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7 things we learnt about the Harry Potter characters from Cursed Child 

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

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Spoiler warning: naturally, this article will contain spoilers for *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child...*

## 1. Harry and Dudley kept in touch 

In *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, there was a bizarre, yet strangely touching moment between Harry and his cousin, Dudley, where the pair shook hands and seemed to put their differences behind them. 

In *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, we don’t see Dudley in the flesh, but Harry does mention that they’re still in contact. And by this point, it appears that Aunt Petunia has passed away too. We learn that the pair still talk when Harry passes on an old childhood blanket to Albus, which surprisingly, Aunt Petunia had kept in her possession... 

__HARRY__ 

I thought a lot about what to give you this year. James –
well, James has been going on about the Invisibility Cloak
since time itself, and Lily – I knew she’d love wings – but
you. You’re fourteen years old now, Albus, and I wanted to
give you something which – meant something. This – is the
last thing I had from my mum.The only thing. I was given
to the Dursleys wrapped in it. I thought it had gone forever
and then – when your Great Aunt Petunia died, hidden
amongst her possessions, surprisingly, Dudley found this –
and he kindly sent it on to me, and ever since then – well,
any time I’ve wanted luck I’ve found it and just tried to hold
it and I wondered if you . . .

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* 

## 2. Hermione’s done quite well for herself 

There is a heated discussion between Hermione and the short-lived Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, where Scrimgeour asks Hermione if she plans a career in Magical Law. To this, Hermione retorts that no, she’s hoping to do some good in the world. 

This turned out to be half-true – Hermione did end up in a job in Magical Law... but didn’t do things by halves, taking the top job itself: Minister for Magic. We can’t imagine the wizarding world in safer hands. 

[Ever wondered what job you'd take at the Ministry? See if you'd be the Minister like Hermione here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/which-job-would-you-have-at-the-ministry-of-magic) 

## 3. Draco’s wife suffers a tragic fate 

During the epilogue of *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Draco is seen with a wife and son, Astoria and Scorpius. In the play, we learn a lot more about Draco’s son, Scorpius, but never meet Astoria on stage. This is because she is tragically unwell from a “blood malediction” passed down from a cursed ancestor, and eventually passes away. Despite being frail for a long time, Astoria longed for a child, and the couple had Scorpius.

## 4. But Scorpius has helped Draco mellow out in his later years 

Despite their differences, Scorpius seemed to bring out a better side to Draco, despite their tensions. For while Draco spent his time at Hogwarts bullying just about everyone, Scorpius led with kindness and intelligence, finding sanctuary in the Hogwarts library, and forgoing popularity for hanging out with the equally-unpopular Albus Potter. After Astoria’s death, the father and son seemed closer. And Draco’s excitement at coming across a farmer’s market just showed us how far this former Death Eater has come. Oh, and not forgetting his long ponytail either. 

## 5. Ron carries on Fred Weasley’s legacy 

After Fred’s passing in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Ron continues the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes business with his brother, George. And beyond running a joke shop, Ron has really leaned into his fun dad and fun uncle status during the play, often playing the joker in the family. In one cute scene, Ron is seen amusing Harry’s daughter, Lily, who finds Uncle Ron hilarious. After spending his Hogwarts years mostly worrying about Lord Voldemort with Harry, we’re happy Ron gets to chill out a bit in his middle age.

## 6. Ginny’s love of Quidditch still shines on 

After years of success playing for the all-female Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies, Ginny has left her professional playing days behind to work in sports journalism when we meet her again, 19 years later. Writing for the Daily Prophet, Ginny is now the editor of the esteemed newspaper’s sports section. This is especially heartening when you remember that Ginny had a poster of Gwenog Jones, the then-captain of the Holyhead Harpies, in her bedroom when she was a teenager.

## 7. Harry reveals an unusual fear 

During a bonding session with Albus, Harry reveals some hidden truths about himself we had no idea about until now... including a secret fear of something quite expected.

So, what could it be? We know his Boggart was a Dementor – and of course there were many other things for Harry to fear across his life. So, Harry opens up to his son and tells him about his dread when it comes to dark and enclosed spaces (no doubt due to his childhood years growing up in a cupboard...) but adds a final addition we really weren’t expecting.

__HARRY__ 
I don’t like small spaces and – I’ve never told anyone this
but I don’t much like – (he hesitates before saying this)
pigeons. 
__ALBUS__ 
You don’t like pigeons?
HARRY (he scrunches up his face)
Nasty, pecky, dirty things. They give me the creeps.

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* 

So, there you have it. What unexpected facts about your favourite characters did YOU learn from *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*? For more info, quizzes, behind-the-scenes facts and more about *Cursed Child,* [why not visit our hub?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection)

The weirdest facts about magical creatures

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Firstly, a reminder from the *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them* textbook on the Ministry of Magic's classifications for magical creatures...

__Ministry of Magic (M.O.M.) Classification__

XXXXX Known wizard killer/impossible to train or domesticate 
XXXX Dangerous/requires specialist knowledge/skilled wizard may handle 
XXX Competent wizard should cope 
XX Harmless/may be domesticated 
X Boring 

## Kappa

__M.O.M. Classification: XXXX__

These blood-sucking Japanese water demons are not to be underestimated – even if they do look quite bizarre. We know we would be perplexed coming across a creature with the body of a monkey, covered in fish scales, with a hollow groove at the top of its head to carry water. However, all is not lost if you run in to one, as there is a simple way to persuade it to not drain your blood. Just carve your name into a cucumber and lob it at the Kappa.

Yep, that’s right, throwing a cucumber could save your life – who knew?

## Hippogriff

__M.O.M. Classification: XXX__

With the head of a giant eagle and a body of a horse, Hippogriffs are certainly impressive looking creatures. While they can be tamed, they should be approached with respectful eye-contact and a good solid bow. But did you know that Hippogriffs will only lay a single fragile egg? Once laid it only takes 24 hours for the fledgling to hatch – and they’ll even be able to fly within a week! 

## Mooncalf

__M.O.M. Classification: XX__

These shy creatures, with their bulbous eyes and spindly legs, only emerge from their burrow at the full moon. However, their shyness doesn’t stop them from getting their groove on. They dance in the moonlight, performing complicated routines, while standing on their hindlegs – pretty impressive if you ask us. Many wizards profit from their night-time shimmying. If you collect the silvery dung of a Mooncalf before the sun rises, then spread it on magical flowerbeds and herbs, your plants will grow fast and strong. What an ingenious use for leftover dung. 

## Nundu

__M.O.M. Classification: XXXXX__

This beast from east Africa is possibly the most dangerous to exist – and a lot of that is to do with its incredibly bad breath. This giant leopard moves silently and destroys entire villages with its breath that causes disease (sounds like they could really do with some mouthwash). They’re also incredibly tough, and it takes at least 100 skilled wizards to be able to subdue one.

## Puffskein

__M.O.M. Classification: XX__

These round little creatures with custard-coloured fur make excellent pets – especially as they have no objection to being cuddled… or thrown. Natural scavengers, they eat a whole host of things, but their favourite happens to be the bogies up the nose of a sleeping witch or wizard. When it is hungry, a thin pink tongue will emerge from the Puffskein and snake its way around the house in search of yummy bogies. So, if you have a tickly nose at night, you might want to check for rogue Puffskeins.

## Billywig

__M.O.M. Classification: X__

Native to Australia, these insects are sapphire blue, speedy and have wings attached to their head. They also have a long thin stinger at the bottom of their body which causes giddiness followed by levitation. Some Australian witches and wizards enjoy the effect so much they try to get stung. However, they should be careful, as too many stings can cause days of uncontrollable levitation and if you are allergic to them, it can be permanent. Dried Billywig stings are believed to be used in Fizzing Whizzbees – though we must admit the thought of ground-up insects in our sweets puts us off a little bit.

## Fire Crab

__M.O.M. Classification: XXX__

These creatures might be called Fire Crabs, but they actually resemble a tortoise with a shell covered in jewels. They’re also something that we wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of… literally. Some wizards try to catch them and turn their shells into cauldrons. We reckon they soon regret it, because Fire Crabs shoot flames out of their rear ends when threatened. We can imagine that their explosives behinds are enough to put off even the most dedicated hunters.

## Fwooper

__M.O.M. Classification: XXX__

Originating in Africa, these birds are a riot of colour. Their plumage can be pink, yellow, orange or lime-green – which certainly comes in handy if you’re after a fancy quill. However, while the song they sing may be enjoyable at first, it will soon drive you to insanity (just like that song they won’t stop playing on the radio). To avoid their owners going round the twist, Fwoopers are sold with a Silencing Charm that must be refreshed every month. Though one wizard disagreed about their singing driving you up the wall. Uric the Oddball tried to prove Fwooper song benefitted your health by listening to one for three months straight. Though when he came to the Wizards’ Council to share his findings, he arrived in his birthday suit and a toupee – which turned out to be a dead badger. We think we will stick to using the Silencing Charm.

## Flobberworm 

__M.O.M. Classification: X__

Ok, so the Flobberworm may just be one of the most boring magical creatures to ever exist, but we couldn’t go without mentioning such an iconic beastie. One end may be indistinguishable from the other – but they still deserve some love. We guess one fact that isn’t exactly weird, but at least proves that they’re not completely useless, is that Flobberworm mucus is used to thicken potions – how riveting! 

[You can learn more about the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/discover/books/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them)

The smaller heroic moments you may have missed from the Battle of Hogwarts

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__If you are re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which of these moments stand out for you?__

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## The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws shielding Harry
Harry often worried whether he asked too much from other people – which made this moment all the more significant. To see the majority of the school rally around and shield him from the Slytherins was incredibly poignant. While a lot of these students were too young to join the battle itself, it did demonstrate that they were ultimately ready to stand up for what was right.
>
>Then a figure rose from the Slytherin table and he recognised Pansy Parkinson as she raised a shaking arm and screamed, ‘But he’s there! Potter’s there! Someone grab him!
>
>Before Harry could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors in front of him had risen and stood facing, not Harry, but the Slytherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and, almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them with their backs to Harry, all of them looking towards Pansy instead, and Harry, awe- struck and overwhelmed, saw wands emerging everywhere, pulled from beneath cloaks and from under sleeves.
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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## Percy apologising to his family and joining the fight
Percy Weasley was not one to easily admit when he was wrong – but he couldn’t have been more wrong about the return of Lord Voldemort. Yet when it came down to it, Percy climbed through that passageway to join the rest of his family and fight. He even gave them a long overdue apology, admitting he was at fault (and a fool). The Weasleys, being a wonderful and loving bunch, accepted him back, no questions asked. We were so pleased he managed to make up with his entire family while they were all still living. 
>
>‘I was a fool!’ Percy roared, so loudly that Lupin nearly dropped his photograph. ‘I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a – a –’
>
>‘Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron,’ said Fred.
>
>Percy swallowed.
>
>‘Yes, I was!’
>
>‘Well, you can’t say fairer than that,’ said Fred, holding out his hand to Percy.
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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## Colin Creevey sneaking back despite being underage 

We should have all realised that Colin would not stay away from Hogwarts when it was being attacked. Having looked up to Harry the entire time he was at school, and as a proud member of Dumbledore’s Army, there was no way that he wouldn’t have stayed to do what he could. Despite the fact he was too young, we reckon he gave the battle everything he had. When he died, we were absolutely devastated. Colin lost his life fighting to help secure a better future for the wizarding world. While his death is only mentioned fleetingly, it doesn’t mean he was any less of a hero.

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## Ron remembering the house-elves

There’s certainly no shortage of heroic Ron moments in the Battle of Hogwarts, but this is one that we believe deserves a little more recognition. In Harry’s time at Hogwarts, we saw that house-elves were often forgotten by the wizarding community – despite all they did for them behind the scenes. It often seemed like Hermione was the only person who really cared about what rights they had. So, it was a very welcome surprise when Ron remembered them and wanted to ensure they were safe. We know Hermione was certainly impressed – if her reaction was anything to go by.
>
>‘Hang on a moment!’ said Ron sharply. ‘We’ve forgotten someone!’
>
>‘Who?’ asked Hermione.
>
>‘The house-elves, they’ll all be down in the kitchen, won’t they?’
>
>‘You mean we ought to get them fighting?’ asked Harry.
>
>‘No,’ said Ron seriously, ‘I mean we should tell them to get out. We don’t want any more Dobbys, do we? We can’t order them to die for us –’
>
>There was a clatter as the Basilisk fangs cascaded out of Hermione’s arms. Running at Ron, she flung them around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth.
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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## Slughorn facing Voldemort himself
Horace Slughorn really exemplified the Slytherin skill for self-preservation. He didn’t seem to do anything that wouldn’t benefit him, so you’d be forgiven for thinking he might not wish to stick around and risk his life. But he did – and faced Voldemort himself. 
>
>Voldemort was now duelling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once, and there was cold hatred in his face as they wove and ducked around him, unable to finish him
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

Not only were we impressed that he managed to survive a duel with Voldemort, but the fact he went against his very nature to do what was right raised our expectations of Slughorn considerably.

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## Hermione holding it together for Ron and Harry after Fred’s death
Fred’s death was awful and had a major impact on so many characters. It must have felt nigh on impossible for those who loved him to keep fighting through their grief. Both Harry and Ron (understandably) lost focus momentarily and wanted revenge. However, Hermione realised that they didn’t have a choice, they had to keep going, and she needed to be strong for Ron in that moment. She put his needs and feelings before hers and made sure that the three of them remembered the bigger picture. 
>
>‘Harry, in here!’ Hermione screamed.
>
>She had pulled Ron behind a tapestry. They seemed to be wrestling together, and for one mad second Harry thought that they were embracing again; then he saw that Hermione was trying to restrain Ron, to stop him running after Percy.
>‘Listen to me – LISTEN, RON!’
>
>‘I wanna help – I wanna kill Death Eaters –’
>
>His face was contorted, smeared with dust and smoke, and he was shaking with rage and grief.
>
>‘Ron, we’re the only ones who can end it! Please – Ron – we need the snake, we’ve got to kill the snake!’ said Hermione.
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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Harry and Dumbledore's Army in the Room of Requirement 

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## When Dumbledore’s Army put their skills to the ultimate test 
In the midst of battle when you’ve lost people you have loved (or are unsure of their fate), summoning the strength to cast a Patronus feels pretty inconceivable. When Harry, Ron and Hermione found themselves surrounded by Dementors, it seemed like they were not going to be able to walk away without losing their souls. However, Dumbledore’s Army came to the rescue with some excellent spell work, with Luna becoming the teacher that Harry once was to her. Not only did they save our favourite trio but gave them enough strength and encouragement to continue.
>
>And then a silver hare, a boar and a fox soared past Harry, Ron and Hermione’s heads: the Dementors fell back before the creatures’ approach. Three more people had arrived out of the darkness to stand beside them, their wands outstretched, continuing to cast their Patronuses: Luna, Ernie and Seamus.
>
>‘That’s right,’ said Luna encouragingly, as if they were back in the Room of Requirement and this was simply spell practice for the DA. ‘That’s right, Harry ... come on, think of something happy ...’
>
>‘Something happy?’ he said, his voice cracked.
>
>‘We’re all still here,’ she whispered, ‘we’re still fighting. Come on, now ...’
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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## Grawp helping to protect Hogwarts
The majority of the giants may have fought for Voldemort, but Grawp was different. His personality seemed to be more like his half-brother Hagrid’s. While it is unclear whether he understood the reason behind the battle, he still fought for Hogwarts – even though was so much smaller than any of the giants he faced. Grawp demonstrated that not all of his kind were gruesome monsters to be feared, and proved they were capable of so much more. 

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## Ginny comforting an injured student
When Voldemort momentarily called off his attack during the Battle of Hogwarts, it allowed those who were still able to check on the wounded and move the bodies of the dead. It takes a huge amount of bravery to fight, but it also takes courage to reassure and care for those left behind – especially when you are exhausted. Ginny found the strength she needed to do this and demonstrated real compassion when she held the hand of an injured student and comforted her, especially when she probably needed comforting herself.
>
>She was crouching over a girl who was whispering for her mother.
>
>‘It’s all right,’ Ginny was saying. ‘It’s OK. We’re going to get you inside.’
>
>‘But I want to go home,’ whispered the girl. ‘I don’t want to fight any more!’
>
>‘I know,’ said Ginny, and her voice broke. ‘It’s going to be all right.’
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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## Narcissa Malfoy not telling Voldemort Harry was alive
Although Narcissa’s motivation was to protect her family rather than go against Voldemort, the courage it took to lie to him can’t be underestimated. The untruth she told him probably saved Harry’s life – and sealed Voldemort’s fate. Ultimately, it demonstrated that family was Narcissa’s real focus, and the love she had for her son outweighed the fear or support she had for Voldemort.

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## Luna causing a distraction so nobody would bother Harry 
When Harry finally defeated Voldemort, unsurprisingly, everybody wanted to be near him to celebrate such a momentous occasion. However, having fought a long hard battle – that really started the moment Voldemort returned a few years before – it was not surprising that Harry was completely drained and overwhelmed. Luna was one of the only people to realise this. She quietly helped Harry out by causing a distraction so he could slip away, and she did it in the most Luna-way possible.
>
>After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna.
>
>‘I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,’ she said.
>
>‘I’d love some,’ he replied.
>
>‘I’ll distract them all,’ she said. ‘Use your Cloak.’
>
>And before he could say a word she had cried, ‘Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!’ and pointed out of the window. Everyone who heard looked around, and Harry slid the Cloak up over himself, and got to his feet.
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

Famous faces from the Slug Club

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SPOILER WARNING: This article has mild spoilers from *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.*

## Lily Evans

According to Slughorn, Lily was one of his most favourite students and it is easy to see why – what with her charming personality, magical talent and skill at potion-making. Her death clearly had an impact on Slughorn and the fondness he felt for her was evident. Who wouldn’t be won over by someone who gave them a magical pet fish called Francis? In fact, if it wasn’t for Slughorn’s admiration of Lily (and Harry’s knowledge of how he felt mixed with a little Felix Felicis), we doubt he would have ever given Harry the memory of his and Tom Riddle’s conversation about Horcruxes. 

## Harry Potter

There was never any doubt that Slughorn would try to collect Harry as one of his little club members. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with the famous Chosen One? Especially when they just so happened to be the son of his favourite former student. Once he was in, Harry certainly lived up to Slughorn’s expectations. Whether he was excelling at potions (with a little help from the Half-blood Prince) or defeating Lord Voldemort when he was still a teenager – Slughorn certainly got his money’s worth.

## Ambrosius Flume

Now this is one connection that we think is rather genius. Who wouldn’t want to be friendly with the founder of Honeydukes? Although Ambrosius obviously didn’t own the shop while he was a student, it was still a shrewd move of Slughorn to approach him. Slughorn’s investment certainly paid off and he reaped the rewards – including a free hamper of sweets every year for his birthday! All it took for him to be in this enviable position was to introduce Ambrosius to Ciceron Harkiss, who then gave him his first job. Imagine how wonderful it would be to have free access to all those Chocolate Frogs, Fizzing Whizzbees and Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans!

## Hermione Granger

We can only envisage how thrilled Slughorn would have been to have had a future Minister for Magic in his club (though we doubt Hermione would be one for bending rules or laws for her old Professors). As the cleverest witch of her age, it only made sense that he found her so fascinating. From the very first time Hermione impressed Slughorn with her knowledge of different potions, we knew that it would only be a matter of time before she started to receive exclusive invites to Slug Club suppers – and sure enough she did.

## Ginny Weasley

Ginny first came to the attention of Slughorn when he witnessed her talent for casting a marvellous Bat-Bogey Hex – and is yet another example of Slughorn spotting a person’s inner potential. Ginny graduated from being the Hogwarts student with a talent for hexes, to a professional Quidditch player for the all-witch Holyhead Harpies, and eventually edited the sports pages for the Daily Prophet. We can imagine that Slughorn was rather pleased with himself when he witnessed her career take off (and probably took some credit too).

## Gwenog Jones

Ginny certainly wasn’t the first sporting star to catch the eye of Slughorn – or even the first player for the Holyhead Harpies. As he loved to tell anyone who would listen, Gwenog Jones had been a prize jewel in his Slug Club collection (even if she was a bit full of herself according to Hermione). Not only did this mean Slughorn was on first-name terms with the Harpies, but he could also get as many free tickets as he liked for their matches.

## Barnabas Cuffe

Being buddies with the Editor of the Daily Prophet can only be beneficial – especially when he is always interested in your take on the news of the day. Just picture how useful it would be to know all the gossip of the wizarding world before anyone else. We can also believe that it would be reassuring to have a former student is such a position of influence. We doubt that any embarrassing or untoward story about Slughorn ever found its way into the paper while Cuffe was the Editor.

Some of the most poignant film scenes from the Battle of Hogwarts

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One of the casualties of the Battle of Hogwarts that hit the hardest was learning that the newlywed couple Lupin and Tonks didn’t make it to the end. It really felt like the lives of these two Order of the Phoenix members was just beginning, having just had their son, Teddy Lupin, and Harry promising to be godfather. But the battle was cruel and took away as many beloved characters as it did evil ones. This fleeting moment of calm before the storm shows just how strong their union was - after nearly not getting together at all. 

## ‘Always’ 

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The Battle of Hogwarts is shrouded in darkness and muted colours throughout many of the scenes, so it’s quite a shock to the system to suddenly be plunged into bright colours and pretty greenery. This, of course, is the moment Harry enters the memories of the recently-killed Severus Snape, learning all about his secret love of his mother, Lily, and the allegiance he made with Dumbledore after her death. After seeing Snape portrayed as a villain throughout the Harry Potter stories, this visit into the Pensieve showed us his true colours.

## Luna goes to sit next to Neville  

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Of course, the Harry Potter books and films have many differences, but here was a huge one that surprised fans during the Battle of Hogwarts. Neville’s starring role in the battle saw him deliver an inspiring speech and eventually destroy Nagini, one of Voldemort’s pivotal Horcruxes, but it was his sudden admission that he was crazy about Luna Lovegood that book-readers didn’t see coming. 

Dedicated Potter Fans know all too well the futures of these two characters, with Luna going on to marry Rolf Scamander, Newt’s grandson, and Neville setting up a comfy life with fellow Hogwarts student Hannah Abbott. But we like the idea of Neville and Luna at least going on a date off-screen, after everything they’d been through together. This quiet, gentle moment after the battle was a welcomingly cute scene after so much tragedy.

## Protecting Hogwarts 

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With Hogwarts in danger, Professor McGonagall gallantly guards the castle, with the help of several protective charms and her fellow teachers. She even brings the suits of armour to life in a thrilling sequence, her memorable line, ‘I’ve always wanted to use that spell’ bringing a joyous flash of comic relief on Hogwarts’ darkest day.

This beautiful orange, flaming globe that envelops the castle is just one of the stunning special effects we saw in this final film.

As explained in *Harry Potter: Page to Screen*, the visual effects team even created a virtual miniature version of Hogwarts, so they could visually explore the castle further, rather than be confined to the ruined set.

## ‘I open at the close’

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After discovering that Dumbledore has left him the Resurrection Stone inside his first ever Golden Snitch, Harry uses it to be surrounded by those he has loved and lost. Having the echoes of James, Lily, Lupin and Sirius watching over him as he bravely steps towards his own ending reminded us of just how many hardships Harry had suffered by this point in the story.

## Narcissa Malfoy makes a big decision 

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Down in the Forbidden Forest, Voldemort (alongside his Death Eaters) finally seems to have cornered Harry and casts the Killing Curse once and for all. However, of all the people to go and check if the deed has been done, it is Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, who goes to check the body. Of course, Harry is still very much alive, which Narcissa swiftly realises. Nonetheless, she tells Voldemort that Harry is dead anyway. 

Narcissa’s choice to lie to Lord Voldemort caused gasps among book readers and film viewers alike. Upon learning that her son is alive, Narcissa decides that the fate of her family is more important than Voldemort’s victory, despite her family being so intertwined in the Dark Arts for so long. Narcissa’s U-turn is one of many moments that changes the course of events at the Battle of Hogwarts, with Harry now able to take on one final duel with Lord Voldemort, face to face.

## The final showdown

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Harry and Lord Voldemort were always bound together ever since Harry was a baby, and every time they faced each other since, Lord Voldemort couldn’t understand that it was love that gave Harry his great power over him. 

In their final duel, the pair relentlessly attack each other in a shower of red and green, with the weight of everything falling on this moment. As Harry says to Lord Voldemort (or “Tom”) himself, “let’s finish this the way we started it – together.”

In *Harry Potter: Page to Screen*, Production Designer Stuart Craig talked about the look the filmmakers were trying to achieve in this scene.

“The final standoff between Voldemort and Harry in the ruined courtyard in front of the school with what is essentially the sun rising behind them and the smoke seen through the walls is so emotionally effective,” he says. “It was a big challenge, but a very enjoyable one.” 

But it is the look of determination on Harry’s face, barely holding on in the final embers of the fight, that just says everything about the long, overbearing struggle this character has had to endure throughout his young life. But in the end, the prophecy about Lord Voldemort turned true.

*Which moment from the Battle of Hogwarts resonated the most with you?*

For beginners, for novices, for Harry Potter superfans going 20 years-strong, dig deep into the Wizarding World with our collection of features.

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10 of Hermione Granger's funniest moments

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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## When she waited nearly seven years to unleash the perfect comeback
They say revenge is a dish best served cold – and we reckon that applies to sassy comebacks too. It certainly did in this case. When Harry, Ron and Hermione went through the trapdoor in Philosopher’s Stone, they quickly found themselves having to deal with the deadly Devil’s Snare, which led to this classic Ron remark. 

>‘Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare ... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp –’
>
>‘So light a fire!’ Harry choked.
>
>‘Yes – of course – but there’s no wood!’ Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
>
>‘HAVE YOU GONE MAD?’ Ron bellowed. ‘ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?’
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

We reckon that comment stayed with Hermione. However, after biding her time for nearly seven years, it was her turn to unleash the perfect comeback – mirroring Ron’s jibe beautifully. How’s that for comic timing?

>‘How – how’re we going to get in?’ panted Ron. ‘I can – see the place – if we just had – Crookshanks again –’
>
>‘Crookshanks?’ wheezed Hermione, bent double, clutching her chest. ‘Are you a wizard, or what?’
>
>‘Oh – right – yeah –’
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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## The infamous teaspoon comment
Hermione and Ron spent quite a lot of their time bickering. While Ron often seemed to have the upper hand when it came to snarky and amusing comments, this is one moment in which Hermione was truly victorious. Comparing Ron’s emotional intelligence to that of a teaspoon was not only inspired but hilarious.

>A slightly stunned silence greeted the end of this speech, then Ron said, ‘One person can’t feel all that at once, they’d explode.’
>
>‘Just because you’ve got the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have,’ said Hermione nastily, picking up her quill again.
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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## When she told Scrimgeour what she didn’t plan to do when she left school
While we all know that Hermione was the cleverest witch of her age, we still can’t help but marvel at how quickly she could come up with a witty retort. Especially when that cheeky comment was made to the Minister for Magic himself. When Rufus Scrimgeour came to talk to the trio about the will of Albus Dumbledore, he probably didn’t expect that three teenagers would dare to be quite so cheeky. But he was wrong – and came across Hermione at her sassy best.

>‘Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?’ asked Scrimgeour.
>
>‘No I’m not,’ retorted Hermione. ‘I’m hoping to do some good in the world!’
> *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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## When she gave Crabbe and Goyle a pair of special chocolate cakes 
Hermione may not have been trying to be funny here, but it still made us cackle. The matter-of-fact way in which she discussed slipping Crabbe and Goyle a Sleeping Draught, coupled with Harry and Ron’s reaction, made this moment unexpectedly comical. We love when Hermione’s determination bordered on terrifying – and this was no exception.

>‘I’ve got it all worked out,’ she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry and Ron’s stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. ‘I’ve filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they’re bound to eat them. Once they’re asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom cupboard.’
>
>Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other.
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

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## When Hermione Confunded McLaggen
This is another excellent example of Hermione’s rule breaking turning into something comical. We know she shouldn’t have Confunded Cormac McLaggen – but her reaction was everything. Her defensiveness, along with her annoyance at Harry’s amusement, made this one of our favourite funny Hermione moments.

>‘What?’ said Hermione defensively.
>
>‘If you ask me,’ said Harry quietly, ‘McLaggen looks like he was Confunded. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting.’
>
>Hermione blushed.
>
>‘Oh, all right then, I did it,’ she whispered. ‘But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he’s got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn’t get in – you wouldn’t have wanted someone like that on the team.’
>
>‘No,’ said Harry. ‘No, I suppose that’s true. But wasn’t that dishonest, Hermione? I mean, you’re a prefect, aren’t you?’
>
>‘Oh, be quiet,’ she snapped, as he smirked.
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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## When she had no time for Divination
Hermione and Divination were never going to be a match made in heaven. But her relationship with this subject was really quite amusing – especially her constant exasperation with Professor Trelawney. However, when Trelawney dared to call Hermione’s mind ‘hopelessly Mundane’, we knew it wouldn’t end well. But we didn’t expect that comment to lead to one of Hermione’s coolest and funniest moments. 

>‘Fine!’ said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. ‘Fine!’ she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. ‘I give up! I’m leaving!’
>
>And to the whole class’s amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.
> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

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## When Fleur got on her nerves
Don’t get us wrong, Fleur is brilliant – but sometimes she could work on her tact. This would probably have been a good opportunity for her to do that. When Hermione was faced with a blackeye that wouldn’t budge, on the morning she was about to receive her O.W.L. results, the last thing she needed was Fleur’s input. However, it did give us another excellent Hermione retort.

>‘But it’s got to come off!’ squeaked Hermione. ‘I can’t go around looking like this for ever!’
>
>‘You won’t, dear, we’ll find an antidote, don’t worry,’ said Mrs Weasley soothingly.
>
>‘Bill told me ’ow Fred and George are very amusing!’ said Fleur, smiling serenely.
>
>‘Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing,’ snapped Hermione.
> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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and the Half-Blood Prince

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## When she reminded Malfoy of the ferret incident
We always enjoy when Malfoy gets taken down a peg or two and Hermione certainly did that here. We can imagine it was very humiliating for Malfoy to have been turned into a ferret by the fake Mad-Eye Moody – and it would have put him on edge. Hermione clearly recognised this and used that incident as the perfect comeback to Malfoy calling her a Mudblood (again). We love that she used humour to take the power away from Malfoy… and all it took was a carefully placed wave and a pointed dig about ferrets. 

>Harry and Ron both whipped around, but Hermione said loudly, waving to somebody over Malfoy’s shoulder, ‘Hello, Professor Moody!’
>
>Malfoy went pale and jumped backwards, looking wildly around for Moody, but he was still up at the staff table, finishing his stew.
>
>‘Twitchy little ferret, aren’t you, Malfoy?’ said Hermione scathingly, and she, Harry and Ron went up the marble staircase laughing heartily.
> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

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## When she didn’t have time for Harry feeling sorry for himself 
Hermione has a reputation for being a bit uptight. But as this moment goes to show that reputation is somewhat unfair. Not only does Hermione try to lighten the mood here but does so by making a joke. We also adore the fact that she has no time for Harry feeling sorry for himself. When he responds with sarcasm to her attempt at humour, she manages to get the upper hand, putting Harry in his place and being unexpectedly funny in the process. 

>‘How’re you feeling?’ asked Hermione.
>
>‘Fine,’ said Harry stiffly.
>
>‘Oh, don’t lie, Harry,’ she said impatiently. ‘Ron and Ginny say you’ve been hiding from everyone since you got back from St Mungo’s.’
>
>‘They do, do they?’ said Harry, glaring at Ron and Ginny. Ron looked down at his feet but Ginny seemed quite unabashed.
>
>‘Well, you have!’ she said. ‘And you won’t look at any of us!’ 
>
>‘It’s you lot who won’t look at me!’ said Harry angrily.
>
>‘Maybe you’re taking it in turns to look, and keep missing each other,’ suggested Hermione, the corners of her mouth twitching. 
>
>‘Very funny,’ snapped Harry, turning away.
>
>‘Oh, stop feeling all misunderstood,’ said Hermione sharply.
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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## When even the Minister for Magic is scared of her old Head of House
Hermione may have grown up to become Minister for Magic (and therefore one of the most powerful witches in Britain), but we love that she reverts right back to being a schoolkid in front of Professor McGonagall. The way in which she goes from confidently striding into McGonagall’s office to being threatened with detention is brilliant – and gave us a right old laugh. 

>Hermione
>What did I miss?
>
>Professor McGonagall (fierce)
>It is considered polite to knock when entering a room, Hermione Granger, maybe you missed that.
>
>Hermione (realises she’s over-stepped) 
>Ah.
>
>Professor McGonagall
>If I could also give a detention to you, Minister, I would. Keeping hold of a Time-Turner, of all the stupid things!
> *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*

What does your Hogwarts house mean?

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__Illustration by Jim Kay © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc__

## Gryffindor

Gryffindor house is where you would find the pluckiest and most daring students (there’s a reason the house symbol is the brave lion). The house colours are scarlet and gold, the common room lies up in Gryffindor Tower and the Head of House is Professor Minerva McGonagall. 

If the Sorting Hat placed you here, you would have demonstrated qualities like courage, bravery and determination. Some of the wizarding world’s best and brightest belonged to this house – Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore are just a couple that spring to mind!

If you are lucky enough to end up in Gryffindor, we imagine you’re the type of person who likes to stand up for the little guy, challenges authority, has a tendency to act first and think later, is known as a class clown and takes board games very seriously.

## Slytherin

Slytherin house has an unfortunate reputation. While it is true that a lot of dark witches and wizards were sorted into Slytherin, not all who belong to this house are bad. In fact, there are a lot of excellent qualities the Sorting Hat looks for in potential Slytherins and Merlin himself even belonged to this misunderstood house! 

The house colours for Slytherin are silver and emerald green and the emblem is a serpent. The Head of House is Professor Severus Snape, and the common room can be found down in the dungeons under the lake (which only adds to the Slytherin air of mystery). 

If the Sorting Hat placed you in this noble house, then you are most likely ambitious, shrewd and possibly destined for greatness. We can imagine you’re the kind of person who is always one step ahead, has a dark sense of humour, thinks reputation is important, takes pride in their appearance and doesn’t let anyone see their soft side.

## Ravenclaw

If you are looking for the brainiest students – you would find them in Ravenclaw (with a couple of notable exceptions like Hermione Granger). The Ravenclaw colours are blue and bronze, the emblem is an eagle, the Head of House is Professor Filius Flitwick and the common room sits at the top of Ravenclaw Tower behind an enchanted knocker.

The Sorting Hat would only put you in this house if you demonstrated excellent wisdom, wit and a skill for learning. Ravenclaws are often known for being quite eccentric and most of the great wizarding inventors and innovators have come from this house.

We can imagine that you would get to sit up in Ravenclaw Tower, while surveying the excellent views, if you’re the type of person who analyses everything, is an overachiever, can be described as away with the fairies, is not afraid to be an individual and has a head stuffed full of interesting facts.

## Hufflepuff

Hufflepuff is where you will find the most trustworthy and hardworking students. In fact, out of all the houses Hufflepuff has produced the least number of dark witches and wizards. The badger is the symbol of this house, the colours are yellow and black, the Head of House is Professor Pomona Sprout and the common room can be found near the kitchens in Hogwarts.

There is an idea that Hufflepuffs are the least clever of all Hogwarts students – but that is not true. Hufflepuffs are just the most humble of all the houses and don’t feel the need to shout about their achievements in the same way as the others.

If you were lucky enough to be sorted into this house, we can imagine you’re the type of person who has a strong moral compass, always works hard, is the most loyal friend, knows it is the taking part that counts and always has the best snacks. 

Fancy getting sorted into your own Hogwarts house? You can! [Step this way.](https://my.wizardingworld.com/sorting-hat)

Which Weasley sibling would be your best friend?

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## If you have a thirst for adventure… you’d be best friends with Bill

When we first hear about the eldest Weasley, we’re told that he was Head Boy at Hogwarts before moving on to a steady job at a bank. Knowing only that, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was possibly a little uptight (perhaps a little like Percy...) but that certainly wasn’t the case. While it is true Bill works for Gringotts bank, he wasn’t stuck behind a desk. In fact, he was a curse-breaker who spent a lot of time hunting treasure and breaking weird, wonderful and downright dangerous curses amid the pyramids of Egypt. 

If you’re the adventurous type, and this sounds like an appealing way to spend your time, we reckon you’d be friends with Bill. We can just imagine the two of you jetting off on some far-flung adventure, discovering unexplored gems, getting into dangerous situations (possibly involving gruesome hexes) and enjoying the thrill of the unexpected. 

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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## If you are an animal lover… you’d be best friends with Charlie

Charlie Weasley could have played Quidditch for England but decided to follow his true passion... dragons.

Basically, Charlie was the outdoorsy type, whether it was soaring on a broom or working with magical creatures. So although we don't expect you to have met any dragons, perhaps you still like to live life a little dangerously, like our Charlie. 

There’s no doubt that Charlie was a skilled dragon handler, but we know that he also had a fantastic understanding of how to treat other creatures – even impressing animal lover Hagrid. So, we reckon that he would warm to someone with a similar mindset. After all, it would take someone who was equally as enthusiastic about animals to be able to listen to Charlie discuss the finer points of a Norwegian Ridgeback for hours. It's likely he would return the favour and would listen to you talking about your cat all day long (without needing to stifle a yawn). 

## If you are ambitious... you’d be best friends with Percy

Are you somebody with a five-year career plan? Do you know exactly how you’re going to make it to the top? Do you work tirelessly to achieve your dreams? Then you and Percy Weasley would get along famously. There’s no denying Percy’s drive – he went from Prefect, to Head Boy, to working for the Ministry of Magic itself (and for the Barty Crouch no less). However, Percy’s desire to succeed did make him blind to the reality of the return of Voldemort – driving a wedge between him and the rest of his family. But we reckon if you’re someone who appreciates ambition but also knows when to draw the line, you would be an excellent influence on Percy. 

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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## If you are a mischief maker… you’d be best friends with Fred and George

Whether they are creating chaos with the Skiving Snackboxes, turning the corridors of Hogwarts into a swamp, finding new and exciting ways to sneak out of the castle or just being a witty double act – the Weasley twins are the true masters of mischief. Only the Marauders, or Lee Jordan, could come close to matching the wonderful chaos they created.

It would take someone with a true funny bone to be accepted as their new partner in crime. If you’re a practical joker (who knows how to stay on the right side of funny), with a vivid imagination and endless enthusiasm for all jokes big and small, we reckon you’d make a great fit. 

## If you are loyal… you’d be best friends with Ron

Before we begin, we know Ron left Harry and Hermione on the Horcrux hunt – but he did come back (and Dumbledore knew he would which is why he left him the Deluminator). Although before and after that incident Ron had been an incredibly loyal friend – even when personal insecurity and jealousy made it difficult for him. Whether he was standing up for Hermione when Malfoy called her a 'Mudblood' (and facing the slimy slug aftermath), sacrificing himself in a game of wizard chess, ignoring Percy’s calls to cut ties with Harry or just being dedicated to his useless rat Scabbers – he certainly proved his loyalty. 

We reckon that you and Ron would get on like a house on fire if you’re someone who would do anything for their friends or loved ones – even if sometimes it made you look a bit silly. If you’re trustworthy, reliable and don’t flake on your friends, then Ron would think you were brilliant.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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and the Philosopher's Stone 

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## If you are no pushover … you’d be friends with Ginny

As the youngest of seven (and the only girl), we imagine it couldn’t have always been easy for Ginny Weasley. Yet, she was never one to simply fade into the background – and was arguably the fiercest and boldest of all the Weasley siblings. While she may have seemed timid when we first met her (her crush on Harry didn’t help), that impression changed quite quickly. 

Ginny is a force to be reckoned with. Her brothers know not to cross her – with George even remarking that ‘size is no guarantee of power’. We completely agree – and really wouldn’t want to end up on her bad side… or on the receiving end of one of her infamous Bat Bogey Hexes. Whether she is battling her brothers, Death Eaters or another Quidditch team, Ginny knows how to stand her ground. If you’re someone who doesn’t let anyone or anything get in your way, has a fierce streak and doesn’t let a little thing like height stop you – then you’d be BFFs with Ginny.  

Seers, Metamorphmagi and Legilimens: which magical talent is the best one?

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If you could have a magical skill, which would it be? Would you conjure the most perfect Patronus to protect those around you? Would your Apparition abilities be the envy of others? And what about those skills that come with genes, rather than practice? Let’s examine some of the most magical talents in the wizarding world – and think about which is the most desirable or not-so-desirable...

## Seers 


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The ‘Inner Eye’ is often said to be a rare and much sought-after skill in the wizarding world, with many in the community looking to Seers to find the answers in life. Gifted Seers have the ability to create Prophecies, which can determine the future of various witches and wizards, and in the case of Harry Potter, change the course of wizarding history. 

While [Divination](https://www.wizardingworld.com/quiz/the-divinaton-quiz) professor Sybill Trelawney had to exaggerate her skill-set a bit (it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Neville Longbottom would break a teacup) she still made the prophecy about Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter that would shape the events of the first and second wizarding war.

In the case of Sybill, her predictions only seem to be successful when she enters a sort of trance-state, where she doesn’t seem to quite remember what she’s said. When it comes to reading tea leaves and dream analysis, those Divination techniques seem ever so slightly more inaccurate.

So, as a skill, knowing the future is something many of us wish we could do – but the talent does come with responsibilities. If Sybill Trelawney had not made her prophecy, Lord Voldemort’s story could have unfolded very differently, for example. But your powers would be celebrated in the wizarding world, for sure, and you’d most likely get a Divination teaching job out of it, if not a couple of successful books. But is it all worth it, to be the one who ends up changing the course of events with the words you say? Perhaps the great unknown is best left that way.

PMARCHIVE-Nymphadora Tonks WB F5  At The Ministry Of Magic Still 080615 Land 2e7vJ73gTGGqQyQ2c4Ig8I

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Tonks in the Ministry of Magic from the Order of the Phoenix.

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A Metamorphmagus has the extraordinarily uncommon gift of being able to change their appearance at will. We famously met one in the Harry Potter series: Nymphadora Tonks, who used her shapeshifting abilities wisely in her job as an Auror. From changing hair colour to changing your whole face, the abilities of a Metamorphmagus seem unparalleled to the most advanced Transfiguration. It can also be hereditary, as we saw when Tonks had her baby, Teddy Lupin, whose hair kept changing colours just after birth. 

It’s perfectly understandable to just be horrendously jealous of such a skill, seeing as it is a natural gift and comes with a whole string of possibilities. Tonks even said that the phenomenon helped her pass her Auror training, inevitably excelling at Concealment and Disguise. 

The only downside we could really see about being a Metamorphmagus is the fact that the magic seems to be affected by your emotions. 

‘She can’t change her appearance like she used to,’ explained Hermione. ‘I think her powers must have been affected by shock, or something.’
‘I didn’t know that could happen,’ said Harry.
‘Nor did I,’ said Hermione, ‘but I suppose if you’re really depressed …’

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

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When Tonks was upset about her feelings for Remus Lupin, her appearance naturally became more sombre – and Hermione theorised that her powers had actually been stilted. 

## Animagi 

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The ability to turn into an animal at any-given time sounds immeasurably cool on paper – but it is famously extremely difficult to become one.  

[In fact, you can read our guide on how to become an Animagus here, just to see how complicated it really is.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/web-how-do-you-become-animagus) 

Once you’ve actually mastered the art of becoming one, you also need to make sure you’re registered, although funnily enough, we ended up meeting more unregistered Animagi in the Harry Potter books than we did legal ones. Professor McGonagall could famously (and legally) turn into a cat, but the Marauders and Rita Skeeter all had ulterior motives for becoming Animagi, so therefore didn’t bother to get themselves officially on the books.

So with all the admin out the way, becoming an animal at will served many witches and wizards well – especially Sirius Black, who was able to remain hidden in plain sight despite being on the run from Azkaban, in his black dog form. On the other hand, Peter Pettigrew was also able to hide from the law and even fake his own death, so you can understand why Animagi are usually registered... 

But ultimately, if you’re an animal-lover and love to be at one with nature, an Animagus would be a perfect piece of magic to be able to perform.

## Legilimens 

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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and Where to Find Them

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In layman’s terms, being a Legilimens means you can read peoples’ minds – although, really, it’s far more complex than that. As Severus Snape once said, ‘the mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure’. 

We started to learn about both Legilimency and Occlumency (the magic that counters it) during *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, where we learnt that Lord Voldemort was adept at infiltrating Harry’s mind. In turn, Harry struggled with the counter-magic, Occlumency, and failed on numerous occasions to close his mind. His teacher, Professor Snape, however, had learnt to master both skills with aplomb. Professor Dumbledore also displayed his skills in the area. [Draco Malfoy was even known to have mastered Occlumency](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/draco-malfoy) during his secret-mission in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*.

In *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, we meet a fully accomplished Legilimens in Queenie, who gently uses her gift to bond with others, such as Jacob and Newt, although Newt doesn’t quite like it. That’s the thing with this magical skill – it’s quite invasive, and although the No-Maj Jacob was impressed and enamoured with Queenie, Newt found it a troublesome quirk. 

Indeed, this skill does hold the risk of severing your relationships with people, who may often feel on guard about what they’re thinking about when they’re around a Legilimens. But that’s not to say it’s not a tremendously useful talent to have. 

## Other skills worth mentioning 

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There are other out-of-the-ordinary pieces of magic we have seen exhibited across the wizarding world, such as flight without a broom, casting Patronuses, wandless magic, wordless magic, Apparition, creating Horcruxes and beyond. Dumbledore once said “he doesn’t need a cloak to become invisible” and we often wonder what other powers are out there.

There are also Veelas, that come with their own magical aura and impossible beauty, as we learnt from meeting Fleur, who is part-Veela. Veela hair can even be used as wand cores.

There are also [magical ailments](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/illness-and-disability), such as Obscurials, vampires and werewolves, which come with unwanted traits. Obscurials are known to have very short lives, while [Lupin's struggles with being a werewolf](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/remus-lupin) were spoken about often across the Harry Potter series. By being connected to Voldemort, Harry was able to speak [Parseltongue](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/everything-you-didnt-know-about-parseltongue) too - but usually, this skill was passed down throughout Salazar Slytherin's descendents. 

And some acquired skills can end horribly if performed by the wrong person or in the wrong way. For example, [when an ancient Dark wizard called Raczidian once attempted to cast the defensive spell, the Patronus Charm, the spell backfired on him](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/patronus-charm), and his life ended devoured by maggots!

Other mastered skills, such as Apparating, can end in Splinching, which Ron experienced in the most horrible way in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.*

So, as you can see, every magical skill comes with its own set of complications, but ultimately there are some pieces of magical phenomena that can set a witch or wizard ahead of their peers.

__Which skill would you like to attain if you lived in the wizarding world?__