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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 most dangerous potions, poisons and plants

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The seven potions testing logic that protect the Philosopher's Stone.

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The potion class storeroom from the Chamber of Secrets 

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At [Hogwarts](/features/hogwarts "Hogwarts") the teachers had to warn against rather more dangerous perils than leaning too far back on a chair. [Bezoars](/features/bezoar "Bezoar") at the ready, just in case anyone swallows anything they shouldn’t...

## Polyjuice Potion
[Polyjuice Potion](/writing-by-jk-rowling/polyjuice-potion) was a thick, powerful tonic with serious consequences if you mixed it wrong. Harry, Hermione and Ron first tasted some when they went undercover as [Draco Malfoy’s](/features/draco-malfoy "Draco Malfoy") sidekicks. [Members of the Order of the Phoenix](/collection/members-of-the-order-of-the-phoenix "Members of The Order of the Phoenix") glugged it down to disguise themselves as [Harry Potters](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter"), and it also helped Harry, Hermione and Ron break into the [Ministry of Magic](/features/the-ministry-of-magic "The Ministry of Magic"). 

But if it could be used for noble reasons, it could be used for sinister ones, like when [Barty Crouch Jr](/features/barty-crouch-jr) used the elixir to escape [Azkaban](/features/azkaban "Azkaban"). Just be careful to pluck the right hair from the person you wanted to become: as [Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") discovered, a stray cat hair could cause an unwelcome transformation... 

## Mandrake
One of the greatest plants in Herbology, the [Mandrake](/feature/behind-the-scenes-mandrakes "Behind the scenes: Mandrakes") was a crucial ingredient in most antidote treatments. The secret to cultivating a fully-grown Mandrake (should you need it) was earmuffs. A Mandrake cry was fatal to anyone who heard it – which was precisely why [Professor Sprout](/features/pomona-sprout "Pomona Sprout") only let students handle seedlings.

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A screaming mandrake seedling in a Herbology Lesson 

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## Veritaserum
A truth potion is a good thing, right? Well, at Hogwarts, Harry discovered that it was good to keep a few truths to yourself. At one point, [Professor Snape](/features/severus-snape "Severus Snape") gleefully threatened to slip a few drops of Veritaserum into Harry’s evening pumpkin juice. Then, when [Professor Umbridge](/features/dolores-umbridge) wanted to interrogate Harry, he claimed to be clean out of the potion and declared that any alternatives would be fatal. It was one of those precious moments you weren’t sure whose side Snape was on. 

## Amortentia
If there’s one thing stronger than young love, it’s this [love potion](/feature/love-potion-guide-hogwarts-most-intoxicating-tonic "The love potion: a guide to Hogwarts’ most intoxicating tonic"). Think of the incorrigible [Romilda Vane](/features/romilda-vane "Romilda Vane") and then picture [Ron Weasley’s](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") dazed face when he ate the spiked chocolates she meant for Harry. Amortentia was the most potent love potion in the world and no one was immune. Even know-it-all Hermione got an attack of blushing embarrassment when she caught a whiff of it during [Potions](/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions "Potions by J.K. Rowling") class.

## Draught of Living Death
If you were listening in [first year Potions](/image/snapes-potions-class), you’d know that mixing asphodel and infusion of wormwood will produce a sleeping potion so powerful you’d snooze through the Battle of Hogwarts. Even when following instructions in *Advanced Potion-Making* by Libatius Borage, few could master a good brew – except Severus Snape, of course.

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Snape teaching potions from the Philosopher's Stone 

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## Venomous Tentacula
The clue is in the name – this isn’t the kind of plant you’d give your aunt for her conservatory. How many pieces of foliage to do you know that actually go through a teething phase? Luckily during Herbology lessons it was deemed acceptable to swear loudly if attacked by one of these spiky, dark red plants. And in the right hands (like those of star Herbologist [Neville Longbottom](/features/neville-longbottom)), they were the perfect weapons for tackling a [Death Eater](/collection/characters-deatheaters "Death Eaters").

## Snargaluff
If you happen to have a copy of *Flesh-Eating Trees of the World* on your bookcase, you’ll know all about the Snargaluff. To juice it you’ll need a sharp knife and the strength to fight back when its stump goes for your throat. Then it’s just a case of plucking out a pod, bursting it open and pouring yourself a bowlful of pale green tubers that wriggle like worms. Don’t worry, Snargaluff juice won’t be coming to a breakfast table near you anytime soon.

## Shrinking Solution
Preparing a potion incorrectly can produce results far worse than a simple ‘fail’. Remember when Snape took great delight risking Neville’s [toad](/writing-by-jk-rowling/toads "Toads by J.K. Rowling") in putting Longbottom’s Shrinking Solution to the test? If it had worked, Trevor the toad would have become a tadpole. If it hadn’t, the beloved amphibian would have been poisoned. But thanks to Hermione’s discreet intervention, [Trevor](/features/trevor-the-toad "Trevor the toad") lived to ‘ribbet’ another day.

## Pepperup Potion
Not all potions at Hogwarts were perilous, of course; just potentially very embarrassing in a classroom. Some excellent-sounding mixtures got just the briefest mention – Severus Snape threatening Harry Potter with Babbling Beverage, for example – and others were used for medicinal purposes. Feeling peaky with an October chill coming on? [Madam Pomfrey](/features/madam-pomfrey "Madam Pomfrey"), the matron, could sort you out with a flagon of her Pepperup Potion. But don’t be surprised, however, when you’re left smoking at the ears for several hours afterwards... 

## Ageing Potion
Funny really. While adults spend a fortune to look younger, teenagers spend years trying to be more grown-up than they really are. When [Fred](/features/fred-weasley "Fred Weasley") and [George](/features/george-weasley "George Weasley") discovered they were too young to enter their names for the Triwizard Tournament, they decided that a few drops of Ageing Potion would do the trick. It wasn’t powerful enough to trick [Dumbledore’s Age Line](/image/the-goblet-and-age-line), though. That’s when the Weasley twins were propelled across the room, sprouting long white beards that had to be magically removed by Madam Pomfrey.

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The Goblet of Fire rejects the Weasley twins names.

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

Who are the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’?

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Only 28 families in the wizarding world are considered 'pure-blood'. Find out which of the famous families make the cut.

Who are the Sacred Twenty-Eight? | Wizarding World

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The ‘[Sacred Twenty-Eight](/writing-by-jk-rowling/pure-blood)’ would be embraced by Voldemort, despite being a half-blood himself, and sneered at by wizards who recognised that the wizarding world would have died out if their ancestors hadn’t married Muggles.

But who were these families that Salazar Slytherin (who started this whole beastly business) deemed pure? And what do we know of their descendants, many of them encountered by Harry?

## __Abbott__
A grave belonging to an unknown Abbott was found by Harry in Godric’s Hollow. Hannah Abbott was the first of her year to be Sorted and Hannah herself fought bravely during the [Battle of Hogwarts](/features/battle-of-hogwarts-timeline "The Battle of Hogwarts").

## __Avery__
Mentioned by surname only in the Harry Potter books. An Avery had just stepped out of the room at the Slug Club party where Tom Riddle asked Professor Slughorn about Horcruxes. A Death Eater named Avery was also part of the ambush at the [Department of Mysteries](/features/most-mysterious-things-in-the-department-of-mysteries "The most mysterious things in the Department of Mysteries"). He was believed to have ‘wormed his way out of trouble’ following Voldemort’s first defeat, by claiming to have been acting under the Imperius Curse.

## __Black__
Sirius, Harry’s godfather, was the first of the Black family not to gain admittance to [Slytherin](/collection/all-about-slytherin "Hogwarts houses: Slytherin"). He later gave his family’s London house) over as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, much to the chagrin of the spirits of his ancestors who haunted it. His brother was Regulus Black, a Death Eater who switched sides and tried to destroy a Horcrux, and among Sirius’s many cousins were Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy.

## __Bulstrode__
A particularly unpleasant Slytherin and early consort of Draco Malfoy, Millicent Bulstrode had a number of skirmishes with Hermione. The latter had a mishap with some Polyjuice Potion and one of Millicent’s cat’s hairs.

## __Burke__
Caractacus Burke, one of the founders of sinister wizarding shop Borgin and Burkes, was seen by Harry in the Pensieve, buying Salazar Slytherin’s locket from Voldemort’s mother when she was left destitute and pregnant.

## __Carrow__
Amycus and Alecto Carrow were a brother-and-sister Death Eater double-act, recruited to instil some discipline at Hogwarts.

## __Crouch__
Bartemius Crouch might have led a very ordered life were it not for his Azkaban-escapee and Death Eater son ‘Barty’ Jnr, who killed him and transfigured his body into a bone. Barty used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate Mad-Eye Moody to lead Harry into the Triwizard Tournament trap.

## __Fawley__
No members of this pure-blood family are mentioned in the Harry Potter stories. 

## __Flint__
Slytherin Quidditch captain Marcus was a member of the Flint family who lived up to his sharp, spiky name.

## __Gaunt__
Quite where Voldemort got his meanness from is indicated from the portrait Rowling painted of his grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt, and his uncle Morfin. Obsessed with their own pure-blood status and with being the only living descendants of Salazar Slytherin, they terrorised Voldemort’s mother Merope and accused her of being a [Squib](/features/everything-you-need-to-know-about-squibs "Everything you need to know about Squibs"). After a string of attacks on Muggles, the two Gaunt men ended up in Azkaban, leaving Merope alone to enchant local Muggle boy Tom Riddle – and we all know that didn’t end well.

## __Greengrass__
Daphne Greengrass was a student alongside Harry, Ron and Hermione who only made one appearance in the books. [Draco Malfoy](/writing-by-jk-rowling/draco-malfoy "Draco Malfoy by J.K. Rowling") went on to marry Astoria Greengrass, a woman more tolerant of Muggles than [the Malfoy family](/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-malfoy-family "The Malfoy family by J.K. Rowling") would have liked. 

## __Lestrange__
Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus were among Voldemort’s most loyal followers. Bellatrix was killed in a duel by Molly Weasley, and Rodolphus was injured during the Battle of Hogwarts. 

## __Longbottom__
Neville Longbottom was one of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s best friends and a fellow Gryffindor. He was raised by his grandmother Augusta because his Auror parents had been so badly tortured by the Lestranges that they were confined to St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Longbottom killed Voldemort’s snake Nagini during the Battle of Hogwarts, playing a major role in the downfall of the Dark Lord. He later became Hogwarts Herbology professor. 

## __Macmillan__
Hufflepuff and supporter of Cedric Diggory in the Triwizard Tournament, Ernie Macmillan fell out with Harry a number of times but they remained good friends. 

## __Malfoy__
The fate of this long-standing dynasty might have ended had Draco Malfoy and his parents, Lucius and Narcissa, not decided to switch sides during the Battle of Hogwarts. The pure-blood Malfoy went on to marry Astoria Greengrass and had a son, Scorpius.

## __Nott__
‘Weedy-looking’ Theodore Nott was a contemporary of Harry’s at Hogwarts whose father was one of the Death Eaters summoned upon the Dark Lord’s return in *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*. The elder Nott was one of the very early Death Eaters. Cantankerus Nott is widely believed to have authored the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’.

## __Ollivander__
Makers of fine wands since 382 BC, the [Ollivanders](/writing-by-jk-rowling/mr-ollivander "Mr Ollivander by J.K. Rowling") could make quite a claim to being among the oldest wizarding families.

## __Parkinson__
An early girlfriend of Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson was described as a ‘hard-faced’ Slytherin girl. 

## __Prewett__
Harry learned that brothers Gideon and Fabian Prewett (whose sister was Molly Weasley) ‘fought like heroes’ but were famously killed by Death Eaters in the First Wizarding War. Antonin Dolohov was convicted of their murder but it is said it took five Death Eaters to kill them.

## __Rosier__
Evan Rosier was a Death Eater killed the year before Voldemort’s first downfall. 

## __Rowle__
Another Death Eater, Thorfinn Rowle was described as big and blond and got into trouble with Voldemort when Harry, Ron and Hermione escaped his clutches in central London in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*.

## __Selwyn__
Dolores Umbridge claimed at one point to be related to the Selywn family, although whether this is true or not is unclear. A Death Eater named Selwyn was involved in the kidnap of Luna Lovegood, but his appearance in the Potter stories was brief.

## __Shacklebolt__
Kingsley Shacklebolt was one of the wizarding world’s finest Aurors. Assigned to protect the Muggle Prime Minister during the Second Wizarding War, he was later named temporary [Minister for Magic](/writing-by-jk-rowling/ministers-for-magic "Ministers for Magic by J.K. Rowling").

## __Shafiq__
No appearances were made by the Shafiq family in the Potter stories.

## __Slughorn__
[Potions](/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions "Potions by J.K. Rowling") master and former Head of Slytherin house, Horace Slughorn had a reputation for collecting bright students and inviting them to parties known as the ‘Slug Club’. 

## __Travers__
One of the Death Eaters to escape from Azkaban, Travers was famous for helping murder the McKinnons.

## __Weasley__
Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny were members of a strong dynasty which, despite suffering heavy casualties during the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named, is certain to continue for countless generations. Molly and Arthur had many grandchildren, including Ron and Hermione’s children, Rose and Hugo, and Harry and Ginny’s three – James, Albus and Lily.

## __Yaxley__
The only Yaxley in the Potter books was another dastardly Death Eater.

__Why didn’t the Potters make the Sacred Twenty-Eight?__  
[Potter](/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-potter-family "The Potter Family by J.K. Rowling") is a common Muggle surname. Harry’s family didn’t make the list, according to J.K. Rowling, because ‘the anonymous compiler of that supposedly definitive list of pure-bloods suspected that they had sprung from what he considered to be tainted blood’.

Heroic house-elves of the wizarding world

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An illustration of Dobby in Harry's bedroom.

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Dobby and Winky in the Hogwarts kitchens with the other elves.

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## Dobby 
We first met [Dobby](/features/dobby "Dobby") when he arrived in [Harry Potter’s](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") bedroom, ready to warn Harry not to go back to [Hogwarts](/features/hogwarts "Hogwarts"). He quickly became a favourite of Harry and readers alike.  

He had a few – let’s call it ‘curious’ – judgement issues (like that time he sent a jinxed Bludger after Harry during a [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch "Quidditch") match), but he always meant well. Dobby initially served the [Malfoy family](/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-malfoy-family) but was set free when Harry tricked [Lucius Malfoy](/features/lucius-malfoy "Lucius Malfoy") into giving him a sock. ’Dobby has no master… Dobby is a free elf,’ he told [Bellatrix](/features/bellatrix-lestrange "Bellatrix Lestrange"), shortly before his demise in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*.  

## Winky  
Harry met [Winky](/features/winky "Winky") during the [Quidditch World Cup](/writing-by-jk-rowling/history-of-the-quidditch-world-cup "History of the Quidditch World Cup by J.K. Rowling") when he mistook her for Dobby. She was a sweet [house-elf](/features/house-elves "House-elves"), but struggled with the idea of freedom, telling Harry that Dobby’s freedom was going to his head: ‘House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter,’ said Winky firmly, from behind her hands. ‘[House-elves does what they is told](/quote/winkys-reproach).’  

She served [Barty Crouch](/features/barty-crouch-sr "Barty Crouch Sr.") until she was dismissed. She thought that getting paid was a lowly idea, even when Dobby helped her secure a new job at Hogwarts. She eventually fell into a state of depression, seeking solace in too much [Butterbeer](/features/butterbeer "Butterbeer"), poor thing. 

J.K. Rowling revealed during a webchat in 2007 that Winky fought against the [Death Eaters](/collection/characters-deatheaters "Death Eaters") during the Battle of Hogwarts.

## Kreacher  
[Kreacher](/features/kreacher "Kreacher") was first introduced to Harry at [number twelve, Grimmauld Place](/features/number-twelve-grimmauld-place "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place"), Headquarters of the [Order of the Phoenix](/collection/members-of-the-order-of-the-phoenix "Members of The Order of the Phoenix"). He was house-elf to the [Black family](/collection/black-family "The Black Family"), and was left to Harry after [Sirius’s](/features/sirius-black "Sirius Black") death. Despite his disrespect of Muggle-born wizards, he still earnt the respect of [Hermione Granger](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger"), who became an activist for house-elves through her organisation [S.P.E.W.](/feature/to-spew-or-not-to-spew-hermione-granger-and-the-pitfalls-of-activism "To S.P.E.W. or not to S.P.E.W.: Hermione Granger and the pitfalls of activism") (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare).  

Kreacher, albeit against his wishes, did help Harry, Hermione and [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") when they needed to find out more information about [Regulus Black’s](/features/regulus-black "Regulus Black") locket, a prime piece of the [Horcrux](/features/the-horcruxes "The Horcruxes") puzzle. However, they did see Kreacher again, leading house-elves in the Battle of Hogwarts.

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Dobby and Kreacher deilver Mundungus to Ron, Hermione and Harry in Grimmauld Place.

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## Hokey 
Harry never actually met Hokey, but went inside her memories in the [Pensieve](/features/pensieve "Pensieve") with Dumbledore. She served Hepzibah Smith until being convicted by the [Ministry](/features/the-ministry-of-magic "The Ministry of Magic") of poisoning her mistress. The [memory](/image/hepzibah-smith) Harry witnessed was one of Voldemort’s visits to Hepzibah, where he altered Hokey’s memory after having the house-elf slip the poison into her cocoa. 

It wasn’t until later, when Hokey was convicted, that Hepzibah’s family realised what was missing after [Tom Riddle’s](/features/tom-riddle "Tom Riddle") visit: [Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup](/features/helga-hufflepuffs-cup "Helga Hufflepuff's cup") and [Salazar Slytherin’s locket](/features/salazar-slytherins-locket "Salazar Slytherin's locket"), both items the Dark Lord went on to use as Horcruxes. 

## Hogwarts house-elves 
Countless house-elves served in the halls of Hogwarts, cleaning, cooking and delivering trunks, among other tasks. Hermione disrupted the regularity with her [S.P.E.W.](/book-extract-long/spew) activism but, like those she was trying to help, she certainly meant well. The last we saw of the house-elves in the story, they were mingling with others after the [Battle of Hogwarts](/feature/battle-of-hogwarts-timeline "The Battle of Hogwarts"). 

> McGonagall had replaced the house tables, but nobody was sitting according to house any more: all were jumbled together, teachers and pupils, ghosts and parents, centaurs and house-elves, and Firenze lay recovering in a corner, and Grawp peered in through a smashed window, and people were throwing food into his laughing mouth. 
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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Dobby holds the sock which grants his freedom from the Malfoys.

Behind the scenes: uniforms for a dangerous game

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Harry and Draco race to the snitch in a quidditch match 

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Harry is being chased by the rogue bludger during quidditch  

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Extracted from *Harry Potter Film Wizardry* 
___

In the first two films, the players’ robes were quite thick. However, for the match in *Prisoner of Azkaban*, the players wore lighter, sportier robes with their names and numbers on the back.

‘The idea,’ says costume designer Jany Temime, ‘was to create a look that kids who watch football, [rugby](/writing-by-jk-rowling/scottish-rugby "Scottish Rugby by J.K. Rowling"), or whatever would recognise so that they would instantly see [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch "Quidditch") as a sport.’

In *Half-Blood Prince*, the Quidditch players were given modern tracksuit-style clothes for training, but their match gear was a sophisticated blend of the contemporary and the historical. The elbow and knee pads and helmets they don during games are reminiscent of the protective wear worn by early American football players, while the padded leather arm, chest and shin guards are reminiscent of the kind of body armour worn by sportsmen in Edwardian England.

This sort of padding was needed because, according to director David Yates, Quidditch is a violent sport. For him, the championship game between [Gryffindor](/collection/all-about-gryffindor "Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor") and [Slytherin](/collection/all-about-slytherin "Hogwarts houses: Slytherin") represents ‘the terrible violence that Quidditch entails. It always looks really fun, but when you’re flying along on a [broomstick](/features/broomsticks "Broomsticks") at 60mph, whenever you collide or don’t get the Quaffle and end up falling about 50 feet, it’s very precarious.’ 
___

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Every time Fleur Delacour showed us how to do life properly

PMARCHIVE-Every time Fleur Delacour showed us how to do life properly

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An illustration of Fleur in school uniform  

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[Beauxbatons Academy of Magic](/writing-by-jk-rowling/beauxbatons-academy-of-magic) student, Triwizard champion and one of our favourite witches...

## She looked fierce
First of all, her look was incomparable. Never before had a school uniform and a – frankly ridiculous – hat ever looked so chic. With shimmery silver hair and a charming smile, [Fleur](/features/fleur-delacour "Every time Fleur Delacour showed us how to do life properly") had style. She was also part-Veela, so she was genetically destined to be a bombshell. No wonder [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") swooned every time he saw her.

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## She made no concessions for celebrities	
He may have been the most famous wizard of all time, but when [Harry’s](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") name was pulled from the [Goblet of Fire](/features/the-goblet-of-fire), Fleur argued he was too young to compete:

> ‘Madame Maxime!’ said Fleur at once, striding over to her Headmistress. ‘Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!’ 
> Somewhere under Harry’s numb disbelief, he felt a ripple of anger. Little boy?  
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

## She defeated an actual dragon		
During the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur took on a [Welsh Green dragon](/features/common-welsh-green "Common Welsh Green") with panache. She charmed the beast into a sleeping trance – skilfully dodging the jet of flame that shot from its nostrils – and went on to claim her [golden egg](/features/golden-egg "Golden egg").

## She knew her own mind					
When Ron, a boy she’d never spoken to, asked her to the [Yule Ball](/feature/behind-the-scenes-at-the-yule-ball "Behind the scenes: crafting the Yule Ball"), she didn’t even have to say no. She just let her face do all the talking. That’s a powerful, no-nonsense attitude.

## Fleur and her sister were total besties					
In the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, while [Viktor Krum](/features/viktor-krum "Viktor Krum") and [Cedric Diggory](/features/cedric-diggory) would at most ‘sorely miss’ their girlfriends, the person Fleur would miss was her little sister, Gabrielle. That’s sisterhood to feel inspired by.

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Fleur Delacour and her sister Gabrielle before the third Triwizard task

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## Even though she was amazing, she was also humble		
When she was awarded points in the second challenge, she humbly asserted that she ‘deserved zero’. So, as well as being brave and charming, she was humble too.

## She knew who she wanted		
[Bill Weasley](/features/bill-weasley "Bill Weasley") was a catch. Who wouldn’t want to date a curse-breaker at [Gringotts](/features/gringotts "Gringotts")? Also, she was clearly a woman who knew what she wanted, and knew how to get it. She started eyeing Bill up at the end of Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts – and all it took was for Fleur to take a job to ‘improve [her] Eenglish’ and bam, they were married within two years. More power to Fleur, we say.

## And she was completely in love	
It was just as well, then, that she was totally in love with Bill. You could see it in every moment they spent together – it’d be easy to be jealous of them, but they were so happy that you just can’t be...

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The lynx Patronus interrupts Bill and Fleur's wedding with a warning.

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## She wasn’t afraid of sharing her opinions					
Most women would be cowed by the prospect of insulting their future mother-in-law – but not Fleur. When [Molly Weasley](/features/molly-weasley) forced her family to listen to [Celestina Warbeck](/writing-by-jk-rowling/celestina-warbeck "Celestina Warbeck by J.K. Rowling"), it took swift action from [Arthur Weasley](/features/arthur-weasley) to stop Fleur from sharing her low opinion of the singer publically.
> ‘Eez eet over?’ said Fleur loudly. ‘Thank goodness, what an ’orrible –’  
> ‘Shall we have a nightcap, then?’ asked Mr Weasley loudly, leaping to his feet. ‘Who wants egg-nog?’  
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## And she was passionately loyal	
When Bill was mauled by [Fenrir Greyback](/features/fenrir-greyback), Molly made the poor decision of implying that it would interrupt Bill and Fleur’s wedding plans. Fleur kicked back immediately, and fiercely. She said that Bill’s scars showed his bravery, and nothing would stand in the way of their future together. In that moment, she won over Molly with her display of devotion, and she won us over, too.

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## She always found the positive in every situation
An unexpected side effect of the attack by Fenrir Greyback was that Bill preferred his meat a lot rarer. Fleur took this in her stride and even managed to quip at the English’s expense: 

> ‘... so eet ees lucky ’e is marrying me,’ said Fleur happily, plumping up Bill’s pillows, ‘because ze British overcook their meat, I ’ave always said this.’  
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*	

## And we are envious of her amazing home
[Shell Cottage](/features/shell-cottage) was a beautiful place for the newlyweds to set up house. We have serious cottage-envy.

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A sketch of Shell Cottage from the Deathly Hallows 

The 5 strangest things to ever happen in a Hogwarts bathroom

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Moaning Myrtle in her bathroom from the Chamber of Secrets 

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And yet, although the castle was host to thousands of oddities in every nook and cranny, many of its strangest incidents seemed to end up in one particular, slightly smelly place. 

## Hermione turned into a cat 

A quick bathroom break to spruce yourself up is hardly out of the ordinary. But for [Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger"), a makeover in a toilet cubicle ended up getting hairy, due to a slightly misjudged glug of [Polyjuice Potion](https:///writing-by-jk-rowling/polyjuice-potion). Thankfully, the resident bathroom ghost, [Moaning Myrtle](/features/moaning-myrtle "Moaning Myrtle"), was on hand to cheer her up.

> Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had gone yellow and there were long pointed ears poking through her hair. 
> ‘It was a c-cat hair!’ she howled. ‘M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the P-Potion isn’t supposed to be used for animal transformations!’ 
> ‘Uh oh,’ said Ron. 
> ‘You’ll be teased something dreadful,’ said Myrtle happily. 
> *Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets*

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An illustration of Hermione after taking Polyjuice Potion of a cat 

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## The Chamber of Secrets opened

The [Chamber of Secrets](/writing-by-jk-rowling/chamber-of-secrets): officially the worst thing you can find in your bathroom, save perhaps for a particularly bad patch of mildew. Nonetheless, [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") spent pretty much his entire second year at [Hogwarts](/features/hogwarts "Hogwarts") trying to find it.

> ‘What d’you want me to do?’ said Lockhart weakly. ‘I don’t know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There’s nothing I can do.’ 
> ‘You’re in luck,’ said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. ‘We think we know where it is. And what’s inside it. Let’s go.’ 
> They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. 
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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Harry looking inside the Chamber of Secrets 

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## TROLL! 

As it is for many teenage boys, the girls’ bathrooms of Hogwarts are an intimidating place. This goes right back to Harry’s first year, when he and Ron [rescued their new friend](/collection/harry-ron-and-hermione-unbreakable-friendship) Hermione from a slightly troublesome [troll](/features/mountain-trolls "Mountain Trolls").

> ‘Oh, no,’ said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.  
> ‘It’s the girls’ toilets!’ Harry gasped.  
> ‘Hermione!’ they said together.  
> It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic – Harry pulled the door open – they ran inside. Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.  
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

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Hogwarts PM B1C10M3 TrollInBathroom Moment

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## Harry took a bath with an egg 

The [Triwizard Tournament](https:///collection/harry-potter-goblet-of-fire-collection) was a great source of stress for Harry, especially when it came to sussing out the mystery of a screeching, [golden egg](/features/golden-egg "Golden egg"). But what better way to figure out the riddle of a magical object than a nice, relaxing bath? Isn’t that right, Myrtle? Wait – what was Myrtle doing there?

> ‘I’d try putting it in the water, if I were you.’ 
> Harry had swallowed a considerable amount of bubbles in shock. 
> He stood up, spluttering, and saw the ghost of a very glum-looking girl sitting cross-legged on top of one of the taps. It was Moaning Myrtle, who was usually to be heard sobbing in the S-bend of a toilet three floors below. 
> ‘Myrtle!’ Harry said in outrage. ‘I’m – I’m not wearing anything!’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

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## Harry nearly murdered Draco 

Oh, how far away those days of secretly brewing [Polyjuice Potion](/features/polyjuice-potion "Polyjuice Potion") must have seemed to Harry when one moment in a Hogwarts bathroom turned bloody. Enamoured with the new spells learnt from the [Half-Blood Prince](/features/severus-snape "Severus Snape"), a run-in with [Malfoy](/features/draco-malfoy "Draco Malfoy") seemed like the opportune time to try one of them out. Oh, how wrong Harry was.

> ‘SECTUMSEMPRA!’ bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly. 
> Blood spurted from Malfoy’s face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backwards and collapsed on to the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand. 
> ‘No –’ gasped Harry. 
> Slipping and staggering, Harry got to his feet and plunged towards Malfoy, whose face was now shining scarlet, his white hands scrabbling at his blood-soaked chest. 
> ‘No – I didn’t –’ 
> Harry did not know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Malfoy, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. Moaning Myrtle let out a deafening scream. ‘MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!’ 
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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Draco lying on the bathroom floor after Harry's curse 

Behind the scenes: bringing the goblins of Gringotts to life

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Bringing the goblins of Gringotts to life

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