“About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall, pearly-white and slightly transparent…”
After a thousand years of magical inhabitation, Hogwarts is the most heavily haunted building in Britain. Among the various has-beens of Hogwarts, there are four ghosts who have the distinction of representing each of the school houses.
“Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen”
The renowned founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Over a thousand years ago, Rowena Ravenclaw dreamt of following a warted hog to a mountainside loch. The rest as they say, is history…
“What Cornelius doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Dolores Jane Umbridge is a power-hungry Ministry of Magic official. Deeply prejudiced, controlling and sadistic, Umbridge is a nightmare in pink bows, frills and flounces. Her hobbies include collecting the ‘Frolicsome Feline’ ornamental plate range and inventing instruments of torture.
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you’ve a ready mind,
Where those of wit & learning
Will always find their kind.
Padma Patil.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve & chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart.
Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.
“Your dad was the best friend I’ve ever had and he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at fifteen. He grew out of it.”
James Potter was Harry’s father. At Hogwarts he was a talented pupil and gifted Chaser, but also a rebellious trouble maker. James became an Animagus illegally, and created the Marauders map along with his best friends. James fought in the original Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. He managed to evade Voldemort three times, but was betrayed and killed on 31st October 1981. A monument remains to James and Lily in their hometown of Godric’s Hollow.
“I don’t imagine anyone who met her wouldn’t have liked her.”
Lily Potter was kind, charming and vivacious. She was the object of both James and Severus Snape’s affections. Lily fought in the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. She was a talented witch, and managed to evade Voldemort three times, but was eventually killed trying to protect Harry. Her sacrifice protected Harry for all of his childhood and helped lead to Voldemort’s downfall. A monument remains to Lily and James in their hometown of Godric’s Hollow.
“Alright, alright. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I’m sure…”
Everyone’s favourite straight-talking quidditch commentator. Lee provides colourful commentary (too colourful, if you ask Professor McGonagall!) at Hogwarts quidditch matches. He’s the best friend of the Weasley twins and an active member of Dumbledore’s Army. Lee is always a fierce member of the resistance – whether levitating nifflers into Umbridge’s office or hosting the undercover radio programme Potterwatch at the height of the Wizarding War.
“Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh. Harry – yer a wizard.”
Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Despite his intimidating size and slightly wild appearance, Hagrid is a very kind and fiercely loyal friend. Unfortunately, his nurturing instincts also include a bit of a “monster fixation” – who else would sing a lullaby to a dragon or hatch an acromantula in a cupboard?
“I am hopeful that Katie will make a full recovery in time.”
Katie is one of the trio of “superb chasers” on the Gryffindor quidditch team, along with Angelina and Alicia. She joins Dumbledore’s Army as an act of resistance during her sixth year in Hogwarts, and is later cursed during a bungled assassination attempt. Luckily Katie recovers and lives to fight another day in the Battle of Hogwarts.
“What an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too…”
Angelina is fiercely driven both on and off the Quidditch pitch. She was Gryffindor’s star chaser for six years, and captained the team in her final year at Hogwarts. Angelina’s other talents include exuberant dancing, duelling (sharpened by her brave participation in Dumbledore’s Army) and the ability to put up with Fred and George.
“Excuse me, I’m a prefect!”
Percy is the third eldest Weasley son, and a bit of a misfit in his large family. He’s “a great believer in rigidly following rules”, which can’t have been easy growing up with Fred and George. Percy is very ambitious and a model student at Hogwarts, first becoming prefect and then Head Boy. Admittedly, these achievements do make him insufferably pompous at times.
HARRY POTTER SIMS 