine… I don’t want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion.’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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Hermione was the witch who once declared being expelled to be a fate worse than death. To hear her trying to convince [Harry](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/harry-potter) and [Ron](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ron-weasley) to break the rules was rather shocking. Yet she raises an extremely valuable point. Sometimes you need to push the boundaries to do what is right. Following the rules can only go so far – especially if those rules cause more harm than good. It can be hard to stand up and be counted but we should all try to do so.

## Protect what is important

![WB-HP-F8-professor-sprout-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6PcDR4xjlhQ8xtErVUHYBc/198864f4ef4413d1ed6e50f91411088e/WB-HP-F8-professor-sprout-web-landscape.jpg)

‘I feel that if a single pupil wants to come, then the school ought to remain open for that pupil.’

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Pomona Sprout: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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This was a brave statement from [Professor Sprout](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/pomona-sprout) in the wake of [Dumbledore’s](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/albus-dumbledore) death. [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) was so much more than a school. For many like Harry, it was a sanctuary and place they could call home. A place that should be protected. This is a sentiment we could all take on board. We should all work hard to take care of what, and who, is important to us.

## Don’t judge a book by its cover

![hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7L4Bw903CP5Rnv0MuCknWF/16abc8334d6185d0b8be2af4c5f93c45/hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape.jpg)

‘What do I care how ’e looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!’

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Fleur Delacour: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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You might think glamorous and goodlooking [Fleur Delacour](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/fleur-delacour) would also be extremely vain. Yet she wasn’t. Filled with self-confidence, she didn’t judge her husband based on his appearance – she knew it was the content of his character that truly mattered. That attitude is one we think everyone should embody.

## Boundaries are good

![mcgonagall-web-header-wand](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6J6heLMpK9Lee0eL8faPnj/18ebb3e1a6694c1ed440bf094b02a127/mcgonagall-web-headrer.jpg)

‘I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking.’

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Quite right too! Don’t let anybody try to take your voice or diminish you. If someone tries to talk over you, channel your inner McGonagall and lay down the law – they’ll soon learn a valuable lesson.

Your birth month tells us your Harry Potter soulmate

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## January: The determined and dedicated Oliver Wood is your perfect match

![WB-HP-F1-philosophers-stone-oliver-wood-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7iJHeRIUbca989dspC4c2t/a8eae533de5cb364c2b8ef17aa39c857/WB-HP-F1-philosophers-stone-oliver-wood-web-landscape.jpg)

When considering your ideal partner, you don’t want someone who is afraid of commitment and isn’t willing to put the work in. You want someone who is going to give the relationship their all. This is why you and [Oliver Wood](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/oliver-wood) make a perfect pair. This [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) proved his determination time and time again as [Quidditch](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/quidditch) Captain. He was always coming up with training techniques and drills to make the team better. Yes, some of his teammates might have complained about the early starts, but it didn’t put Oliver off… and it worked. That’s the type of dedication you admire.

## February: Your soulmate is the creative and eccentric Luna Lovegood

![WB-HP-F5-luna-lovegood-wears-spectrespecs-with-quibbler-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5jiVEF9rz3GdDt6go666da/6431193cd66631881320a9921f2913fe/WB-HP-F5-luna-lovegood-wears-spectrespecs-with-quibbler-web-landscape.jpg)

There is nothing that bores you more than blending into the crowd. From your curious insights to your wacky wardrobe, you march to the beat of your own drum. You are proud to celebrate your uniqueness, and you are looking for a partner that doesn’t shy away from their individuality too. This is why [Luna Lovegood](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/luna-lovegood) with her [Spectrespecs](/fact-file/objects/spectrespecs) and radish-like earrings is your ideal match. The two of you would have a joyful relationship that celebrated creativity, eccentricity and a shared belief in the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

## March: The brilliantly hilarious Ron Weasley is the one for you

![HP-F6-ron-in-bed-smiling-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/51khMqIDGh7ltBpFgDIet4/4390b7228f2368b128a11304e8a73108/HP-F6-ron-in-bed-smiling-web-landscape.jpg)

Life’s too short not to have fun. Who wants to be miserable? Yes, serious things happen but you still want to find the joy in life, and you want a partner who can do that too. This is why you and [Ron Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ron-weasley) would make the perfect pair. From his ‘Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts’ exclamations to quippy ‘Oh, of course… I forgot we’ll be hunting down [Voldemort](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lord-voldemort) in a mobile library’ comebacks – his quick with would keep you entertained for life.

## April: The elegant and poised Fleur Delacour is your ideal soulmate

![hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7L4Bw903CP5Rnv0MuCknWF/16abc8334d6185d0b8be2af4c5f93c45/hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape.jpg)

Graceful, elegant and gliding through life – that’s the ultimate dream. You aren’t interested in awkward situations and embarrassing encounters; you want life to be as serene as possible. As you want this from your partner too, you and [Fleur Delacour](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/fleur-delacour) would make a flawless duo. No matter what situation she faced – from walking into the [Great Hall](/fact-file/locations/the-great-hall) for the first time to rejecting [Yule Ball](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/yule-ball) dates, she was always perfectly poised which is something you appreciate.

## May: The thoroughly good Cedric Diggory is who you’re drawn to

![HP-F4-goblet-fire-cho-cedric-walking-into-yule-ball-together-happy-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7Gg3rW3wpho401kh28ueXG/2ce6bdeb293a9f962407b31ab38c3c2b/HP-F4-goblet-fire-cho-cedric-walking-into-yule-ball-together-happy-web-landscape)

You have no time for people that like to play games in relationships. You abhor anyone who has a mean streak. You really can’t stand when people are rude to those around them. This is why [Cedric Diggory](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/cedric-diggory) is the perfect person for you. Despite being handsome, intelligent and an extremely talented wizard, this [Hufflepuff](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/hufflepuff) was also humble. He was *good*. He helped Harry despite him being his [Triwizard](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/triwizard-tournament) rival and never let being the rising star at [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) go to his head. Cedric is a partner you would always feel safe with… and he is perfect for you.

## June: Your soulmate is Lavender Brown who wears her heart on her sleeve

![HP-F6-half-blood-prince-weasleys-wizard-wheezes-lavendar-looking-at-ron-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/41iicwNjHTdrMVNZoiTdoC/ddf961f7074d912a9307c0dc9e2716aa/HP-F6-half-blood-prince-weasleys-wizard-wheezes-lavendar-looking-at-ron-web-landscape)

As someone who is often described as vivacious and an open book, you have real difficulty bonding with people who are closed off or reserved. You find those who keep their cards close to their chest rather unsettling – which is why [Lavender Brown](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lavender-brown) is your soulmate. Whether she was snogging Ron in front of the whole [Gryffindor common room](/fact-file/locations/the-gryffindor-common-room) or giving him gaudy necklaces as a token of her affection, she was not afraid of her emotions or letting everyone else see them. This type of openness is something you can’t help but be drawn to.

## July: Your perfect match is loyal Neville Longbottom

![HP WB F4 Neville and his plant crop ](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/66z5lwGFVYTJTiW2dNdKfw/e99e49796545303b7dec644c11004840/NevilleLongbottom_WB_F4_NevilleLongbottomWithPlantPromoShot_Promo_080615_CROP.jpg)

Don’t underestimate [Neville](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/neville-longbottom). He might have initially been a clumsy underdog, but he soon surpassed that and became a [sword-of-Gryffindor-wielding](/fact-file/objects/the-sword-of-gryffindor) hero. One who was loyal to his friends, his school and loyal to what was right. As someone born in July, this is what you would like to find in a partner. You don’t want a person who could easily be swayed. You want someone who is as committed to you as Neville is to his [Mimbulus mimbletonia](/fact-file/plants-and-potions/mimbulus-mimbletonia), which is why he is the one for you.

## August: The logical and intelligent Hermione Granger is the one for you

![HP-F7-deathly-hallows-part-one-hermione-bill-fleur-wedding-red-dress-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5aJclseoYsrr4a0y0XPiQY/be44e1bfabc2a5f7422ed6e87a5df30e/HP-F7-deathly-hallows-part-one-hermione-bill-fleur-wedding-red-dress-web-landscape)

As somebody who is known for their sharp mind and love of learning, we think you and the [cleverest witch of her age](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hermione-granger), who takes the largest books out of the [Hogwarts library](/fact-file/locations/the-hogwarts-library) for ‘light reading’, would get on like a house on fire. Your days would be spent verbally sparring with each other, debating Ancient Rune translations and generally broadening your minds and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

## September: The discerning Draco Malfoy is your wizarding soulmate

![WB-F3-draco-in-care-of-magical-creatures-with-monster-book-of-monsters-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4FeDA9gWYlkm3iFXZMUOF5/47927d38da6fcc8d4660a5cd92a7e6d6/WB-F3-draco-in-care-of-magical-creatures-with-monster-book-of-monsters-web-landscape.jpg)

There’s nothing wrong with being shrewd or ambitious, these are traits that you rather admire. In fact, you find someone who knows exactly what they want and how to get it extremely attractive. This is why [Draco Malfoy](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/draco-malfoy) is the one for you. We are in no way saying you are prejudiced or a bully like he was. However, the embodiment of [Slytherin](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/slytherin) traits, he was not afraid to openly say he liked the finer things in life or believe he deserved them – just like you.

## October: Fiery Ginny Weasley is your magical match

![GinnyWeasley WB F6 GinnyAtSlughornsParty Still 080615 Land](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4otWY19HKE4WyOOy4Q0wSu/66177ea78a84f5e28b9fb79b2b961e51/GinnyWeasley_WB_F6_GinnyAtSlughornsParty_Still_080615_Land.jpg)

If there was a witch that knew exactly who she was, it was [Ginny Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ginny-weasley). Having had a rough start at Hogwarts she blossomed into a fierce and phenomenal person – with an excellent talent for the [Bat-Bogey Hex](/fact-file/spells/the-bat-bogey-hex). That self-assuredness is something that you are looking for in a partner. You don’t want somebody who doesn’t take the time to work on being the best version of themselves. You want someone who is confident and powerful – exactly like Ginny.

## November: Harry Potter’s bravery is what makes him your soulmate

![HP-F8-harry-lake-web-header](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3SzHQWDxZAPjea1KYpaIO0/cc24a62a6e35937f165b190cf14df8e6/harry_heaer.png)

[Harry Potter](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/harry-potter) is not afraid to confront the difficult things in life. He doesn’t shy away from a challenge or let fear stop him. He puts himself out there whether that’s soaring through the sky on his [broomstick](/fact-file/objects/broomstick), fighting the forces of evil or summoning up the courage to ask his crush to the Yule Ball. This is something that you strongly relate to. You’re not one to be called timid and you can’t stand cowardice. We’re not saying you’re necessarily an extrovert, but you stand up when it matters and that’s why Harry is your ultimate wizarding soulmate.

## December: The glass half-empty Moaning Myrtle is your perfect match

![HP-F2-chamber-of-secrets-moaning-myrtle-girls-bathroom-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2HdGuqY9aOgGStQJii0yVY/5013a2d38cecb8e9f536e42f6dbf0036/HP-F2-chamber-of-secrets-moaning-myrtle-girls-bathroom-web-landscape.jpg)

There is no person that gets on your nerves more than the one who is relentlessly optimistic. You don’t have time from all that chirpiness and being constantly told to look on the bright side. In fact, being stuck with someone like that would be your worst nightmare. You want someone who will always look on the gloomy side – which is why [Moaning Myrtle](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/moaning-myrtle) (emphasis on the *Moaning*) is your perfect match. Despite her crush on Harry Potter, with your maudlin outlook, we’re sure you could win her over and many (un)happy centuries sitting in the [u-bend of a Hogwarts toilet](/fact-file/locations/moaning-myrtles-bathroom) discussing all the reasons why everything is awful.

For beginners, for novices, for Harry Potter superfans going 20 years-strong, dig deep into the wizarding world with our collection of features.

Features - Wizarding World

The best call-backs in the Harry Potter books you might not have spotted

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Harry and Hermione looking into the broken mirror shard  

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It may feel like déjà vu, but really, J.K. Rowling had it all planned out from the start. Here are our favourite moments from the Harry Potter books that made us slap our heads and go, ‘Ohhh…’ 

## When Harry walked straight past a Horcrux  
It’s quite a famous moment of frustration, but one that bears repeating – with *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* so heavily focused on Harry hunting for [Horcruxes](/features/the-horcruxes), we, as readers, couldn’t quite believe it when we realised Harry had been so close to one in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* without realising.

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Harry hides his copy of Advanced Potion-Making in the Room of Requirement

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Yes, that pesky [Ravenclaw Diadem](/features/rowena-ravenclaws-diadem) – cooped up in the very same version of the [Room of Requirement](/features/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-room-of-requirement) that Harry had hidden his *Advanced Potion-Making* book in the previous year – seemed like just a dusty old tiara when Harry marched past it in his sixth year. When Harry returned to Hogwarts and the Room of Requirement during the final battle, he couldn’t believe he’d been so close – yet so far. 

The fact that Harry had even hidden his [Potions](/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions) book so nearby was even more of a kicker.

> His breath was loud in his ears, and then his very soul seemed to shiver: there it was, right ahead, the blistered old cupboard in which he had hidden his old Potions book, and on top of it, the pock-marked stone warlock wearing a dusty, old wig and what looked like an ancient, discoloured tiara. 
 > Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 
## When Dumbledore’s ‘room full of chamber pots’ was something slightly more…
Speaking of the [Room of Requirement](/features/11-things-the-room-of-requirement-shouldve-turned-into), it also cropped up in an earlier book. We thought we were introduced to the ever-changing room in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, but actually, Dumbledore had described a room where he ‘required’ something (in this case, needing the loo) far earlier – in the previous book, in fact.

Well, Hogwarts may be huge and full of mysteries, but if something’s important it’s bound to crop up again – like our next call-back…

## When the Vanishing Cabinet turned out to be pretty important

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The vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement  

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In a world full of magical objects, many of which we can only dream of having in our Muggle living rooms, the [Vanishing Cabinet](/features/vanishing-cabinet) sounded like a great idea – until Draco Malfoy gave it a far more sinister purpose. The Vanishing Cabinet, a piece of furniture that can act as a transportation device if you have another one stationed somewhere else, was actually first mentioned in *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, when Peeves was heard breaking it.

And for about three years, that was that – until the cabinet was brought up again in *Order of the Phoenix*, after Fred and George shoved a Slytherin student called Montague in there – not knowing where he went. When Montague finally got out, he revealed to Draco that he was caught in a limbo-place between Hogwarts and [Borgin and Burkes](/features/borgin-and-burkes) in Knockturn Alley. It was then that Draco realised he could fix the cabinet and use it to smuggle Death Eaters into the school during his plot to kill Dumbledore.

So, in a slightly horrible way, one of Fred and George’s pranks inadvertently led to Draco learning about the cabinet’s powers, and his plot succeeding…

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Draco working on the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement 

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And to think it was just an innocent quirk of Hogwarts, once upon a time.

> ‘The other’s in Borgin and Burkes,’ said Malfoy, ‘and they make a kind of passage between them. Montague told me that when he was stuck in the Hogwarts one, he was trapped in limbo but sometimes he could hear what was going on at school, and sometimes what was going on in the shop, as if the Cabinet was travelling between them, but he couldn’t make anyone hear him ... in the end he managed to Apparate out, even though he’d never passed his test.’
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## When Sirius’s mirror led to an unexpected communication 
Perhaps one of the saddest moments of the Harry Potter books was when Harry realised that the late-Sirius had left him a communication device – a two-way mirror where they could talk to each other when separated. Alas, Harry found the mirror far too late – Sirius had died when he finally found it. 

However, in *Deathly Hallows*, the mirror united Harry with someone else, someone completely unexpected. Upon seeing a blue eye through a broken shard of the glass (Harry had smashed it in frustration) he thought he was seeing another long-gone friend – Albus Dumbledore. Well, he wasn’t that far off. It was actually Albus’ brother Aberforth, who ended up in possession of the mirror, using it to look out for Harry during the seventh book. And thank Merlin he did – with Aberforth keeping an eye out, he was able to send Dobby to rescue Harry and co. from a terrible fate at Malfoy Manor.

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So although the mirror was such a source of sadness for Harry, it also saved his, and his friends's, lives two books later. 

Fun extra fact about this one – you could argue that Aberforth having the mirror was foreshadowed earlier on in the book when Harry mistook a book with Albus Dumbledore’s face on it for the late-Hogwarts headmaster looking out from a mirror

> Angrier than ever, he proceeded to grope in the bottoms of the vases and baskets of dried flowers, but was not at all surprised that the locket was not there. He gave the office one last sweeping look, and his heart skipped a beat. Dumbledore was staring at him from a small, rectangular mirror, propped up on a bookcase beside the desk.
>*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

Although Harry was mistaken, it’s interesting that another Dumbledore *was* looking out at him through a mirror. Coincidence?
 
## Dumbledore’s will 
*Deathly Hallows* was nostalgic in many ways. Just look at the start of the book, where Harry is packing his bag and comes across old items from past Hogwarts adventures – such as *POTTER STINKS* badges and his old Sneakoscope. Ah, good times.

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Scrimgeour dicusses Albus Dumbledore's will with Harry, Ron and Hermione at The Burrow

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And then Dumbledore’s will comes along, which gifts Harry a Snitch from one of his first Quidditch matches, and Ron a [Deluminator](/features/deluminator) – a device which puts out lights. Both items were first seen in *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, and both end up being hugely significant in their final adventure. While the Deluminator encourages Ron to return to the Horcrux hunt after leaving Harry and Hermione, [Harry’s Snitch](/book-extract-long/the-snitch-opens-at-the-close) opens right at the very end of the Battle of Hogwarts to contain one of the Deathly Hallows – [the Resurrection Stone](/features/resurrection-stone). Without the Stone to temporarily bring back the echoes of his parents, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, would Harry have had the strength to face Voldemort? Who knows.

What are some of your favourite Harry Potter call-backs that you've spotted while reading the books?

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Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

The Harry Potter characters J.K. Rowling nearly killed – and the ones she’s sorry she did

PMARCHIVE-The Harry Potter characters J.K. Rowling nearly killed – and the ones she’s sorry she did

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J.K. Rowling once said that children’s authors had to be ‘[ruthless killers](/feature/harry-potter-most-devastating-deaths)’ – and she wasn’t kidding. Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Fred Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, poor little [Hedwig](/features/hedwig)... But it could have been a lot worse. For there are characters that survived all seven books who, had J.K. Rowling not changed her mind, wouldn’t have. 

Here are a few characters J.K. Rowling saved, and the ones she’s since expressed regret at letting go.

Spoilers lie below... 

## Arthur Weasley 

In *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, our beloved Weasley patriarch Arthur suffered a brutal attack from [Nagini](/feature/everything-you-need-to-know-about-nagini) – Lord Voldemort’s snake companion – while guarding the Department of Mysteries; an attack that seemed like it could be his end. After all, with Voldemort on the rise, it was only a matter of time before the fatalities started to build up. Thankfully, Arthur recovered at St Mungo’s (with no help from a few Muggle stitches…), but it could’ve gone a whole other way.

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Illustration of Arthur Weasley from the second Order of the Phoenix infographic

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J.K. Rowling has said in interviews that she felt she had to ‘kill parents’ to amplify the fear Lord Voldemort brought upon the wizarding world. But she also couldn’t lose Arthur.

‘If there’s one character I couldn’t bear to part with, it’s Arthur Weasley,’ she told The Today Show back in 2007. ‘I think part of the reason for that is there were very few good fathers in the book. In fact, you could make a very good case for Arthur Weasley being the only good father in the whole series.’

So Arthur survived. But at what cost? Well, Lupin’s cost, actually. But more on that later…

## Ron Weasley 

Merlin’s beard! From one Weasley to another? Yes, J.K. Rowling did indeed flirt with the idea of killing off Harry’s best friend, Ron. But the moment was fleeting, at least.

In an interview for the *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2* DVD, J.K. Rowling joked to Daniel Radcliffe that midway through the series she started thinking she ‘might polish one of them off’ and even seriously considered killing Ron – but ultimately decided that Harry, Ron and Hermione would go all the way.

‘Funnily enough, I planned from the start that none of [[the trio](/collection/harry-ron-and-hermione-unbreakable-friendship)] would die. Then midway through, which I think is a reflection of the fact that I wasn’t in a very happy place, I started thinking I might polish one of them off. Out of sheer spite. “There, now you definitely can’t have him anymore.” But I think in my absolute heart of heart of hearts, although I did seriously consider killing Ron, [I wouldn’t have done it].’

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Phew.  Of course, there is that horrendous moment in *Order of the Phoenix* when we thought we had run into Ron’s corpse – but it was actually just [Mrs Weasley’s Boggart](/book-extract-long/mrs-weasleys-boggart). Maybe this was J.K. Rowling’s way of getting that ‘sheer spite’ out of her system. Now never scare us like that again! 

## And here are some she apologised for...

While we’re grateful we got to keep the characters we did, we suffered a lot of bloodshed by the end of [the Battle of Hogwarts](/feature/battle-of-hogwarts-timeline). In fact, every year J.K. Rowling takes to Twitter to apologise for one of the fallen, from Severus Snape to Remus Lupin. Speaking of which...

## Remus Lupin

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So we mentioned earlier that Arthur Weasley’s survival came at the cost of Lupin. Indeed, J.K. Rowling explained that because Arthur got to stay, Lupin had to go. In a tweet, she explained…

‘Arthur lived, so Lupin had to die. I’m sorry. I didn’t enjoy doing it. The only time my editor ever saw me cry was over the fate of Teddy.’

Can’t we please have both?

## Fred Weasley

While Arthur and Ron survived the chop, Fred wasn’t quite so lucky, getting hit by a curse only mere moments after sharing a rare moment of mirth with his estranged brother [Percy](/feature/in-defence-of-percy-weasley). Rowling has since described Fred’s death as ‘the worst for me’. Incidentally, Fred was chosen to die over his twin George because he was the slightly more conspicuous brother.

‘Fred is normally the funnier but also the crueller of the two. So [readers] might have thought that George would be the more vulnerable one and, therefore, the one to die,’ she once said.

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Illustration of Fred Weasley from the Dumbledore's Army infographic

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## Florean Fortescue

While Rowling continues to make her annual apologies for the deaths of major characters, one minor character also got under her skin: [Florean Fortescue](/writing-by-jk-rowling/florean-fortescue), the ice cream parlour owner of Diagon Alley. Why? Because originally, Fortescue was intended to be more connected to the Deathly Hallows, but the plot strand got snipped. During the book, we do see Fortescue mysteriously disappear – but while Rowling originally meant for Harry to discover him, she ended up having to kill him off for no reason.

‘He is not the first wizard whom Voldemort murdered because he knew too much (or too little), but he is the only one I feel guilty about, because it was all my fault,’ she said. 

Of course, we understand her reasons for everyone’s deaths – that is simply the nature of war. But taking away the guy who made the ice cream during the dark days of Lord Voldemort’s reign? Unforgivable.

Why Newt Scamander is a different kind of hero

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Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein share a moment as he tucks her hair behind her ear

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Newt Scamander tucks Tina Goldstein's hair behind her ear in a tender moment at the port

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Newt Scamander surrounded by Christmas presents in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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Like an amalgamation of the ‘Golden Trio’ — Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley — Newt is a wizard brimming with brains, heart and courage. Above everything else, however, is his unwavering kindness; from the beasts he looks after to the Obscurial Credence, Newt’s affinity for all creatures and his care for their wellbeing is at the heart of his character. 

J.K. Rowling described Newt as an outsider. ‘My heroes are always people who feel themselves to be set apart, stigmatised or othered’, she explained. ‘That’s at the heart of most of what I write, and it’s certainly at the heart of [*Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*].’ It’s certainly the impression of Newt we have when he takes those first steps off the boat and enters New York. Not only is he an Englishman in America, but the ways of the wizarding worlds in the UK and in the USA are very different. 

His outsider status, though, extends beyond being a newcomer in the Big Apple. Newt’s relationships with his fantastic beasts, it could be argued, takes precedence over his relationships with other human beings. It’s evident, for example, when he eagerly goes in search for the Erumpent, despite Tina and Queenie’s hospitality. His own safety is also secondary, too. While he’s beginning to understand that in New York the use of magic is dangerous, he understands that the escaped creatures he’s brought with him in his case are at greater risk — as he explained to Jacob Kowalski: ‘They're currently in alien terrain surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet... Humans.’

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Newt Scamander sits on a bed with his magical suitcase

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That’s not to say that Newt lacks empathy for human beings. In fact, unlike the twisted mentality of Gellert Grindelwald and his followers, Newt’s beliefs about the power of Muggles mirrors a certain Albus Dumbledore. Muggles, or No-Majs depending on which side of the pond you preside, aren’t to be looked down upon and, rather progressively, Newt doesn’t subscribe to the notion that non-magical and magical worlds should necessarily be as separatist as they are in America. His friendship with Jacob and the way that he treats him as an equal is a rare thing for a wizard. Instead of seeing their differences and shying away from them, Newt welcomes Jacob into his world without a second thought. 

But while Newt’s heroism in Fantastic Beasts stems from his relationships with his creatures, there’s also his delicate and understated approach to saving the day, too. Rather than attempting to thwart and destroy the Obscurus, Newt uses kindness to attempt to help Credence; he knows that the might of magic isn’t necessarily the best course of action. Rather than go in wand raised, Newt uses his humanity to connect with the Obscurial, softly talking Credence down with a genuine wish to protect him.

In fact, Newt is resistant to any sort of violence, instead opting to use his knowledge and a cauldron’s worth of logic to solve the problems that are at hand. He’s smart enough to figure out that instead of rounding up the entire non-magical population of New York, he can take a natural approach. He not only uses the venom from the Swooping Evil, but also frees Frank the Thunderbird to help the people of New York forget the violence and destruction caused by Graves and the Obscurus.

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Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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In true Hufflepuff style, Newt’s approach to heroism is understated. Unlike the grandeur or bravado of a Gryffindor, he swoops in under the radar, an expert in his field, determined to not only do the right thing but also ensure that there’s minimal collateral damage. There’s not a smidge of arrogance or smugness when he saves the day, either. His awkwardness around humans might have something to do with this, but it also doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature. Even though he’s out here saving the world, it doesn’t feel like Newt is ever searching for glory, or even aware that it’s something that his actions could bring about. He doesn’t expect any recognition after he saves New York and uncovers the fact that Graves was secretly Grindelwald all along. Adorably, he even struggles to tell Tina that he’d like to see her again. 

It’s this meekness, as well as his empathetic quality, that Dumbledore clearly sees and why, it seems, he asks him to become involved in stopping Grindelwald in *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*. As he says, ‘Do you know why I admire you, Newt? You do not seek power. You simply ask: is the thing right?’ 

Newt, however, is more than just his resolute moral compass. His underdog status makes his heroic nature unexpected. Unlike the traditional heroes, he presents a kind of masculinity that’s not afraid to show weakness or vulnerability. He even lacks the usual sort of charisma exhibited by the great witches and wizards – he’s inept at public speaking and, while competent, isn’t a wizard as celebrated as Dumbledore. He’s not afraid of emotions, either, and while he might struggle to express himself with other human beings, he’s acutely aware of how those around him, both human and animal, are feeling. If they’re struggling, he attempts to make them feel better.

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Eddie Redmayne as magizoologist Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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Newt Scamander subverts everything we’ve come to expect from our heroes. Rather than relying on brute strength and emotional dissonance to save the day, his mixture of sensitivity, intelligence, kindness and his empathetic nature proves that these things aren’t a weakness when it comes to tackling suffering and the darkness the world can throw at you. His honesty and vulnerability will hopefully encourage more people to embrace these qualities, too. After all, there are all sorts of ways to be a hero.

Everything we know about the traitors of the House of Black

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Harry and Sirius by the Black family tapestry at number twelve, Grimmauld Place

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The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black were not known throughout the Wizarding World for their charity or kindness. They were known for their status, their wealth, their fanatical devotion to pure-blood philosophy. They did not suffer ‘traitors’ gladly. This was plain to see in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* when Harry first saw the Black tapestry: a big and immensely old document of the Black family tree which, notably, featured several members burned out.

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Sirius trapped in the Top Tower from the Prisoner of Azakban 

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The most famous of these members, of course, was Harry’s godfather Sirius Black, who barely made it to adulthood before he was disowned by the family for rejecting the Blacks’ pure-blood ideals and running away from home. But he was not the only one. Sirius was merely one of many Blacks who had been exiled from the family for not following their tyrannical rules. Some rebelled, some fell in love, some were just born to the wrong parents...

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An illustration of the Black Sisters: Narcissa (later Malfoy), Bellatrix (later Lestrange) and Andromeda (later Tonks)

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Here’s a look at the other Black ‘traitors’, why they got burned out, and who we believe got the most unfair deal of the lot...

## Iola Black 

Iola was one of the very first family members to be burnt out from the Black family tree. Sister of Phineas Nigellus, the unpopular former Hogwarts headmaster, Iola was rejected from her own brethren for marrying a Muggle called Bob Hitchens. Sadly, it’s not surprising to hear this based on what we know of the Black family’s closed-minded views on Muggles and Muggle-borns – and anyone daring to marry one. We definitely know that her brother Phineas wasn’t a fan, as his portrait was known to use phrases like ‘mangy old half-blood’ from time to time. It’s even possible that Phineas – otherwise known as Sirius’s great-great-grandfather – had something to do with his sister’s expulsion. 

## Phineas Black Jr

Phineas Jr was another Black family member who fraternised with Muggles. He was the son of Phineas Nigellus, but unlike his father, did not seem to follow his beliefs about Muggles; in fact, he was rejected from the family for supporting Muggle rights. Phineas Jr’s branch of the family tree were born around the late 1800s, not too long after the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy became effective in 1692. It is fair to say that anti-Muggle sentiment would still have been high during this time. As such, Phineas’s exile stings particularly badly seeing as he was not only rebelling against his father, but trying to do something for the good of Muggle-kind in general. 

## Marius Black 

Not much is known of Marius Black, who was burnt out from the family tree for a very cruel reason indeed: being a Squib. Judging by the Black family’s pure-blood pride, being non-magical in any sense would presumably be deemed shameful – even if the person couldn’t help it. We’ve seen the word ‘Squib’ used in a derogatory sense in the past, and the stigma still seemed very much alive in Harry’s days; chances are it would have been even worse in the early 1900s. Poor Marius’s only crime was being born without magic – which makes this rejection all the crueller. 

## Cedrella Black 

Cedrella Black was the grandchild of Phineas Nigellus Black, along with two siblings, Callidora and Charis. While both of her siblings married into pure-blood families, however, Cedrella married a wizard called Septimus Weasley, and we think you’ll recognise that last name. Yes, the Weasleys were one of the oldest and most wholesome wizarding families, but they were by no means ‘pure’ – hence Kreacher once flying into a frenzy of ‘blood traitors’ and ‘children of filth’ when the current generation came to stay at Grimmauld Place. Cedrella was subsequently burnt out. But this connection would subsequently mean that Sirius and Molly Weasley were technically cousins.

## Alphard Black 

Alphard was Sirius’s uncle and was cast out of the family tree for helping his young nephew when Sirius ran away from home. Alphard left Sirius the ‘decent bit of gold’ he needed to get started in a new life, but his relatives were clearly not impressed when they found out. Kudos to Alphard for being one figure in Sirius’s life who actually supported him. 

## Andromeda Black 

Poor Andromeda lost her place in the family tree for simply marrying a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks. Undeterred, Andromeda led a proud life without her cut-off family, and simply focused on her own: including her daughter Nymphadora, who soon became an Auror and a fighter of Dark forces. Alas, Andromeda couldn’t quite escape her family: she was known to look a lot like her sister, Bellatrix, only ‘kinder’, and her husband Ted led a troubled life being a Muggle-born, especially once Voldemort and his followers began to ascend for the second time. He lost his Ministry job for refusing to join the newly-formed ‘Muggle-Born Registration Commission’, and was later killed when he went on the run. Being a member of the Black family can be a cruel life.

The scariest Harry Potter moments 

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Here are some of the most frightening incidents from the stories.

## Is that dog looking at me?

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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> ‘Lumos,’ Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them, Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. 
>*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*
>

We’ll start off with one of the nicer ones. 

There are few more unsettling things than feeling like you’re being watched. When Harry caught the Knight Bus from Magnolia Crescent, he thought he could discern a mysterious (‘but massive’) dog skulking in the shadows. Back at Hogwarts, Ron unhelpfully suggested it might have been a Grim, which would have resulted in Harry’s immediate death. Thanks, Ron!

Later, during a game of Quidditch, he almost came off his broom when he saw ‘the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog’ in the otherwise empty top row of seats in the stand. As it happened, a pitch invasion of about a hundred Dementors made sure of that. The dog later dragged Ron into a gap of the roots of the Whomping Willow, breaking his leg in the process. Although it is soon revealed as Sirius, the sightings of the giant black dog provide the unsettling undercurrent throughout *Prisoner of Azkaban*.

## Give us a kiss

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We get introduced to the wraith-like Dementors, guardians of Azkaban, in *Prisoner of Azkaban*. But it’s actually the opening of the *Order of the Phoenix* where they make their most frightening intervention. Up until this point, you might have been under the impression that Little Whinging was a relatively safe – positively boring - haven for Harry. But after a bitter altercation with Dudley, in which Harry threatened him with his wand, something strange happened.

> The balmy evening was suddenly piercingly, bitingly cold. They were surrounded by total, impenetrable, silent darkness, as though some giant hand had dropped a thick, icy mantle over the entire alleyway, blinding them. 
>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*
>

The sound of ‘long, hoarse, rattling breaths’ can only mean one thing and the pair are swiftly ambushed by two Dementors. The smell of the Dementor’s putrid breath filling the air, his head a confusion of shrill laughter, all his happiness leaving him, it took all of Harry’s resolve to cast his Patronus to save Dudley from the Dementor crouched over him, preparing to kiss.

Harry Potter is full of deadly creatures – but the thought of having your soul sucked out is scarier than all of them put together. 

## When the Inferi made us never want to go back into the water

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Inferi being fought off with Dumbledore's flames in Horcrux Cave

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Hordes of zombies can be disconcerting, at the best of times. Early on in *Half-Blood Prince*, when Dumbledore explained the origins of the Inferi to Harry – that they are dead bodies bewitched to do a Dark wizard’s bidding, and that Voldemort had killed enough people to make an army of them – perhaps we should have taken that as a strong warning of what was to come.

> A slimy white hand had gripped his wrist, and the creature to whom it belonged was pulling him, slowly, backwards across the rock. The surface of the lake was no longer mirror-smooth; it was churning, and everywhere Harry looked, white heads and hands were emerging from the dark water, men and women and children with sunken, sightless eyes were moving towards the rock: an army of the dead rising from the black water. 
>*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*
>

In this climactic sequence in the cave, Dumbledore was prostrate on the floor having drained a cup of potion one too many times. As Harry desperately tried to revive him, he was helpless to repel the numbers of Inferi climbing out of the icy water that surrounded them – he tried numerous ineffective spells in the process (in fact, you could say he had an *Inferi-ority* complex). Even Sectumsempra was useless when the assailants had no blood left to spill. Luckily, Dumbledore snapped out of it in time to unleash a huge ring of fire, which consumed the Inferi and led to their escape – but the mere memory of them still sends icy chills.

## That Bathilda Bagshot moment

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Close-up film still of Bathilda Bagshot holding candle

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