Magical Mischief Collection Symbol

Magical Mischief

Up to no good

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The Peeves Challenge Quiz

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Good luck! 

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We have hundreds more quizzes for you to try [right here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/quiz)

[Or for more Magical Mischief, check out our collection page of our silliest content!](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/magical-mischief)

Play our Magical Mischief crossword

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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As it's Magical Mischief month, we gift you with a new crossword to try out.

This puzzle comes with extra magic, should you desire it. As you play the crossword, much like a Hogwarts staircase, you'll notice the letters not behaving like they should. If you want to play the crossword with this magic in place, simply go to settings and select "SHOW MAGIC". If you'd rather play your crossword the more traditional way, deselect that option and enjoy.

Good luck.

<iframe width="100%" height="1050" allowtransparency="true" style="background: #FFFFFF" src="
https://bridgecard.wizardingworld.com/crossword/20210303/00046/index.html" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For more wordsearches and crosswords, visit our [puzzles collection page.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)

Play our silliest words wordsearch!

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Our Wizarding World app users may have already played our wordsearches and crosswords, but now, we're popping a few on our website so everybody can have a go.

The theme for this particular one is rather silly words - all in the spirit of Magical Mischief month. See how quickly you can find these ridiculous words - hopefully the wordsearch won't be like Peeves and behave itself.

Simply click and drag to find all the words...

<iframe width="600" height="650" src="https://bridgecard.wizardingworld.com/wordsearch/20200317/00013" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Fancy playing our other free puzzles? Be our guest.

[Try our Triwizard Tournament wordsearch here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/wizarding-world-triwizard-tournament-wordsearch)
[Try our Wizarding World books crossword here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/wizarding-world-books-crossword)

Wizarding World Gold subscribers can play weekly challenges in our app feed, with a few treats thrown in for free-users too. You can learn more about [Wizarding World Gold here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/about-gold?gclid=CjwKCAiAhc7yBRAdEiwAplGxXxd32IayJKnEscllKgsPU4_IPOqy9bD51W21pSP5saL64lLwzoU7lBoC1wYQAvD_BwE)

Beasts Behaving Badly: a look at the most mischievous magical creatures

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The wizarding world is crawling with creatures – some proud, some vindictive, some visible only to those who have witnessed death. They function as familiars, friends and foes. And some of them, it seems, are mainly there to mess with the nearest witch or wizard.
<br>
## Nifflers

These cute little diggers are the original mischief-makers. Their affinity for anything expensive makes them more dangerous than Dementors (if you care more about your watch than your soul). It makes sense that they’re adorable; it makes it much more likely that you’ll forgive them for raiding your jewellery box, robbing you blind, and destroying your house.

The Nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it was water, each scurrying back to the student who had released it and spitting gold into their hands. Ron’s was particularly efficient; it had soon filled his lap with coins.

>‘Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?’ he asked excitedly, as his Niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes.
>
>‘Yer mum wouldn’ be happy, Ron,’ said Hagrid, grinning, ‘they wreck houses, Nifflers.’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

## Kreacher

House-elves as an entity aren’t exactly mischief-makers, interested as they are in serving – but the pages of Harry Potter are studded with diminutive tea-towel-clad rebels, and Kreacher is the most intent on causing trouble.

Alternately scattering Dungbombs, prowling after dark, and smuggling valuables in his loincloth, Kreacher’s deep love for his family resulted in plenty of problems for the new occupants of his domain.

There was the sound of pattering feet, a blaze of shining copper, an echoing clang and a shriek of agony: Kreacher had taken a run at Mundungus and hit him over the head with a saucepan.

>‘Call ’im off, call ’im off, ’e should be locked up!’ screamed Mundungus, cowering as Kreacher raised the heavy-bottomed pan again.
>
>‘Kreacher, no!’ shouted Harry.
>
>Kreacher’s thin arms trembled with the weight of the pan, still held aloft.
>
>‘Perhaps just one more, Master Harry, for luck?’
><br>*Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows*

## Hedwig

Hedwig is a loyal friend and a reliable mail carrier, but she’s also got plenty of personality, which more often than not expresses itself in the form of non-verbal jokes. She nibbles ears, nips wrists and disapproves of tropical birds. She’s often present when Harry receives bad or worrying news (because she brings it, tied to her leg) and if he overreacts, she makes sure he knows, by cuffing him about the head with her wing.

Hedwig came fluttering down onto his shoulder, and held out her leg.

>‘I can’t use you,’ Harry told her, looking around for the school owls. ‘I’ve got to use one of these ...’
>
>Hedwig gave a very loud hoot, and took off so suddenly that her talons cut into his shoulder. She kept her back to Harry all the time he was tying his letter to the leg of a large barn owl. When the barn owl had flown off, Harry reached out to stroke Hedwig, but she clicked her beak furiously and soared up into the rafters out of reach.
>
>‘First Ron, then you,’ said Harry angrily. ‘This isn’t my fault.’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

## Grindylows

There are degrees of mischief, and Grindylows sit further towards the murderous end, given their predilection for dragging witches and wizards down to watery deaths. But they’re small! Green! Cute!

>Harry twisted his body around and saw a Grindylow, a small, horned water demon, poking out of the weeds, its long fingers clutched tightly around Harry’s leg, its pointed fangs bared – Harry stuck his webbed hand quickly inside his robes and fumbled for his wand – by the time he had grasped it, two more Grindylows had risen out of the weed, had seized handfuls of Harry’s robes, and were attempting to drag him down.
><br>*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

## Nargles

The actual presence of Nargles is yet to be verified, but if Luna tells us that they infest mistletoe, then who are we to disbelieve her?
<br>
## Freshly caught Cornish Pixies

Gilderoy Lockhart was always a great lover of a mischievous wink, so it’s no surprise that he brought these blue-hued wreckers of havoc into the classrooms of Hogwarts.

Shockingly strong and good at working in teams, it didn’t take long for a cage full of the cobalt sprites to reduce a Defence Against the Dark Arts class to panic.

>It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, upended the waste bin, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the candelabra in the ceiling.
><br>*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

Watch our guide on how to draw a Niffler 

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Is there a cuter fantastic beast than the Niffler? (Shush, nobody tell Pygmy Puffs we said that.) How about creating your own to show off to your friends?

The mischievous creature, known for foraging shiny objects and for being a particular favourite of Newt Scamander, was first introduced to us in the book *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, and we’ve been in love ever since.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wdhd0hNU5W8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And don’t worry, you don’t have to have the artistic prowess of Dean Thomas (remember his ‘Potter for President’ Quidditch banner?) to draw this little fellow – our guide is designed so everyone can draw along. 

Don’t forget to draw the Niffler’s gold coins – otherwise you’ll have yourself one sad Niffler. 

For more of our arts and crafts videos, check the [Wizarding World YouTube channel.](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChPRO1CB_Hvd0TvKRU62iSQ) 

The Marauder’s Map

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Harry locates the One Eyed Witch using the Maurauder's Map.

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Perhaps no students (even including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Tom Riddle) have ever explored the castle and grounds of Hogwarts as thoroughly and illicitly as the four creators and contributors to the Marauder’s Map: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

James, Sirius and Peter were not initially impelled to explore the school grounds by night out of devilment alone (though that played its part), but by their desire to help their dear friend Remus Lupin to bear his lycanthropy. Prior to the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, Lupin was compelled to undergo an excruciating transformation every full moon. Once his condition was discovered by his three best friends, they sought a way to render his transformations less solitary and painful, which led to them learning to become (unregistered) Animagi, so that they could keep him company without harm to themselves. The ability of Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter to become, respectively, a dog, a rat and a stag, enabled them to explore the castle grounds by night undetected. The interior of the castle, meanwhile, was mapped over time with the help of James Potter’s Invisibility Cloak.

The Marauder’s Map is lasting testimony to the advanced magical ability of the four friends who included Harry Potter’s father, godfather and favourite teacher. The map they created during their time at Hogwarts appears to be a blank piece of parchment unless activated by the phrase: ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,’ a phrase that, in the case of three of the four makers, should be understood as a joke. The ‘no good’ of which they wrote never denoted Dark magic, but school rule-breaking; similar bravado is evinced by their use of their own nicknames on the map (‘Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs’).

The magic used in the map’s creation is advanced and impressive; it includes the Homonculous Charm, enabling the possessor of the map to track the movements of every person in the castle, and it was also enchanted to forever repel (as insultingly as possible) the curiosity of their nemesis, Severus Snape.

Although the precise circumstances surrounding the makers’ loss of their map are not given in the Harry Potter novels, it is easy to conclude that they eventually over-reached themselves and were cornered by Argus Filch, probably on a tip-off from Snape, whose obsession it had become to expose his arch-rival, James Potter, in wrongdoing. The masterpiece of a map was confiscated in Sirius, James, Remus and Peter’s final year and none of them were able to steal it back from a well-prepared and suspicious Filch. In any case, their priorities changed in their final months at school, becoming far more serious and focused on the world beyond Hogwarts, where Lord Voldemort was successfully rising to power. All four of the map’s creators would shortly be inducted into the renegade organisation headed by Albus Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix, and a map of their old school – no matter how ingenious – would no longer be of use to them except as a piece of nostalgia.

The Marauder’s Map was, however, of immense use to the young Weasley twins. The story of Fred and George’s acquisition of the map is told in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*. It was a mark of their high esteem for Harry Potter, and their belief that he stood in need of assistance with a destiny none of them yet fully understood, that they later gifted the map to him, unwittingly passing it on to the child of one of the creators.

The map was subsequently confiscated from Harry Potter by a Death Eater in disguise at the school, who recognised it as a likely source of his own discovery.

## J.K. Rowling’s thoughts

The Marauder’s Map subsequently became something of a bane to its true originator (me), because it allowed Harry a little too much freedom of information. I never showed Harry taking the map back from the empty office of (the supposed) Mad-Eye Moody, and I sometimes regretted that I had not capitalised on this mistake to leave it there. However, I like the moment when Harry watches Ginny’s dot moving around the school in *Deathly Hallows*, so on balance I am glad I let Harry reclaim his rightful property.

The Mischievously Tricky Quiz

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How do you become an Animagus?

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Becoming an Animagus is not as easy as Sirius Black and Minerva McGonagall make it look. Learn all the steps in this long and dangerous process!

How do you become an Animagus? | Wizarding World

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*Definition: An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform at will into an animal.*

*Notable Animagi: Minerva McGonagall, Rita Skeeter, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew*

In *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, [Remus Lupin](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/ten-times-remus-lupin-made-us-wish-he-was-our-teacher) shared that it took his fellow Marauders – James, Sirius and Peter – until their fifth year at Hogwarts to finally become Animagi and keep him company in his werewolf form. But how did they manage it? And why did it take them so long to learn how to transform into animals?

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Here’s a witch or wizard’s step-by-step guide to Animagus transformation, but we’re warning you – it makes for some grizzly reading.

## Step 1: Do your homework…

…in Transfiguration and [Potions](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/ranked-the-best-and-worst-potions) at least. Becoming an Animagus requires a witch or wizard to be skilled in both these areas in order to stand a chance of achieving such a complex transformation.

## Step 2: Carry a single Mandrake leaf in your mouth…

…for an entire month – from full moon to full moon to be precise. Yes, we’re serious. If you swallow the leaf or remove it from your mouth at any point, you have to start the whole thing again (no-one likes to see that happen). You then have to find a ‘small crystal phial that receives the pure rays of the moon’, put your saliva-filled leaf inside, and add one of your own hairs.

## Step 3: Add a silver teaspoon of dew from a place that neither sunlight nor human feet have touched…

…for a full seven days. And if that wasn’t hard enough, you then have to add the chrysalis of a Death’s-head Hawk Moth to the crystal phial as well. Then put ‘this mixture in a quiet, dark place’ and leave it alone until the next electrical storm. And really leave it alone – don’t even look at it. Don’t even think about looking at it.

## Step 4: While waiting for the transfiguration to begin, you must place your wand tip over your heart…

…every sunrise and sundown and speak the following incantation: ‘Amato Animo Animato Animagus’. If you keep repeating your incantation, ‘there will come a time when, with the touch of the wand-tip to the chest, a second heartbeat may be sensed.’ Don’t change anything! Keep going. Keep waiting for that storm!

## Step 5: As soon as lightning appears in the sky, go to the place where…

…you’ve hidden your crystal phial. At last! If you’ve done everything right then you will ‘discover a mouthful of blood-red potion inside it.’ Then move somewhere where you aren’t going to alarm anyone or place yourself in physical danger during your transformation. An Animagus transformation party is definitely a bad idea.

## Step 6: Place your wand-tip against your heart and speak…

…the incantation ‘Amato Animo Animato Animagus’ and drink the potion. You will then feel fiery pain – lucky you – and an intense double heartbeat.

## Step 7: The shape of the creature into which you will shortly transform will appear…

…in your mind. The instructions then warn: ‘You must show no fear/ It is too late now, to escape the change you have willed’. Yikes!

## Step 8: When your transformation is complete you are strongly advised to pick up your wand…

…and hide it somewhere safe, so you can find it post-transformation. To return to human form, visualise your human self as clearly as you can. Don’t worry if you don’t change back immediately, ‘with practice, you will be able to slip in and out of your animal form at will, simply by visualising the creature’. Once you’re an advanced Animagus, you should be able to transform without your [wand.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/whats-in-a-wand-tree-symbolism-and-wandlore-in-harry-potter)

## The (many) things to be wary of…

- When the process of becoming an Animagus goes wrong, it often goes seriously wrong. We’re talking horrible half-human, half-animal mutations here, with no known cure.

- The first transformation is usually ‘uncomfortable and frightening. [Clothing](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/clothing) and items such as glasses or jewellery meld to the skin and become one with fur, scales or spikes.’

- When you first transform, try to avoid panicking otherwise the animal mind ‘may gain the ascendancy’ and you could do something stupid or dangerous.

- ‘Generally, wizards prefer to have their clothes [Transfigure](https://www.wizardingworld.com/quiz/the-tricky-transfiguration-quiz) with them, to escape the embarrassment of reappearing naked’.

- Don’t forget to log your personal details and Animagus appearance on the Animagus Registry. Failure to do this might land you in Azkaban prison.

The Weasley Twins Quiz 

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Do you know your Fred from your George? Or is that Fred? Or is that George? Who knows. Sometime even Mrs Weasley got confused. How about a little quiz to see how much you really know about our beloved cheeky Weasley twins. Will your result be twice as nice, or simply second best? 

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Discover the films

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to Fantastic Beasts

It was Fred and George Weasley who really introduced us to magical mischief. The moment they gave Harry the Marauder's Map, and taught him to say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good', we know we were in for some magical fun. But let's not forget about the Marauder's who made the map, and who became Animagi or the sassiest moments of the Boy Who Lived. There's plenty of mischief to manage in this collection. 

What is magical mischief?

Welcome to the sillier side of the wizarding world! This collection, all about Magical Mischief, gathers together some of our cheekiest articles, funniest Harry Potter characters and quizzes fit for a trickster. Do you solemnly swear that you're up to no good?

Celebrate the joys of Magical Mischief in 2021 with new AR filter and many more silly activities 

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What’s your favourite funny moment from the Wizarding World? Is it basically anything Fred and George do? Ron vomiting slugs? Peeves’ poems? The many naughty antics of the Niffler? Whatever it may be, this is what Magical Mischief is all about – a chance for us to embrace magic, even when it doesn’t do quite what you expect. 

This year, we’ve recruited the help of singer, dancer and television star, Aston Merrygold, to try out one of our new mischievous creations – an AR filter available on Instagram.  In the video below, Aston, alongside his son, Grayson, shows you how our new filter works and the mischievous options to choose from. The results? Adorable. 

Magical Mischief 2021 | Hagrid's Magical Mischief AR Filter

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As you can see, the filter features different magical modes to try out, themed around some of our favourite mischievous magical creatures. As Harry Potter fans know all too well, Rubeus Hagrid is somewhat an expert when it comes to magical creatures (the good, bad and the ugly) so we’ve equipped you with his ‘umbrella’ (which definitely did not hold the contents of Hagrid’s broken wand...) to perform some of your own digital enchantments.

For example, you can recreate Ron’s famous “eat slugs” moment, complete with slugs coming out of your mouth, or you can relive Dudley’s unfortunate pig transformation, courtesy of Hagrid, from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Our official filter tester Aston spoke about his love for Harry Potter, and how he’s now enjoying passing down the stories to his son. 

“I am a big Harry Potter fan and love a bit of mischief too, Dobby is my favourite character! He might be a house-elf, but he’s definitely got some mischievous tricks up his sleeve! Being such a big fan, I couldn’t wait to join in with Magical Mischief Month. The filter made everyone at home laugh so much, especially when Grayson started puking slugs like Ron, he thought it was hilarious!”

“Halloween is usually a favourite Harry Potter time in our household when we re-watch the films, but it’s been so much fun celebrating Magical Mischief with the Wizarding World this March with the filter and all the great activities on the website! It’s made family time even more magical.”

So, if you’re old enough, check out the AR filter for yourself by heading to @WizardingWorld on Instagram. There, you can click the Face icon at the top of photo grid and select the ‘Magical Mischief’ effect. You’ll then see an example of the effect and the option to ‘Try it’. Be sure to tag @wizardingworld and include #MagicalMischief in your posts. 

And if you want to see what other magical tomfoolery we’ve been up to, visit our [Magical Mischief collection page](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/magical-mischief) for quizzes, articles, puzzles and more.

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Priori Incantatem: A history of notable Slytherin wands

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Harry discovers something awful about Lord Voldemort when their wands connect at the end of *Goblet of Fire*; all of Voldemort’s regurgitated, old spells were murders. The spell is known as *Priori Incantatem*, where a wand forces another wand to reveal the spells of its past.

Lord Voldemort’s wand history was simple; he was out there to kill as many as possible, with seemingly no remorse. 

But if we look at the spell history of some other notable wizards and witches’ wands, we see some interesting insights into their characters, and in some cases, the wands themselves.

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What if we take four huge names of Slytherin house, a house known for being cunning and deceiving, and see what their wand histories tell us about them? Because unlike Voldemort, some other members of Slytherin house are a lot more complicated. 

## Severus Snape 

Notable Spells: 

*Expelliarmus*: In Duelling Club in *Chamber of Secrets*<br>
*Avada Kedavra*: Against Albus Dumbledore in *Half-Blood Prince*<br>
*Sectumsempra*: A curse of his own making, that accidentally hits George Weasley in *Deathly Hallows*<br>
*The Patronus Charm*: Used to cast a Patronus to help Harry in *Deathly Hallows*

Severus Snape was a complicated wizard, as we well know. Half the time when Harry, Ron and Hermione found themselves trying to figure out whether or not Snape was doing Dark deeds, he was actually doing the exact opposite. In fact, in one of the first-ever instances we saw Snape using magic in *Philosopher’s Stone*, we thought he was performing a jinx when he was actually performing a counter-jinx.

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Snape pushes Harry and Ron's heads down in the Goblet of Fire.

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Just like Snape’s character, his use of magic across the seven books was rather contradictory. In *Chamber of Secrets*, it was Snape who (inadvertently) taught Harry the spell that he would end up using in the defeat of Lord Voldemort: Expelliarmus. 

> Harry reached his wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when Harry bellowed, ‘Expelliarmus!’ 
> Lockhart was blasted backwards, falling over his trunk. His wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window. 
> ‘Shouldn’t have let Professor Snape teach us that one,’ said Harry furiously, kicking Lockhart’s trunk aside.<br>
> <em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em> 

As the years at Hogwarts unfolded, we learnt more about Snape’s double life. After all, this was the man who had used both the Killing Curse on Albus Dumbledore and the Patronus Charm that guided Harry through a hopeless moment in the space of a year. Yes, Snape may have operated through cruel remarks and unsavoury deeds, but his wand history often showed great power and nobility. 

## Bellatrix Lestrange 

Notable spells: 

A curse that hit Sirius Black, sending him through the veil to his death in *Order of the Phoenix*<br>
*Cruciatus Curse* – Used on Neville’s parents to torture them into insanity, learnt in *Goblet of Fire* <br>
*Cruciatus Curse* – Used on Hermione Granger to torture her into giving her information in Deathly Hallows 

Bellatrix Lestrange was one of the deadliest witches imaginable. In fact, most of the times we came across her, she was casting an Unforgiveable Curse, usually *Crucio*. Not once throughout the stories did this particular Death Eater show any remorse for her actions.

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When Hermione took Bellatrix’s wand in *Deathly Hallows*, the wand appeared to be so contaminated with evil she described it as being like ‘a bit of her’. Just like her master, Lord Voldemort, we never saw one ounce of goodness in Bellatrix’s spell-casting. Fitting, then, that Bellatrix’s wand was made from walnut, a wood that ‘makes for a truly lethal weapon in the hands of a witch or wizard of no conscience’, according to [Mr Ollivander’s notes](/writing-by-jk-rowling/wand-woods).

## Draco Malfoy 

Notable spells: 

*Serpensortia* – A spell that conjures a huge snake, used against Harry in *Chamber of Secrets*<br>
*Locomotor Mortis* – Leg-Locker Curse used on Neville Longbottom in *Philosopher’s Stone*<br>
*Expelliarmus* – Used to disarm Professor Dumbledore with the intent of killing him in *Half-Blood Prince*

Draco Malfoy seemed bad to the bone as far as Harry Potter was concerned. Take a look at some of the spells he cast in his earlier years – so proud of his Slytherin heritage he even knew how to conjure a snake when he was in his second year.

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DracoMalfoy WB F8 DracoGoyleZabini V1 Still 080615 Land

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But, as was a continuous theme with Draco, a lot of his cruelty seemed to float on the surface. For example, he may not have been afraid to perform the occasional curse or hex to assert his authority (such as paralysing Harry with the Full Body-Bind Curse) but when it came to true, unparalleled acts of evil, Draco faltered. 

He may have been brave enough to disarm Dumbledore, but not enough to kill him. In fact, throughout the stories we don’t see Draco perform any Unforgiveable Curses, yet we see Crabbe and Goyle show no regrets in that area. No, Draco’s spell-choices were usually designed to make the victim vulnerable, which may say a lot about Draco’s own vulnerability. 

## Salazar Slytherin

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Notable magic: (that we know of!)<p>

Helped craft Hogwarts, but also the Chamber of Secrets in *Chamber of Secrets*<br>
Cursed and jinxed Muggles and animals – via Gormlaith Gaunt in [Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry](/writing-by-jk-rowling/ilvermorny) 

We may have never got to experience Salazar Slytherin’s magic first-hand (what a shame!), but we certainly got a few inklings of the sort of magic he used to perform, especially in *Chamber of Secrets*. (Clue: these were not very nice things.) We also know that his wand wasn’t just used by him. It was passed down the Slytherin family line for many, many years, and fell into a number of evil hands along the way. And interestingly, the wand itself seemed to change over time, depending on its master. 

Eventually it came into the possession of Isolt Sayre, who turned out to be one of the more virtuous members of Slytherin’s long bloodline. All of a sudden, Salazar’s wand went from torturing Muggles to saving lives and doing good, as Isolt forged a new life for herself in America away from her aunt Gormlaith. Although Gormlaith eventually put the wand to sleep so it could no longer perform magic, it says a lot that after years of torturous activities, the wand was buried, and grew into a snakewood tree with powerful healing powers.

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Did Isolt’s kindness have a big influence on the wand’s actions?

Famous Slytherins through the ages

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An illustration of Slughorn in his pyjamas.

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> ‘Or perhaps in Slytherin  
> You’ll make your real friends,  
> Those cunning folk use any means  
> To achieve their ends.’  
> *The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

__Salazar Slytherin__  
One of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Slytherin prized resourcefulness and ambition in his students. He believed that the school should only teach [pure-blood](/writing-by-jk-rowling/pure-blood "Pure-Blood by J.K. Rowling") witches and wizards. His ability to speak Parseltongue is why the Slytherin emblem is a serpent. 

__Merlin__  
Merlin himself was sorted into Slytherin when he was at Hogwarts, and the young wizard went on to become one of the most famous wizards in history. The [Order of Merlin](/writing-by-jk-rowling/order-of-merlin "Order of Merlin by J.K. Rowling"), named to commemorate him, has been awarded since the fifteenth century. Legend has it that the First Order of Merlin’s green ribbon reflects his Hogwarts house. 

__Severus Snape__  
As [Potions](/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions "Potions by J.K. Rowling") master at Hogwarts, Severus Snape held his students to almost impossibly high standards and wasn’t one to suffer fools gladly. As Head of Slytherin house, he clashed with some of Gryffindor’s more… active students like Harry Potter. Still waters run deep though, and underneath the sneer lies a complicated man.

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__Phineas Nigellus Black__  
Sirius Black’s great-great grandfather, Phineas Nigellus Black was the least popular of all Hogwarts headmasters. Possibly because he hated being a teacher and seemingly young people in general. Even after his death Phineas went on to advise future headmasters, albeit from his lofty position on their [office wall](/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-portraits "Hogwarts Portraits by J.K. Rowling").

__Tom Riddle__  
The orphaned Tom Riddle found a home at Hogwarts and also a Dark purpose. A direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin, Riddle shared his forebear’s attitude on restricting magical learning to pure-bloods – despite having a Muggle father himself. As a teenager, he unlocked the [Chamber of Secrets](/writing-by-jk-rowling/chamber-of-secrets "Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling"), leading to the death of a Muggle-born girl, and even learned Dark magic to protect himself from death.

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Harry and Dumbledore watch Tom Riddle inspect Slytherin's locket in a memory from the Half-Blood Prince. 

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__Horace Slughorn__  
Another Hogwarts Potions master, Horace Slughorn was Head of Slytherin house – twice. Lily Potter, Harry’s mother, was one of his most gifted students. Not one for the spotlight, but certainly one to name-drop, Horace enjoyed the reflected glory his ‘Slug Club’ favourites gave him.

__House Ghost: The Bloody Baron__  
The Bloody Baron is the gaunt and blood-soaked Slytherin [house ghost](/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-ghosts "Hogwarts Ghosts by J.K. Rowling"). He’s the only one who can keep pesky poltergeist Peeves under control. The strong and silent type, the Baron wears chains in penitence for a terrible act.

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The Great Hall when Slytherin have momentarily won the House Cup.

Why Albus Potter was a true Slytherin

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Harry with Albus on bed original cast - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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__Caution! There are spoilers for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as well as the whole Harry Potter book series in this article__

## He is cunning 
Slytherins are a cunning lot, and there are all kinds of examples of Albus Potter using his wiles to come up with schemes and plans worthy of any member of Salazar’s house throughout Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Just think of the first time we ever meet him – he’s already trying to plan for if the Sorting Hat tries to place him in the house of the snake.

*Albus: ‘Dad . . .*

*Albus pulls on Harry’s robes. Harry looks down.* 

*Do you think – what if I am – what if I’m put in Slytherin . . .’*

*Harry: ‘And what would be wrong with that?*

*Albus: ‘Slytherin is the house of the snake, of Dark Magic . . . it’s not a house of brave wizards.’*

*Harry: ‘Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.’*

*Albus: ‘But just say ...’*

*Harry: ‘If it matters to you, you, the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into account.’*

By his fourth year, Albus has got bigger plans than politely asking the Sorting Hat to take his choice into account. Using his full Slytherin cunning, he manages to get himself and Scorpius off of the Hogwarts Express, and into St Oswald’s – no mean feat – and join forces with the alluring Delphi. And let’s not forget his scheming with Polyjuice Potion and illegal Time-Turners. When everything reaches a head near the end of Cursed Child, Albus comes up with a genius scheme to send a message to his dad – from the past to the future – by way of a very special blanket. This Potter has a sharp and shrewd mind worthy of any member of Slytherin house.  

## He is ambitious
Escaping off a moving magical train by way of the terrifying Trolley Witch? No problem. Bringing Cedric Diggory back to life by way of an object that is both illegal and highly dangerous? Why not? Breaking into the Ministry of Magic disguised as your Dad’s best friend? What could possibly go wrong? Communicating with your father in the future when you’re stuck at a point in his past when he couldn’t even walk yet? Albus Potter is on the case. Arguably, Albus is even more ambitious than his father when it comes to his own ability to accomplish near-on impossible tasks. But perhaps Albus’s greatest – most secret – ambition, is to feel his father’s love and respect – not as a result of Albus pretending to be someone Harry wants him to be, but through his own achievements. An ambition which, in the end, is realised.


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Albus & Scorpius in Cursed Child. By Matthew Murphy

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## He is proud
Pride is a key Slytherin trait, and arguably Albus has it in cauldrons. Sometimes this is to his advantage, like when he takes pride in having a friend like Scorpius Malfoy, who is funny and clever and kind, no matter what the rumours say about him and his parentage. At other times, his pride comes before his fall in quite catastrophic ways. Remember when, so proud of the brilliant plan they’ve come up with – and probably wanting to succeed in front of Delphi – he refuses to heed warnings from Scorpius, about the difficulties of saving Cedric and messing with time? Yeah. That didn’t go so well. Voldemort Day. That’s all we’re saying. 

It takes Albus a while to be proud of his house too, but he accepts it long before his fellow students – or indeed, his father does. We love this exchange between Scorpius and Albus and we hope Slytherins all cheered and glowed with house pride when they heard it: 

*Scorpius: ‘Did you really think she’d come to us? Potters don’t belong in Slytherin.’*

*Albus: ‘This one does.’*

## He is brave
Not necessarily one of the most famous traits of Slytherin house, but Harry said it himself on platform nine and three-quarters when Albus questioned him about the Sorting Ceremony: 

*Harry: ‘Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.’*

You would need some serious courage to spy on one of the most dangerous Dark wizards of all time – especially for as long as Snape did it. But that’s not the only kind of bravery he showed. The courage to love, the courage to carry on, the courage to trust Dumbledore. Snape showed all of this bravery, and he was head of Slytherin house at one time. And Albus Potter, who shares his middle name with the mysterious Potions master, demonstrates a lot of bravery throughout Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He faces all kinds of monsters, from the Trolley Witch to Delphi herself. A particularly brave moment was when he stood up to her without a second thought:

*Albus: ‘We won’t. We won’t obey you. Whoever you are. Whatever you want us to do.’*

*Delphi: ‘Of course you will.’*

*Albus: ‘You’ll have to use Imperio. You’ll have to control me.’*

Sounds quite a bit like his dad, Harry there, doesn’t he? 

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Jamie Ballard in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Image 2

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So, there we have it! Any Hogwarts house would have been lucky to count Albus Potter amongst its numbers, but with apologies to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Huffepuff – we reckon the Sorting Hat got it right with Albus – even if it was a rather big shock that one of Harry Potter’s children ended up in Slytherin.  Still need to find out which house you belong in? [Take the Sorting Ceremony on our website here](https://my.wizardingworld.com/register), and find out!

And we have plenty more Cursed Child treats for you in our special [Cursed Child Collection](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection). You'll find exclusive video interviews, quizzes, character discussions and a trailer of the award-winning production [here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection). 

The symbolism of Slytherin house

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## Slytherin house crest

![slytherin-house-crest-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/5u7T4W2iCZpJrHlaGDkjoY/6431e8c94031e763a6a79796e30fe793/slytherin_shield.png)

This house crest boasts Slytherin’s signature colours of green and silver. The two colours are evocative of the water element. Of course, the original Hogwarts crest was designed to showcase all four houses in one single emblem, but this pin will let you show everyone that you belong in this ambitious-hearted house. 

## Marvolo Gaunt’s ring

![gaunt-ring-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/AFskMsgbOuxGAw2Zj2uKF/40dd81cc3b22e2265154a41754d22fbe/slytherin_pin.png)

This heirloom belonged to the Gaunt family, who were descendants of Salazar Slytherin and the Peverells, and it has a curious history. At its core is the Resurrection Stone – the Deathly Hallow once owned by Cadmus Peverell, one of the three brothers from the tale by Beedle the Bard. 
You’ll notice the words: pride, ambition, and cunning adorning this ring pin. These are all Slytherin qualities. An example of a person who possessed these traits – alongside loyalty and love – was Severus Snape.  

## Slytherin house banner

![slytherin-house-banner-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/13blJ6tFzMgoPrsWIwQRH0/8d94cb9176dc8d76a736b9c8608ea77f/slytherin_banner_pin.png)

This pin reminds us of the house decorations that adorn the Great Hall at the end of the school year. At the feast, the house that has won the House Cup will be heroed in coloured banners like these. The green and silver in this pin lets us know that in your heart, Slytherin wins every time!

## Slytherin house serpent

![slytherin-snake-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/7CuPuLZSswujSosbL6J9I3/ea8570645104e490d495933cd9c2e03c/slytherin_snake_pin.png)

The serpent represents Slytherin and appears in many places throughout Hogwarts, as well as outside it – the doorknocker of number twelve, Grimmauld Place even had one! Witches and wizards who can speak to snakes are called Parselmouths, and house founder, Salazar Slytherin was famous for this ability. It was a gift also shared by Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter. 

## The Bloody Baron

![the-bloody-baron-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/gUDW9FX0Van2fR27Hde4G/b4f809127cb5cb60d41205bd7423f242/bloody_baron_pin.png)

The Bloody Baron is the Slytherin house ghost. He is covered in silver bloodstains and the only one who can control Peeves, the Hogwarts poltergeist. Harry Potter does a pretty good Bloody Baron impression. In life, he was born into nobility in the late tenth century, and fell in love with Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter, Helena. [Learn more about their tragic story here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-secret-lives-of-the-hogwarts-ghosts)

## Slytherin scarf

![slytherin-scarf-pin](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/6hgC5mdhfrjtU2cef7CPiT/70412cae06aa92bac05ab77eab6348e9/slytherin_scarf.png)

Hogwarts is a chilly place, so a scarf is definitely a must! Plus, at Quidditch matches, these house scarves often made an appearance when cheering on fellow Slytherins. You’ll notice that this pin also includes some wise words from the Sorting Hat about the kind of witches and wizards who belong in Slytherin. Every year the Sorting Hat sings a different song about dividing the students into the four houses. You can find out your own Hogwarts house here.

[Browse the Slytherin house pin set, as well as other exciting pins, here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/store?path=/collections/pin-programme)

What we wouldn’t have without Slytherins 

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The Slytherin Common Room with Draco from the Chamber of Secrets 

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Don’t judge a book by its cover. As much bother as Slytherin house may have caused over the years, we think they have also given the wizarding world far more than you could ever imagine. 

## We wouldn’t have Hogwarts 

First things first. Salazar Slytherin certainly had his flaws, but you cannot deny that Hogwarts would have been only three-quarters done without him. Like it or not, Salazar was the final piece of the Hogwarts puzzle and built the school in harmony alongside Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw. If not for Salazar’s distrust of Muggle-borns, that harmony might have lasted a while longer.  

## We wouldn’t have Ron 

Sometimes past actions can have a life-or-death impact on the present. Take the case of Ron Weasley in *Half-Blood Prince*. Poor Ron nearly choked to death on some poisoned mead in what was probably his worst birthday ever. Although Harry was the one who saved him, it was the annotations from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince that made the difference. 

The note ‘Just shove a bezoar down their throats’ left in Harry’s copy of *Advanced Potion-Making* might have helped him impress Slughorn in Potions class, but that little nugget of information was literally a life-saver. And it was a note written by a Slytherin – Severus Snape to be precise. After all of their classroom altercations, we’re sure Snape would’ve been thrilled to have saved Ron from mortal peril.   

## We wouldn’t have Ilvermorny 

It was thanks to a descendent of Salazar Slytherin that the North American wizarding school [Ilvermorny](/writing-by-jk-rowling/ilvermorny) came to be. If Isolt Sayre had been a student of Hogwarts rather than Ilvermorny, we think she’d have been sorted into Slytherin thanks to her ancestry. Although her own longing to be a Ravenclaw may have tipped the scales – we will never know for sure. 

Isolt was a classic example that attitudes don’t have to be hereditary. Slytherin house may have produced some of the most pure-blood obsessed wizards, but a descendant of that house’s founder created a school accepting of all magical people. 

## We wouldn’t have Ginny 

Bear with us on this one. Voldemort simultaneously both nearly killed Ginny Weasley and saved her life. In a roundabout way. 

During *Chamber of Secrets*, a diary containing a part of Tom Riddle’s soul fell into Ginny’s hands. She poured her secrets and fears into the eager diary. Under its influence – it was one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, no less – Ginny released the Basilisk on her fellow students and was eventually trapped in the Chamber of Secrets. 

Harry was able to enter the chamber and rescue Ginny thanks to being a Parselmouth – a talent Voldemort accidentally transferred to Harry when he tried to kill him as a baby. Therefore, Ginny would have died if not for this borrowed Slytherin talent. 

## We wouldn’t have the Order of Merlin 

Merlin was one of the most respected and legendary wizards in history. We see throughout the wizarding world that the expression ‘Merlin’s beard!’ or ‘Merlin’s pants!’ are popular exclamations. Now that’s a legacy. 

Merlin was also a Slytherin and this great wizard, among his many achievements, is commemorated by the Order of Merlin; a reward system for witches and wizards who had achieved greatness. Show some ambition and moxie, be rewarded – that’s very Slytherin.   

## We wouldn’t have such advancements in Potions 

Although it’s not a guarantee (just look at Crabbe and Goyle), members of Slytherin do seem to have a real knack for Potions. Harry’s two Potions masters, Severus Snape and Horace Slughorn, were both Slytherins.

Both also proved to be exceptionally talented at the craft. Slughorn presumably managed to brew the intensely difficult liquid luck (Felix Felicis), as he told his class that he had taken it twice in his life. And we all know that Professor Snape was a dab hand at creating the intricate truth potion Veritaserum, and many others besides. 

## We wouldn’t have Harry 

Thanks to one particular Slytherin, Harry Potter nearly perished when he was just a baby. But thanks to a couple of others from that house, Harry’s life was miraculously spared. Two shining examples leap to mind, both from the family that seemed to loathe the Boy Who Lived the most: the Malfoys. 

During *Deathly Hallows*, Draco faltered when he was asked to identify a disguised Harry Potter. His hesitance was enough for Harry to get away. 

Then there was that spectacular act of mercy from Draco’s mother, Narcissa. When Voldemort cast the Killing Curse on Harry in the Forbidden Forest he didn’t kill him – instead he destroyed the piece of his own soul that had latched onto Harry when he murdered Lily Potter. 

Narcissa Malfoy could easily have told the Dark Lord that Harry was alive and playing dead, but she didn’t. Instead she asked if Draco was alive and then lied through her teeth. Without her shock last-minute decision, would Harry have survived? Who knows?

Thanks, Slytherins!

What we wouldn’t have without Slytherins

The dark treasures of Slytherin house 

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They say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ – unless it’s one designed by a Slytherin, because chances are it would look pretty fabulous. 

Slytherin house displayed some exquisitely dark, yet beautiful designs over the years – as shown both in the Harry Potter books and film adaptations. Here are some of our favourite pieces of artistry from Slytherin’s history.   

## Salazar Slytherin’s locket 
Wearing the locket of Salazar Slytherin, one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, caused Harry, Ron and Hermione a lot of deep emotional turmoil. Despite these hardships, this locket was described in the books as a richly-designed and ancient piece of jewellery, eloquently embossed with green emeralds. 

As a hugely valuable Slytherin heirloom, it was almost a pity Lord Voldemort had to turn this valuable antique into a Horcrux. Yikes, are we starting to sound too much like Kreacher? 

> It was as large as a chicken’s egg. An ornate letter ‘S’, inlaid with many small green stones, glinted dully in the diffused light shining through the tent’s canvas roof.  
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* 

## Draco’s robes 
Draco Malfoy was always sure to wear his family’s wealth, quite literally, on his sleeve. In *Half-Blood Prince*, a particularly glimmering set of green robes (what other colour could it be?) perfectly articulated just how dapper Draco was.

> A teenage boy with a pale, pointed face and white-blond hair appeared from behind the rack wearing a handsome set of dark green robes that glittered with pins around the hem and the edges of the sleeves.  
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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## Slytherin’s wand
Salazar Slytherin’s wand, passed down from generation to generation, had no doubt performed many a great and terrible spell. Until, that is, the wand came into the possession of a young Irish girl named Isolt Sayre.

Slytherin’s wand contained a fragment of Basilisk’s horn and stopped working when Isolt’s murderous aunt told it, in Parseltongue, to ‘sleep.’ After the confrontation with Gormlaith, Isolt buried Slytherin’s wand and a mysterious tree grew on that spot, that refused to be pruned or destroyed. 

> Within a year an unknown species of snakewood tree had grown out of the earth on the spot where the wand was buried. It resisted all attempts to prune or kill it, but after several years the leaves were found to contain powerful medicinal properties. This tree seemed testament to the fact that Slytherin’s wand, like his scattered descendants, encompassed both noble and ignoble.  
> <em>‘Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry’, Pottermore</em>

## The Slytherin common room 
We got a peek into the Slytherin common room during *Chamber of Secrets*, when Ron and Harry took on the unenviable task of being Crabbe and Goyle for the evening. Situated in the dungeons, the common room was as green and mysterious-looking as you’d expect. 

> The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs. 
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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## The Dark Mark 
Although the Dark Mark was not strictly confined to Slytherin house, it shared an undeniable association with Slytherin. This was Lord Voldemort’s dreaded sign: an ominous skull with a cascading tongue-like snake that evoked fear and dread in every witch or wizard who witnessed it. Trust Lord Voldemort to have a really evil-looking logo. 

> Then he realised that it was a colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation.  
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

## The Chamber of Secrets 
Now, we’re certainly not advocating the fact that Slytherin built the Chamber of Secrets – home to the horrendous Basilisk. But you must admit that Salazar Slytherin’s creation was kind of stunning in its own, grotesque sort of way. The chamber, which could only be opened by speaking Parseltongue, contained a huge statue of Salazar Slytherin himself. Although it signified so much evil, it was an undeniably majestic image. 

> Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. 
> Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: it was ancient and monkey-like, with a long thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard’s sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth chamber floor.  
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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Harry crouches over Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets while Tom Riddle watches.

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## The Black family tapestry 
As much as Sirius Black detested most things associated with Grimmauld Place, the Black family tapestry had a macabre beauty to it. As a rare Gryffindor in a gargantuan family tree littered with Death Eaters and Slytherins, Sirius was not alone in being represented as a burn mark.  A few others in this pure-blood family had the audacity not to follow in the footsteps of the Dark Lord. 

But there is also no denying that so much wizarding history in one tapestry was bound to look quite magnificent. Plus it was definitely the best decoration in number twelve, Grimmauld Place.

> The tapestry looked immensely old; it was faded and looked as though Doxys had gnawed it in places. Nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them a sprawling family tree dating back (as far as Harry could tell) to the Middle Ages.  
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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Black Family Tapestry Mina Lima

The sad history of Merope Gaunt

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Wools Orphanage at the end of the street from The Half Blood Prince  

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The story of [Voldemort’s mother](/features/merope-gaunt "Merope Gaunt") is so tragic even [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") almost felt sorry for [He Who Must Not Be Named](/features/lord-voldemort "Lord Voldemort") when he heard it:

> ‘Merope refused to raise her wand even to save her own life.’<br>
> ‘She wouldn’t even stay alive for her son?’<br>
> Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
> ‘Could you possibly be feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort?’<br> 
> ‘No,’ said Harry quickly, ‘but she had a choice, didn’t she, not like my mother –’<br>
> ‘Your mother had a choice, too,’ said Dumbledore gently. 
> ‘Yes, Merope Riddle chose death in spite of a son who needed her, but do not judge her too harshly, Harry. She was greatly weakened by long suffering and she never had your mother’s courage…’ 

> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

Merope might have proven a positive influence on [Tom Riddle](/features/tom-riddle "Tom Riddle") had she lived to bring him up herself. However, she died soon after his birth without trying to save herself with magic.

The suffering Merope endured at the hands of her cruel father [Marvolo](/features/marvolo-gaunt "Marvolo Gaunt") and brother [Morfin](/features/morfin-gaunt "Morfin Gaunt") left quite a mark. By the time the two men were locked up in [Azkaban](/writing-by-jk-rowling/azkaban "Azkaban by J.K. Rowling") by the [Ministry of Magic](/features/the-ministry-of-magic "The Ministry of Magic"), the damage had been done.

She is described as so bleached of life that she blends into the grey walls around her: 

> ‘Her hair was lank and dull and she had a plain, pale, rather heavy face. Her eyes, like her brother’s, stared in opposite directions. She looked a little cleaner than the two men, but Harry thought he had never seen a more defeated-looking person.’

After being left alone in the Gaunt family hovel, Merope bewitched the Muggle boy she had a crush on, [Tom Riddle](/features/tom-riddle-sr "Tom Riddle Sr."). But he would return to the village some months later muttering about being ‘hoodwinked’ and ‘taken in’ by the local tramp’s daughter.

Quite how Merope tricked the handsome and wealthy [Muggle](/collection/muggles "Muggles") boy into wedlock is unclear but Dumbledore suspects a [love potion](/feature/love-potion-guide-hogwarts-most-intoxicating-tonic "The love potion: a guide to Hogwarts’ most intoxicating tonic") rather than the [Imperius Curse](/features/imperius-curse "Imperio"). How and why Riddle Sr escaped Merope’s enchantment and left her destitute and pregnant is also unclear.
 
Another of [Dumbledore's](/features/albus-dumbledore "Albus Dumbledore") highly plausible theories is that Merope was so in love with Riddle that she couldn’t bear to enslave him with magic long-term, and hoped he would learn to return her feelings.

Evidently this didn’t happen and Riddle returned to his [family home](/features/the-riddle-house "The Riddle House") without ever troubling himself to discover what become of her – to his cost 16 years later, when their son murdered him and the rest of the Riddle family.

Alone and destitute, Merope sold [Slytherin’s](/features/salazar-slytherin "Salazar Slytherin") priceless locket (yes, [that one](/features/salazar-slytherins-locket "Salazar Slytherin's locket")) to [Borgin and Burkes](/features/borgin-and-burkes "Borgin and Burkes") for just ten [Galleons](/features/galleon "Galleon"). 

It seems that when Merope lost her husband she also lost the will to live. When she arrived heavily pregnant on the steps of the London orphanage where Tom Riddle Jr was to spend his early years, she seemed to know she wasn’t going to make it.

Her dying wish that the baby should resemble his father was granted. She couldn’t have known that the second Tom Riddle would go on to inherit his father’s callousness, too.

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Tom Riddle in Slughorn's memory from The Half Blood Prince 

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It might be argued that Voldemort grew up devoid of love because his mother died for want of it, and that his father’s love was stolen rather than earned. Perhaps if he’d had any understanding of the difference between genuine love and the kind that you compel, Voldemort might have had a better grasp of its power.

Luckily for Harry, he did not.

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Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the Forbidden Forrest from The Deathly Hallows 

The Slytherin crossword

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Draco Malfoy is standing with other members of the Slytherin Quidditch team. They are wearing Quidditch robes and holding their Nimbus 2001 broomsticks.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

HP-F2

and the Chamber of Secrets

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We hope you Slyther-win! 

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And remember, you can play more wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic challenges over at our [puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles). 

From snakes to the Bloody Baron, here's everything you need to know about the Hogwarts house, Slytherin. Fly your green flag and learn all about key characters, from Severus Snape to Lord Voldemort to even Merlin, and delve into the history of Slytherin's complex past.

Everything to know about the Hogwarts house, Slytherin