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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

Things you would use broomsticks for other than flying

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The first thing we’d all do if we ever got our hands on a flying broomstick is – obviously – fly around, laughing maniacally.

Sadly, flying everywhere doesn’t seem to be an option. Sometimes you might be wary of breaking the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, and other times it’ll be raining and you just won’t feel like it. But either way, your broomstick doesn’t have to be gathering dust. (Ha, get it? Because broomsticks are usually used to gather… Oh never mind.) Enterprising minds can think up plenty of other ways in which a broomstick can be useful.

## Drying your clothes

There’s no need to take up space in a small flat with a clothes horse when you can float a broomstick in the air. This method would be especially useful when drying awkward things like duvet covers, which you can never seem to find enough height for using conventional methods. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden then you can use the broom as an easily portable post for a washing line. For anyone with a rotary washing line, a broomstick can be used to spin the line and dry your washing much faster. The danger is that the broom goes rogue and spins fast enough to send your towels flying into your neighbour’s privet hedge, but we say it’s worth the risk.

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Blagger's guide to Quidditch homepage carousel 

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## A low-impact way to play with pets

Cats are the traditional familiar of the witch or wizard, but they can require a lot of attention at inconvenient times (who hasn’t tried to finish their Arithmancy homework but been stalled by their cat sitting on it and attacking the quill?). Broomsticks offer a practical solution for distraction. By tying a cat toy, a feather, or even a bit of string to one end of your broom and sending it off around the house, your cat will be entertained until they become hungry or fall asleep, whichever comes sooner.

Brooms can also be modified to walk your dog. You can easily attach the lead to the broom, saving you from running to keep up with your eager pet. You can stroll at a leisurely pace behind while the broomstick does all the work. This is especially useful if your dog happens to be giant, or has more than the usual number of heads.

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The forbidden corridor with an open door that reveals Fluffy the three-headed dog.

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## Carrying shopping

Fact: shopping bags are heavy and cut into your hands, which hurts – and is especially the case if your shopping includes any badly behaved supplies like *The Monster Book of Monsters.* Second fact: broomsticks can carry the weight of at least two adults, or three at a push if you’re trying to rescue an old school nemesis from a fire, as Ron and Hermione discovered during the Battle of Hogwarts. And so a broomstick is ideal for carrying your heavy shopping for you, even if you don’t feel like flying yourself.

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## Seasonal decorating

With some simple modifications (which have probably already been suggested in enterprising wizarding publications like *Witch Weekly*), a broomstick can be used to aid in decorating your home. Just draping it in a sheet is enough to create a spooky, moving ghost for Hallowe’en, unless you want to go all out with a mannequin too. At Christmas a broomstick will be particularly helpful for hanging decorations in hard-to-reach places, especially tinsel, which has a habit of falling off things just as you’ve got it hooked up.

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## Cleaning

Magical or not, it’s still technically a broom, and sometimes cobwebs appear in awkward corners! You probably wouldn’t use a brand-new expensive Nimbus for this, but on the other hand if your mum is shouting at you to clean your room before you can come downstairs to dinner, she’ll definitely be checking and if it’s not done you won’t get pudding, well… you’d be tempted. 

If you’re especially lazy the broom can do most of the work for you, and is great for keeping magical messes at arm’s reach. It’s also a handy way to poke around under your bed and check for any monsters – any that aren’t supposed to be there, anyway. There could be a few Puffskeins that you’ve got used to.

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The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione use Doxycide in Grimmauld Place.

Things you’d use broomsticks for other than flying

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Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

Harry Potter moments that mean even more when you become a parent

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Here are a selection of moments from J.K. Rowling’s stories that mean even more to us as parents. 

PS: Grab a tissue.

## Hagrid’s lament

The opening chapters of *Philosopher’s Stone,* in which a wailing Hagrid carried the infant Harry to safety, carry greater significance on a re-read, because now you know just why Hagrid was howling for tiny Harry. This little boy faced a frightening future without the security and love of his parents following their tragic murders – and now he must live with the Dursleys. Having lost both his parents too, no wonder it hit Hagrid so hard.

> ‘Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?’ asked Hagrid. 
> He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog. 
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* 

## Something to reflect on

Harry’s discovery of the Mirror of Erised brought short relief. Although he could now finally see his family inside his enchanted reflection, he could never talk to them, hug them, know them. Dumbledore’s gentle reminder – ‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live’ – is a lesson to us all, to appreciate our loved ones in the here and now.

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JKR Mirror of Erised illustration

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## Molly’s ire

Reading Molly’s rants as a child, you might have rolled your eyes at its familiarity, the overtones of ‘How could you?’ and ‘How dare you?’ ringing in your own ears. Reading as a parent, it’s all too familiar: the idea of your child putting themselves in danger and the overwhelming relief that they’re okay can make you see red. Go Molly! Ron, you’ve been told.

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Molly rants homepage carousel

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## The anguish of Amos

Poor, innocent young Cedric Diggory and the anguish of his parents: sobbing Mr Diggory, and Mrs Diggory, so numb with grief she seemed beyond tears. Our very worst nightmare was their reality, and it is heartbreaking to imagine. 

> Then Dumbledore’s face, which was still blurred and misted, came closer. 
> ‘Harry, you can’t help him now. It’s over. Let go.’ 
> ‘He wanted me to bring him back,’ Harry muttered – it seemed important to explain this. ‘He wanted me to bring him back to his parents ...’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* 

## ‘Have a biscuit, Potter.’

Professor McGonagall was a notably stoic woman, and, as you possibly spotted, did not suffer fools gladly. Although her hard edges may have been mistaken for her being cold, Minerva was anything but, as we saw with her interactions with Harry over the years.

A particular favourite piece of surprising McGonagall affection was when Harry tried to explain why he had a massive screaming match with Professor Umbridge during *Order of the Phoenix*, and his teacher simply reacted by offering Harry a biscuit. This was the subtle nature of Professor McGonagall’s protective will over Harry. With no parents to turn to, Professor McGonagall’s quiet support of Harry (in the form of a delicious biscuit) was one of those moments where we appreciated McGonagall’s relationship with Harry all the more.

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McGonagall Homepage Carousel

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## A telling Boggart

Whatever our greatest fear may be, the shape-shifting Boggart could take it on in a physical form until it could be laughed off with the charm ‘Riddikulus!’ During Professor Lupin’s first lesson where his class encountered Boggarts, we saw spiders, rattlesnakes, banshees and even Professor Snape himself. All natural childhood fears. 

But for an adult a Boggart could be even more spine-chilling, as we saw when Molly Weasley’s Boggart took on the shapes of her family. Her fear was palpable as her husband, her sons and Harry lay as if dead before her eyes, and there’s nothing ridiculous about that.

## The tragedy of Mr and Mrs Longbottom

As a parent, there’s a lot of giving. Love, protection, energy, support, corned beef sandwiches – it’s constant. Mad-Eye Moody told Harry that Alice and Frank Longbottom would be ‘better dead than what happened to them’ – tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. And although they couldn’t give their son Neville any of the above, Alice did present a tragic gesture in the form of an empty Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum wrapper at every visit. It’s totally understandable that Neville just couldn’t throw them away.

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Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny in the permanent or long-lasting damage ward.

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## Lost memories

The revelation that Hermione had modified her parents’ memories in the wake of Voldemort’s ascent was used to great, yet devastating effect. Magically convincing the pair they were a childless couple called Wendell and Monica Wilkins, Hermione recalled one of her most tragic spells to Harry with tears swimming in her eyes.

For parents, protecting your children from danger is second nature. Here that role is reversed so movingly – and it’s heartening to know that in the stories, Mr and Mrs Granger’s precious memories of their daughter were merely modified, and not forever destroyed.

> ‘I’ve also modified my parents’ memories so that they’re convinced they’re really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins, and that their life’s ambition is to move to Australia, which they have now done. That’s to make it more difficult for Voldemort to track them down and interrogate them about me – or you, because unfortunately, I’ve told them quite a bit about you.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* 

## Molly’s revenge

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Molly Weasley’s previously mentioned Boggart turned out to be an ominous prediction of things to come. Her worst fears were realised; one of her sons was dead. It was with pure rage and grief combined that Molly then protected her daughter from the evil Bellatrix without a moment’s hesitation. 

Maternal instinct should not be underestimated, and in this instance, Bellatrix didn’t stand a chance. Molly may have been defeated by the Boggart but she had no problem finishing off the dastardly Death Eater with a rallying cry of, ‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!’

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Molly Weasley pointing her wand in the final battle 

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## We open at the close

Harry’s parents’ death is the theme that ties the first and final books firmly together, and the echoes of James and Lily are with Harry right at the very end of *Deathly Hallows.* They both died to protect him; the protective magic Lily left upon Harry the perfect allegory for how we all feel as Muggle parents. We can all admire the bravery and selflessness of Lily’s sacrifice, and as parents, we can nod in recognition – for in such dire circumstances, no other choice can be made.

> ‘Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realise that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

Pottermore’s guide to the twenties: the New York skyline

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The Big Apple of the Roaring Twenties was quite different from today’s New York, especially when it comes to the glittering skyline you’ve likely seen many times in many movies, including, of course, *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.*

Before skyscrapers like the Empire State Building or the World Trade Center ascended, the Woolworth Building was the tallest building in New York – nay, the world – a title that it held on to until the end of the 1920s, when more skyscrapers began to rise over Manhattan. Architect Cass Gilbert’s neo-Gothic creation, built in 1913, stands 792 feet tall, and cut an imposing figure on New York City’s budding skyline.

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In the 1920s, New York wasn’t the skyscraper-studded metropolis of today, that’s for sure. From the turn of the 20th century to the Woolworth Building’s rise (and beyond), the architecture of the city was defined by the Beaux Arts style (and its close cousin, the City Beautiful movement), characterised by grand, over-the-top elements like Grecian columns, lavish finishes and ornate decorative touches.

New York City’s awe-inspiring Grand Central Terminal, with its soaring ceilings and lovely exterior, is one of the best examples of Beaux Arts architecture. Grand Central also helped usher in the skyscraper boom in Midtown Manhattan, as real-estate tycoons and other entrepreneurs sought to be close to the world-class train station. (The Chrysler Building, built in 1930, is just one byproduct of this!)

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Another of New York City’s Beaux Arts masterpieces – one that is, sadly, long gone – was another train station just across town, Pennsylvania Station. Designed by the famed architecture firm McKim, Mead & White, the train depot was envisioned as ‘a monumental gateway and entrance to one of the great Metropolitan cities of the world’, according to Charles McKim, one of the firm’s founders.

It occupied two city blocks, with many architectural touches – columns, sculptural eagles, an airy concourse and acres of travertine – that helped it live up to that ‘monumental’ description. But it could not withstand the test of time, and was torn down in the 1960s. A new version now stands in its place.

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But as stunning as they were, those buildings weren’t exactly tall. Prior to the Woolworth’s opening, New York City had only a few skyscrapers, many of which were clustered in Lower Manhattan. At the time, the most famous of these was the Singer Building. It was an odd building, which is perhaps why it was so legendary: from its thick, 12-story base rose a skinny, 35-storey tower, which was lit at night to make it look even more distinctive. (It too was, alas, torn down in the 1960s.)

Moving further north up the island of Manhattan, there were more skyscrapers that rose before the Woolworth Building that remain, to this day, as beloved architectural icons.

One of these is the Flatiron Building, designed by Daniel Burnham, a Chicago architect who was most famous for supervising the master building plan for the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. The Flatiron was built nearly a decade later. At first glance it may seem less over-the-top than the grand structures that would follow it, but the building nevertheless reflects the ideals of the City Beautiful movement. It’s functional (and fits into the oddly-shaped, triangular lot) but still ornate, with intricate little ornaments dotted all over its exterior.

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Just a few blocks away is the Metropolitan Life Tower, which opened in 1909, and was briefly the tallest skyscraper in the world. That was until the Woolworth was constructed. Inspired by the Campanile in Venice, Italy, it has an enormous, four-faced clock at its tippy-top, a feature that helped distinguish it from other towers of the time. Woolworth followed in 1913, and soon after, a change in New York City’s zoning law helped usher in a new era of skyscrapers: the taller, narrower structure with set-back levels, which later came to dominate the skyline.

As the Roaring Twenties came to a close, the Woolworth Building’s enviable height would be challenged by two structures that would eventually rank among New York City’s most recognisable buildings: the Chrysler Building, which opened in 1930, and the Empire State Building, which quickly followed in 1931, becoming New York’s tallest building at a whopping 1,250 feet high. They also signalled a change in the prevailing architectural style: both are Art Deco masterpieces, with their sculptural steel frames, tall spires and modern ornamentation (the Chrysler’s sunbeam-inspired spire, for example, is utterly gorgeous).

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But even as times and styles have changed, the Woolworth Building remains a classic, stately symbol of old New York – so if you ever pop down, make sure you crick your neck and take a look up.

32 thoughts Fawkes might have had during Chamber of Secrets 

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Close-up of Harry and Fawkes from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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> Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird which resembled a half-plucked turkey. Harry stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Harry thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Harry watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail. 
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

1. How frightfully awkward. Burning Day and in comes the Boy Who Lived.
2. I wasn’t gagging, per se. It was more a clearing of the throat. You have no idea how difficult it is to summon the energy to swallow when I’m about to set myself on fire.
3. I would like to add that my eyes are not dull, they are enchanting. Although the feathers falling out is a tad mortifying. 
4. I wonder if he knows that he’s staring? I’m aware of his unpleasant upbringing, but surely he should have better manners.

> Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore’s pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames. Harry yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. He looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere, but couldn’t see one. The bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash on the floor.

5. Oh this is far too awkward, it’s fire time.
6. [muffled by ash] Splendid, I made him scream. (You would also find joy in the small things if you were reduced to ashes every now and then.)
7. At least this time I didn’t set fire to any portraits. That was an upsetting day.
8. Was he really going to throw a glass of water at a phoenix? Must have a word with Albus about Hogwarts’ fire plan.

> ‘About time, too,’ he said. ‘He’s been looking dreadful for days, I’ve been telling him to get a move on.’ He chuckled at the stunned look on Harry’s face. 

9.	I really didn’t look that bad, Albus. You should take a look in the mirror sometime. Need a beard trim, much?
10. I also enjoyed the expression on the boy’s face. Maybe having him here wasn’t so bad after all. 

> ‘Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him ...’ 
Harry looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, new-born bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one. 

11. I don’t need your approval, young man. I’m fabulous in any form I take. 
12. I’m every phoenix! It’s all in me! 

> ‘It’s a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day,’ said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. ‘He’s really very handsome most of the time: wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers and they make highly faithful pets.’ 

13. Exactly my point, Albus. This is why we work well together.
14. Nothing like a self-esteem boost on Burning Day, I can tell you that much.
15. Now if someone could oblige me with a feather boa until I grow my own back, that’d be fabulous.

> Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Harry’s scalp and made his heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size.

16. Yep, that’s my tune.

> Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. 

17.	 I know, right?
18.	 Rise like a phoenix, I say.

> A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock’s and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle. 

19.	No flash photography please, yes it’s me. 

> The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Harry’s cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle. 
> ‘That’s a phoenix ...’ said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.

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20.	Five points for Captain Obvious over here.

> ‘And that –’ said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, ‘that’s the old school Sorting Hat.’ 
> So it was. Patched, frayed and dirty, the Hat lay motionless at Harry’s feet. Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once. 
> ‘This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?’

21. This young man sorely needs a lesson in manners. I know he turns out to be the Dark Lord and everything but did you hear the way he spoke to me just now?
22. I must remember to tell Albus that he shouldn’t worry too much about Tom Riddle. He seems a little self-involved if you ask me.

> Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight he felt Fawkes’s wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout, ‘Don’t leave me!’ but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?

23. Oh ye of little faith.

> Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the Basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabres. Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake’s tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned. Harry looked straight into its face, and saw that its eyes, both its great bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor and the snake was spitting in agony. 
> ‘No!’ Harry heard Riddle screaming. ‘Leave the bird! Leave the bird! The boy is behind you! You can still smell him! Kill him!’ 

24.	 Ha, this so-called great beast of the Chamber of Secrets is actually a great lummocks.

> A patch of scarlet swam past and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him.
> ‘Fawkes,’ said Harry thickly. ‘You were brilliant, Fawkes ...’ He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent’s fang had pierced him. 

25. Oh Harry, don’t make me cry. Actually, wait, I’m an amazing phoenix, please for the love of god make me cry.

> ‘You’re dead, Harry Potter,’ said Riddle’s voice above him. ‘Dead. Even Dumbledore’s bird knows it. Do you see what he’s doing, Potter? He’s crying.’ 
> Harry blinked. Fawkes’s head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers. 

26.	 Look, there’s just something in my eye, okay? Maybe you should try getting in touch with your emotions some time. Also my tears are MAGICAL. Honestly.

> Harry gave his head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry’s arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound – except that there was no wound. 
> ‘Get away, bird,’ said Riddle’s voice suddenly. ‘Get away from him. I said, get away!’ 
> Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry’s wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet. 
> ‘Phoenix tears ...’ said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry’s arm. ‘Of course ... healing powers ... I forgot ...’

27.	 Yet another reason why they should introduce Phoenix Studies at Hogwarts.

> Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

28. I really must have a word with Albus about the employment of this pretty boy fool.

> Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. 
> Harry looked uncertainly at him. 
> ‘He looks like he wants you to grab hold ...’ said Ron, looking perplexed. ‘But you’re much too heavy for a bird to pull up there.’

29. Look, ginger, I’m not some common house sparrow.
30.	Weren’t you the boy who vomited slugs earlier this year?

> An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through his whole body, and next second, with a whoosh, they were flying upwards through the pipe.

31.	Yes boys, rise like a phoenix I tell you!

> ‘First of all, Harry, I want to thank you,’ said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. ‘You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you.’

32.	 I am a tough bird to please, you know.

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Why Lupin and Tonks’s romance is one of Harry Potter’s greatest tragedies

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Tonk and Lupin standing together from the Half Blood Prince 

The romance between Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks is perhaps the most tragic in the Harry Potter books. Here's why we think so!

The Tragedy of Lupin & Tonks in Harry Potter | Wizarding World

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The romance of Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin happened, for the most part, off the page. We never witnessed their first meeting; we never saw them slowly but surely falling for one another during Order of the Phoenix missions; nor did we see their eventual wedding – or their deaths.

It was a sub-plot: something happening in the background, a way of showing that the wizarding world didn’t just revolve around Harry Potter, that his story was one of many taking place around him. And it was for this reason that perhaps we never fully absorbed the impact of just how sad their romance really was. It was a love story doomed to fail by prejudice and war, but ended up far worse.

This was the tragedy of Tonks and Lupin.

## Remus Lupin was convinced no one could ever love him

In [‘Remus Lupin’](/writing-by-jk-rowling/remus-lupin), J.K. Rowling detailed how Lupin and Tonks first met:

> Remus, so often melancholy and lonely, was first amused, then impressed, then seriously smitten by the young witch. He had never fallen in love before. If it had happened in peacetime, Remus would have simply taken himself off to a new place and a new job, so that he did not have to endure the pain of watching Tonks fall in love with a handsome, young wizard in the Auror office, which was what he expected to happen.  
> *‘Remus Lupin’, Pottermore*

This was because werewolf Lupin, conditioned by years of stigma and prejudice, considered himself unworthy of love: that he was somehow too damaged for Tonks to ever return his feelings.

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Lupin leaves his office while Harry and Dumbledore watch

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## But Tonks changed that

Tonks didn’t care, though. For over the course of their Order of the Phoenix missions, she too had [fallen in love](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-nymphadora-tonks) with Lupin – even if he was ‘too busy feeling sorry for himself to notice’. Lupin, upon finding out, felt happier than he had ever felt in his life. But it didn’t last for long.

## Their early romance was... complicated

Lupin may have been thrilled to learn of Tonks’s feelings but that didn’t mean that he immediately reciprocated them. Instead, he shut down. He avoided any further missions with her, barely spoke to her and started volunteering for the most dangerous tasks.

Tonks believed that he refused to admit his feelings out of nobility. But Lupin was actually in despair, convinced that he could not run the risk of marrying and passing on his [lycanthropy](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/werewolves) to a child. Tonks, convinced that Lupin would never spend time with her again, became desperately unhappy.

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Tonks in the Ministry of Magic from the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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## But their love for each other was too strong

Again, Tonks didn’t care about Lupin’s condition. Inspired by Fleur Delacour’s love for Bill Weasley – who had been bitten by the same werewolf who attacked Remus as a child, [Fenrir Greyback](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/why-fenrir-greyback-was-the-creepiest-villain-in-the-harry-potter-books) – Tonks made her feelings perfectly clear:

> ‘You see!’ said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. ‘She still wants to marry him, even though he’s been bitten! She doesn’t care!’ 
> ‘It’s different,’ said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. ‘Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely —’ 
> ‘But I don’t care either, I don’t care!’ said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin’s robes and shaking them. ‘I’ve told you a million times ...’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* 

## They married

Lupin never felt at ease about his love for Tonks, continuing to think that he was being cruel and selfish. Nonetheless, they married quietly in the north of Scotland, with witnesses taken from the local wizarding tavern. As J.K. Rowling writes:

> He continued to fear that the stigma attached to him would infect his wife and wished for no fanfare around their union; he swung constantly between elation that he was married to the woman of his dreams and terror of what he might have brought upon them both. 
> *‘Remus Lupin’, Pottermore* 

## Theirs was a harsh, wartime romance

From the very beginning, their romance was defined by complications, by challenges to be overcome, by anxiety and fear. For not only did they have to contend with stigma and prejudice, and Lupin’s doubts and regrets, but the Second Wizarding War.

Has such a love ever been tested quite so fiercely? Even when Tonks became pregnant, the news was overshadowed by Lupin’s worries. Had he passed his condition on to an innocent child? Had he condemned yet another life to misery? At one point the worry overwhelmed him, and he tried to flee. But in an angry confrontation with Harry, he was convinced to stay.

## But then there was hope

Teddy Lupin was born with no signs of lycanthropy, but did inherit his mother’s ability to change his appearance at will. The night of his birth was one of the few times when Remus Lupin seemed truly happy. He found the Order and, beaming, told them the good news. With nothing but gratitude, he asked [Harry to be Teddy’s godfather](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/everything-you-may-have-forgotten-from-deathly-hallows-epilogue). There was a toast. ‘To Teddy Remus Lupin,’ said Lupin, ‘a great wizard in the making!’

Everything had worked out. Remus, Nymphadora and Teddy: a family, living happily ever after. Everything was going to be okay.

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Tonks looking scared with Lupin at her side from the Half Blood Prince.

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## The Battle of Hogwarts

It’s not the despair that gets you. It’s the hope.

Yes, after all the struggles, all the worries, all the challenges to overcome, both Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin were killed during the [Battle of Hogwarts](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/battle-of-hogwarts-timeline). It was a cruel end: a final, crushing unfairness in a world of unfairness. Why did it have to be them? Why did it have to be now?

One of the saddest things was that Tonks wasn’t supposed to be there at all.

> Harry looked at Tonks. ‘I thought you were supposed to be with Teddy at your mother’s?’ 
> ‘I couldn’t stand not knowing —’ Tonks looked anguished. ‘She’ll look after him — have you seen Remus?’ 
> ‘He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds —’ 
> Without another word, Tonks sped off. 
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* 

We never saw Tonks find Lupin. It’s uncertain if she even did. The next time Harry saw her she was dead, lying side-by-side with Lupin; together, even in death.

## But their legacy lived on

The tragedy of Tonks and Lupin is a sad chapter in a larger story. For their love would live on – through Teddy. And although, much like Harry Potter and his parents, Teddy would never know his mother and father, he would understand that it was through their sacrifice, their love, that he grew up in a better world.

Everything a Muggle should remember when dating a witch or wizard

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Love is hard. If it wasn’t bad enough analysing mixed messages from the one you fancy all the live-long day, imagine falling for someone who can spontaneously disappear, fly away, or transform into a rocking horse at a moment’s notice. Now, what kind of messages are those supposed to send out?

Yes, romancing a wizard or witch definitely sounds like a learning curve. So here are some handy tips if you really could fall in love with someone of the wizarding variety. 

## Remember that witches and wizards have magical powers 

This may seem like an obvious point to make, but it bears repeating. After all, if you’re wooing a witch or wizard: all standard rules are off the table.

Dating a magical person has its perks (bowls of ice-cream can now magically re-fill themselves, people) but it also has its foibles. After all, if you find yourselves in a lovers’ tiff and your date has a spectacularly short fuse, you may wake up as a victim of an ear-shrivelling curse. Best to establish some boundaries before you get serious. And invest in some ear-muffs.

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Sprout holds a mandrake in her greenhouse.

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## ‘Going back to their place’ now has a whole new layer of expectations 

It’s always an educational experience visiting your new squeeze’s home for the first time. ‘What if they’re untidy?’ ‘What if they have a loathsome housemate?’ ‘What if their coffee table is bewitched and starts tap-dancing and totally ruins the moment?’ you may ponder. Yes, you’d best start asking the bigger questions if you’re taking your relationship with a wizard to the next level. You’ll get used to it all eventually, of course. For example, you’ll soon learn not to casually peruse their bookshelves in case you open the book that won’t stop screaming.

It works the other way round, too. Expect gaping jaws when your sweetheart visits your pad for the first time. After all, things like televisions and radiators and cheese graters will likely completely perplex a wizard who hasn’t been paying attention to Muggle Studies, and it might be a good idea to start labelling things. Wizards may be almighty powerful, but how almighty powerful will they be if they try to drink your grout-cleaner?

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