HPL: S (Wizards, Witches and Beings)

Wizards, Witches and Beings: S

Saint Mungo

Presumably the namesake for St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries, founded in the late 1500s or early 1600s by Mungo Bonham (1560 - 1659) who was, presumably, also named for the saint.

St. Mungo (518-603) is the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland. St. Mungo, aka St. Kentigern or Kentigern Mungo (church window illustration). St. Mungo survived an anti-Christian uprising by local pagans, and according to local tradition (not official Catholic hagiography) St. Mungo baptized a bard named Merlin on a large boulder near Stobo.

Sanguina, Lady Carmilla, see Magical Beings page

Sanguini, see Magical Beings page

Savage

Auror stationed at Hogwarts during Harry's 6th year, along with Tonks, Dawlish and Proudfoot (HBP8).

Sawbridge, Almerick

(1602 - 1699)

Famous for conquering the river troll that was terrorizing crossers of the Wye River (fw41).

Scabior

One of the "snatchers" led by Greyback who captured Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean Thomas, and Griphook and took them to the Malfoy mansion instead of the Ministry (DH23), Scabior seemed to be able to keep Grayback's appetite for young flesh in check. Scabior was Stunned by Bellatrix when she saw that they had also brought the Sword of Gryffindor.

Scabies is a contagious infection caused by a mite burrowing under the skin. Its feces cause intense itching.

Scamander, Lorcan

Son of Rolf and Luna (Lovegood) Scamander; his twin brother is named Lysander. Somewhat younger than the children of Harry and Ron (YL).

Lorcan="little fierce one" (Irish Gaelic).

Scamander, Luna

Presumably Luna Lovegood’s married name after, many years out of school, she married Rolf Scamander (BLC). (More...)

Scamander, Lysander

Son of Rolf and Luna (Lovegood) Scamander; his twin brother is named Lorcan. Somewhat younger than the children of Harry and Ron (YL).

Lysander is a boy's name meaning "liberator or emancipation."

Scamander, "Newt" Artemis Fido

(b. 1897)

Author of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (PS5) and a number of other books. (More...)

"[His] name is filled with puns. Newts are small salamanders ... Artemis was the Greek goddess of hunting ... Fido ... is a common pet name ... Scamander sounds like salamander..." ( pp. 23-24)

Scamander, Porpentina

Wife of Newt Scamander, lives in Dorset; they have three Kneazles, named 'Hoppy,' 'Miller,' and 'Mauler' (FB vi).

Scamander, Rolf

The grandson of Newt Scamander, and husband to Luna Lovegood (BLC). He and Luna have twin sons, Lorcan and Lysander (YL). Rolf is a well-known naturalist just like his grandfather.

Scarpin

Presumably the inventor of Scarpin's Revelaspell, a technique for analyzing the ingredients of a potion (HBP).

Schmidt, Bruno

A child from Germany who hit an Erkling over the head with his father's collapsible cauldron and killed it, which was fortunate because Erklings eat children (FB).

Scrimgeour, Brutus

Author of The Beater's Bible; also wrote a promotional blurb for the front of Quidditch Through the Ages (QA).

'Scrimgeour' = a Scottish clan name. It probably originated from a nickname meaning 'skirmisher' (a version of "escrimeur," French for "swordsman"), which is fitting for a bat-wielding Quidditch Beater.

Scrimgeour, Rufus

(d. August 1, 1997)

Former Head of the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic (OP7). Replaced Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic (HBP1). (More...)

'Scrimgeour'=a Scottish clan name. It probably originated from a nickname meaning "skirmisher" (a version of "escrimeur," French for "swordsman").
'Rufus'=Latin for "red-haired."

Scrivenshaft

Presumably the owner of Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop in Hogsmeade (OP16).

second cousin, Bertha Jorkins'

Bertha went to Albania to visit her second cousin (GF25).

Selwyn

A Death Eater who relinquished his wand to Voldemort during the Battle of the Seven Potters (DH4). Selwyn’s day job is working for the Ministry, so when Xenophilius alerts the Ministry to having Harry Potter in his house, Selwyn is one of the two officials that comes to investigate (DH21). The Selwyns are apparently well-known as a pureblood family. Indeed, after wizards were compelled by the Ministry to prove their ancestry, Dolores Umbridge claimed kinship to them, passing Slytherin's locket off as a Selwyn heirloom (DH13).

Shacklebolt, Kingsley

Auror who became Minister of Magic in 1998. (More...)

Name meaning: Shacklebolt="bolt which passes through the eyes of a shackle" (OED) in heraldry, the shacklebolt symbolizes "victory; one who has taken prisoners or rescued prisoners of war." (fleurdelis)

Shimpling, Derwent

(b. 1912)

Comedian known for his boldness; he once ate an entire Venomous Tentacula as a bet. Though he lived, he’s still purple (fw79).

"Wizard of the Month" on www.jkrowling.com for January, 2005 (JKR).

Shingleton, Gaspard

(b. 1959)

Celebrated inventor of the Self-Stirring Cauldron (fw87).

JKR's "Wizard of the Month" for September 2005 (JKR).

Shunpike, Stan

(b. circa 1975)

Young, pimply conductor of the Knight Bus whose accent is Cockney. He wears a purple uniform, has large protruding ears, and quite a few pimples. Stan is about 5 years older than Harry (PA3).

Stan was arrested in the fall of 1996 for “suspicion of Death Eater activity” (HBP11), shocking and outraging members of the Order of the Phoenix (HBP15). Harry used Stan’s situation repeatedly as an example of why he was unwilling to work with Scrimgeour (HBP16, HBP30).

Stan escaped from Azkaban during a hushed-up mass breakout in 1997, and spent the rest of the year fighting with the Death Eaters and helping out Snatchers, clearly under the Imperius Curse (DH4, DH23).

"shunpike" = British slang - a "shunpike" is a side road used to avoid the toll on or the speed and traffic of a superhighway.
Stan = named after one of JKR's grandfathers, Stan Volant.

Sinistra, Aurora(?)

Professor of Astronomy at Hogwarts.

Professor Sinistra's first name 'Aurora' is given in an early planning draft for Prisoner of Azkaban available on JKR's website. However, we cannot consider this canon because other information on this page changed by the time the book was actually published (JKR scrapbook).

The question of Sinistra's gender came up during the translation of OP into Portuguese. The translation team contacted the Lexicon for an answer to the question, but I couldn't answer for sure, since it never says one way or the other in the books. I suggested that they contact Rowling, which they did. Rowling's reps responded that Sinistra was in fact a woman. - ed.

Aurora was the Ancient Roman goddess of the dawn ('Eos' in Greek).
"sinistra" = Latin for "with the left hand." For Ancient Greeks and Romans the left side symbolized unfavorable omens and perverseness (Lewis & Short).
"Sinistra" = the name of a magnitude 3.5 star in the constellation Ophiuchus, the Serpent Handler (Fixed Stars).

Skeeter, Rita

(b. circa 1951)

Reporter for the Daily Prophet, and an unregistered Animagus. Covered the trials at the end of the Voldemort years (GF30). Captured in beetle form by Hermione, June 24, 1995, and imprisoned in a jar; currently unemployed, since Hermione will reveal her illegal Animagus status if Rita writes anything (GF). Hermione made Rita interview Harry about the true story of Voldemort's return, which was printed in The Quibbler (OP). (More...)

"skeeter" = slang term for a mosquito.
"rita" = similar to "writer" and is a slant rhyme to "mosquito."

Skively, Harold

In a letter to the Daily Prophet, the appropriately-named Skively suggested that the Wizarding community celebrate a day to honor Merlin, since, as he put it, he "could do with an extra day's holiday around August." (DP)

Skive=To avoid doing one's task or duty; to "skive off" is to skip, as in skipping classes at school.

Skowers, Mrs.

Presumably the inventor of Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover (CS9).

Sleekeazy

Presumably the inventor of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion (GF24).

Slinkhard, Wilbert

Author of Defensive Magical Theory, assigned for Defense Against the Dark Arts classes by Umbridge (OP9, 12).

Sloper, Jack

Gryffindor, mid 1990s; Quidditch Beater, 1995-6.

A Gryffindor student in the mid-1990s and a replacement Beater on the Quidditch team after Fred and George were given lifetime bans. He wasn’t very good – his most memorable moment of the season was missing a Bludger and hitting Angelina in the mouth with his bat instead (OP26).

Slughorn, Horace E. F.

Slughorn has been the Professor of Potions twice at Hogwarts. (More...)

Slytherin, Salazar

(c.1000 A.D.)

One of the four founders of Hogwarts, Slytherin was one of the earliest known Parselmouths, and an influential proponent for pureblood supremacy. (More...)

"Wizard of the Month" on jkrowling.com for June 2007 (JKR).

Smeek, Enid

A witch who lived in Godric’s Hollow at the same time as the Dumbledore family. She was quoted in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore as saying that Aberforth Dumbledore used to throw goat dung at her, and that Bathilda Bagshot is “nutty as squirrel poo” (DH18).

Smethley, Veronica

One of many witches who wrote fan mail to Lockhart (CS7).

Smethwyk, Elliot

Created the Cushioning Charm in 1820; prior to this riding a broomstick could be a rather painful experience (QA9).

Smethwyk, Hippocrates

Healer-in-Charge on the Dai Llewellyn ward at St. Mungo's Hospital when Arthur Weasley was there recovering from a snake bite (OP22).

Smethwyk, Leopoldina

(1829 - 1910)

First British witch to referee a Quidditch match.

Smith, Hepzibah

(d. circa 1946)

Alive around 1945, an immense, "very old, very rich witch" who collected magical antiques antiques and befriended Tom Marvolo Riddle in his role at Borgin and Burkes. Hepzibah lived in a grand house filled with so many possessions that it was difficult to walk through. Tom Riddle killed her for a relic of Helga Hufflepuff's, a "small golden cup with two finely wrought handles," and the heavy gold Slytherin locket that Tom's mother sold to Caractacus Burke. Tom Riddle was never suspected of the murder; he made sure Hepzibah's house-elf Hokey was convicted of the crime (HBP20). Riddle used her murder to turn the cup into a Horcrux (BLC).

Hepzibah="My delight is in her" in Hebrew. She was a queen in the Old Testament (BtN).

Smith, Mr.

The father of Hogwarts student Zacharias Smith. Described as "haughty-looking." (HBP30).

Smith, Zacharias

Hufflepuff, 1990s.

A real winner of a guy who seems to offend people every time he speaks. Zacharias joined Dumbledore's Army after overhearing Ernie and Hannah talking about it, and was immediately a constant skeptic, not shutting up until Fred and George threaten him with a “long and lethal-looking metal instrument” (OP16) and Harry pointed out that Expelliarmus, a spell Zacharias scoffed at, had saved his life while dueling with Voldemort (OP18).

A year later, he was hardly a year wiser, pestering Ginny for details about the Department of Mysteries until she got fed up and nailed him with a Bat-Bogey Hex (HBP7). Zacharias also commentated for a Quidditch match that year, making the Gryffindors so mad that the moment the match ended, Ginny barreled straight into him on her broom (HBP14). Finally, Zacharias ended his illustrious Hogwarts career in style by not only being the only D.A. member not to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, but by beating down first years to be the first one out when the school was evacuated (DH31).

Zacharias='Zechariah' was a minor prophet of the Old Testament, author of the Book of Zechariah.

Smythe, Georgina

Witch who writes in to Tilden Toots' herbology radio show "Toots' Shoots 'n' Roots" to ask about a sick Flitterbloom plant (JKR).

The name is only heard, not seen in print, so it may also be spelled 'Smithe'.

Snape, Eileen Prince

Presumably the married name of Professor Snape's mother. See Prince, Eileen.

Snape, Severus

(January 9, 1960 - May, 1998)

AKA The Half-blood Prince.
Hogwarts Potions Master (c.1980-1996) Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts (1996-1997), and Headmaster (1997-1998)..
Member of Voldemort's Death Eaters, but also of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix (1990s). (More...)

'Severus' has obvious connotations of severity and strictness. There are also several saints with the name 'Severus.'
Snape: JKR says "Snape is an English village" (eT), probably the one in North Yorkshire near Hadrian’s (aka Severus’) Wall. This village also has a 'Snape Castle.' There is another Snape Village that is near Saxmundham, northeast of Ipswich near the Alde River.
snape (v.) - 'to be hard upon, rebuke, snub,' c.1300, from Old Norse sneypa 'to outrage, dishonor, disgrace.' (etymonline)
sneap: to nip; pinch; put down; repress; snub (phrontistery).

Snape, Tobias (See "Muggle People")

Snell, Barnaby

A fan of the Chudley Cannons quidditch team who was quoted in the Daily Prophet in disbelief after the team defeated the Wigtown Wanderers, ending a seventeen-game losing streak (DP3).

Spavin, Faris "Spout Hole"

Minister of Magic from 1895-1903; mentioned in the third W.O.M.B.A.T. test posted on jkrowling.com (JKR).

Spavin=a swelling of a horse's hock joint that results in lameness; 'Faris' is a Muslim name meaning 'horseman,' or 'knight.' Spout=to utter a speech, especially in a pompous manner.

Spinks

Both 'Spinks' and 'Spungen' were names Rowling considered for Draco Malfoy's last name. They appear together in the draft of the classlist of Harry's year that Jo displayed during the "Harry Potter and Me" TV interview (HPM). 'Spungen' is also visible on a "Very early draft of Philosophers Stone" available on Jo's website. These names have never been used in the books and cannot be considered canon.

Spinnet, Alicia

(b. circa 1978)

Gryffindor 1989 - 1996; Quidditch Chaser 1991-1996

A staple on the Gryffindor Quidditch team during Harry’s first five years at Hogwarts, Alicia was a strong Chaser whose talent was discovered by Oliver Wood (PS7, PA8).

Spleen, Professor Helbert

A Healer at St. Mungo’s Hospital, Professor Spleen also writes for a Daily Prophet advice column. In one such issue, he gives advice to a wizard with Dragon Pox (DP3).

Spore, Phyllida

Author of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi (PS5).

"spore" = English for "reproductive cell of some kinds of plants."

Sprout, Pomona

Head of Hufflepuff House (GF36), Herbology professor at Hogwarts. (More...)

Sprout=English "to germinate, for example, a seed; also a young plant."
Pomona=Roman goddess of fruit trees (EM).

Spudmore

Black Forest manufacturer (with Ellerby) of the 1940 Tinderblast broom (QA9).

Spungen

St. Mungo, see Saint Mungo

Stainwright, Erica

(1932 - 2001)

Disgraced 1950s housekeeping guru who made fortune selling 'cleaning' potions that really generated more mould and grime.

Stainwright was Jo's Wizard of the Month for August 2006 (JKR).

Stalk, Blenheim

(b. 1920)

Author of Muggles Who Notice (published 1972), Stalk is a well-known expert on Muggles and author of many books (FB, fw82).

Starkey, Hesper

(1881 - 1973)

Witch who studied the use of phases of the moon in potion making (fw).

Stebbins

Hufflepuff, 1990s. Snape takes 10 points from Stebbins after catching him in the roses with a Ravenclaw girl ('Fawcett') during the Yule Ball (GF23).

Stebbins

A Hogwarts student in the same year as James Potter and his friends. According to Snape's pensieve memory, Flitwick has to order Stebbins to sit down while he is collecting their O.W.L.s (OP28).

Stimpson, Patricia

Hogwarts student 1989 - 1996 (Gryffindor?)
A Hogwarts student in Fred and George’s year. George mentions that she had a minor breakdown in their O.W.L. year (OP12).

Stroulger, Edgar

(1703 - 1798)

Inventor of the Sneakoscope (fw).

Strout, Miriam

Healer in charge of the Janus Thickey ward (a closed, longterm ward for patients with permanent spell damage) at St. Mungo's Hospital at the time of Broderick Bode's assassination (OP23, 25). She is quite chatty and is described as being "motherly-looking." She treats Lockhart (a resident in the same ward) affectionately, but as a child. Other charges in her care are Agnes, a woman who's entire head is covered with fur (she also barks), and Alice and Frank Longbottom.

Stump, Grogan

(1770-1884)

Appointed Minister of Magic in 1811 and served until 1819.
Decreed that "a being was any creature that has sufficient intelligence to understand the laws of the magical community and to bear part of the responsibility in shaping those laws." In so doing he settled a long-standing debate dating back to the 14th century. Stump created the three divisions of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures: Being, Beast, and Spirit (FB). Stump was a very popular Minister of Magic (fw58).

Rowling featured Stump as Wizard of the Month for April 2006 (JKR).

Summerbee, Felix

(1447 - 1508)

Inventor of Cheering Charms (JKR).

Summerbee was Wizard of the Month on JKR's website for May, 2004 (the month the site opened), and again for May 2005 (JKR).

"felix" = Latin for happiness.

Summerby (wizard)

Hufflepuff, 1990s. The year after Cedric Diggory’s death, Summerby took over as the Hufflepuff Seeker (OP26).

Summers (wizard)

Hufflepuff, 1990s, Like Fred and George Weasley, he tried taking an Aging Potion in order to put his name in the Goblet of Fire, and was sent to the hospital wing with a beard (GF16).

Sweeting, Havelock

(1634 - 1710)

Unicorn expert (fw45).

Switch, Emeric

Author of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration (PS5).

"switch" = "to change one thing for another."

Sykes, Jocunda

(b. 1915)

Famously became the first witch or wizard to fly across the Atlantic Ocean on a broomstick, in 1935. She rode an Oakshaft 79 (QA9).

The Wizard of the Month for January 2006 on JKRowling.com

Sylvanus, Mylor

Non-canon: this name appears (along with Oakden Hobday) on an early planning chart for Order of the Phoenix in a list as the fifth of the Defense against the Dark Arts Professors.

Mylor is a small seaside Cornish town near Truro.

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