• Glossary • Security Abstinence was the post-Christmas holidays password into Gryffindor Tower, after the Fat Lady and her friend Violet drank all the wine in a picture of a group of drunk monks in the Charms corridor (HBP17)… Read More
• Plants • Wandmaking Acacia is a type of wand wood known for creating “tricky wands,” described by Ollivander in his essays on wandlore (Pm). Read More
• Ministry of Magic The Accidental Magic Reversal Squad is a division of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes at the Ministry of Magic. This team is the first on the scene when a magical accident or catastrophe occurs. Read More
• Sweets Acid Pops are a sweet sold at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade (PA10). Read More
• Organizations Acolytes were the closest followers and helpers of Gellert Grindelwald (CG). Read More
• Plants • Potion ingredients Aconite, also known as monkshood or wolfsbane, is a mundane plant with magical uses (PS8). Read More
• Symbols Tea leaf symbol from Unfogging the Future meaning “windfall, unexpected gold.”… Read More
• Potion ingredients Acromantula venom is the highly-prized secretion of the acromantula. Almost impossible to collect from a living Acromantula, the venom dries out not long after an Acromantula’s death, so the venom may fetch as much as 100 Galleons a pint. Slughorn attends Aragog’s funeral in order to harvest the venom from… Read More
• Hogwarts • Titles, nicknames, and honorifics Acting Head is someone who temporarily assumes the role of Headmaster or Headmistress in the absence of the actual Head. Read More
• Games, toys, and jokes An action figure is a magically animated figure of people or animals. Appearances At the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, Ron bought a small model of Viktor Krum, the famous Bulgarian Seeker, which walked around and scowled (GF7) and even mimicked the real Viktor Krum’s posture and way of… Read More
• Magical objects Admonitors were magical metal cuffs that allowed another person to know what magic the wearer performed (CG). Travers placed admonitors on Albus Dumbledore for perceived disloyalty when Dumbledore said he could not fight Grindelwald. Theseus Scamander later removed Dumbledore’s admonitors when it became clear that, because of a blood troth,… Read More
• Books and Literature Advanced Potion-Making is a potions textbook used at Hogwarts in the 1990s. It is the N.E.W.T. level set text for Potions during Harry Potter’s sixth year (HBP9) and cost nine Galleons brand-new (HBP11). The book was originally written around the year 1946 (HBP16) and… Read More
• Organizations • Security The Advance Guard are the members of the Order of the Phoenix who were responsible for escorting Harry safely to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Read More
• Quidditch The All-Africa Cup is a tournament to determine the top Quidditch team in Africa. It has been won twice by the Gimbi Giant-Slayers (QA8). Read More
• Plants Agapanthus is a mundane plant in the lily family used for decorative plantings. Read More
• Sports and competitions Aingingein is an Irish broom game involving a goat’s bladder called the “Dom“, barrels and fire (QA2). Featured in the book Quidditch Through the Ages and the subject of Irish ballads, in order to win the participant must hit the Dom through several flaming barrels against… Read More
• Furniture and household items • Glossary An airing cupboard is a type of linen closet that typically contains a water heater and has slatted shelves to allow the heat from the boiler to circulate throughout the cupboard, keeping the stored linen free from damp. Read More
• Art and Culture • Books and Literature Alas, I have Transfigured my Feet (Hélas, Je me suis Transfiguré mes Pieds) is a play written in the early 1400s featuring characters named “Grenouille” and “Crapaud” (“Frog” and “Toad,” a nod to the characters in the books by Arnold Lobel). The script includes a reference to playing Quidditch (QA8, BoS2). Read More
• Headlines and advertisements • Historical events Albus Dumbledore Remembered is an obituary written by a life-long friend of Dumbledore, Elphias Doge, who attended Hogwarts with him as a child (DH2, DH8). Read More
• Areas of knowledge Alchemy is the ancient study of transforming base metals into gold and eventually creating a Philospher’s Stone which would give the owner eternal life. Because metals must be melted and mixed before they are transformed into gold, alchemy is a cross between Potions and Transfiguration. The most famous alchemist in… Read More
• Books and Literature Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science is a book written by a servant of Lord Voldemort, Argus Pyrites. The book includes information about the Philosopher’s Stone (JKR). Read More
• Plants • Wandmaking Alder is a type of wand wood (Pm). Read More
• Clothing An Alice band is a hair band of the type worn by a young girl to hold her hair back from her face; from the way Alice wore her hair in Alice Through the Looking-Glass. Read More
• Plants Alihotsy is a type of shrub with leaves that induce hysteria if eaten. Read More
• Food and drinks Alihotsy-flavoured fudge is the candy responsible for the allergic reaction that killed Minister for Magic Wilhelmina Tuft in 1959 (Pm). Read More
• Magical objects • Security Amulets are small object which are thought to bring good luck. Read More
• Areas of knowledge • Hogwarts academics Ancient runes are a form of writing which witches and wizards used hundreds of years ago. It is also a subject at Hogwarts. Classwork and homework involves plenty of practice translating runes, and the O.W.L. involves translating something written in runes into English . Hermione used Spellman’s Syllabary to translate her… Read More
• Hogwarts academics Ancient Runes class, or Study of Ancient Runes, is a challenging class at Hogwarts focused on reading and understanding ancient runes, a form of writing which witches and wizards used hundreds of years ago. During Hermione Granger’s time as a student of Ancient Runes, the instructor was Bathsheda Babbling (JKR) and… Read More
• Books and Literature Ancient Runes Made Easy is an introductory textbook for the study of Ancient Runes at Hogwarts School. Hermione Granger began reading this book during her second year, not long after signing up to take Ancient Runes the following year (CS14). Read More
• Awards The Angus Buchanan Cup for Outstanding Effort is an award given out at Hogwarts each year to a student who demonstrates exceptional effort (Pm). The award is named in honor of the Squib Angus Buchanan, who nearly faked his way into Hogwarts and later went on to be an accomplished… Read More
• Magical identities An Animagus is a witch or wizard who is capable of transforming himself – or herself – into the form of an animal. Background Ordinary Transfiguration of a human into an animal’s shape results in the human having an animal’s brain (QA1) (although Draco Malfoy‘s experience in … Read More
• Sports and competitions The Annual Broom Race of Sweden is a dangerous 300-mile race between Kopparberg and Arjeplog, first run in the 900s, and which has since become a popular international event. The racers must travel through the dangerous dragon reservation that lies directly between the starting and ending points. The… Read More
• Sports and competitions The Annual International Wizard Gardening Competition is a yearly competition held for wizards worldwide to show off their Herbology skills (DP1). This includes an event entry for Contorting Cereals, which has caused confusion for Muggles who see the results, calling them ‘crop circles‘. A report from a… Read More
• Architecture • Hogwarts According to the Oxford Dictionary, it means “a small room, leading to a main one”. Read More
• Magizoology Ant eggs, white and the size of grains of rice, were used as food for baby Blast-Ended Skrewts. Hagrid wanted the class to hand-feed the Skrewts, but some students were burned when they blasted fire (GF13). Read More
• Books and Literature An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms is a Charms reference book. It was one of the books that Harry, Ron, and Hermione examined while preparing for the second task (GF26). Read More
• Security Presumably this magical device or charm buzzes when anyone tries to steal the item it’s attached to (GF8). Read More
• Magical objects Students at Hogwarts are given quills charmed with Anti-Cheating spells for doing written exams. (PS16)… Read More
• Security An Anti-Muggle doorknob is a magical device used to keep Muggles out of a witch or wizard’s house (JKR). Read More
• Security Anti-Muggle security is the practice of precautions to ensure that Muggles don’t notice anything magical. Read More
• Ministry of Magic A division of the Department of Magical Transportation, with responsibility for administering the Apparition Test to witches and wizards. Read More
• Sports teams The Appleby Arrows are a professional Quidditch team based in the town of Appleby in England, who were founded in 1612 (QA7). Team notes robes: pale blue with a silver arrow across the chest (QA7) hometown: Appleby They are fierce rivals of the Wimbourne… Read More
• Wandmaking Applewood can be used to create wands, although such wands are rare. The wood does not mix well with Dark magic and favors those with strong ideals. Owners of applewood wands are considered to live long lives and are often known for being able to converse with other magical beings… Read More
• Sports teams The Argentinian National Teams come from the South American country of Argentina. Quidditch Although competing with the popular America sport of Quodpot, Argentina’s Quidditch team has reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup during the last century (QA8). Half of the Argentinian National team were found… Read More
• Organizations The Argentinian Council of Magic is a the governing body for magical affairs in Argentina. The Argentinian Council of Magic was responsible for planning and preparing for the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, which was held in their country. The president of  the Argentinian Council of Magic at that time… Read More
• Magical identities Someone who practices Arithmancy, the magical study of numbers, is called an Arithmancer. Read More
• Areas of knowledge • Hogwarts academics Arithmancy is a branch of magic that is concerned with the magical properties of numbers; someone who practices Arithmancy is called an Arithmancer. Read More
• Hogwarts academics Arithmancy class is taught at Hogwarts by Professor Vector. In Professor Vector’s class, Arithmancy students are expected to write essays and to be able to understand complicated number charts, which are part of their homework (PA12). Hermione Granger appears to be the only Gryffindor in… Read More
• Potion ingredients Armadillo bile is a potion ingredient used in Wit-Sharpening Potion. Read More
• Sports teams The Armenian National Teams come from the Eurasian country of Armenia. Quidditch Quidditch fans who wanted to watch the English Under-17s play the Armenian Junior Nationals in England were advised to contact the Department of Magical Games and Sports (DP3). Read More
• Hogwarts • Security Hogwarts contains many enchanted suits of armour, some of which stand on plinths around the castle (PA12), while others are in an armour gallery. They move on their own (GF15). Also see Hogwarts Armour and Suits of Armour. Read More
• Plants An artichoke is a mundane Muggle vegetable that inspires magic. Read More
• Art and Culture Various types of artwork are displayed in the halls of Hogwarts, including paintings and sculptures. Many if not all of these are magical and are animated in some way. Apparently there are no art classes at Hogwarts, although Dean Thomas is known for being a good artist.  … Read More
• Wandmaking A wand wood also used to make other magical objects. Read More
• Books and Literature Asiatic Anti-Venoms is a healing reference book which Harry consulted while doing some fifth-year Potions homework (OP16). Read More
• Titles, nicknames, and honorifics While we do not know if this is typical of Heads of the school, we do know that Dumbledore appointed an Assistant Headmistress to help him manage Hogwarts and to take charge when he was away. McGonagall filled that role and took over when Dumbledore was replaced during the 1992-1993… Read More
• Areas of knowledge A type of Divination which relies on star charts and the time and date of a person’s birth. Read More
• Areas of knowledge Astronomy is the study of celestial bodies and their movements. In typical Muggle usage, “astronomy” denotes a scientific discipline. In the wizarding world, astronomy also encompasses astrology and connects with Divination, particularly for the Centaurs. Astronomy affects magic in direct ways, which is why the subject is studied at Hogwarts. Read More
• Hogwarts academics Astronomy is a compulsory subject for the first five years at Hogwarts. The Astonomy professor is Aurora Sinistra. The class meets at midnight at the top of the Astronomy Tower. Essays for the theory portion involve learning a lot of facts — Ron and Harry’s fifth year essay on Jupiter’s moons, for example… Read More
• Quidditch The Attack of the Killer Forest, which took place at the final of the Quidditch World Cup in 1809, is considered to be one of the worst exhibitions of unsportsmanlike conduct in wizarding history (QWC). The match between Romania and New Spain (now Mexico) ended in… Read More
• Titles, nicknames, and honorifics Title given to Delphi, the daughter of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange, in an alternate-reality timeline visited by Scorpius Malfoy using a Time-Turner (CC3.3, CC3.16). Read More
• Symbols Viewed hanging on the walls in the Office of Magical Law Enforcement in an alternate timeline in which Draco Malfoy is an Auror, Harry died, and Voldemort survived to rule the Wizarding World (CC3.3). Read More
• Symbols The symbol of Voldemort’s daughter Delphi, known to her followers as The Augurey (CC3.16). Read More
• Hogwarts • Timelines and calendars August is the one month where students are not present at Hogwarts. The Hogwarts staff typically leaves the castle for the month, although some do remain for all or part of the time. Filch, presumably, uses the time to catch up on cleaning. McGonagall has no other home than Hogwarts… Read More
• Ministry of Magic A division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry of Magic. Read More
• Occupations The Aurors are an elite group of witches and wizards who battle the Dark Arts. They operate in some ways as soldiers but more often as intelligence agents, seeking out Dark wizards and defeating them, often in fierce wizard duels. Alastor Moody and Frank and Alice Longbottom were famous Aurors,… Read More
• Sports teams The Australian National Teams come from the Antipodean country of Australia. Quidditch Quidditch came to Australia some time in the eighteenth century and is very popular, not least because of the large areas of uninhabited outback where Quidditch can be played without Muggle notice. Australian teams are known for… Read More
• Quidditch The Australian Quidditch League is the league for teams in Australia. The League is usually won by the Thundelarra Thunderers or the Woollongong Warriors, teams with a traditionally fierce rivalry (QA8). Read More
• Occupations The wizarding world is full of books. Witches and wizards share their ideas, research and stories by writing them down. Read More
• Magical objects An Auto-Answer Quill presumably automatically answers a question asked in its presence. They are banned from the examination hall during tests at Hogwarts (OP31). Read More
• Communication In the basement of MACUSA headquarters in New York, there at least one hundred automatic typewriters on the unmanned desks. Read More
• Awards • Sports and competitions Angus Buchanan Cup for Outstanding Effort Awarded yearly at Hogwarts (Pm). Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting Albus Dumbledore won this before his eighteenth birthday (DH18). “Dangerous” Dai Commemorative Medal Given each year to the Quidditch player who has been the most reckless, in honor of… Read More
• Transportation Short for “Axminster carpet” or “Axminster rug” – a carpet or rug with a soft tufted pile cut of a type originally (and apparently still) manufactured at Axminster in Devon, England (NSOED). Read More
• Glossary A dialect word for “yes” that in modern usage tends to be used only in nautical contexts and in formal voting. … Read More