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

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

## The Leaky Cauldron is the oldest pub in London

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

## Muggles used to frequent the Leaky Cauldron

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

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

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

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

## A pub was the headquarters of a rebellion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every quote to live by from your favourite witches

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

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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## The importance of keeping things in perspective

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

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

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

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

## Don’t be afraid to be bold

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

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

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Ginny Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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

## Be proud of who you are

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

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

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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

## There is always hope

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

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

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Luna Lovegood: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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

## Don’t be afraid to dream big

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

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

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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

## An excellent reminder

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

‘A good first impression can work wonders.'

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Molly Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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

## Do what is right, not what is easy

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

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

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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

## Protect what is important

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

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

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Pomona Sprout: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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

## Don’t judge a book by its cover

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

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

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Fleur Delacour: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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

## Boundaries are good

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

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

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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

Your birth month tells us your Harry Potter soulmate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

## July: Your perfect match is loyal Neville Longbottom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

## October: Fiery Ginny Weasley is your magical match

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features - Wizarding World

The chapter that made us fall in love with Professor Severus Snape

PMARCHIVE-The chapter that made us fall in love with… Severus Snape 

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Pensieve (black)

Revealing him as a hero, J.K. Rowling completely changed our opinion of Severus Snape in just a single chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The chapter that made us fall in love with Severus Snape | Wizarding World

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A walk inside Snape’s memories transformed him in Harry's mind from sniping [Potions master](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions) to ‘the bravest man he ever knew’. We take a closer look at the chapter from *Deathly Hallows* that changed everything.

## ‘The Prince’s Tale’

Professor Snape is dead on Voldemort’s orders, and Harry saw it all. In his dying moments, he told Harry to take his memories and look at him one last time. Voldemort’s voice then sounded through the corridors, challenging Harry to meet him in the Forbidden Forest in an hour. This is the end. 

Harry then goes to the headmaster’s office and finds the Pensieve.

> [The stone Pensieve](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/pensieve) lay in the cabinet where it had always been: Harry heaved it on to the desk and poured Snape’s memories into the wide basin with its runic markings around the edge. To escape into someone else’s head would be a blessed relief...nothing that even Snape had left him could be worse than his own thoughts.<br>
> *Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows*

As children, Harry, Ron and Hermione had looked at the sarcastic and strict Professor Snape as something of a pantomime villain – the bitter Potions master, stewing in the dungeons. As adults, they [learn Snape is far more complex](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/key-moments-when-severus-snapes-actions-were-misunderstood). 

In *Deathly Hallows*, when Harry approached the Pensieve, he was grief-stricken and broken by battle. He practically fell into Snape’s memories, and discovered a little thin-faced boy who once knew a girl called Lily  Harry’s mother and Snape were childhood friends. Growing up in their tiny Muggle town of Cokeworth, they bonded over their magical powers like other kids do over toys. 

Once at Hogwarts the two friends were sorted into different houses, and later Snape fell in with the wrong crowd. Not just the usual teenage reprobates, but future supporters of the most powerful Dark wizard of all time. 

In these memories Harry saw Snape’s frantic conferences with Dumbledore about the prophecy and how he begged for some way to keep Lily safe from Voldemort; and later, when her death made him wish for his own. Imagine squeezing out of the grasp of a murderer, and then working directly against him. What a tightrope to walk along.

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Snape teaching potions from the Philosopher's Stone 

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## Why this chapter is important
‘The Prince’s Tale’ is quite the story. We see Snape’s life as a young, neglected boy with (heavily implied) warring parents, his unrequited love for someone who married his school bully, and his stressful life as a double agent. 

This pattern is woven through each book – Snape is bad; Snape is good; Snape’s a total git; Snape saved your life over and over. When Snape was tasked with the awful burden of killing Professor Dumbledore, he fulfilled everyone’s narrative perfectly: here was the final proof that Snape was untrustworthy, yet we learn that he *had* to kill Dumbledore for noble reasons that barely anyone knew about. 

Snape’s bravery was staggering. He was always viewed as the cartoon bad guy, yet what he furtively did for Harry along the way was his tragic secret – one nobody would be likely to figure out. Of course, Snape being who he is, he made no habit of being cheery, which didn’t help matters. 

It’s almost like Snape created a kind of butterfly effect across all the books. It was Snape who overheard the prophecy that would go on to define Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter’s lives for years afterwards. The prophecy can be seen as the catalyst for everything; it led to the death of [Lily, his great love](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-lily-potter), and Snape spent the entire course of Harry’s (and his own) life trying to make amends. If you think about it, Snape could be seen as the greatest instigator of the story’s events. 

## Windows to the soul

Snape died looking into Harry’s eyes: the eyes of the boy who survived because the woman he loved died. The eyes of the boy who looked like the spitting image of his father; the man who bullied him, then married the love of his life. Imagine having to look into those eyes in that moment; the eyes that both pained you intensely and yet made you feel love more than anything in the world. Snape’s final moments are perhaps the bravest we saw of any character.

Within *Deathly Hallows’* lingering final chapters we understood that Snape lived his life as a tortured double-agent, constantly flickering from the good side to the bad like a broken light, and all in the name of an undying love that cemented his loyalty to Harry and Dumbledore.

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Right from the start in *Philosopher’s Stone*, three naïve children thought that the big meanie Potions professor was the antagonist trying to steal the stone. It is only at the end that we understood that he was the one trying to stop it all: always the silent hero behind the shadows. In ‘The Prince’s Tale’ we unfurl the layers of quite a remarkable man. One whose name would be given, very deservedly, to one of Harry’s future children.

Snape taught us that there are no good men and bad men: that we are born full of foibles and complexities painted in thousands of different shades. Whether we choose to see Snape as that mean professor calling Harry ‘our new celebrity’, or as the chivalrous hero casting a meaningful Patronus, is up to you. But as Dumbledore often likes to say: ‘It is our choices that show who we truly are.’ Snape made some bad choices, and sometimes he was hard on Harry for no good reason. But he did spend much of his life making choices that would go some way to repair the one, truly terrible one.

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Snape is bitten by Nagini in the Shrieking Shack.

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*Pottermore looks back at the moments that made our favourite characters so memorable. Read about the chapter that made us fall in love with... [Draco Malfoy.](/features/chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-draco-malfoy "The chapter that made us fall in love with Draco Malfoy")*

The chapter that made us fall in love with… Severus Snape 

10 things we love about Prisoner of Azkaban 

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Harry's floating head by the shrieking Shack scares off Malfoy and his friends.

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## Sirius Black

Harry spent the vast majority of his third year terrified to his core that a convict from the terrible wizard prison Azkaban was going to come and do him in. As it turned out, that convict in question was not only quite lovely, he was also Harry’s godfather.

Sirius Black, definitely *not* the murderer of Harry’s parents, was cool from the moment we met him. His Animagus form was that of a shaggy black dog, he sent Harry an actual Firebolt broomstick despite being on the run, and helped make that insanely good Marauder’s Map. We wish 1) he was real and 2) he was our godfather too.

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## The Knight Bus 

Public transport has never been as rock ‘n’ roll as the Knight Bus, always there for the stranded witch or wizard. Big, purple and triple-decker, the bus pretty much had everything, including eccentric bus conductor Stan Shunpike, hot chocolate, and most importantly, beds. It wasn’t exactly a smooth ride, but it got Harry out of a pretty tight spot – no questions asked.

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## Professor Lupin

After quite an appalling first couple of Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, Professor Lupin turned that all around quicker than you can say ‘Riddikulus!’ As shabby as he was level-headed, wise and kind, Harry quickly made a firm friend in Remus Lupin, who turned out to play a pivotal role in Harry’s past and future. Also, who cares about the werewolf thing? Lupin always had chocolate.

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Lupin leaves his office while Harry and Dumbledore watch

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## Dementors

Despite having faced Lord Voldemort himself, Harry was really spooked when he encountered the Dementors; the soulless, floating terrors that guarded Azkaban. Due to the Dementors’ way of sucking the joy out of the air, Harry’s many dark memories meant they affected him worse than others.

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## Crookshanks 

With Harry having Hedwig and Ron having Scabbers (although not for long…) Hermione thought it was time to get a pet too. And by Jove, did she get the best one. Part-Kneazle, part squishy faced, adorable orange puss, Crookshanks solved the mystery of Peter Pettigrew before anyone else. Trust Hermione to have a cat as smart as her.

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## The Firebolt 

When his Nimbus Two Thousand was shattered beyond repair during a Dementor invasion on the Quidditch pitch, a devastated Harry discovered that someone had sent him a Firebolt. To give you some scope of how awesome that is: if broomsticks were race cars, this would be the Ferrari. Darn, that boy gets all the best stuff (see below for more).

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McGonagall confiscating Harry's new Firebolt 

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## Marauder’s Map 

If the Firebolt wasn’t ridiculously cool enough, Fred and George also gifted Harry with something, arguably, even better: the Marauder’s Map, capable of pinpointing the location of everyone at Hogwarts. Little did Harry know that it also happened to be co-created by his very own father, which made the map’s intent on always achieving mischief make a lot of sense.

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Harry locates the One Eyed Witch using the Maurauder's Map.

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## Patronuses 

If every cloud must have a silver lining, then Harry discovered the ultimate one when Lupin taught him the Patronus Charm – a tough spell to perform, but also truly wonderful. Harry learned that casting Expecto Patronum when thinking a happy thought would emit a silver, animal guardian to protect him from the Dementors. Even more wonderfully, Harry’s own Patronus mirrored his father’s: a stag.

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Harry's stag patronus charges across the lake towards the Dementors.

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## Time-Turner  

Hermione’s determination to drink in as much education as possible took an odd turn during *Prisoner of Azkaban*. A Time-Turner, in fact. After somehow managing to pack in dozens more classes than anyone else all year, Harry finally discovered that Hermione had a little magical help via the impossibly rare Time-Turner – an enchanted hourglass with the ability to transport the user through time. 

As you can imagine, it’s not exactly easy to get your hands on one of these, as you’d have people using Time-Turners to go and pick up the milk they’d forgotten from the shop and all sorts. But rescuing Sirius Black from a Dementor’s Kiss seemed fair enough. And not forgetting…

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Harry and Hermione emerge in the Entrance Hall after using the Time Turner.

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## Buckbeak 

In Harry’s first year it was Norbert; in his second it was Aragog; and in his third year, Hagrid introduced Harry to another fantastic beast: everyone’s favourite Hippogriff, Buckbeak! Part eagle, part horse, Hagrid’s majestic friend seemed much friendlier than a giant spider or tiny dragon, although Buckbeak wasn’t averse to giving Draco Malfoy a much-deserved swipe. Long live Buckbeak and all who sail on him.

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Buckbeak the Hippogriff in Hagrid's hut with Fang.

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

Discover the fascinating etymology behind Harry Potter character names!

PMARCHIVE-What’s in a name: the fascinating etymology behind Harry Potter character names

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Harry looking at the Marauders Map in his dormitory

Reveal the hidden meanings behind the names of key characters in the wizarding world, from Harry Potter himself to his destined rival - Lord Voldemort.

The Etymology of Harry Potter Character Names | Wizarding World

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## Harry Potter

The joy of Harry Potter’s name was that it seemed like one so delightfully ordinary for someone who achieved so much. But when we dig a little deeper, it seems to be a very fitting name for the Boy Who Lived.

The name Harry is the Middle English form of the name ‘Henry’, a name which was favoured by many an English king. Leadership runs deep in Harry’s name, as well as the motif of war – which Harry is sadly very familiar with. Harry is also related to the Old High German word ‘Heri’ which means ‘army’. As one of the founders of Dumbledore’s Army, this seems apt.

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## Albus Dumbledore 

You may know already that ‘Dumbledore’ is an archaic word for ‘bumblebee’, which is rather sweet. ‘Albus’ appropriately means ‘[white](/writing-by-jk-rowling/colours)’, just like the Professor’s famous beard. But let’s not forget about his many middle names, which go far deeper into Dumbledore’s more complex characteristics.

‘Percival’ suggests a history of battle, as Percival was one of the legendary knights in King Arthur’s court. Wulfric, oddly enough, means ‘wolf power’ – although we’re pretty sure Albus didn’t have any lycanthropy skills. As for Brian? That is an old Celtic word, meaning ‘noble’, which Albus very much was.

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Dumbledore uses the Elder Wand to extract a memory

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## Rubeus Hagrid 

Hagrid’s name may be derived from the term ‘hagridden – which means ‘worried’. Hagrid is often hagridden for the safety of Harry, after all. Rubeus may come from the Latin ‘Rubeo’, which means ‘I am red or ruddy.’ And, if you notice in the books, this is exactly what happens when the Professor partakes in a glass of wine.

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Hagrid looking sad before the execution of Buckbeak

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## Draco Malfoy 

By no means a dramatic coincidence, [Draco’s](/writing-by-jk-rowling/draco-malfoy "Draco Malfoy by J.K. Rowling") first name is Latin for a terrifying beast that spits fire – or, more specifically, a dragon. You may have noticed that Draco’s name is also part of the Hogwarts school motto: ‘Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus’ – which means ‘Never tickle a sleeping dragon’. We would definitely apply this same logic to Draco too.

As for his beloved last name, you might think [Malfoy](/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-malfoy-family "The Malfoy family by J.K. Rowling") means ‘rich, blond and probably quite rude’. Well, not quite, but the term ‘Mal’, actually derives from Old French usually means ‘bad or ‘evil’ and ‘foi’ means ‘faith’ or ‘trust’. How interesting…

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## Tom Marvolo Riddle

We already know that Tom Marvolo Riddle’s name is soaked in a lot of personal meanings for the character. Tom was always aggrieved to use his ‘filthy Muggle father’s name’ as he put it, so devised a new name for his future self, ‘Lord Voldemort’. 

The name that Tom avoided so much has been around since the 1700s, and is one of the most popular names in history. Incidentally, both his and Harry’s name of course feature in the phrase ‘Every Tom, Dick or Harry’. Tom usually is defined to mean the male version of something – such as ‘tom cat’. 

‘Marvolo’ isn’t a traditional name, and comes from Tom’s pure-blood wizard grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt. As for ‘Riddle’, the word as we know it defines to ‘something that puzzles or perplexes’ which is certainly true for Tom Riddle, but back in the 1800s was a Middle English term to mean ‘perforated with many holes’ – much like when Harry stabbed his diary in *Chamber of Secrets*, you might say…

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Tom Riddle in Slughorn's memory from The Half Blood Prince 

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## Hermione Granger

Hands up if you had been pronouncing Hermione’s name wrong when you first started reading the books. Yep, thought so. Complex pronunciations aside, ‘Her-My-Own-Knee’ is a name rich in mythological value, as in Greek mythology, Hermione was the daughter of King Menelaus of Sparta and his wife, Helen of Troy.

Meanwhile, Granger, according to the Middle English definition, was amusingly an occupational term for ‘bailiff’, which considering how much Hermione Granger has to tell off Ron and Harry, is rather fitting.

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Hermione holding up her wand from the Chamber of Secrets 

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## Remus Lupin

The origins behind the name of this earnest [Marauder](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-marauders-map) could not be more apt. First of all, we have [Remus](/writing-by-jk-rowling/remus-lupin "Remus Lupin by J.K. Rowling"), which is a name known quite well from the Roman myth ‘Romulus and Remus’, the tale of the twin brothers who were abandoned at birth, brought up by a she-wolf, and went on to found Rome.

Then there is ‘Lupin’ – derived from the Latin ‘lupinus’ – which means… drum roll… ‘of a wolf’. As such, it would seem that Remus Lupin’s fate was always locked within his name.

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The fascinating etymology behind Harry Potter character names

Everything you didn’t know about Parseltongue 	

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But there was a lot more to Parseltongue than you might think. Here are some things you may or may not know about the language of snakes…

## It’s a rare skill

Knowing Parseltongue isn’t quite the same as learning Spanish. Firstly, you don’t so much learn it as just innately *know* it. The language is incredibly rare, as Harry is told countless times. The only place it isn’t rare is within the bloodline of Salazar Slytherin himself – and as such, is usually hereditary. 

## It has a bad reputation

And thanks to that Slytherin connection, no one is quite a fan of Parseltongue. Harry’s reputation was severely tarnished when his skill becomes known to Hogwarts in *Chamber of Secrets*, to the extent that they think Harry opened the Chamber.

'So?’ said Harry. ‘I bet loads of people here can do it.’
 ‘Oh no they can’t,’ said Ron. ‘It’s not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad.’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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In *Order of the Phoenix*, a Rita Skeeter scoop (who else?) tells the whole world he is a Parseltongue, leading Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic at the time, to distrust him even further post-return of Voldemort. And as Ron sums up quite efficiently when Harry first uses it, it just sounds ‘creepy’

## You can imitate it

Harry was left perplexed when Ron and Hermione managed to break into the Chamber of Secrets during *Deathly Hallows*. Why? Because you need be able to speak Parseltongue to open it. 

As Ron demonstrated, however, sometimes a strong imitation of it is enough for a snake to understand – sort of like when you’re going on holiday and you yell out vague sentences in a French accent from your phrase book. 

## It’s sometimes hard to speak it

At least in the case of Harry, Harry found he could only ever speak Parseltongue when he was face to face with a snake, or at the very least, the image of a snake. However, Harry could always understand it, which caused great confusion when there didn’t seem to be any snakes around… such as poor Bathilda Bagshot in *Deathly Hallows*, where Nagini had used her corpse as a body. Shudder.

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