The Magical Facts of Harry Potter

Magical Facts about Harry Potter Infographic

Harry Potter was the boy who lived and now we all live for the modern classic tale that J.K. Rowling penned over the course of a decade. It all began in 1997 when the first book of seven was published. The Harry Potter franchise has since grown into epic proportions with theme parks, plays, spin-off books and movies that just keep feeding the hungry fans. As a costume company, we can attest to the popularity of these.

As popular as the franchise might be, it can be hard to remember where things started. That’s why we used our Time-Turner to take a look back at all the magical characters that made Harry Potter and all of its iterations what they are today. From the founder of the Houses of Hogwarts to the teachers that shaped, and sometimes attacked, Harry and his friends, we’ve got all the magical facts you need to be a true fan. So suit up in your house attire and we’ll pay no mind whether you got them from Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions or shopped our Harry Potter costumes. We hope these magical facts will tide you over until we get a new book, play, movie or theme park from the world of Harry Potter.

Magical Facts about Harry Potter Infographic

Houses of Hogwarts

Gryffindor

  • Founder: Godric Gryffindor
  • Head: Minerva McGonagall
  • Element: Fire
  • Ghost: Nearly Headless Nick
  • Entrance: Password spoken to The Fat Lady painting

 

Ravenclaw

  • Founder: Rowena Ravenclaw
  • Head: Filius Flitwick
  • Element: Air
  • Ghost: The Grey Lady
  • Entrance: A logical riddle

 

Hufflepuff

  • Founder: Helga Hufflepuff
  • Head: Pomona Sprout
  • Element: Earth
  • Ghost: The Fat Friar
  • Entrance: Tapping a pile of large barrels near the kitchen

 

Slytherin

  • Founder: Salazar Slytherin
  • Head: Severus Snape
  • Element: Water
  • Ghost: The Bloody Baron
  • Entrance: Password spoken to a patch of bare stone wall in the dungeons

 

Horcruxes

Tom Riddle’s Diary

He cast the spell on his own school diary after murdering his fellow student Myrtle Warren using the Basilisk during his fifth year at Hogwarts.

Entrusted to Lucius Malfoy

 

Marvolo’s Gaunt Ring

Created during the summer before his sixth year at Hogwarts using a ring owned by his maternal grandfather.

Hidden under the floorboards in the Gaunt family home

 

Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup

Riddle killed Hepzibah Smith and framed her house elf Hokey before created the third Horcrux from her relative’s cup.

Entrusted to: Bellatrix Lestrange

 

Salazar Slytherin’s Locket

After murdering a Muggle tramp, Riddle created the fourth Horcrux from his own ancestor’s locket.

Hidden in a magical seaside cave

 

Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem

After charming the Grey Lady to reveal where she’d hidden her mother’s diadem, Riddle murders an Albanian peasant to turn it into a Horcrux.

Hidden in the Room of Requirement

 

Nagini

Created while Voldemort was hiding in the forests of Albania after murdering Bertha Jorkins.

Nagini was by his side constantly.

 

Harry Potter

Voldemort’s attempted murder of Harry Potter sealed a fragment of his soul within the boy. But Harry never became a dark object because the Horcrux spell wasn’t cast.

 

Magic Spells

Accio  – The Summoning Spell

Summons an object to the spell-caster

First appearance: Goblet of Fire

 

Alohomora – Unlocking Spell

Opens locks on doors and windows.

First appearance: Sorcerer’s Stone

 

Expelliarmus – The Disarming Spell

Knocks the victim’s weapon out of his or hers’ hand

First appearance: Chamber of Secrets

 

Obliviate – The Memory Charm

Erases or modifies the victim’s memory

First appearance: Chamber of Secrets

 

Crucio – The Cruciatus Curse

Causes excruciating pain

First appearance: Goblet of Fire

 

Avada Kedava – The Killing Curse

Kills instantaneously without injury

First appearance: Sorcerer’s Stone (but not identified until Goblet of Fire)

 

Deathly Hallows

Elder Wand aka the Deathstick or the Wand of Destiny

  • Made of elder wood with a Thestral tail hair core.
  • The wand’s allegiance can only be won by killing the previous owner.
  • Harry takes possession after defeating Draco who had become the wand’s master after disarming Dumbledore before the headmasters pre-arranged death.

 

Resurrection Stone

  • Can bring back deceased loved ones in a semi-physical form for communication.
  • Was hidden in the Golden Snitch by Dumbledore but the Snitch wouldn’t open until Harry was near-death in the woods, revealing the stone.

 

Invisibility Cloak

  • Shields the wearer from being seen by Death.
  • Passed down to James Potter the cloak was in Dumberdore’s possession at the time of James’ murder and was given to Harry on Christmas.

 

Professors of Hogwarts

Severus Snape

  • Started: 1981
  • Positions held: Potions Master, Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Headmaster

 

Minerva McGonagall

  • Started: 1956
  • Positions held: Head of Gryffindor House, Transfiguration professor, Deputy Headmistress, Headmistress

 

Albus Dumbledore

  • Started: After Grindelwald’s Flight
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Transfiguration professor, Headmaster

 

Remus Lupin

  • Started: 1993
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor

 

Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as Alastor Moody

  • Started: 1994
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor

 

Gilderoy Lockhart

  • Started: 1992
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor

 

Pomona Sprout

  • Started: Post 1955
  • Positions held: Herbology teacher, Head of Herbology Department, Head of Hufflepuff

 

Quirinus Quirrel

  • Started: 1991
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor

 

Sybill Trelawney

  • Started: 1979
  • Positions held: Professor of Divination

 

Dolores Umbridge

  • Started: 1995
  • Positions held: Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Hogwarts High Inquisitor, Headmistress

 

Rubeus Hagrid

  • Started: 1968
  • Positions held: Keeper of Keys and Ground, Professor of Care of Magical Creatures

 

Filius Flitwick

  • Started: 1971
  • Positions held: Charms master, Head of Ravenclaw House, Conductor of the Frog Choir

 

Magical Places

4 Privet Drive

The house that Dumbledore brought Harry Potter to in 1981 after the murder of his parents. Harry lived in the cupboard under the stairs in the home he shared with his uncle Vernon, aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley Dursley.

 

Hogwarts

The British wizarding school that was founded in the 10th century. It is located in the Scottish Highlands, is state-owned and funded by the Ministry of Magic.

 

Hogsmeade

It is the only all-wizard village in Britain. Third-year students are permitted to take weekend trips to the village.

 

Diagon Alley

Located in London behind the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley is the wizarding center of London. All items on the Hogwarts supply list can be purchased here.

 

Azkaban

Built in the 15th century, Azkaban serves the magical community as the prison for convicted criminals. It’s located on an island in the North Sea.

 

12 Grimmauld Place

The Black family home was nestled in a Muggle community in London and was protected by a Fidelius Charm. It later became the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.

 

King’s Cross Station

Hogwarts students access the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ by running straight at the wall between Platforms 9 and 10. The train leaves on September 1st at 11 am sharp.

 

Ministry of Magic

Located in the heart of London the Ministry of Magic is the governing body that connects the wizarding and muggle worlds. Located underground, visitors access the facility by dialing 62442 on the telephone in the red, run-down telephone box.

 

About Harry Potter

Harry Potter

  • Born: July 31, 1980
  • Blood: Half-blood
  • Bogart: Dementor
  • Wand: 11”, Holly, Phoenix feather
  • 10 ¾”, vine wood, dragon heartstring
  • 10”, Blackthorn, unknown core
  • 10”, Hawthorn, unicorn hair
  • 15”, Elder, Thestral hair
  • Patronus: Stag
  • House: Gryffindor
  • Pet: Hedwig, a snowy owl

 

Harry Potter’s Friends

Hermione Granger

  • Born: September 19, 1979
  • Blood: Muggle-born
  • Bogart: Failure
  • Wand: 10 ¾”, vine wood, dragon heartstring
  • Patronus: Otter
  • House: Gryffindor
  • Pet: Crookshanks, a ginger part-Kreanzle cat
  • Met Harry: On the Hogwarts Express with Ron, who found her unfriendly and an insufferable know-it-all.

 

Ron Weasley

  • Born: March 1, 1980
  • Blood: Pure-blood
  • Bogart: Spiders
  • Wand: 12”, Ash, unicorn tail hair
  • 14”, Willow, unicorn tail hair
  • 9 ¼”, Chestnut, Dragon heartstring
  • Patronus: Jack Russell terrier
  • House: Gryffindor
  • Pet: Scabbers, a rat who was actually Peter Pettigrew
  • Met Harry: In 1991 on the Hogwarts Express when they shared a carriage and many snacks from the food trolley together.

 

Ginny Weasley

  • Born: August 11, 1981
  • Blood: Pure-blood
  • Bogart: Lord Voldemort
  • Wand: Unknown length, Yew, unknown core
  • Patronus: Horse
  • House: Gryffindor
  • Met Harry: Sees him in King’s Cross while her brothers and Harry are preparing to leave for Hogwarts but Mrs. Weasley doesn’t allow her to approach him.

 

Luna Lovegood

  • Born: February 13, 1981
  • Blood: Pure-blood or Half-blood
  • Wand: Unknown
  • Patronus: Hare
  • House: Ravenclaw
  • Met Harry: On the Hogwarts Express at the start of her 4th year while reading The Quibbler upside-down.

 

Neville Longbottom

  • Born: July 30, 1980
  • Blood: Pure-blood
  • Bogart: Severus Snape
  • Wand: Father’s Wand
  • 13”, Cherry, unicorn hair
  • Patronus: Non-corporeal
  • House: Gryffindor
  • Pet: Trevor, a toad
  • Met Harry: In 1991 on the Hogwarts Express looking for his pet toad, Trevor.

 

Magical Objects

Marauder’s Map

Created by Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter using the Homonculous Charm, this magical document reveals all of Hogwarts. The map was given to Harry Potter by Fred and George Weasley during his third year.

 

Invisibility Cloak

Harry received his cloak for Christmas in 1991 from an anonymous source. Ron was the first to suspect it was one of the Deathly Hallows because it was at least two generations old and normal invisibility cloaks lose effectiveness over time.

 

Nimbus 2000 Broom

Released in 1991, it was the fasting racing broom in production. Harry received his broom from Professor McGonagall when he joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team as their Seeker. During a Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff Quidditch match, Harry fell off the broom and it struck the Whomping Willow, reducing it to splinters.

 

Room of Requirement

This sentient secret room in the Hogwarts castle presents itself as whatever a witch or wizard needs at that moment in time. Dobby told Harry of what the house elves called the “Come and Go Room” when Harry asked the elf if he knew of a place where Dumbledore’s Army could safely meet.

 


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