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Slytherin House Pride

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How I learned to stop worrying and love being a Slytherin by Amelia Tait

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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and the Philosopher's Stone 

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It was 2013 and I just had completed Pottermore’s Sorting Experience. ‘Congratulations on being sorted into Slytherin,’ the page read – but I didn’t feel there was anything worth celebrating. I had very recently hurt somebody close to me, so in my eyes, the Sorting Hat might as well have said: ‘You’re a bad person, and everything you feared about yourself is true.’ Embarrassing as it is to admit now, I cried. 

Why did I have such a strong reaction to being sorted with the serpents? Merlin aside, and before the events of *Cursed Child*, Slytherin alumni don’t have the best of reputations. ‘There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin,’ Hagrid famously said – but just because nearly all bad wizards are Slytherins doesn’t mean all Slytherins are bad wizards. Severus Snape, Horace Slughorn, and Regulus Black were all Slytherin heroes in their own way, and the ‘evil house’ is full of great traits such as resourcefulness, determination, cleverness, and – in the words of Albus Dumbledore – ‘a certain disregard for the rules’.  

Maud is a 17-year-old Potter fan who felt ‘insecure’ when she was sorted into Slytherin six years ago, at the same age Harry was when he muttered ‘not Slytherin’ in front of the Great Hall. ‘I thought I would be a Ravenclaw,” Maud says now, ‘When I first found out I was a Slytherin, it was a mixture of feeling insecure – comparing myself to the most famous Slytherins and asking myself if I was a bully like them – and pride in being an ambitious, hard-working person.’ Nearly all of the bullies in the books are Slytherins, and the house has a negative reputation for valuing self-preservation above all else. ‘They were always made out to be monsters, so being grouped with that was a little saddening,’ says Maud. She and I are not the only people who felt sad after being sorted.

‘When my Slytherin result popped up, my stomach sank,’ says 39-year-old Sharann, who had also assumed she was a Ravenclaw. ‘I felt like deleting my account and starting over. I am not a particularly ambitious person in the traditional sense, I was raised in poverty, and since Draco is really the main Slytherin we see throughout the books, I just felt out of place.’ Draco Malfoy also meant that 19-year-old Stephanie Adams was ‘confused and upset’ by her result. “He was one of my least favourite characters,” she says, ‘and I didn’t want to be sorted in the same house he was in, as I saw it as a kind of “bad” house.’

Unsurprisingly, the Harry Potter books are very much told from Harry Potter’s perspective, so it makes sense that the Boy Who Lived doesn’t see many redeeming qualities in the house of his enemies. Outside of the books, J.K. Rowling has given a fuller picture of Slytherins and their traits. In an interview with *Leaky Cauldron* in 2007, Rowling clarified that some Slytherins were among the reinforcements Horace Slughorn bought to the Battle of Hogwarts. ‘They’re not all bad,’ she said at the time, ‘A part of the final battle that made me smile was Slughorn galloping back with the Slytherins.’ 

‘They’d gone off to get reinforcements first … But yes, they came back, they came back to fight. I’m sure that many people would say “Well, that’s common sense, isn’t it? Isn’t that smart, to get out, get more people and come back with them?”’

Slytherins are brave, then, they are just more calculated (and some might say cleverer) than wand-happy Gryffindors. Reading more about Slytherin helped Sharann come to terms with her house. ‘I even looked up the Sorting Hat songs,’ she says. ‘Cunning isn’t so bad, I’m crafty and I think humour does fall into that type of person.’ ‘And while I’m not ambitious to get that fancy car or big house, I’m ambitious in having fun, and helping people have a good time and be cheery. I just needed to realise that ambition isn’t always about material goods.’

Joff is a 40-year-old who was sorted into Slytherin three years ago and was initially ‘surprised and a little disappointed’. However, he now says he is ‘proud’ of his house. ‘I changed my mind when I saw the welcome letter (on Pottermore),’ he says. ‘I’ve seen it said that Slytherins are achievement-oriented and that resonates with me. I always push myself to succeed in anything I do.’ Stephanie came to terms with being a Slytherin when she realised that the house she initially wanted to be in – brave and true Gryffindor – wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  

'Being brave can sometimes mean that you are, in a way, stupid,’ she says. ‘A Gryffindor would die for their friend, while a Slytherin would find a way for both of them to survive. I think that is a smarter way to protect your friends, because you can protect them over and over… I’m proud to be a Slytherin now!’ Maud says being a Slytherin makes her “feel like a leader”.  

In *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, Ron Weasley declared that he would’ve ‘got the train straight back home’ if he was sorted into Slytherin. But it is words from the last book, not the first, that we must remember. A sentiment that was explored in *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*. ‘Albus Severus,’ a grown Harry told his son quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, ‘you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.’  

The Ultimate Severus Snape Quiz

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Snape quiz hero 

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We didn’t find out who Severus Snape truly was until right at the end of *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, of course, but now you have no excuses. Snape’s forte might have been Potions, but we want to know how much you know about the man who taught Potions himself.

Off you go – and be warned: we may deal out Snape-style punishments for the worst results.

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Draco Malfoy

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After Draco curses Hermione's teeth, Harry aims a pimple jinx at Malfoy, but it deflects onto Goyle.

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Draco Malfoy grew up as an only child at Malfoy Manor, the magnificent mansion in Wiltshire which had been in his family’s possession for many centuries. From the time when he could talk, it was made clear to him that he was triply special: firstly as a wizard, secondly as a pure-blood, and thirdly as a member of the Malfoy family.    

Draco was raised in an atmosphere of regret that the Dark Lord had not succeeded in taking command of the wizarding community, although he was prudently reminded that such sentiments ought not to be expressed outside the small circle of the family and their close friends ‘or Daddy might get into trouble’. In childhood, Draco associated mainly with the pure-blood children of his father’s ex-Death Eater cronies, and therefore arrived at Hogwarts with a small gang of friends already made, including Theodore Nott and Vincent Crabbe.

Like every other child of Harry Potter’s age, Draco heard stories of the Boy Who Lived through his youth. Many different theories had been in circulation for years as to how Harry survived what should have been a lethal attack, and one of the most persistent was that Harry himself was a great Dark wizard. The fact that he had been removed from the wizarding community seemed (to wishful thinkers) to support this view, and Draco’s father, wily Lucius Malfoy, was one of those who subscribed most eagerly to the theory. It was comforting to think that he, Lucius, might be in for a second chance of world domination, should this Potter boy prove to be another, and greater, pure-blood champion. It was, therefore, in the knowledge that he was doing nothing of which his father would disapprove, and in the hope that he might be able to relay some interesting news home, that Draco Malfoy offered Harry Potter his hand when he realised who he was on the Hogwarts Express. Harry’s refusal of Draco’s friendly overtures, and the fact that he had already formed allegiance to Ron Weasley, whose family is anathema to the Malfoys, turns Malfoy against him at once. Draco realised, correctly, that the wild hopes of the ex-Death Eaters – that Harry Potter was another, and better, Voldemort – are completely unfounded, and their mutual enmity is assured from that point.

Much of Draco’s behaviour at school was modelled on the most impressive person he knew – his father – and he faithfully copied Lucius’s cold and contemptuous manner to everyone outside his inner circle. Having recruited a second henchman (Crabbe being already in position pre-Hogwarts) on the train to school, the less physically imposing Malfoy used Crabbe and Goyle as a combination of henchman and bodyguard throughout his six years of school life.

Draco’s feelings for Harry were always based, in a great part, on envy. Though he never sought fame, Harry was unquestionably the most talked-about and admired person at school, and this naturally jarred with a boy who had been brought up to believe that he occupied an almost royal position within the wizarding community. What was more, Harry was most talented at flying, the one skill at which Malfoy had been confident he would outshine all the other first-years. The fact that the Potions master, Snape, had a soft spot for Malfoy, and despised Harry, was only slight compensation.

Draco resorted to many different dirty tactics in his perpetual quest to get under Harry’s skin, or discredit him in the eyes of others including, but not limited to, telling lies about him to the press, manufacturing insulting badges to wear about him, attempting to curse him from behind, and dressing up as one of the Dementors (to which Harry had shown himself particularly vulnerable). However, Malfoy had his own moments of humiliation at Harry’s hands, notably on the Quidditch pitch, and never forgot the shame of being turned into a bouncing ferret by a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

While many people thought that Harry Potter, who had witnessed the Dark Lord’s rebirth, was a liar or a fantasist, Draco Malfoy was one of the few who knew that Harry was telling the truth. His own father had felt his Dark Mark burn and had flown to rejoin the Dark Lord, witnessing Harry and Voldemort’s graveyard duel.

The discussions of these events at Malfoy Manor gave rise to conflicting sensations in Draco Malfoy. On the one hand, he was thrilled by the secret knowledge that Voldemort had returned, and that what his father had always described as the family’s glory days were back once more. On the other, the whispered discussions about the way that Harry had, again, evaded the Dark Lord’s attempts to kill him, caused Draco further twinges of anger and envy. Much as the Death Eaters disliked Harry as an obstacle and as a symbol, he was discussed seriously as an adversary, whereas Draco was still relegated to the status of schoolboy by Death Eaters who met at his parents’ house. Though they were on opposing sides of the gathering battle, Draco felt envious of Harry’s status. He cheered himself up by imagining Voldemort’s triumph, seeing his family honoured under a new regime, and he himself feted at Hogwarts as the important and impressive son of Voldemort’s second-in-command.

School life took an upturn in Draco’s fifth year. Although forbidden to discuss at Hogwarts what he had heard at home, Draco took pleasure in petty triumphs: he was a Prefect (and Harry was not) and Dolores Umbridge, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, seemed to loathe Harry quite as much as he did. He became a member of Dolores Umbridge’s Inquisitorial Squad, and made it his business to try and discover what Harry and a gang of disparate students were up to, as they formed and trained, in secret, as the forbidden organisation, Dumbledore’s Army. However, at the very moment of triumph, when Draco had cornered Harry and his comrades, and when it seemed that Harry must be expelled by Umbridge, Harry slipped through his fingers. Worse still, Harry managed to thwart Lucius Malfoy’s attempt to kill him, and Draco’s father was captured and sent to Azkaban.

Draco’s world now fell apart. From having been, as he and his father had believed, on the cusp of authority and prestige such as they had never known before, his father was taken from the family home and imprisoned, far away, in the fearsome wizard prison guarded by Dementors. Lucius had been Draco’s role model and hero since birth. Now he and his mother were pariahs among the Death Eaters; Lucius was a failure and discredited in the eyes of the furious Lord Voldemort.

Draco’s existence had been cloistered and protected until this point; he had been a privileged boy with little to trouble him, assured of his status in the world and with his head full of petty concerns. Now, with his father gone and his mother distraught and afraid, he had to assume a man’s responsibilities.

Worse was to come. Voldemort, seeking to punish Lucius Malfoy still further for the botched capture of Harry, demanded that Draco perform a task so difficult that he would almost certainly fail – and pay with his life. Draco was to murder Albus Dumbledore – how, Voldemort did not trouble to say. Draco was to be left to his own initiative and Narcissa guessed, correctly, that her son was being set up to fail by a wizard who was devoid of pity and could not tolerate failure.

Furious at the world that seemed suddenly to have turned on his father, Draco accepted full membership of the Death Eaters and agreed to perform the murder Voldemort ordered. At this early stage, full of the desire for revenge and to return his father to Voldemort’s favour, Draco barely comprehended what he was being asked to do. All he knew was that Dumbledore represented everything his imprisoned father disliked; Draco managed, quite easily, to convince himself that he, too, thought the world would be a better place without the Hogwarts Headmaster, around whom opposition to Voldemort had always rallied.

In thrall to the idea of himself as a real Death Eater, Draco set off for Hogwarts with a burning sense of purpose. Gradually, however, as he found that his task was much more difficult than he had anticipated, and after he had come close to accidentally killing two other people instead of Dumbledore, Draco’s nerve began to fail. With the threat of harm to his family and himself hanging over him, he began to crumble under the pressure. The ideas that Draco had about himself, and his place in the world, were disintegrating. All his life, he had idolised a father who advocated violence and was not afraid to use it himself, and now that his son discovered in himself a distaste for murder, he felt it to be a shameful failing. Even so, he could not free himself from his conditioning: he repeatedly refused the assistance of Severus Snape, because he was afraid that Snape would attempt to steal his ‘glory’.

Voldemort and Snape underestimated Draco. He proved an adept at Occlumency (the magical art of repelling attempts to read the mind), which was essential for the undercover work he had undertaken. After two doomed attempts on Dumbledore’s life, Draco succeeded in his ingenious plan to introduce a whole group of Death Eaters into Hogwarts, with the result that Dumbledore was, indeed, killed – though not by Draco’s hand.

Even when faced with a weak and wandless Dumbledore, Draco found himself unable to deliver the *coup de grâce* because, in spite of himself, he was touched by Dumbledore’s kindness and pity for his would-be killer. Snape subsequently covered for Draco, lying to Voldemort about Draco lowering his wand prior to his own arrival at the top of the Astronomy Tower; Snape emphasised Draco’s skill in introducing the Death Eaters into the school, and cornering Dumbledore for him, Snape, to kill.

When Lucius was freed from Azkaban shortly afterwards, the family was allowed to return to Malfoy Manor with their lives. However, they were now completely discredited. From dreams of the highest status under Voldemort’s new regime, the Malfoys found themselves the lowest in the ranks of the Death Eaters; weaklings and failures, to whom Voldemort was henceforth derisive and contemptuous.

Draco’s changed, yet still conflicted, personality revealed itself in his actions during the remainder of the war between Voldemort and those who were trying to stop him. Although Draco had still not rid himself of the hope of returning the family to their former high position, his inconveniently awakened conscience led him to try – half-heartedly, perhaps, but arguably as best he could in the circumstances – to save Harry from Voldemort when the former was captured and dragged to Malfoy Manor. During the final battle at Hogwarts however, Malfoy made yet another attempt to capture Harry and thereby save his parents’ prestige, and possibly their lives. Whether he could have brought himself to actually hand over Harry is a moot point; I suspect that, as with his attempted murder of Dumbledore, he would again have found the reality of bringing about another person’s death much more difficult in practice than in theory.

Draco survived Voldemort’s siege of Hogwarts because Harry and Ron saved his life. Following the battle, his father evaded prison by providing evidence against fellow Death Eaters, helping to ensure the capture of many of Lord Voldemort’s followers who had fled into hiding.

The events of Draco’s late teens forever changed his life. He had had the beliefs with which he had grown up challenged in the most frightening way: he had experienced terror and despair, seen his parents suffer for their allegiance, and had witnessed the crumbling of all that his family had believed in. People whom Draco had been raised, or else had learned, to hate, such as Dumbledore, had offered him help and kindness, and Harry Potter had given him his life. After the events of the second wizarding war, Lucius found his son as affectionate as ever, but refusing to follow the same old pure-blood line.

Draco married the younger sister of a fellow Slytherin. Astoria Greengrass, who had gone through a similar (though less violent and frightening) conversion from pure-blood ideals to a more tolerant life view, was felt by Narcissa and Lucius to be something of a disappointment as a daughter-in-law. They had had high hopes of a girl whose family featured on the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’, but as Astoria refused to raise their grandson Scorpius in the belief that Muggles were scum, family gatherings were often fraught with tension.

## J.K. Rowling’s thoughts

When the series begins, Draco is, in almost every way, the archetypal bully. With the unquestioning belief in his own superior status he has imbibed from his pure-blood parents, he initially offers Harry friendship on the assumption that the offer needs only to be made to be accepted. The wealth of his family stands in contrast to the poverty of the Weasleys; this too, is a source of pride to Draco, even though the Weasleys’ blood credentials are identical to his own.

Everybody recognises Draco because everybody has known somebody like him. Such people’s belief in their own superiority can be infuriating, laughable or intimidating, depending on the circumstances in which one meets them. Draco succeeds in provoking all of these feelings in Harry, Ron and Hermione at one time or another.

My British editor questioned the fact that Draco was so accomplished at Occlumency, which Harry (for all his ability in producing a Patronus so young) never mastered. I argued that it was perfectly consistent with Draco’s character that he would find it easy to shut down emotion, to compartmentalise, and to deny essential parts of himself. Dumbledore tells Harry, at the end of *Order of the Phoenix*, that it is an essential part of his humanity that he can feel such pain; with Draco, I was attempting to show that the denial of pain and the suppression of inner conflict can only lead to a damaged person (who is much more likely to inflict damage on other people).

Draco never realises that he becomes, for the best part of a year, the true owner of the Elder Wand. It is as well that he does not, partly because the Dark Lord is skilled in Legilimency, and would have killed Draco in a heartbeat if he had had an inkling of the truth, but also because, his latent conscience notwithstanding, Draco remains prey to all the temptations that he has been taught to admire – violence and power among them.

I pity Draco, just as I feel sorry for Dudley. Being raised by either the Malfoys or the Dursleys would be a very damaging experience, and Draco undergoes dreadful trials as a direct result of his family’s misguided principles. However, the Malfoys do have a saving grace: they love each other. Draco is motivated quite as much by fear of something happening to his parents as to himself, while Narcissa risks everything when she lies to Voldemort at the end of *Deathly Hallows* and tells him that Harry is dead, merely so that she can get to her son.

For all this, Draco remains a person of dubious morality in the seven published books, and I have often had cause to remark on how unnerved I have been by the number of girls who fell for this particular fictional character (although I do not discount the appeal of Tom Felton, who plays Draco brilliantly in the films and, ironically, is about the nicest person you could meet). Draco has all the dark glamour of the anti-hero; girls are very apt to romanticise such people. All of this left me in the unenviable position of pouring cold common sense on ardent readers’ daydreams as I told them, rather severely, that Draco was not concealing a heart of gold under all that sneering and prejudice and that no, he and Harry were not destined to end up best friends.

I imagine that Draco grew up to lead a modified version of his father’s existence; independently wealthy, without any need to work, Draco inhabits Malfoy Manor with his wife and son. I see in his hobbies further confirmation of his dual nature. The collection of Dark artefacts harks back to family history, even though he keeps them in glass cases and does not use them. However, his strange interest in alchemical manuscripts, from which he never attempts to make a Philosopher’s Stone, hints at a wish for something other than wealth, perhaps even the wish to be a better man. I have high hopes that he will raise Scorpius to be a much kinder and more tolerant Malfoy than he was in his own youth.

Draco had many surnames before I settled on ‘Malfoy’. At various times in the earliest drafts he is Smart, Spinks or Spungen. His Christian name comes from a constellation – the dragon – and yet his wand core is of unicorn.

This was symbolic. There is, after all – and at the risk of re-kindling unhealthy fantasies – some unextinguished good at the heart of Draco.

The terrible tale behind the Bloody Baron’s bloodiness

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Arguably the most terrifying of the [Hogwarts ghosts](/writing-by-jk-rowling/hogwarts-ghosts "Hogwarts Ghosts By J.K. Rowling"), the Bloody Baron wore the chains he clanked so loudly as penance for a crime of passion committed centuries ago. 

With his silver bloodstains and harsh, whispering voice, the [Bloody Baron](/features/bloody-baron "The Bloody Baron") was the most fearful phantom on the block. But none of the other spirits knew the tale of unrequited love behind his bloodied state. That is, except for the one whose murder earned him his nickname: Helena Ravenclaw, known to Hogwarts students as the [Grey Lady](/features/grey-lady "The Grey Lady").

The Baron was believed to have attended Hogwarts in the time of the four founders, and was violently in love with the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw. The pair were soon doomed to share the same posthumous universe for eternity. How did this happen? 

Overshadowed by her brilliant, brainy mother, Helena stole what legend has it was a cornerstone of Rowena’s wit and wisdom – a [tiara enchanted to enhance the wisdom](/features/rowena-ravenclaws-diadem "Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem") of the wearer. This would later be known as the lost diadem of Ravenclaw.

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‘<em>I stole the diadem,</em>’ Helena told Harry during the Battle of Hogwarts. ‘I sought to make myself cleverer, more important than my mother. I ran away with it.’ Helena fled to Albania with her mother’s diadem, never to achieve her ambitions. She could never have predicted that Voldemort would find her mother’s precious diadem centuries later and turn it into a Horcrux.

The loss of the diadem was a terrible blow to Rowena, who hid its loss and her daughter’s betrayal from the other Hogwarts founders. On her deathbed, Ravenclaw sent the Baron to find Helena, because she knew that he loved her daughter. ‘She sent a man who had long loved me, though I spurned his advances, to find me. She knew that he would not rest until he had done so,’ Helena told Harry.

The hot-headed Baron tracked her down, but when Helena refused to return with him, he murdered her in a rage. Overcome with remorse, he turned the blade on himself. ‘All these centuries later, he wears his chains as an act of penitence… as he should,’ Helena said bitterly.

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Still image of the Bloody Baron from the Hogwarts Ghosts portraits

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The Bloody Baron was the ghost of Slytherin house and was famous for the clattering of chains and rages in the Astronomy Tower, no doubt still tortured by his actions all those years ago. The Grey Lady, Ravenclaw’s house ghost, would often be seen drifting around the castle serenely. 

Both ghosts regularly attended Hogwarts start-of-term feasts, but tended to stick to their own house tables. Both had a reputation for being standoffish. [Nearly Headless Nick](/features/nearly-headless-nick "Nearly Headless Nick") (Gryffindor) and the [Fat Friar](/features/fat-friar "The Fat Friar") (Hufflepuff) were a lot friendlier to their students.

It took quite some persuading on Harry’s part to get the story of her death out of the Grey Lady. It was only when Harry reminded her of the part she played in helping Voldemort locate the diadem in the forest where she died that she remorsefully shared her tale. It seemed it was not just the Baron who was tormented by regret.

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An unexpected benefit of the Bloody Baron’s reputation was that he was the only one who could keep [Peeves](/features/peeves "Peeves") under control. We don’t know if Peeves knew the story behind the Baron’s bloodstained appearance, but we hope he would’ve been tactful enough to steer clear of any songs on the subject if he did.

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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Harry and Voldemort spells connect creating the Golden Thread 

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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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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?

Celebrating Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy: the next generation of Slytherin

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Albus and Scorpius Broadway Cursed Child

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Spoiler warning for those who have not seen or read *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* is now in place.

**

During their time at Hogwarts, Harry (a Gryffindor) and [Draco](/features/draco-malfoy) (a Slytherin) were sworn enemies, and even as adults their relationship was cordial at best. It was a complete surprise, then, when their sons didn’t just get along but formed a deep and unbreakable friendship in *Cursed Child* – and also showed us a closer look at the lives of Slytherin students at Hogwarts. Here’s some of our favourite moments from these new kids on the block.  

## When Scorpius’s ‘geekness’ was ‘a-quivering.’

One of our favourite things about Scorpius was his unashamed ‘geekness’ – because it’s not just [Ravenclaws](/collection/characters-ravenclaws) who are bookworms. He didn’t mind admitting that he loved studying, books and learning, even while Albus was struggling to get his charms, potions and transfigurations right. 

Scorpius wasn’t just book-smart, he also had an emotional intelligence that Albus lacked – particularly when it came to understanding Scorpius’s difficult relationship with his father. 

Albus knew how Scorpius ticked – he understood that his friend used learning as a way to escape his difficult family life, joking that the best way to distract Scorpius from difficult emotional issues was to ‘take him to a library’. But despite his eye-rolling, Albus realised that Slytherins have a thirst for knowledge 

> ALBUS<br>
> I’m going to do this, Scorpius. I need to do this. And you know as well as I do, I’ll entirely mess it up if you don’t come with me. Come on.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

## When two Slytherins had each other’s back 

In Harry’s days at Hogwarts, his experience of Slytherin students were hardly filled with happy memories – with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle usually being quite awful to him and the fellow Gryffindors. On the Quidditch pitch, things got even more merciless, and even in private, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle seemed to have a friendship based on malice and scheming. So, it was nice seeing Albus and Scorpius’s friendship built on a foundation of kindness and mutual respect, even if it took a while for Albus to come round to the idea of being both a Potter and a Slytherin. 

One particular moment that really exhibited this kindness was when Albus found Scorpius sitting on his case, ‘numb to the world’, and we suddenly knew that things were not okay.  

Scorpius’s mum, Astoria, ill for so long, had passed away and Albus didn’t know what to do, or what to say. It was Scorpius though who voiced what their friendship really meant – that it was enough just to be there, to be a good friend.

> SCORPIUS<br>
> I couldn’t work out what to say.<br>
> 
> ALBUS<br>
> And now I don’t know what to say . . .<br>
> 
> SCORPIUS<br>
> Say nothing.<br>
> 
> ALBUS<br>
> Is there anything . . .<br>
> 
> SCORPIUS<br>
> Come to the funeral.<br>
> 
> ALBUS<br>
> Of course.<br>
> 
> SCORPIUS<br>
> And be my good friend.<br>
> 
> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Who didn’t feel a lump in their throat when Scorpius told Albus that he would be there for him even if it meant the end of the world?

## When Albus taught his dad that Hogwarts houses were more than just labels  

> HARRY POTTER<br>
> Slytherin, Gryffindor, whatever label you’ve been given – I know – know – that heart is a good one – yeah, whether you like it or not, you’re on your way to being some wizard.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Despite Harry telling his son that it didn’t matter which house he was sorted into, there was clearly tension between them when Albus was sorted into Slytherin. However, Harry eventually realised that not all Slytherins were like the students he experienced at Hogwarts – with his son’s determination showing him that Hogwarts houses weren’t ‘labels’ but were there to bring out the strengths of Hogwarts students. 

Are you a proud Slytherin like these lads? Maybe wear something green today to flaunt your own house pride!

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What if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin? 

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Albus Dumbledore once said that 'the consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed', and he was right. The fickle nature of fate and prophecies comes up time and time again throughout the Harry Potter series. While Harry Potter became the Chosen One, there were so many different roads that the story could have taken; if Voldemort had gone after Neville instead of Harry, for instance, or if Albus hadn't invited Tom Riddle to Hogwarts.

With all of this in mind, I still reckon that the wizarding world's fate was sealed the moment the Sorting Hat yelled 'Slytherin!' after being placed on an 11-year-old Severus' head. Here's how things might have been different if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin. 

Firstly, a quick disclaimer for the proud snakes out there. We know that Slytherin is a great house. It is for the smart, the ambitious and the quick-thinking, and it deserves to be respected. However, back in the day when Voldemort was growing in power and gaining followers, Slytherin's reputation became murky. Salazar Slytherin's influence on the house also encouraged certain students to carry the thoughts that 'pure bloods' were somehow better than others, from Tom Riddle - all the way up to Malfoy 50 years later.

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When Snape first met Lily, the pair instantly hit it off and became very close, with Severus sharing everything with her: from what she needed to know about magic, to his own unhappy home life. But when they went to Hogwarts, everything changed. The pair were parted when the Sorting Hat placed Severus in Slytherin and Lily in Gryffindor, and while Lily thrived in her new, magical life, Snape was essentially placed in close quarters with the likes of Lucius Malfoy, Avery and Mulciber. Mulciber! 

If he had been sorted into Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, perhaps Snape stood a chance at making a much safer choice of pals. And it has to be said, he was relentlessly bullied by James and Sirius, since the pair had an innate dislike of Slytherin before they even got to know Snape at all, causing him to be angry, bitter, and make up spells like 'Sectumsempra' in his spare time...  

While Lily thrived at Potions and bickered with James, Severus was getting into some seriously heavy stuff. Surrounded by friends fascinated by the Dark Arts, he became more and more involved in the wrong side of magic and fascinated by Voldemort's teachings, so much so that he called the one good influence in his life a 'Mudblood'.

Yes, he had been humiliated by James Potter and wasn't thinking, and yes he was suspicious that Lily liked James, but this unforgivable slur forced Lily to end their friendship once and for all. And thus, Lily and James started going out, and the rest is history.

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Should Snape have never been sorted into Slytherin, he wouldn't have spent nearly as much time with the wrong sort of people, he wouldn't have received James and Sirius' disdain, and his friendship with Lily wouldn't have abruptly ended. Lily's good influence on Snape was now lost. Maybe Lily and James wouldn't have got together. Think, if Harry had been sorted into Slytherin, he most likely wouldn't have been friends with Ron and Hermione. What then? Well, [we pondered that scenario here, actually.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-harry-ron-and-hermione-had-never-made-friends-in-philosophers-stone)

But the domino effect of Snape's placement doesn't change everything. If Snape hadn't been in Slytherin, Voldemort would have still risen to power, yes. But Snape might well have been on the good side from the start, and wouldn't have betrayed Trelawney's prediction to Lord Voldemort. Maybe the first wizarding war would have ended differently.

But for Severus, it was just the beginning of his heartbreaking story arc which saw him badly bullied, make a decision which caused him to lose his one true love, then die while redeeming himself and bringing Voldemort down once and for all.

Who knows what could have been, had the Sorting Hat chosen a different road - or if Snape would have still made too many wrong decisions.

The chapter that made us fall in love with… Horace Slughorn 

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Professor Slughorn teaches potions to Harry's class

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## A complex fellow 

Slughorn was a complex fellow straight from the off: we were never quite sure what we were getting with the former Head of Slytherin, especially considering the first time we meet him in the books, he was disguised as a chair. 

Once he was reinstalled at Hogwarts to reclaim his post as Potions master, we still didn’t know quite how to place old Horace. On paper, Slughorn seemed a far sight nicer than that Snape chap who previously occupied the position – that was, until you realised he preferred the company of successful and impressive wizards, or at least those related to one. Yes, as cheery as Slughorn was, his more cunning mannerisms appeared to be lurking just underneath the surface, often treating friends as collector’s items rather than actual friends. 

However, on more than one occasion, Slughorn revealed a far more noble side – showcasing chivalry and selflessness above his dastardly cronyism. 

## ‘After the Burial’

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The scene that truly helped us see this was a particular night down at Hagrid’s hut, where Harry, under the effects of Felix Felicis, used his good luck to somehow orchestrate the best funeral for a dead spider ever. No idea what we’re on about? We’ll jog your memory. 

During *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Hagrid’s beloved friend of the Forbidden Forest, Aragog (you may remember him more as the giant, terrifying spider that probably emotionally scarred Ron for life during *Chamber of Secrets*), passed away. And Harry, determined to secure a Pensieve memory from Slughorn that could reveal vital information about Lord Voldemort, decided to do it under the spell of the lucky potion Felix Felicis. We somehow ended up with Slughorn and Hagrid (with Harry pretending) drinking merrily into the night, sharing Aragog memories, songs about wizards long since passed, and eventually, some very tender home truths. 

This was the night that stood out as Slughorn’s best, considering the fickle Potions Master’s original intentions were to go to Hagrid’s hut to extract valuable Acromantula venom from Aragog’s body. 

After all, as we well know, Slughorn always had a thing for collecting items of supreme value, be they magical objects or, well, magical humans. Once there, however, Hagrid’s grief persuaded Slughorn into fully investing in Aragog’s funeral, and thanks to Harry positively pouring out good luck (as well as more wine), the night turned into a raucous affair.

> After an hour or so, Hagrid and Slughorn began making extravagant toasts: to Hogwarts, to Dumbledore, to elf-made wine and to – <br> 
> ‘Harry Potter!’ bellowed Hagrid, slopping some of his fourteenth bucket of wine down his chin as he drained it.  <br>
> ‘Yes, indeed,’ cried Slughorn a little thickly, ‘Parry Otter, the Chosen Boy Who – well – something of that sort,’ he mumbled, and drained his mug, too.<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

As the trio drink to, well, everything, Slughorn seemed to turn from the obsessive collector, fishing around Hagrid’s hut for various rare trinkets, to genuinely and sincerely bonding for the right reasons, something that he often had trouble with. 

## Why it matters

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An illustration of Slughorn in his pyjamas.

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Seeing Slughorn go from haughty to earnest was quite something, considering his entire time at Hogwarts had been spent liaising with superior wizards in his ‘Slug Club’, a sort of elite society for people who were just really cool. Now, here in Hagrid’s hut, over a suspiciously self-filling mug of wine, he finally relaxed.

And, more importantly, he was finally honest about a dark secret that had cast a horrendous, guilty shadow over him across the years: a memory of telling Tom Riddle about Horcruxes. Yes, the very Horcruxes that would turn him into the most powerful Dark wizard of all time. Talk about a faux pas. After editing his own memory from Dumbledore’s Pensieve out of shame, the night at Hagrid’s hut finally marked the moment he told Harry the truth.  

> ‘I am not proud ...’ he whispered through his fingers. ‘I am ashamed of what – of what that memory shows ... I think I may have done great damage that day ...’<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* 

Although completely and utterly rollicking drunk, this was the turning point for Slughorn, the point where he finally admitted he was wrong and ashamed. We realise at this scene that Slughorn wasn’t inherently a ‘baddie’, but a nuanced man who deflected his fears with glamour and frivolity, a wizard who shielded the darkness by keeping up appearances.  

Although Slughorn didn’t automatically turn into a good man from this moment on, we think this is the first proper time we saw him exhibit compassion, which would become very important later on. 

When Harry divulged the details of how his parents died, Slughorn seemed genuinely upset, rather than digesting it as juicy gossip – and we finally saw that Slughorn, despite his stature, was perhaps just very, very scared, spending a life hiding behind his famous friends, his collections, or, of course, turning into a chair.

As time passed, Slughorn’s allegiances faded and brightened, and we were still never sure whose side he was really on until right at the end, during the Battle of Hogwarts, when Slughorn banished his cowardice and joined the fight. 

In fact this was the final time we saw Slughorn, courageously duelling against Lord Voldemort in Hogwarts’ darkest hour. This may be our last memory of him, but our best will always be that moment down at Hagrid’s hut.

Ironically, Slughorn probably didn’t even remember it.   

*Pottermore looks back at the moments that made our favourite characters so memorable. Read about the chapter that made us fall in love with... [Professor McGonagall.](/features/chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-professor-mcgonagall "The chapter that made us fall in love with Professor McGonagall")*

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.

All about Slytherin

Welcome to the Slytherin house collection. Slytherin-related articles, quizzes and news pieces just for you, all in one place. Read about famous Slytherins through the ages, J.K. Rowling's writing on Draco Malfoy, take the Severus Snape quiz and much more. 

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London announces Slytherin takeover 

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Remember in *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*, when Slytherin kept winning the House Cup over and over? Well, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London are harking back to those times with a Slytherin takeover, starting this April.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Looking to really appreciate all that is Slytherin? Look no further. 🐍<br><br>For the first time ever, the Great Hall will be dressed to celebrate a Slytherin victory of the House Cup! Make plans to show your house pride by booking tickets: <a href="https://t.co/EXGY3lZcwv">https://t.co/EXGY3lZcwv</a> <a href="https://t.co/x4To47VLFw">pic.twitter.com/x4To47VLFw</a></p>&mdash; Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (@wbtourlondon) <a href="https://twitter.com/wbtourlondon/status/1232236578015072257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Studio Tour, which displays the most iconic props, costumes and sets from the Harry Potter films, will soon be peppered with Slytherin twists in their new feature called A Celebration of Slytherin. For example, expect the Great Hall to be bathed in green, complete with Slytherin house banners, and displays ranging from Malfoy family costumes to the different looks of Lord Voldemort. 

Visit the Slytherin common room for a homage to the scene in *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, where Ron’s Polyjuice Potion begins to wear off, which will be properly furnished and dressed with authentic props. 

You will surely be green with envy to miss this. 

Celebration of Slytherin begins Friday 3 April, ending 6 September. Find out all the details from [the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London website.](https://t.co/EXGY3lZcwv?amp=1)

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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.

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)

The differences between Fred and George Weasley

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While [Fred](/features/fred-weasley "Fred Weasley") and [George Weasley](/features/george-weasley "George Weasley") may have looked so similar that even their parents couldn’t tell them apart sometimes, and were so close that you rarely saw one without the other, they were still individuals. Let’s celebrate the differences between our favourite twins.

## Fred was mentioned more

[Fred Weasley is mentioned over 900 times in the books](/features/fred-and-george-weasley-infographic), almost 200 more than his brother (George gets around 731 mentions). This could be down to the fact that Fred was the slightly more outgoing of the two brothers and, in a sense, *did* more, while George waited for Fred to make the first move. It’s Fred and George, not George and Fred, after all. In interviews J.K. Rowling has said, regarding how she decided to kill Fred rather than George: ‘I always knew it was going to be Fred, and I couldn't honestly tell you why.’ But she did think people would have expected George to be the one who died, and that killing off the slightly more vocal character was a surprise.

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Illustration of Fred Weasley from the second Order of the Phoenix infographic

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## George was the better Beater

While both Fred and George were excellent Beaters, and a credit to the [Gryffindor](/collection/all-about-gryffindor "Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor") Quidditch team, there were more mentions of George hitting Bludgers than there were of Fred. George seemed to be the slightly more aggressive of the two on the [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch "Quidditch") pitch, described once as hitting a Bludger at a player as a way of ‘vent[ing] his feelings’, and retaliating for a foul by elbowing a [Slytherin](/collection/all-about-slytherin "Hogwarts houses: Slytherin") Beater in the face. He even had good aim with snowballs. Aggression may, of course, be a very desirable trait in a Beater, so it could be this that gave George the edge over his brother. It was probably a healthy outlet for George, too, as off the pitch he was usually the more compassionate of the two.

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## Fred was the instigator

Whenever the Weasley twins did something particularly naughty it always seemed to be Fred who took the lead. When the twins and [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") broke [Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") out of [Privet Drive](/features/number-four-privet-drive "Number Four, Privet Drive") in his second year, it was Fred who was driving the flying Ford Anglia. He was usually the one behind even the smaller pranks; Fred was the one who liberated a salamander from Care of Magical Creatures so they could try to feed it a Filibuster Firework, and Fred was the one who ‘accidentally’ dropped a Ton-Tongue Toffee in front of [Dudley](/features/dudley-dursley "Dudley Dursley"). It was Fred who had the (unsuccessful) idea to use Ageing Potion to put their names in the [Goblet of Fire](/features/the-goblet-of-fire "The Goblet of Fire"), and was the first to cross the age line to try it. Fred was also the twin who talked back to [Umbridge](/writing-by-jk-rowling/dolores-umbridge "Dolores Umbridge by J.K. Rowling"), and initiated their final flight from [Hogwarts](/features/hogwarts "Hogwarts").

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## George smoothed things over

Perhaps Fred was the bolder twin because he knew his brother was there to mitigate the damage. Fred and George were both undeniably charismatic, but George was, as it were, the public face of the Weasley twins, able to be much more subtle and diplomatic than Fred. George was the twin who made edits to their letter to Ludo Bagman, knowing that certain wording would sound accusatory, and was the one who realised why [Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") wanted to get into the school kitchens. He was even the one who remembered to get the new [Common Room](/features/gryffindor-common-room "Gryffindor common room") password from a prefect.

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Illustration of George Weasley from the Dumbledore's Army infographic

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## George was more sympathetic, but Fred was generally funnier

Fred cracked more jokes and one-liners than George did, and was often the first to imitate and mock his siblings (greeting Harry with an impression of [Percy’s](/features/percy-weasley "Percy Weasley") pomposity, and asking Ron if he minded not getting a kiss from him for being made prefect – and then challenging Ron to give him detention). George usually joined in of course, but he took his cue for what kind of jokes they were making from his brother. On the other hand, George was more compassionate when the time called for it. When Fred was teasing Ron over Scabbers’ presumed death, saying it was probably better for him to ‘snuff it quickly’, George at least tried to cheer Ron up, and reminded him he was always complaining about the rat anyway.

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Fred and George inside Weasley Wizard Wheezes.

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## Fred spoke first and George explained second

When you read through the books you can see that it was almost always Fred who spoke first, usually a joke or a dramatic comment. He was the front man, the lead singer, the one who first got everyone’s attention. George was the slightly more level-headed twin who explained what his brother actually meant. Fred even passed George the task of explaining the [Marauder’s Map](/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-marauders-map "The Marauder’s Map by J.K. Rowling") to Harry when he could have done so himself. In fact, while Harry was close to both of the twins, he had longer conversations with George, who often explained events Harry might have missed, plans he and Fred had, or things Harry didn’t quite understand. Fred and George really did complement each other perfectly.

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The Mischievously Tricky Quiz

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How do you become an Animagus?

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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 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 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 storm, 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.

## 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 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 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.

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?