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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

Unsung heroes: Crookshanks

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## A purr-fect match

Hermione always stands up for the underdog (or ‘undercat’ in this instance) and this is precisely how she and Crookshanks met. To her, an animal going unwanted at The Magical Menagerie just because they’re not pretty was totally wrong, and thus, a great staple to Harry’s friendship group was made.

For Hermione, it was love at first sight. But not everyone was a fan of her new pet.

> Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers. 
> ‘NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!’ cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor and then scarpered for the door. 
> ‘Scabbers!’ Ron shouted, haring out of the shop after him. 
> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* 

For a while, it really seemed like Crookshanks was simply fulfilling his role as a cat by wanting to feast heartily on Ron’s rat Scabbers - leading to many heated arguments between Ron and Hermione. As we later learned, Crookshanks was only doing this because he’d worked out Scabbers wasn’t all what he seemed, far before anyone else had.

> ‘What was that?’ 
> ‘It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger,’ said Harry. 
> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

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## A cat genius

Due to the slight misunderstanding, Crookshanks spent his first year at Hogwarts being kicked, sat on and repeatedly shouted at by Gryffindor students. Yep, that’s the thanks you got for trying to protect someone from a murdererous intruder.

Eventually Crookshanks found an ally in the escaped convict Sirius Black, of all people, disguised as Padfoot the dog, finally having someone understand him. Throughout the year, the supposedly troublesome kitty actually contributed to the unmasking of Peter Pettigrew, obtained the passwords to Gryffindor tower (sorry about it, Neville) and even carried the order form for Harry’s Firebolt. Yes, Crookshanks even dealt with the admin.

> ‘Hi,’ chorused Harry, Ron and Hermione, all three kneeling down on the hearthrug. Crookshanks purred loudly and approached the fire, trying, despite the heat, to put his face close to Sirius’s. 
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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The empty bedroom of the Shrieking Shack 

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## Feline fine 

But how did Crookshanks know that Scabbers was up to no good? That might have something to do with his parentage…

> The Kneazle is intelligent, independent and occasionally aggressive, though if it takes a liking to a witch or wizard, it makes an excellent pet. The Kneazle has an uncanny ability to detect unsavoury or sus-picious characters and can be relied upon to guide its owner safely home if they are lost. 
> *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* 

Sound familiar? Bear in mind, Kneazles are known to crossbreed with domestic cats. Crookshanks always knew when people were up to no good, even if they were only planning to cheat on their homework. Plus he made sure to guide Hermione and her friends safely through the Shrieking Shack and back again. Very Kneazle-like indeed.

> ‘Oh, help, help,’ Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, ‘please ...’ 
> Crookshanks darted forwards. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk. 
> Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook. 
> ‘Crookshanks!’ Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry’s arm painfully hard. ‘How did he know –?’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* 

After stopping Harry and Hermione getting clobbered by the Whomping Willow, Crookshanks bravely defended Sirius Black. When Harry got his wand at the ready and prepared to avenge the murder of his parents, Crookshanks leapt on to Sirius’s chest and refused to budge. Whether or not Harry would have gone through with it we’ll never know, but Crookshanks stopped him in his tracks when he was dangerously close to the edge.

> ‘This cat isn’t mad,’ said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks’s fluffy head. ‘He’s the most intelligent of his kind I’ve ever met.’ 
> Prisoner of Azkaban

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Harry, Ron, Herminone on Hogwarts express

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Soon afterwards the truth came out and Crookshanks started leading the troops back to the castle. Without this faithful feline, things might have turned out quite differently. Even Ron changed his tune and made peace with Crookshanks on the train home:

> He looked closely at the owl for a moment, then, to Harry and Hermione’s great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff. 
> ‘What d’you reckon?’ Ron asked the cat. ‘Definitely an owl?’ 
> Crookshanks purred. 
> ‘That’s good enough for me,’ said Ron happily. 
> *Prisoner of Azkaban* 

The last we see of Crookshanks is at the Burrow in *Deathly Hallows* before the trio are forced to make a hasty exit. We don’t know where he ended up after the Battle of Hogwarts but here’s hoping he was reunited with Hermione and led a happy, purr-ceful life. Crookshanks, you can be our hero, baby.

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*Each month Pottermore will shine a spotlight on a character from the Harry Potter stories who we feel deserves more credit. Come back next month when we celebrate Fleur Delacour.*

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

Everything a first-year should know about Hogwarts

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There are a few important things to note about this most unpredictable school...

## It’s up a mountain

A very tall mountain, surrounded by forests and accessible only by boat. That’s how the first-years arrive on 1 September – collected off the Hogwarts Express by Hagrid, they travel across a glassily still lake and through a curtain of ivy to a pebbly underground harbour.

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An illustration of Hogwarts castle in the darkness

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## It’s a safe place 

Maybe even safer than the goblin-staffed wizard bank Gringotts, according to Hagrid – and he says Gringotts is the safest place in the world. As long as you don’t find yourself in its out-of-bounds corridors…  

## There are four Hogwarts houses

Slytherin turns out Dark witches and wizards, Hufflepuff is for duffers, everyone wants to be in Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw’s not that bad – that’s if you listen to Hagrid, Malfoy, Hermione and Ron. The Sorting Hat is more reliable, telling us that Gryffindors are daring, Hufflepuffs are loyal, Ravenclaws are witty and Slytherins are cunning.

## It’s home to ‘about twenty ghosts’…

… and one poltergeist called Peeves. Each house has its own ghost – Gryffindor’s is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, aka Nearly Headless Nick. Sharing a school with ghosts that glide through doors is tricky, but Peeves is the worst. His practical jokes and gleeful pursuit of first-years is enough to make anyone late.

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## The common rooms are amazing

Well, they are if we go by Gryffindor’s. Located in a tower, reached by a series of staircases, the Gryffindor common room is round and comfortable, and leads to dormitories full of curtained four-poster beds. What luxury.

## It has 142 staircases

Stairs at Hogwarts are not straightforward. The 142 staircases vary in shape, size and destination. There are wide ones, narrow ones, some with vanishing steps and others that lead somewhere different on a Friday. Not helpful when you’re trying to stick to a timetable. 

## Not all the doors are doors

Hogwarts’ doors aren’t much better. Some won’t open unless you ask politely, some like to be tickled and some aren’t doors at all, ‘but solid walls just pretending’. Others lead to disused rooms that house mysterious objects, like the Mirror of Erised.

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The forbidden corridor with a closed door

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## The teachers are… eccentric

The teaching staff are as varied as their subjects – from History of Magic’s Professor Binns, the only ghost, to the tiny Charms teacher Professor Flitwick. Professor McGonagall is strict but fair; Professor Snape is strict but much less fair. For an expert in the Dark Arts, Professor Quirrell is a bundle of nerves and Dumbledore is, well, a genius who is also ‘a bit mad’.

## As are the other staff…

School caretaker Argus Filch and his cat, Mrs Norris, have a strong dislike of Hogwarts students, but Hagrid – Keeper of Keys – more than makes up for it. He lives in a hut on the school grounds and Fang, his giant black boarhound, is much friendlier than Mrs Norris.

## People in pictures won’t stay put

Hogwarts’ walls are covered with paintings and portraits, the subjects of which move freely from frame to frame. Gryffindor’s common room is guarded by the Fat Lady, in her pink silk dress. If that wasn’t enough, the antique suits of armour like to wander about as well.

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Sir Cadogan runs through pictures while on his quest through Hogwarts.

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## The grounds are as unpredictable as the castle

Hogwarts’ grounds are full of mysterious things – from magical plants in the school greenhouses to creatures lurking in the Forbidden Forest and cavernous tunnels that can comfortably house a mountain troll, the Potions classroom and an underground harbour. 

## The great feasts

The Great Hall, with its enchanted ceiling, is a centre of feasting excellence. The breakfasts are incredible, but it’s the special occasions you want to look out for. Every kind of food you could possibly imagine appears on those tables. Even mint humbugs.

## It has its own owlery

Students’ letters are delivered by owls that stay in the Hogwarts owlery, which is one post office we wouldn’t mind queuing up for.

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owl brown

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## The library’s Restricted Section has an incredible warning system

Hogwarts’ library contains books about seriously nasty magic, available to students studying advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. If you get one down from the shelf without permission, it will quite simply scream at you. 

## It can get very cold – and very hot

Snape’s Potions lessons are taught in the dungeons, which are particularly cold in the winter months. The corridors can be draughty, and the classrooms swelteringly hot in summer. So, not even magic can save Hogwarts’ residents from the vagaries of the British climate.

How Harry Potter characters taught us to overcome our past

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Harry looking into the Pensieve from the Deathly Hallows Part 2 

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The wizarding world is much given to prophecy and divination: Sybill Trelawney (mostly) predicts death and the centaurs look to the stars. But Professor Trelawney's predictions don't always come true in the way you expect, and centaurs sometimes simply say: ‘Mars is bright tonight.'

The Harry Potter series is full of examples showing us that, while we might think our future is set by what happens in our past, we don’t have to be what we started out as. 

## Harry’s choices 

In the case of Harry, we're shown that the path you take is often affected by things out of your control, but you also have a say in it through the choices you make – like his choice to be sorted into Gryffindor, or to be friends with Ron instead of Malfoy. 

Of course, these choices are easier to make for some than for others: the children of the Weasley family all did incredibly brave things and made huge sacrifices, which should not be forgotten, but they did so having had the benefit of a loving support network for their entire lives. 

This was not the case for Harry, who grew up without his parents and with an absence of any real kindness or affection from his extended family, the Dursleys. For the first 11 years of his life he had no friends, and no one to explain what was actually happening when he did things like make an entire pane of glass disappear. 

Even when he had joined the wizarding world he was occasionally sneered at by the likes of Snape for not knowing certain things about the magic that had been hidden from him for so long. Due to his unwanted celebrity status, a lot of Hogwarts students often judged Harry more fiercely when he was put in the spotlight, such as being chosen for the Triwizard Tournament or losing heaps of Gryffindor points.

Malfoy, especially, liked to use Harry's fame against him, especially when he slipped up or was caught in an embarrassing situation. But despite everyone focusing their attention on his past, and the prophecy for his future, Harry eventually grew beyond being The Boy Who Lived, surrounded himself by good friends, conquered Voldemort, and actually managed to get the job he always wanted as an Auror, becoming a legacy in his own right.

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## Voldemort’s mistakes 

Lord Voldemort was an example of someone who tried to overcome their past in the wrong way. 

The Dark wizard detested the thought of his sad upbringing and a Muggle father, and became hugely ambitious and determined. He started out not too dissimilar to Harry, also growing up an orphan. However, when we see a flashback of the Dark wizard as a child, we discover that he always seemed a little twisted. Despite early encouragement from Albus Dumbledore to change for the better, Tom Riddle chose the dark path to become Lord Voldemort very easily. 

> ‘His powers, as you heard, were surprisingly well-developed for such a young wizard and – most interestingly and ominously of all – he had already discovered that he had some measure of control over them, and begun to use them consciously. And as you saw, they were not the random experiments typical of young wizards: he was already using magic against other people, to frighten, to punish, to control.’ 
 *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* 

But while going down a dark path is also a choice, there is always room to choose to be better, despite how you grew up.

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Tom Riddle standing in the Chamber of Secrets 

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## Sirius and Regulus’s different paths 

Sirius and Regulus Black were from the same pure-blood wizarding family, but Sirius had no truck with his parents’ mania for wizarding purity, and eventually got himself burnt out of his own family tree.

Meanwhile, Regulus followed a more ‘traditional’ path, becoming a Death Eater, but soon came to his senses and realised that Voldemort had to be stopped. Both Black brothers made sacrifices that would have gone against their family's wishes, and proved that what is right isn't always what is easy – in two very different ways.

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

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## Grindelwald's remorse and Dumbledore’s regret

Grindelwald began his life in a callous way, and was expelled from his school for some of his many wrongdoings. But even Gellert Grindelwald, the most famous Dark wizard to rise before Voldemort's time, was said to have shown remorse and, perhaps, tried to make amends for his crimes in later life by lying to Voldemort about the whereabouts of the Elder Wand.

Grindelwald's closest friend for some months in his youth was, of course, Albus Dumbledore. At one time Dumbledore's choice rested on a knife edge. He tells Harry in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* that after the death of his mother he resented his family.

> ‘Do not misunderstand me,’ he said, and pain crossed the face so that he looked ancient again. ‘I loved them. I loved my parents, I loved my brother and my sister, but I was selfish, Harry, more selfish than you, who are a remarkably selfless person, could possibly imagine.’ 
 *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* 

It was the death of his sister that pulled Dumbledore away from a dark future with Grindelwald, though he lived with the pain of it all his life, and tried to make amends in his service at Hogwarts school.

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Dumbledore uses the Elder Wand to extract a memory

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Not all choices are as difficult as those we've seen in the wizarding world, but as Harry and the other characters learned, even the smallest are easier to make if you’re not alone.

All the times we should have spotted Quirrell was the bad guy

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Be honest – the first time you read *Philosopher’s Stone* you didn’t have the foggiest idea Quirinus Quirrell was the bad guy. And hey, we were all duped. How could this meek, taciturn teacher be in league with the most dangerous Dark wizard of all time?

Re-reading the book for the second time (or third, or tenth, or thirtieth; there’s no judgment here), it becomes ever more apparent all is not what it seems with the jittery professor. The clues were all there. Let’s look back at some of the more obvious ones…

## He faints because of the troll on Hallowe’en

Okay, so trolls are scary. That’s kind of their thing, being giant, lumbering man-eaters and all. But isn’t our man Quirinus supposed to be a bit of a dab hand at the Dark Arts? A professor, no less? Plus, we know he’d taken a wizarding gap year, charging around Europe and getting into mischief with hags. Why would a common-or-garden-variety troll cause him to pass out in terror? Unless (gasp!) Quirrell was up to something else…

## Stammer, or something else on his mind?

Quirrell’s stammer is the most obvious indicator of his nervous nature. But it soon stops when Harry discovers his true intentions. 

Is Quirrell so overwhelmed being tethered to Voldemort that he is prone to bouts of stammering? Is his stammer entirely a convenient cover story? Or does he have a competing (and probably distracting voice) in his head, throwing him off? We can’t quite be sure, but he certainly has a lot on his mind.

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## And what’s with his name?

In the literary universe of Harry Potter nothing occurs by accident, [least of all names](/feature/etymology-behind-harry-potter-character-names "The etymology behind Harry Potter names"). That’s why the name of its titular boy wizard so perfectly evokes both an everyman and a heroic name fit for a king.  

[J.K. Rowling notes](/writing-by-jk-rowling/professor-quirrell "Professor Quirrell - writing by J.K. Rowling") that Quirrell’s name was very close to ‘squirrel’. But his forename ‘Quirinus’ has somewhat darker overtones: it references a half-forgotten Roman god closely associated with violence and war. 

## Harry’s scar hurts when he looks at Quirrell

From Harry’s first moments in the Great Hall we’re led to believe Snape is the bad guy. But wake up, people; that early on in any book, if the author wants you to think somebody is the bad guy they’re maybe not the bad guy. Fair enough for not picking up on it the first time, but still: imagine Voldemort’s ugly mug, twisted with rage beneath that turban, staring straight at young Potter from the back of Quirrell’s head. Shudder. 

## He’s such a lousy teacher

If you’re going to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts you’d better have a damn good zombie story to impress the kids on day one. Certainly, that is, if you claim your turban was a gift from an African prince grateful for your supposed heroic dispatching of the undead. If you’re changing the subject and turning pink at this early stage of the game, alarm bells should be ringing.

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## That time he was ‘just passing’

When Harry and Ron, on their first day, indeed, were caught trying to force open a door to a forbidden corridor, caretaker Argus Filch threatened to lock them in a dungeon. Well, who’d have thought it: bashful old Prof Quirrell just happened to be in that same part of the building to save the day. Clearly not snooping on them. Oh no. 

## THAT overheard conversation

One week before exams, Harry earwigs on Quirrell sobbing, ‘No – no – not again, please… All right – all right…’ And fair enough, unable to actually see anything, Harry assumes it’s Snape delivering a stern dressing-down, as we’d seen a couple of times in the book up to this point.

But in terms of literary devices... if you don’t actually ‘see’ what’s happening, then there’s more going on than meets the eye. Or ear. Or whatever. 

## Harry literally dreams about Quirrell’s turban 

[In the dream](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-significance-of-harrys-weirdest-dreams), young Harry is wearing that purple turban. It talks to him, telling him in no uncertain terms to transfer to Slytherin as it was his ‘destiny’. Bit of a giveaway there.

In defence of Gilderoy Lockhart

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Lochart attempts to curse the snake that Snape has conjured.

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Gilderoy Lockhart is commonly known as a fraud, a charlatan, a wizard who conned his way to fame and fortune despite possessing little magical talent. But we'd like to play handsome devil's advocate. We want to put forward the case that, for all his flaws, Lockhart has many redeeming qualities. Take, for example…

## He’s a product of his parents

Everyone, of course, is responsible for their actions – [including Lockhart](/writing-by-jk-rowling/gilderoy-lockhart). But sometimes to understand those actions is to understand where they came from. In Lockhart's case, his vacuous vanity can arguably be traced back to his childhood: to being the only wizard out of three children; to a witch mother who treated him as her unashamed favourite and pumped up his ego from an early age; to the feeling that, as the only wizard in a mainly Muggle family, he was somehow special.

## He's really handsome

Oscar Wilde once said that beauty is a form of genius – 'higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation’. If that is indeed the case, then Gilderoy Lockhart is the smartest wizard who ever lived. His face was carved by angels, his hair woven from gold, his eyes pools of pearls, his smile – winner of *Witch Weekly's* Most-Charming-Smile Award – shining like warm rays of summer sunshine.

Gilderoy Lockhart is hella hot, is basically what we're saying. And that, at the very least, is something.

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Harry replies to Lockhart's fanmail during detention.

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## He works with what he’s got

Despite what you may think, Gilderoy Lockhart was actually a pretty clever child – he was, after all, sorted into Ravenclaw. He just happened to also be arrogant and lazy, never trying hard at anything unless he could be the best at it. But did such a lack of work ethic and natural talent hold him back? No, it did not. Instead Lockhart focused his attention on his strengths: deviousness, cunning, initiative. All things that allowed him to work towards his ambition of being a great wizard without actually being one. And that, in its own, twisted, Lockhart way, is admirable in itself.

## He knows how to play the fame game

More often than not, it takes talent to become famous. And more often than not, it takes talent to stay famous. Lockhart possesses such talent. He may not be the best dueller, or the man to fix your broken arm, but Lockhart is a virtuoso when it comes to the art of celebrity and self-promotion. Just look at how carefully he's created his image, how he has perfected his brand, how he never misses an opportunity for exposure or publicity – his first encounter with Harry Potter being a prime example.

## He's really handsome

Did you notice?

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## He's really good at memory charms

You might think that Lockhart has no magical ability, that he's just a handsome, charming chancer, fooling the world into thinking that he's a handsome, charming hero. But he does excel in one area of magic: memory charms. Lockhart is a master of them, an expert in Obliviating all evidence of his misdeeds. We're not saying that's necessarily a good thing, of course, but it does suggest hidden talents.

## He is ridiculously dedicated

How dedicated? At the end of the film *Chamber of Secrets (2002)*, there is a book by Gilderoy in Flourish and Blotts entitled *'Who am I?'*. Even when he couldn't remember who he was, or why he was famous, he was still dedicated to strengthening his brand. Total pro.

## Er, did we mention that he's really handsome?

Seriously, what a dreamboat.

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*Each month Pottermore will try to defend the more… questionable characters from the Harry Potter stories. Come back next month when we make the case for [Sybill Trelawney.](/features/in-defence-of-sybill-trelawney "In defence of Sybill Trelawney")*

6 questions we still have about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

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Quirrell teaching in his classroom with a lizard

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*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* raises some serious questions; questions about grief, about evil, about the everlasting [struggle to come to terms with death](/features/what-harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-teaches-us-about-death). But we’re not interested in those today. Today we want to know about the weird stuff – weird stuff like…

## How did Professor Quirrell sleep?

As you no doubt know, Professor Quirrell spent most of Philosopher’s Stone walking around with Voldemort on the back of his head: a shocking reveal that should in no way, shape or form be thought about any deeper. For if you do that, you’ll end up asking yourself the strangest questions about Quirrell’s daily routine.

For instance, how did Quirrell sleep? Because, of course, he couldn’t sleep on his back, lest one of the most powerful, most evil wizards who ever lived suffocated from having his face forced into a pillow. So… did he sleep on his side? Or maybe his belly? Did Quirrell and Voldemort stay up late chatting? Did Quirrell shower? And if so, did he have to reach behind his head and wash Voldemort’s face? 

## Whatever happened to ‘Hoggy Warty Hogwarts’?

Upon Harry’s first ever night at Hogwarts, after the Sorting Ceremony, Albus Dumbledore invited everyone to sing the Hogwarts school song ‘Hoggy Warty Hogwarts’. The lyrics are thus: 

*‘Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, 
Teach us something please, 
Whether we be old and bald 
Or young with scabby knees, 
Our heads could do with filling 
With some interesting stuff, 
For now they’re bare and full of air, 
Dead flies and bits of fluff, 
So teach us things worth knowing, 
Bring back what we’ve forgot, 
Just do your best, we’ll do the rest, 
And learn until our brains all rot.’* 

The best part about the song is that it can be sung to any tune desired, and all the other staff seem to have a secret loathing of it. Now, we know dark times were ahead and all that, but we never got another rendition of this classic again. Did Professor McGonagall have a quiet word? Either way, it was weird and we miss it. 

## What does ‘Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!’ actually mean?

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Another moment of wonderment from the start of term banquet was Albus Dumbledore’s parting words at the end of his speech: ‘Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!’ For years the world’s greatest scientists and linguists have been trying to figure out what on earth the headmaster was on about, but it still makes completely no sense. Maybe it’s all foreshadowing for later books in the series. Let’s see: nitwit means a daft person, blubber means extra fat, oddment means a portion of cut-off fabric, and tweak means to slightly adjust something. So that must mean… Nope, us neither. 

## What was Hagrid knitting on the train to London?

During Harry’s sudden trip to Diagon Alley, Hagrid was seen knitting what looked like a ‘canary-yellow circus tent’ on the train. What was this circus tent and what was its chief purpose? Was there a secret circus scene that was cut from the books? Was Hagrid fashioning himself a jazzy jacket? Was it the top-secret fourth part of the Deathly Hallows? We may never know.

## Why was ‘Mars bright tonight’?

In the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid, Hermione and Harry met Ronan the slightly sombre centaur. He was sort of the Morrissey of centaurs, if you will. Upon trying to ask him if he’d seen anything unusual, Ronan simply replied to Hagrid with: ‘Mars is bright tonight.’ That’s nice, Ronan. Then Firenze turns up and also starts going on about Mars. What’s so great about Mars? In fact, Firenze loves Mars so much, he brings it up again in *Order of the Phoenix*. You know, because Mars is the God of War and war is coming, etc. Maybe planets just get bright sometimes, Firenze. You know, science?

## Did Snape write the poem that accompanied the Potions logic puzzle?

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