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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

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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

13 moments that prove Luna is just as sane as you or I

PMARCHIVE-13 moments that prove Luna is just as sane as you or I

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Luna wearing her Gryffindor roaring lion hat

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Luna Lovegood in her school uniform from the Half Blood Prince 

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She might have had radishes dangling from her ears and eyes that glazed over as she pondered her father’s latest theory, but [Luna Lovegood](/features/luna-lovegood "Luna Lovegood") had far more between her ears than her salad vegetable earrings might suggest.

People called her ‘Loony’ Lovegood due to her eccentricity, but while she might not need to blink quite as often as normal humans, she was most certainly not a lunatic, and her status as a [Ravenclaw](/collection/characters-ravenclaws "Ravenclaws") underscored her off-beat wisdom. 

Spectrespecs wearer, side-saddle [Thestral](/features/thestrals "Thestrals")-rider, [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch "Quidditch") commentator – you name it, she did it in her own special way.

We can’t believe that we had to wait until *Order of the Phoenix* for Luna to enter our lives but we’re certainly glad she featured as prominently as she did, becoming one of [Harry’s](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") fiercest supporters and inner circle member of [Dumbledore’s Army](/collection/dumbledores-army "Dumbledore’s Army"). She played an important role in finding one of the final [Horcruxes](/features/the-horcruxes "The Horcruxes") during the Battle of Hogwarts.

[Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") might suspect that Luna only believes something when there’s no proof at all, but even the cleverest witch can be proved wrong.

In fact, Luna had a knack for embarrassing honesty and in between repeating the controversial theories [her father’s](/features/xenophilius-lovegood "Xenophilius Lovegood") magazine, *The Quibbler*, published, she showed insight worthy of [Dumbledore](/features/albus-dumbledore "Albus Dumbledore") himself.

Here are some of our favourite Luna moments which proved the sound mind behind the whimsy.

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Illustration of Luna wearing her Spector Specs and holding the Quibbler 

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__The time she helped Harry produce a [Patronus](/features/expecto-patronum "Expecto Patronum") during the Battle of Hogwarts__

> ‘That’s right,’ said Luna encouragingly, as if they were back in the Room of Requirement and this was simply spell practice for the DA. ‘That’s right, Harry ... come on, think of something happy ...’ 
> 
> ‘Something happy?’ he said, his voice cracked.
>  
> ‘We’re all still here,’ she whispered, ‘we’re still fighting. Come on, now ...’ 
> 
> There was a silver spark, then a wavering light, and then, with the greatest effort it had ever cost him, the stag burst from the end of Harry’s wand. 

__The time she led Harry to one of the Horcruxes__

> ‘Well, there’s her lost diadem. I told you about it, remember, Harry? The [lost diadem of Ravenclaw](/features/rowena-ravenclaws-diadem "Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem")? Daddy’s trying to duplicate it.’ 
> 
> ‘Yeah, but the lost diadem,’ said [Michael Corner](/features/michael-corner "Michael Corner"), rolling his eyes, ‘is lost, Luna. That’s sort of the point.’ 

__The time she spoke about grief and loss__

> ‘Yes,’ said Luna simply, ‘my mother. She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day. I was nine.’
> 
> ‘I’m sorry,’ Harry mumbled.
> 
> ‘Yes it was rather horrible,’ said Luna conversationally. ‘I still feel very sad about it sometimes. But I’ve still got Dad. And anyway, it’s not as though I’ll never see Mum again, is it?’
> 
> ‘Er…isn’t it?’ said Harry uncertainly.
> 
> She shook her head in disbelief. ‘You heard them.’

__The time she sensed a Wrackspurt__

> ‘Wrackspurt got you?’ asked Luna sympathetically, peering at Harry through her enormous coloured spectacles. 
> 
> ‘I – what?’ 
> 
> ‘A Wrackspurt ... they’re invisible, they float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy,’ she said. ‘I thought I felt one zooming around in here.’ 

__The time she saw through [Polyjuice Potion](/features/polyjuice-potion "Polyjuice Potion")__

> ‘Hello, Harry!’ she said.
> 
> ‘Er – my name’s Barny,’ said Harry, flummoxed.
> 
> ‘Oh, have you changed that too?’ she asked brightly. 
> 
> ‘How did you know –?’
> 
> ‘Oh, just your expression,’ she said.

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__The time she explained [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") in one sentence__

> ‘He says very funny things sometimes, doesn’t he?’ said Luna, as they set off down the corridor together. ‘But he can be a bit unkind. I noticed that last year.’ 

__The time she spoke for everyone at Dobby’s funeral__

> ‘Thank you so much, [Dobby](/features/dobby "Dobby"), for rescuing me from that cellar. It’s so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I’ll always remember what you did for us. I hope you’re happy now.’ 

__The time she helped Harry after the [Battle of Hogwarts](/features/battle-of-hogwarts-timeline "The Battle of Hogwarts")__

> Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna. 
> 
> ‘I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,’ she said.
> 
> ‘I’d love some,’ he replied.
> 
> ‘I’ll distract them all,’ she said. ‘Use your [Cloak](/features/invisibility-cloak "Invisibility Cloak").’
> 
> And before he could say a word she had cried, ‘Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!’ and pointed out of the window. 

__The time she gave relationship advice after Ron’s [Yule Ball](/features/behind-the-scenes-at-the-yule-ball) date__

> ‘[Padma](/features/padma-patil "Padma Patil") didn’t enjoy it very much,’ Luna informed him. ‘She doesn’t think you treated her very well, because you wouldn’t dance with her. I don’t think I’d have minded,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘I don’t like dancing very much.’

__The time she didn’t sweat losing everything__

> ‘How come you’re not at the feast?’ Harry asked.
> 
> ‘Well, I’ve lost most of my possessions,’ said Luna serenely. ‘People take them and hide them, you know. But as it’s the last night, I really do need them back so I’ve been putting up sign… I think I'll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up...  It always does in the end.”

__The time she showed she was prepared for anything__

> ‘I’ve never been to this part of the [castle](/collection/places-around-hogwarts "Explore Hogwarts"). At least not while awake. I sleep walk, you see. That’s why I wear shoes to bed.’

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

How Dolores Umbridge made our skin crawl

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[Dolores Jane Umbridge](/features/dolores-umbridge "Dolores Umbridge") was the witch we all love to hate, or maybe just hate. Here’s how this professor made our skin crawl...

## Interrupting Dumbledore
There we were, with the rest of the [Great Hall](/features/the-great-hall "The Great Hall") in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, enjoying [Professor Dumbledore’s](/features/albus-dumbledore "Albus Dumbledore") start-of-term notices, when suddenly... ‘Hem, hem.’ 

What’s this? Who is this, daring to interrupt the headmaster? It made [Professor McGonagall’s](/features/minerva-mcgonagall "Minerva McGonagall") mouth go as thin as [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") had ever seen it and we knew then that this woman was trouble.

## No magic allowed
At the start of the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class with Umbridge, no one knew what to expect. By the end, we had a pretty clear idea. From her first patronising, ‘I should like you, please, to reply “Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge”. One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!’ to ‘Your hand is not up, [Miss Granger!](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger")’ this class was nothing but awkward – and the beginning of more bad things to come for Harry.

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## Insulting centaurs 
As J.K. Rowling acknowledges, ‘Dolores has what amounts to a phobia of beings that are not quite, or wholly, human.’ When the [centaurs](/features/centaurs "Centaurs") challenged her control, her scream of ‘Filthy half-breeds!’ and ‘Beasts! Uncontrolled animals!’ was offensive in the extreme. 

## Humiliating Professor Trelawney 
Umbridge’s arrival in the shadowy Divination room halted [Professor Trelawney](/features/sybill-trelawney "Sybill Trelawney") mid-waft, and put us in the new position of being on Trelawney’s side as Umbridge rudely questioned her. Not content with making the students’ lives a misery, Umbridge took callous pleasure in bullying the easy-to-target teacher. 

> Professor Umbridge’s toadlike smile widened.  
> ‘Of course,’ she said sweetly, making yet another note. ‘Well, if you could just predict something for me, then?’ 
<br> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* </br>

The degradation of Professor Trelawney continued until she was reduced to a sherry-bottle-clutching mess in the Entrance Hall, which was when...

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Umbridge sneers at Professor Trelawney in the Hogwarts courtyard.

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## The High Inquisitor attempted to make Trelawney homeless

This was so sad to read, as Trelawney pleaded: ‘I’ve b – been here sixteen years! H – Hogwarts is m – my h – home!’ and Umbridge took grim pleasure in her desperation. Well actually, Dolores, it’s not your castle and you do not have the authority to evict teachers – which Dumbledore explained to her quite magnificently, and we punched the air in delight.

## Trying to take on Professor McGonagall
Don’t challenge McGonagall. Don’t ever challenge Professor McGonagall. Especially not when you are a simpering, cowardly, nasty madwoman and she is, well, Professor Minerva McGonagall. [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") set up this clash rather wonderfully, when he exclaimed ‘Oh, I can’t wait to see McGonagall inspected’ ... ‘Umbridge won’t know what’s hit her.’ 

Naturally, McGonagall doesn’t let us down, cutting Dolores to the quick and taking absolutely none of her nonsense. 

> ‘I wonder,’ said Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, ‘how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking.’ 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*</br>

Professor McGonagall in cold fury? Gulp. Take that Dolores, you have been owned.

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## ‘Hem, hem...’
That little throat-clearing cough: the first time it was curious, the second time it was an irritation and every other time it was an annoyance and suggested more madness from Dolores was coming. 

>Professor Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet. 

>‘May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?’ Professor McGonagall asked curtly, without looking at Professor Umbridge. 
<br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*</br>

This excellent retort from Professor McGonagall signified what everyone else was thinking: ‘Please stop that noise, it’s infuriating.’ 

## Scarring Harry Potter for life

>‘Oh, you won’t need ink,’ said Professor Umbridge, with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.
<br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*</br>

Harry Potter’s parents were murdered, his only family kept him in a cupboard under the stairs, he was pursued by a villain so evil the wizarding community couldn’t bear to utter his name, and now he was being forced to inscribe lines into his flesh with a [quill](/features/quills "Quills")? 

This was Professor Umbridge at her very darkest: inflicting searing physical pain on her student, someone meant to be in her care... but instead she tortured him, with a smile stretched on her face. It’s distressing to read and positively unbearable to watch. 

In the film *Order of the Phoenix*, actress Imelda Staunton is flawless in this scene; those eyes and that expression of utter freakish mania will stay with us forever. Stephen King was right. Dolores Jane Umbridge truly is a monster.

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The kindness of Luna Lovegood

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It’s amazing that a person as kind and bright as Luna Lovegood only made her first appearance in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*. Described as ‘Loony Lovegood’ with dirty blonde hair and protuberant eyes, she didn’t get a particularly flattering introduction and many people avoided her, thanks to her odd mannerisms. 

However, her personality was as warm as it was weird, and without her Harry and his friends would have often been in a lot of trouble. Here are 12 moments where Luna’s kindness really shone through:

1.  In spite of having her father’s magazine insulted by Hermione and being laughed at behind her back by Ginny, Luna kindly carried Ron’s owl off the train when it was time to leave. Harry was so absorbed in his own thoughts he completely forgot about her and called her ‘that Luna girl’ when Ron asked for his things.  

2. She was quick to reassure Harry when he saw the Thestrals for the first time. He may not have appreciated it much then, but Luna made him realise he was not alone in seeing strange animals where others could not.  

3. Harry had a lot on his plate in the fifth book; many people refused to believe Harry when he said he saw Voldemort come back from the dead. He was painted as an attention-seeking liar; he was often angry and upset. Luna walked straight up to him and said: ‘I believe He Who Must Not Be Named is back and I believe you fought him and escaped from him.’ In front of everyone.  

4. Ron was so nervous about playing as Keeper for Gryffindor that he looked at his cereal as if he wanted to drown in it. Ravenclaw Luna wished him good luck, while showing her support in the shape of a huge Gryffindor lion hat. Supportive *and* a fashion statement.

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5. In the Department of Mysteries, it was Luna who saved Ginny and Ron from Death Eaters using the Reductor Curse. Ginny’s ankle was broken and Ron had been hit by a spell that made him a little funny in the head. Luna kept hers, though, and got all three of them out alive.  

6. Harry found Luna putting up notices asking people to return her lost possessions. She asked him why he was not at the feast and when he explained he didn’t feel like it, she immediately understood and said exactly the right things to make him feel better, lessening the ‘terrible weight in his stomach’.  

7. In *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, when Hermione was upset about Ron and Lavender, it was Luna who found her in the bathroom and offered her comfort and support.  

8. At Dumbledore’s funeral, she was the one who helped a devastated Neville into his chair. A simple act that cemented their friendship.

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9. It was Luna who carefully tended to Mr Ollivander in the prison cell where they were trapped in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*. She kept everyone together, stayed positive and upbeat and showed strength of character that was extraordinary. Ollivander was so grateful he sent her a new wand.  

10.  When Dobby died, Luna reached out and closed his eyes. It was a kind and gentle thing to do, showing such respect for the house elf who saved them all. ‘There,’ she said softly. ‘Now he could be sleeping.’ If that moment didn’t make you cry, nothing will…  

11. Luna put sea lavender in a jam jar on Dobby’s grave. In a world where house-elves are often overlooked, it was a telling kindness.  

12. Luna appeared beside Harry at the end, when Voldemort was dead, as he sat on a bench, exhausted and drained. She looked at him and knew exactly what he needed. She distracted everyone so he could slip on his cloak and disappear somewhere private. It was an act of quiet kindness and summed up exactly why she is such a beloved character.

The Significance of Seven

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[Full size version](https://images.pottermore.com/bxd3o8b291gf/4Oizhmxk2IuM0IgCauyKyc/2eabdfc3a1ac7ecc25cf3bbb9b07ca50/SignificanceOfSeven.jpg)

[Text version](/about/the-significance-of-seven-text-version)

*Who lost the most house points at Hogwarts? Find out our [handy history of Hogwarts house points.](/features/a-handy-history-of-hogwarts-house-points-infographic "A Handy History of Hogwarts House Points")*

6 reasons why Quidditch is bad for Harry’s health

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From almost swallowing the [Snitch](/features/golden-snitch "Golden Snitch") to waving a boneless arm, Harry has been bashed, boshed and beaten throughout the Quidditch seasons and matches, even the ones he wasn’t playing in. Here are some of the reasons [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch "Quidditch") wasn’t always kind to poor [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter").

## Quidditch tried to choke him

Harry found out that there were 700 ways of committing a Quidditch foul (World Cup, 1473, all in one match) and that Seekers tend to have the most serious accidents. Armed with this worrying knowledge, he stepped onto the field for this first ever match in *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* and, halfway through, his [broom](/features/broomsticks "Broomsticks") went crazy.  Nerve-wracking shenanigans and plenty of audience gasps later, the broom calmed down thanks to [Hermione’s](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") quick thinking. But Harry, apparently determined to uphold the Seeker accident tradition, decided to catch the Snitch with his mouth…

> Harry was speeding towards the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick – he hit the pitch on all fours – coughed – and something gold fell into his hand.  
> ‘I’ve got the Snitch!’ he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.  
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

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## It left him bludgeoned and battered

In *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, the match between [Gryffindor](/collection/all-about-gryffindor "Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor") and [Slytherin](/collection/all-about-slytherin "Hogwarts houses: Slytherin") saw Harry fend off an enchanted (and very cranky) Bludger. He spent most of the game trying to dodge the giant black ball in the heavily falling rain, until he got distracted…

> For an agonising moment, Harry hung in mid-air, not daring to speed towards Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.   
> WHAM!  
> He had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and Harry felt his arm break. Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in his arm, he slid sideways on his rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, his right arm dangling useless at his side.  
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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Harry is being chased by the rogue bludger during quidditch  

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## He got to wave his boneless arm in the air…

Unfortunately for Harry, that same match saw the inept [Professor Lockhart](/features/gilderoy-lockhart "Gilderoy Lockhart") come to his (ahem) rescue. Waving his wand around and assuring everyone of his brilliance, he promised Harry he could fix the arm broken by the Bludger. 

> As Harry got to his feet, he felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath he looked down at his right side. What he saw nearly made him pass out again.  
> Poking out of the end of his robes was what looked like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove. He tried to move his fingers. Nothing happened.  
> Lockhart hadn’t mended Harry’s bones. He had removed them.  
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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## And he was almost killed by Dementors

When it came to the first Quidditch match of the season in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* Harry was back on the field against [Hufflepuff](/collection/all-about-hufflepuff "Hogwarts houses: Hufflepuff"). The weather was awful, but something even worse was secreted away in the icy cold rain…

> At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing below. It was as though freezing water was rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again ... someone was screaming, screaming inside his head ... a woman ...  
> ‘Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!’  
> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

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A swarm of Dementors arrive at the Quidditch Match.

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## It tried to get him even when he wasn’t playing

The [Quidditch World Cup](/writing-by-jk-rowling/history-of-the-quidditch-world-cup "History of the Quidditch World Cup by J.K. Rowling") was a source of massive excitement for Harry and Ron, especially since [Arthur Weasley](/features/arthur-weasley "Arthur Weasley") had secured tickets in the Top Box for the final match. Everyone loved every minute, but once again Quidditch packed a punch when the [Dark Mark](/features/morsmordre "Morsmordre") caused chaos and Harry and his friends nearly got blasted by a spate of [Stunning Spells](/features/stunning-spell "Stupefy"):

> Harry whirled around, and in a split second, he registered one fact: each of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at himself, Ron and Hermione. Without pausing to think, he yelled, ‘DUCK!’ He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground.  
> ‘STUPEFY!’ roared twenty voices – there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on his head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing.  
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

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## Sometimes it was members of his own team…

In *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Harry was forced to put [McLaggen](/features/cormac-mclaggen "Cormac McLaggen") into Ron’s place as Keeper in the match against Hufflepuff. This wasn’t a very good idea.  

> Sure enough, McLaggen, for reasons best known to himself, had pulled Peakes’s bat from him and appeared to be demonstrating how to hit a Bludger towards an oncoming Cadwallader.  
> ‘Will you give him back his bat and get back to the goalposts!’ roared Harry, pelting towards McLaggen just as McLaggen took a ferocious swipe at the Bludger and mis-hit it.  
> A blinding, sickening pain … a flash of light … distant screams … and the sensation of falling down a long tunnel …  
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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Quidditch Pitch and its stands from the Half Blood Prince 

Why Quidditch is bad for Harry’s health

Unravelling the riddle of Tom

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Tom Riddle looking menacing in a Slughorn's Office 

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Almost everything he did – from hiding the Horcruxes, to the friends he made – seemed to have purpose. Did he ever do anything that wasn’t meticulously planned? What was behind some of the choices he made on the road to becoming [Voldemort](/features/lord-voldemort "Lord Voldemort")? Here we ask, was Tom always a riddle? 

 <style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed//eYPNLnGDONU?rel=0' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
 
## The diary
The first time [Tom Riddle](/features/tom-riddle)’s name was mentioned was in *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, when Harry and Ron found a [diary](/features/tom-riddles-diary "Tom Riddle's diary") with the name ‘T. M. Riddle’ written in smudged ink. The pages were empty, soggy and without a trace of writing. 

This was the first time that a [Horcrux](/features/the-horcruxes) appeared in the story (well, apart from Harry), although we didn’t know it at the time. What made it even stranger was that the diary itself was bought from a [Muggle](/collection/muggles) newsagent on Vauxhall Road in London. 

When Harry was pulled into the diary, he was transported to a conversation between Tom and Hogwarts headmaster Professor Dippet where Tom’s desperation to stay at the school over the summer rather than go back to the orphanage is in every word and clenched hand. It appears as though this is what caused Tom to frame [Hagrid](/features/rubeus-hagrid "Rubeus Hagrid") and close the [Chamber of Secrets](/writing-by-jk-rowling/chamber-of-secrets) the first time. 

Still, Tom wasn’t going to waste all that time he spent finding the Chamber, so he left behind a diary designed to entrance and manipulate an innocent soul. All this so he could finish [Salazar Slytherin’s](/features/salazar-slytherin "Salazar Slytherin") work. 

In hindsight we might wonder, why would Tom Riddle, a hater of Muggles and Muggle-borns, choose a Muggle object for such an extraordinary spell? Maybe because it was an accessible and seemingly innocuous object, or perhaps a way for him to acknowledge his half-blood heritage. There’s certainly an irony in his veneration of Slytherin, as Tom himself is not [pure-blood](/writing-by-jk-rowling/pure-blood).

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## Riddle roots
The next time we heard the name Riddle was when Lord Voldemort settled into the deserted and dusty [Riddle House](/image/the-riddle-house) in Little Hangleton. Why would he choose to hide out in the house of the Muggles he so detested and killed 50 years before, and not in the hovel where his pure-blood grandfather had lived and died? 

Perhaps it was because the [Riddle House](/features/the-riddle-house) was the last place anyone would think to look. Or it could be because he preferred a splash of comfort to the, let’s face it, revolting mess that was the [Gaunts’](/feature/gaunt-family-tree "The Gaunt family tree") shack. 

In *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") is witness to Lord Voldemort coming into his power once again and is held by tight cords against [Tom Riddle Sr’s](/features/tom-riddle-sr "Tom Riddle Sr.") grave. The spell to revive Voldemort included bone of the father, unknowingly given. It may have frustrated the Dark Lord, on some level, that his Muggle father was part of his resurrection.

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## The Horcruxes
Tom’s need to collect things is perhaps the most normal quirk he has, yet he manages to make it creepy. The box hidden in his closet at the orphanage was filled with trinkets, chosen and stolen because they meant something to the other children. 

The Horcruxes held some meaning for him ([Marvolo Gaunt’s ring](/features/marvolo-gaunts-ring "Marvolo Gaunt's ring")) or had meaning to the wizarding community as a whole ([Ravenclaw’s diadem](/features/rowena-ravenclaws-diadem) and [Helga Hufflepuff’s cup](/features/helga-hufflepuffs-cup "Helga Hufflepuff's cup")). 

His followers are things in a way too: marked, monitored and controlled using the [Dark Mark](/features/morsmordre "Morsmordre"). Tom’s need to control seems to drive his choices and his life. He’s shaped by cruelty and twisted by darkness. 

Every decision and every conversation with Tom Riddle shows a mind sharp with brilliance and darkness. He is compelling and completely in control – until he meets his match in Harry, of course.

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Illustration of Slytherin's locket Horcrux 

The sad history of Merope Gaunt

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Wools Orphanage at the end of the street from The Half Blood Prince  

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The story of [Voldemort’s mother](/features/merope-gaunt "Merope Gaunt") is so tragic even [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") almost felt sorry for [He Who Must Not Be Named](/features/lord-voldemort "Lord Voldemort") when he heard it:

> ‘Merope refused to raise her wand even to save her own life.’<br>
> ‘She wouldn’t even stay alive for her son?’<br>
> Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
> ‘Could you possibly be feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort?’<br> 
> ‘No,’ said Harry quickly, ‘but she had a choice, didn’t she, not like my mother –’<br>
> ‘Your mother had a choice, too,’ said Dumbledore gently. 
> ‘Yes, Merope Riddle chose death in spite of a son who needed her, but do not judge her too harshly, Harry. She was greatly weakened by long suffering and she never had your mother’s courage…’ 

> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

Merope might have proven a positive influence on [Tom Riddle](/features/tom-riddle "Tom Riddle") had she lived to bring him up herself. However, she died soon after his birth without trying to save herself with magic.

The suffering Merope endured at the hands of her cruel father [Marvolo](/features/marvolo-gaunt "Marvolo Gaunt") and brother [Morfin](/features/morfin-gaunt "Morfin Gaunt") left quite a mark. By the time the two men were locked up in [Azkaban](/writing-by-jk-rowling/azkaban "Azkaban by J.K. Rowling") by the [Ministry of Magic](/features/the-ministry-of-magic "The Ministry of Magic"), the damage had been done.

She is described as so bleached of life that she blends into the grey walls around her: 

> ‘Her hair was lank and dull and she had a plain, pale, rather heavy face. Her eyes, like her brother’s, stared in opposite directions. She looked a little cleaner than the two men, but Harry thought he had never seen a more defeated-looking person.’

After being left alone in the Gaunt family hovel, Merope bewitched the Muggle boy she had a crush on, [Tom Riddle](/features/tom-riddle-sr "Tom Riddle Sr."). But he would return to the village some months later muttering about being ‘hoodwinked’ and ‘taken in’ by the local tramp’s daughter.

Quite how Merope tricked the handsome and wealthy [Muggle](/collection/muggles "Muggles") boy into wedlock is unclear but Dumbledore suspects a [love potion](/feature/love-potion-guide-hogwarts-most-intoxicating-tonic "The love potion: a guide to Hogwarts’ most intoxicating tonic") rather than the [Imperius Curse](/features/imperius-curse "Imperio"). How and why Riddle Sr escaped Merope’s enchantment and left her destitute and pregnant is also unclear.
 
Another of [Dumbledore's](/features/albus-dumbledore "Albus Dumbledore") highly plausible theories is that Merope was so in love with Riddle that she couldn’t bear to enslave him with magic long-term, and hoped he would learn to return her feelings.

Evidently this didn’t happen and Riddle returned to his [family home](/features/the-riddle-house "The Riddle House") without ever troubling himself to discover what become of her – to his cost 16 years later, when their son murdered him and the rest of the Riddle family.

Alone and destitute, Merope sold [Slytherin’s](/features/salazar-slytherin "Salazar Slytherin") priceless locket (yes, [that one](/features/salazar-slytherins-locket "Salazar Slytherin's locket")) to [Borgin and Burkes](/features/borgin-and-burkes "Borgin and Burkes") for just ten [Galleons](/features/galleon "Galleon"). 

It seems that when Merope lost her husband she also lost the will to live. When she arrived heavily pregnant on the steps of the London orphanage where Tom Riddle Jr was to spend his early years, she seemed to know she wasn’t going to make it.

Her dying wish that the baby should resemble his father was granted. She couldn’t have known that the second Tom Riddle would go on to inherit his father’s callousness, too.

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

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It might be argued that Voldemort grew up devoid of love because his mother died for want of it, and that his father’s love was stolen rather than earned. Perhaps if he’d had any understanding of the difference between genuine love and the kind that you compel, Voldemort might have had a better grasp of its power.

Luckily for Harry, he did not.

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Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the Forbidden Forrest from The Deathly Hallows 

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