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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

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[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

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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

Some of the best wizarding swear words

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Unlike Muggle swears, wizarding curse words are intended more for dramatic emphasis than to offend – although Molly Weasley might not agree.

These range from utterly bonkers to totally bamboozling. And one of the most common curses is attributed to one of the greatest wizards in history. (Sorry, Merlin.)

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## Merlin’s beard

The wizard of Arthurian legend was one of the most celebrated of all time: the wizarding world even has ‘the Order of Merlin’ to honour wizarding kind. Despite all of that, you probably know him more by his ‘most baggy Y-fronts’, his ‘pants’ or perhaps just his name alone – which is regularly invoked by surprised or shocked witches and wizards.

> ‘What in the name of Merlin’s most baggy Y-fronts was that about?’  
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

The biggest culprit when it came to taking Merlin’s name in vain was a certain Ron Weasley. He was very familiar with Merlin’s undergarments and regularly turned the air blue when given extra homework or after a dodgy Quidditch match. Just don’t mention ‘Merlin’s saggy left…’ Let’s not even go there.

Ron and his similarly versed siblings (most notably Fred and George) appeared to have learned everything they knew from Arthur Weasley.

> ‘Merlin’s beard!’ exclaimed Mr Weasley wonderingly, pulling Harry aside to let them all pass. ‘You were tried by the full court?’  
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

In fact, almost everyone we met from the Ministry of Magic peppered their language with Merlinisms with regularity. Cornelius Fudge, who tried so hard to deny Voldemort’s return, tended to blurt out ‘Merlin’s beard’ quite a bit, especially when faced with incontrovertible proof of the Dark Lord’s return. Well, it *was* a stressful time.

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## ‘Creative’ curse word choice

Hogwarts teachers, for shame! It turned out that quite a few of the school’s staff need a wizarding swear jar, especially the likes of Dumbledore, Slughorn and Moody. 

Hagrid was a little more creative in his linguistic choices, invoking the occasional ‘Gallopin’ Gorgons’ rather than taking it out on poor Merlin; while Filch, who was unable to perform curses of the magical kind, had perfected the art of magical cusses with aplomb, spitting out ‘great sizzling dragon bogies… frog brains… rat intestines’ during times of irritation. 

Like Muggles, wizarding folk also shared a preoccupation with, erm, well, poo. But even the likes of excrement was given a magical makeover when life got a little rough. For example, Ron described a particular performance during a Quidditch match as ‘like a sack of dragon dung’. 

## Mudblood

Thankfully, folks didn’t tend to get more foul-mouthed than utterances of ‘dunderhead’, ‘dungbrains’ and ‘git’ during the Harry Potter books – but there was one slur that was a terrible exception.

‘Mudblood’ was the derogatory term used against witches and wizards born to Muggles, and wasn’t so much a swear word as it was a sign of deeply rooted wizarding prejudice. Malfoy, himself from a pure-blood family, called the Muggle-born Hermione a Mudblood – much to Ron’s disgust, and it wasn’t long before we realised just how awful it was that a child Malfoy’s age was using such a loaded word. 

## We didn’t see that coming 

Perhaps the funniest and most powerful swears came from those who didn’t normally say them. For example, Hermione shrieked ‘Merlin’s pants!’ when the trio were hunting Horcruxes. Pretty shocking stuff.

And while Molly might have pursed her lips at any mention of Merlin’s unmentionables, she herself was responsible for the best swearing moment of them all – one that Muggles may have been rather familiar with. During the Battle of Hogwarts, after one of Bellatrix Lestrange’s killing curses missed Ginny by inches, she shrieked, ‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU...’ (well, you know the rest) before finishing her off for good. 

Gallopin’ Gorgons, indeed!

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Molly Weasley pointing her wand in the final battle 

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

8 times the ‘good guys’ were surprisingly bad

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Harry, Ron and Hermione in Xenophilius LoveGood's House from The Deathly Hallows.

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Draco lying on the bathroom floor after Harry's curse 

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No one is 100 per cent good or bad, but here are eight times Harry Potter characters  made bad choices despite good intentions.

## Sectumsempra

Harry may have been the The Boy Who Lived, but he wasn’t immune to bad decisions or dangerous impulses. In *Half-Blood Prince*, Harry pushed his luck after acquiring a dusty old Potions textbook that had been heavily annotated with notes and homemade spells — spells Harry decided to try out.

This backfired horrifically when he tried Sectumsempra out on Malfoy during an angry confrontation. Noted as being ‘for enemies’, the spell was clearly not friendly, and turned out to be a hex that slashed Malfoy, seriously hurting him. Harry and Malfoy had never been bosom buddies, but the magnitude of the attack was huge, leaving Harry to question himself and his trust in the anonymous Prince’s scribblings.  

## Attacking the Fat Lady’s Portrait

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Student and teachers find the slashed Fat lady 

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When we were first introduced to Sirius Black, he was a wanted fugitive on the run from Azkaban, convicted of the murder of Peter Pettigrew and of betraying Harry’s parents. Not a good start. Sirius didn’t exactly improve matters when he tried to sneak into the Gryffindor dormitory by slashing the Fat Lady’s portrait. 

We later discovered that Sirius wasn’t a bloodthirsty murderer at all, and simply wanted to get revenge on the real villain of the piece – the not-at-all-dead Peter Pettigrew. But taking it out on the Fat Lady wasn’t so heroic. Firstly, the entirety of Hogwarts was panic-stricken, including his own godson. Secondly, paintings have feelings too.  

## Dumbledore and Grindelwald

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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It’s difficult to disagree with the fact that Albus Dumbledore was a marvellous man, lauded and respected by many. However, as Rita Skeeter so distastefully revealed, his past was a little more complicated.

Albus was once friends with Gellert Grindelwald, a wizard who we knew would succumb to true darkness in his later years. During their youth, Gellert was enamoured with his a plan ‘for the greater good’ that would see wizards rise up and take their rightful place above Muggles. 

Their friendship ended after Dumbledore’s sister Ariana was killed by a stray curse cast during a heated three-way argument between the pair and Albus’s brother, Aberforth. 

This all sounds very unlike Dumbledore the wise teacher, but we shouldn’t forget that he was young once too. Dumbledore bested Grindelwald in a legendary duel many years later, but probably not without a shadow of guilt for Ariana, and the tragedy that his old friend had descended so far into darkness.  

## Hermione setting birds on Ron

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Hermione was one of the greatest witches of her generation, and a strong advocate for using magic for good. But despite her incredible acumen, she was also once a teenager with hormones. This came into play when Ron started his relationship with Lavender Brown, and very publicly, might we add, in the Gryffindor common room. 

When Hermione tried to get away, the new couple blundered into the exact room she was in, just to rub the salt extra-thoroughly into the wound. It was the last straw for Hermione, who promptly snapped and charmed a flock of birds to attack Ron. It wasn’t very Hermione-like to maim one of her best friends, but to be fair, Ron didn’t exactly break the news to her sensitively... 

## James bullying Snape

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A close up of the pensieve from the Half Blood Prince 

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Lily and James Potter were well-known figures in the wizarding world, both for their talents and their tragic, early deaths. So it was only natural that Harry, having lost his parents so young, had perhaps a rather rose-tinted view of them both.

As such, it was a shock when he saw the way his father treated Snape when they were teenagers at Hogwarts. Having always wondered why the Potions Master treated him with such withering contempt, the reason became all too clear to Harry when he realised James used to embarrass him in front of students, perfecting the nickname ‘Snivellus’. 

Of course, James grew out of this and became the man that Harry believed him to be, but the revelation also taught Harry that while his parents may have died heroes, they were sometimes just as flawed as the rest of us. 

## Xenophilius and the Death Eaters

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At first glance, Luna’s father Xenophilius seemed as harmlessly eccentric as his daughter. Xenophilius even used his infamously bonkers publication, *The Quibbler*, to openly support Harry, when the *Daily Prophet* would not. This loyalty didn’t last long.

When Harry, Ron and Hermione visited Xenophilius for help in their quest for Horcruxes, Xenophilius alerted the Death Eaters of their location immediately. But Hermione was quick to realise why: Luna had been kidnapped, and he simply wanted to get her back at whatever the cost. A lesson that sometimes we do things for love that we would never even consider normally.

## Bartemius Crouch and his son

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Bartemius Crouch seemed like an upstanding member of the Ministry of Magic: a straight up, law-abiding wizard who banished his own son to Azkaban when he joined Voldemort’s ranks. Or so it seemed. 

Actually, Barty had been breaking the rules for a while, sneaking Barty Crouch Jr out of prison, which led to him being reunited with Voldemort. Barty Crouch Jr then stole the identity of Mad-Eye Moody, botched the Triwizard Tournament, and used Harry to bring Voldemort back to full strength. Not the sort of stuff you get promotions for. 

The sad truth of the matter, however, was that it was his dying wife’s final wish that she replace their son in prison, so he might have another chance at life. Barty Crouch Sr did what he did for love, while his wife would never know that her sacrifice would mark terrible things were to come.  

## Snape killing Dumbledore

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This one is rather complicated, obviously.

Snape doing arguably bad things is nothing new to us, but when he used Avada Kedavra against Albus Dumbledore at the top of the Astronomy Tower, he went from annoying Potions Master to a truly Dark wizard.

How could he do it? How could he turn on the man who had given him a second chance? Harry couldn’t understand it and neither could we; had Dumbledore really misjudged him so much? As it turned out, no.

Snape killed Dumbledore at the request of the great wizard himself, to spare the terrified Draco Malfoy from scarring his soul irreparably with murder. Snape was also trying to atone for divulging the prophecy to Voldemort – an action that led to the death of the love of Snape’s life, Lily Potter. When examining what it is to be good, and what it is to be bad, we feel Snape will always lie somewhere in those shades of grey.

The secret lives and deaths of the Hogwarts ghosts 

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We may only know the ghosts of Hogwarts as the [ghosts of Hogwarts](/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-ghosts "Hogwarts Ghosts by J.K. Rowling"): spirits that haunt the halls, guiding students and occasionally causing mischief. Yet they didn’t just come with the building – well, not all of them anyway. Before they were ghosts, they were people – people with lives that were interesting, dramatic and sometimes gruesome. Here are some of the lesser-known stories of Hogwarts’ spookiest squatters… 

## Nearly Headless Nick

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Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, aka Nearly Headless Nick, led a choppy life. He was originally born in the 15th century to a family of nobles, which he left at the age of 11 to attend Hogwarts. He was sorted into [Gryffindor](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/gryffindor) – the house that, hundreds of years later, he would go on to represent as house ghost. 

After Hogwarts, Nick found himself as a wizard at the royal court, who also knighted him. He was friendly with Muggles, including a lady-in-waiting from the court, Lady Grieve, who would ultimately be the cause of his doom. The story goes that Nick met Grieve while strolling in the park, and – being the friendly chap he was/is – insisted that he could fix her crooked teeth with magic. But the spell backfired, and she instead started to grow a tusk. Nick was then arrested and sentenced to death: a botched beheading that, because of a dull axe, took 45 hacks to kill him, but still didn’t sever his head from his body. Hence the nickname Nearly Headless Nick. 

## Moaning Myrtle 

Before she was Hogwarts’ most, er, impassioned ghost, Moaning Myrtle was an unhappy and picked-upon child. Born in the late 1920s to Muggle parents, Myrtle Warren started her Hogwarts life in the early 1940s, where she was sorted into [Ravenclaw](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/ravenclaw). She had no friends, and was bullied relentlessly because of her glasses and acne. But she would soon have all of eternity to get her own back.

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Myrtle’s transition from lonely student to eccentric ghost was thanks to the [Chamber of Secrets](/writing-by-jk-rowling/chamber-of-secrets "Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling"). Having been teased by fellow student Olive Hornby, Myrtle hid in the first-floor girls’ toilets and began sobbing in one of its stalls. It was here that she ran into Voldemort himself, Tom Riddle, who she overheard speaking [Parseltongue](/features/everything-you-didnt-know-about-parseltongue "Everything you didn’t know about Parseltongue") in order to open the Chamber, which was hidden behind the sinks. Thinking that Riddle was intruding in the girls’ bathroom, she opened the stall door to tell him off – only to be confronted with the Chamber of Secrets’ Basilisk, whose gaze killed her instantly. 

Her body was later found by Hornby, whose discovery would haunt her – both figuratively and literally, for Myrtle returned as a ghost and immediately started to torment her. After a complaint to the Ministry of Magic, Myrtle was consigned to the bathroom forever. 

## The Fat Friar 

Not much is known about the Fat Friar. He’s fat, obviously. And a friar. But much of his life remains a mystery. What we do know is that he was born late into the tenth century, and was sorted into [Hufflepuff](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/hufflepuff) at Hogwarts – and run by its founders. Some point after finishing his magical education, the Fat Friar – not his real name – joined a mendicant religion as a friar, meaning that he spent his life begging in the name of charity. 

A noble life for a noble man, but the Fat Friar’s kindness was to be his undoing. For his fellow clergy grew suspicious at his ability to cure the pox with nothing but a stick, and he was soon executed. His penchant for pulling rabbits out of the communion wine probably didn’t help either.

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## The Grey Lady

In death she’s known as the Grey Lady. In life she was Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of legendary witch Rowena Ravenclaw, who founded [Ravenclaw house](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/ravenclaw) in 993.

Helena’s relationship with her mother was complex. An ambitious witch in the shadow of a brilliant one, Helena envied her mother’s status and wisdom – which was enhanced by her enchanted diadem. A few years into her magical education, she betrayed her mother by stealing the diadem – believing it could make her powerful – and running away from Hogwarts. The betrayal embarrassed Rowena, who told no one that the diadem was missing. On her death bed, however, she did send a young man to find Helena, so she could see her daughter for one last time. That young man tracked her down to a forest in Albania, and what happened next would be her downfall...

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## The Bloody Baron

How the Bloody Baron became the Bloody Baron – an apparently dangerous ghost soaked in someone else’s blood – remained a mystery at Hogwarts for quite a while. It all began, however, with Helena Ravenclaw. The Baron, born into nobility in the late tenth century, was infatuated with Helena ever since they met at Hogwarts, though she always spurned his advances. Not much is known about the Baron beyond his involvement with Helena, but it’s clear that he was a hot-tempered young man.

When Helena ran away with her mother’s diadem, the Baron was asked to track her down: which he did, to a forest in Albania. With her cornered, the Baron pleaded with Helena to come back with him, but – in her own words – became ‘furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom’ and stabbed her to death. Rightly horrified at what he had done, he then used the same knife to kill himself – sentencing himself to an eternity of penance, soaked in Helena’s blood. He has since remained at Hogwarts as [Slytherin's](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/slytherin)ghost.

## Special mention: Peeves 

Why is Peeves a special mention? Because Peeves is technically not a ghost, he’s a poltergeist. This means that he never died, and therefore never lived. Instead, it’s said that the pesky prankster came into existence with the founding of Hogwarts. Not much is known about how or why Peeves came to be, but [J.K. Rowling has said](/writing-by-jk-rowling/peeves "Peeves By J.K. Rowling") before that he ‘came with the building’, that he was like ‘dry rot... like a severe plumbing problem in a very old building’. It’s probably fair to say that Argus Filch would agree.

All about... Bellatrix Lestrange

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[Mobile version](https://images.contentful.com/bxd3o8b291gf/6H7lRJm120WI8ooW2g8S2S/00037706273ddf7195c14dc34460f6a3/HP_BELLATRIX_Mobile.jpg)

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Bellatrix Lestrange Infographic Full Size version

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[Full version](https://images.contentful.com/bxd3o8b291gf/4lGdJsWboQWk6UgIUIiWK2/af15f70b75b99a71f37c6ab16b8d3fa4/BELLATRIX_FINALpdf_1_.jpg)

[Text version](/about/bellatrix-lestrange-infographic-text-version)

[*Click here to learn all about our favourite Nargle spotter, Luna Lovegood.*](/feature/pottermore-luna-lovegood-infographic "All about... Luna Lovegood")

The wit and wisdom of Professor McGonagall

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Ron dancing with Professor McGonagall from the Goblet of Fire 

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Here are some top tips to learn from Professor McGonagall.

## Give credit where credit’s due 

> ‘Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first-years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

McGonagall’s staunch sense of justice meant punishment for anyone who dared to misbehave in her classroom. However, this worked both ways and achievements would always be recognised and rewarded.

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## Never suffer fools gladly 

Minerva McGonagall wasn’t born yesterday! She’ll not be hoodwinked by some swaggering imbecile in a fancy cloak… and yes, we’re talking about Gilderoy Lockhart:

> ‘V-very well,’ he said. ‘I’ll – I’ll be in my office, getting – getting ready.’ 
> And he left the room. 
> ‘Right,’ said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, ‘that’s got him out from under our feet.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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McGonagall looking shocked from the Half Blood Prince 

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McGonagall wasn’t the sort to tolerate ignorance, especially from her own staff. She never hesitated to put fools in their place, even if they did happen to represent the Ministry:

> ‘I should have made my meaning plainer,’ said Professor McGonagall, turning at last to look Umbridge directly in the eyes. ‘He has achieved high marks in all Defence Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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## Sometimes it’s okay to bend the rules… just a wee bit

> ‘I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can’t bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn’t look Severus Snape in the face for weeks...’
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

Thanks to McGonagall’s talent scouting, Gryffindor house gained a star player in the shape of Harry Potter. Rules are made for a reason, but some are just begging to be broken, especially when your competitive streak is stirred.

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MinervaMcGonagall WB F2 McGonagallAtDeskLookingTroubled Still 080615 Land

McGonagall at her desk from the Chamber of Secrets 

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## Feel free to speak your mind… 

> ‘It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that’s a very imprecise branch of magic.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

For advocates of order and logic, there could be nothing sillier than looking for soggy shapes at the bottom of a teacup. Mind you, McGonagall’s distaste for Divination was exactly what you wanted to hear after Professor Trelawney’s predicted your demise. Why waste hours staring into a crystal ball when you could be transforming animals into useful household items?

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WB F3 HermioneTrelawney HermioneLookingUnimpressed HP3D-2434 UP HPE3

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## …but know when to put your differences aside 

McGonagall might not have been a fan of Trelawney’s teaching, but she was the first to comfort her when she lost her job:

> Professor McGonagall had broken away from the spectators, marched straight up to Professor Trelawney and was patting her firmly on the back while withdrawing a large handkerchief from within her robes. 
> ‘There, there, Sybill… calm down… blow your nose on this… it’s not as bad as you think, now… you are not going to have to leave Hogwarts…’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

HP-F5

and the Order of the Phoenix

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Because sometimes being kind is more important than being right.

## Dance like nobody’s watching (apart from the entire school)

> ‘I’m not dancing,’ he said. 
> ‘It is traditional,’ said Professor McGonagall firmly. ‘You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter.’ 
> ‘But – I don’t –’ 
> ‘You heard me, Potter,’ said Professor McGonagall, in a very final sort of way. 
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

When McGonagall says you’ll dance, you’ll dance – end of discussion! This gave us one of the most charming scenes in the film adaptation of *Goblet of Fire* (2005) as she helped the Gryffindor students learn their first steps for the Yule Ball.

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WB F4 Yule Ball Professors Christmas HP4D-15050

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## Be the person you are, not who someone else wants you to be 

> ‘My grandmother thinks Charms is a soft option,’ mumbled Neville. 
> ‘Take Charms,’ said Professor McGonagall, ‘and I shall drop Augusta a line reminding her that just because she failed her Charms O.W.L., the subject is not necessarily worthless.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince*

Poor Neville! He never fared too well in Transfiguration, which just happened to be McGonagall’s subject. Thankfully, his Head of House knew how to help her students find their true strengths along with a much-needed dose of confidence.

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