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The Draco Malfoy crossword

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A close up image of Draco Malfoy looking concerned.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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and the Half-Blood Prince

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What better way to celebrate Draco's birthday than with a good old puzzle?

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Visit our [puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) to try more challenges.

The hexes and jinxes wordsearch

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Ginny Weasley in the Room of Requirement holding up her wand and looking determined.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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Wands at the ready! Prepare for a duel by finding all of the jinxes in this week's wordsearch. 

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[See our latest wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic puzzles over at our hub!](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)

Into the Pensieve: The tragic tale of Frank Bryce

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The outside of the Riddle's house at night from the Goblet of Fire.

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## Who was Frank Bryce?

Frank was a gardener for the paternal grandparents of Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort. He lived alone in a cottage on the Riddle House grounds, which stood on top of a hill overlooking the village of Little Hangleton. A Muggle who’d returned from fighting in the war ‘with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises,’ Frank had been tending to the Riddle House gardens ever since, apart from a brief moment of time when he’d been arrested for suspected involvement in the mysterious deaths of the Riddles – Voldemort’s Muggle father, also called Tom, and his rich, snobbish parents. 

We know, of course, that all three Riddles were actually killed by Voldemort via means of the Killing Curse. He’d sought them out after a visit to his mother’s nearby home revealed the truth about his parentage. After Stupefying his Gaunt uncle, Voldemort had made his way to the Riddle house, killing the Muggle man who abandoned his witch mother, and, for good measure, the grandparents who tied him to that unworthy Muggle lineage. 

For those investigating the Riddle’s deaths, however, the fact that they died without a mark on them was perplexing, to say the least. But it did mean they were forced to let Frank go. To the Little Hangleton villagers’ surprise, he returned to live on the Riddle House grounds, and so, unfortunately for Frank, that was where he was when another strange visit occurred.

## When did he first appear in the story?

Right at the beginning of Goblet of Fire, when a weakened Voldemort was taking refuge in the Riddle House under the ‘clumsy care’ of Wormtail (aka Peter Pettigrew).

## What was Frank doing when we met him?

Having been woken in the middle of the night by his bad leg, Frank noticed lights on in the Riddle House. Suspecting some local children had broken in and started a fire, he went up to investigate. Having no phone and a deep distrust of the police, he did so without anyone else knowing, which would prove to be a mistake – not that Frank could possibly have predicted what he would find in the Riddle House: a rat-like wizard and the barely human man he served, who could talk to snakes and kill with a single flash of green light.

When we met him, Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday and was very deaf. His bad leg was stiffer than ever, and he used a walking stick to get around. When he later appeared to Harry as a result of Priori Incantatem (or, ‘the reverse spell effect’), in the graveyard after the final Triwizard Tournament task, Frank wore a look of mild surprise, as he leaned on his walking stick and told Harry:

‘Killed me, that one did … you fight him, boy ...’

## What was Frank like?

He might have appeared in only a handful of scenes and his death might not have been considered important by the Ministry of Magic, but Frank’s tenacity and courage shone forth in every one of those scenes. Stubborn and persistent, Frank returned to the Riddle House once after the war, and again after his wrongful arrest, and just quietly got on with things, even as the villagers gossiped about him and the young ones threw stones and ruined his lawns. Frank had a bad war, someone at The Hanged Man pub said, so he’d presumably endured a lot worse than rumour and speculation.

But while his post-war years might have been solitary, he was just as brave as an older man. The fact that he went to check on the Riddle House when he thought it was on fire is one thing. But the fact that he stood his ground in front of actual Voldemort, speaking with defiance and having the presence of mind to invent a wife who’d be worrying about him, proved that beyond any doubt.

‘Is that right?’ said Frank roughly. ‘Lord, is it? Well, I don’t think much of your manners, my Lord. Turn round and face me like a man, why don’t you?’

## How did Frank make a difference?

Months before he appeared to Harry as a result of Priori Incantatem, Harry had seen Frank in a dream. To be more precise, Harry had experienced Frank being murdered by Voldemort through a vision. It was an early example of the connection that later allowed Harry to look into Voldemort’s mind, but at the time of the dream Harry knew little about all that. He simply woke as if from a nightmare, his scar throbbing and his mind full of concern about the old man he’d witnessed Voldemort murder.

But if Frank had not appeared in Harry’s dream, there wouldn’t have been knowledge of his murder at all. As Dumbledore later said, the Ministry of Magic did not seem to register Frank’s disappearance, and they certainly didn’t investigate his connections to the Riddles. As a solitary man living alone, Frank’s death might have been ignored, were it not for Harry’s dream and the attention Dumbledore paid to Muggle newspapers. His death served as a reminder for just how capable (and comfortable) Voldemort was with killing – something Harry would witness again months later. Finally, without the death of Frank, Dumbledore may not have had cause to suspect Voldemort had briefly returned to the Riddle House.

So Frank was important because he reinforced just how deplorable Voldemort was, and because his experiences provided valuable insight into the Riddles – insight Dumbledore was later able to expand on. But he was also important in his own right. His steadfast acceptance of the situations he found himself in was accompanied by a quiet bravery. His words to Harry during Priori Incantatem might have been brief, but they were to-the-point. Along with Cedric, Bertha Jorkins and his parents, Frank provided additional support at a time Harry needed it most.

Frank was a Muggle in a world full of magical characters; plus, he appeared in only two chapters of one book in the entire Harry Potter series. So we’d forgive you if you don’t remember much about him – even Harry only ever knew him as ‘the old man.’ 

But we can’t help but admire Frank’s spirit, and we hope that by reminding you about him here, we’ve done the old man some justice.

***

You can visit other characters in our 'Into the Pensieve' series, such as [Bob Ogden](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/web-into-the-pensieve-bob-ogden) and [Professor Kettleburn.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/into-the-pensieve-silvanus-kettleburn)

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

Features - Wizarding World

For beginners, for novices, for Harry Potter superfans going 20 years-strong, dig deep into the Wizarding World with our collection of features. We also have 'first-year' quizzes for Harry Potter beginners!

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The O.W.L.s crossword

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Let's hope for an Oustanding result! 

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[See our latest wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic puzzles over at our hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)


The O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. grade wordsearch

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Will you Exceed Expectations today?

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[See our latest wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic puzzles over at our hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)


Top exam tips from Hogwarts students and professors

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## Revise, revise, revise… and revise some more
We think it’s pretty easy to guess who might give this tip… the one and only Hermione Granger. When it came to exams, nobody worked harder than her. Even when she was a first-year, she took exams seriously. So, we think Hermione would tell you that revision is key. If you fail to prepare, well… prepare to fail. So hit those books and you should do just fine.

>Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Philosopher’s Stone. She had started drawing up revision timetables and colour-coding all her notes. Harry and Ron wouldn’t have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.
>
>‘Hermione, the exams are ages away.’
>
>‘Ten weeks,’ Hermione snapped. ‘That’s not ages, that’s like a second to Nicolas Flamel.’
>
>‘But we’re not six hundred years old,’ Ron reminded her. ‘Anyway, what are you revising for, you already know it all.’
>
>‘What am I revising for? Are you mad? You realise we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They’re very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don’t know what’s got into me...’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*


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Hermione sat on a bench in the Great Hall. She has a book open on her lap and is smiling.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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## Take it easy… don’t stress too much
Harry and Ron’s approach to revision was rather different to Hermione’s. They took a more… shall we say… laidback approach. If you were to ask them for their tips on how to survive your exams, we think they might just mention the importance of taking a break every once in a while. It is what they did in their O.W.L.s after all.

>On Friday, Harry and Ron had a day off while Hermione sat her Ancient Runes exam, and as they had the whole weekend in front of them they permitted themselves a break from revision. They stretched and yawned beside the open window, through which warm summer air was wafting as they played wizard chess. 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*


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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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## Malfoy would say it’s about who you know
Now, we’re not advocating this an effective method for passing tests, but if you were to ask this resourceful Slytherin about how to get through exams, he’d probably tell you about this supposed loophole. Malfoys don’t need to worry about silly schoolwork when their connections will get them through life – or so they say – whether Draco was bluffing is an entirely different matter (and we suspect he was). 

>‘Of course, it’s not what you know,’ he was heard to tell Crabbe and Goyle loudly outside Potions a few days before the exams were to start, ‘it’s who you know. Now, Father’s been friendly with the head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority for years – old Griselda Marchbanks – we’ve had her round for dinner and everything…’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*


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## Remember to have a little confidence in yourself
This is important. You’re never going to get through your exams if you don’t believe you can. We all know one Gryffindor that was prone to a little – or a lot – of self-doubt, Neville. Even though he didn’t think he could get through his O.W.L. exams, his professors did as McGonagall reminded him…

>‘You cannot pass an O.W.L.,’ said Professor McGonagall grimly, ‘without serious application, practice and study. I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an O.W.L. in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work.’ Neville made a sad little disbelieving noise. ‘Yes, you too, Longbottom,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘There’s nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence.’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*


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Neville Longbottom is sitting in a chair and smiling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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and the Chamber of Secrets

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## Snape would probably say a little fear can be very useful…
This tip is slightly controversial, and we don’t approve of the use of humiliation and fear as a tactic. However, there is no doubt Snape’s particular brand of… encouragement was effective. Harry was motivated by the Potions master’s harsh marking and was determined to prove him wrong.

>‘The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week’s essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get a “D”.’
>
>He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, ‘Some people got a “D”? Ha!’
>
>Harry realised that Hermione was looking sideways to see what grade he had received; he slid his moonstone essay back into his bag as quickly as possible, feeling that he would rather keep that information private.
>
>Determined not to give Snape an excuse to fail him this lesson, Harry read and reread every line of instructions on the blackboard at least three times before acting on them. His Strengthening Solution was not precisely the clear turquoise shade of Hermione’s but it was at least blue rather than pink, like Neville’s, and he delivered a flask of it to Snape’s desk at the end of the lesson with a feeling of mingled defiance and relief.
><br>*Harry and the Order of the Phoenix*


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## Ernie would think there is no harm in a little competition…
Hufflepuffs might not be known for their competitive natures, but Ernie Macmillan certainly had that streak in him. His plan seemed to be the student who put in the most hours of revision overall. Whether he was really in competition with himself or his peers we’re not sure, but hey, if it works it works! 

>‘I’m doing eight,’ said Ernie, puffing out his chest. ‘Eight or nine. I’m getting an hour in before breakfast every day. Eight’s my average. I can do ten on a good weekend day. I did nine and a half on Monday. Not so good on Tuesday – only seven and a quarter. Then on Wednesday –’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*


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Professor McGonagall sat at the teachers' table in the Great Hall looking to her left

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## Surprisingly, you might find McGonagall thinks there is more to life than exams
Yes, tests are important – we’re not arguing with that – but they’re not everything. There is more to life than exams and working hard and revision (even if Hermione might disagree). It’s important to keep things in perspective and to know when to prioritise – as the Hogwarts professors decided once the threat of the Basilisk was no more.

>Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been cancelled as a school treat (‘Oh, *no*!’ said Hermione)
><br>*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*


The Slytherin Quidditch team wordsearch

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

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Grab your Nimbus 2001 and see how quickly you can fly through this wordsearch! 

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***

[See our latest wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic puzzles over at our hub!](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles)

8 Quidditch moments to be inspired by 

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## When everyone was so excited about Harry joining the team

Remember when Professor McGonagall marched Harry away from his first flying lesson, apparently for flying unsupervised in pursuit of Neville’s Remembrall, but then she threw a curve ball of her own by introducing him to Oliver Wood as Gryffindor’s new Seeker? That legendary moment sparked a flurry of excitement among the Gryffindor team. Even Fred and George were thrilled to hear Harry was joining them:


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I tell you, we’re going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year,’ said Fred. ‘We haven’t won since Charlie left, but this year’s team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us.

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Imagine generating such a buzz before you'd even set foot on the pitch. Talk about a confidence boost.

## Oliver Wood's first match speech in Philosopher’s Stone

If Fred and George were to be believed, Oliver Wood – Harry's first Quidditch captain – delivered the same speech fairly regularly, but it was a pretty rousing one. Short, to-the-point, and full of confidence, we certainly can’t fault Oliver’s optimism as he attempted to motivate his team ahead of their first game with Harry in tow:


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This is the best team Gryffindor’s had in years. We’re going to win. I know it.

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## When Fred and George tried to protect Harry from Dobby’s rogue Bludger

When the Gryffindor Quidditch team took on Slytherin in *Chamber of Secrets*, Harry was feeling the pressure. Facing off against Malfoy and the highly advanced racing brooms his father had equipped the Slytherin team with was bad enough, but on top of that, he had Wood’s latest desperate pre-match speech ringing in his ears – ‘Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we’ve got to win today, we’ve got to.’  Oh, and then there was the rogue Bludger.

Bewitched by Dobby – apparently with the aim of injuring Harry so he’d be sent home – the rogue Bludger zeroed in with such force that it broke Harry’s arm. With one arm out of action, the Gryffindor Seeker ended up tumbling from his broom as he reached out and grabbed the Snitch. But before the broken limb came an excellent example of teamwork. Fred and George took it upon themselves to protect Harry from the Bludger’s viciousness, even though it meant sacrificing valuable points. Ah, we do like to see teammates putting each other’s safety and wellbeing above the outcome of a match (it was still a win for Gryffindor – but a rather painful one).

## Oliver’s last-chance-to-win speech in Prisoner of Azkaban

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Yes, Fred and George liked to mock poor Oliver and his pep talks. But this one showed why relentless positivity despite everything that's come before can be so important, especially for a leader. The pre-match speech he gave at the beginning of what was to be his final year at Hogwarts has to be our favourite:

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'Gryffindor haven’t won for seven years now. OK, so we’ve had the worst luck in the world – injuries – then the tournament getting called off last year ...’ Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. ‘But we also know we’ve got the best – ruddy – team – in – the – school,’ he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.

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We do admire Oliver. Seven years of disappointing results, and he never gave up. Manic glint in the eye or not, we’d still call him inspirational.  

## When the team reassured Harry after they lost to Hufflepuff

After the Bludger incident in *Chamber of Secrets*, poor Harry fell from his broom a second time in *Prisoner of Azkaban*. Then, there was no Dobby to blame – that one was down to the Dementors who’d surrounded the pitch during Gryffindor's rain-soaked match against Hufflepuff. 

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A swarm of Dementors arrive at the Quidditch Match.

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And that fall really hurt. Not only did it land Harry back in the hospital wing, it also lost Gryffindor the match and led to his faithful broomstick being destroyed by the Whomping Willow. But he could at least content himself with the fact that the entire Gryffindor team (well, minus Oliver, who was away drowning himself in the showers) stayed by his hospital bed until he woke up and did their best to reassure him. As Fred said:

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

Don’t beat yourself up, Harry, you’re still the best Seeker we’ve ever had.

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Again: boosting each other's morale after a tough result is top-notch teamwork, if you ask us.

## Those post-match winning celebrations

When Gryffindor did win, their post-match celebrations ([and the parties](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/harry-potter-parties-we-all-wanted-to-go-to)) were a joy to behold. We particularly love this moment, just after Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw, thanks to some speedy flying from Harry and the impressive Patronus he'd sent charging towards three ‘Dementors' who turned out to be Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint.


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‘That’s my boy!’ Wood kept yelling. Alicia, Angelina and Katie had all kissed Harry, and Fred had him in a grip so tight Harry felt as though his head would come off. In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Harry got off his
broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the pitch, Ron in the lead. Before he knew it, he had been engulfed by the cheering crowd.

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And that wasn't even the final.

## The way Angelina (and Harry) supported Ron

When Ron became Gryffindor's Keeper, Angelina Johnson – then Captain – admitted he wasn’t fabulous. Others outflew him in tryouts but they lacked commitment, and so Angelina picked Ron. And she stuck with him. Even though his lack of confidence, extreme nervousness when playing in front of an audience (helpful), and tendency to lose focus when he made a mistake meant Ron’s Quidditch playing never seemed as effortless as Harry’s, or his brothers, the Gryffindor team – led by Angelina – did not give up on him. Angelina refused to let him quit, even when her team descended further into chaos after Umbridge banned Harry, Fred and George from playing. As Ginny told Harry: ‘She says she knows he’s got it in him.’

When Harry became Captain a year later and Ron's performance took another dip, he too refused to give up on his friend. As you may recall, he even went so far as to pretend to slip Ron some Felix Felicis, so he'd find a bit of inner confidence and up his game. Yeah, they were pretty good, those Gryffindor Quidditch Captains. Not that we really condone such manipulation, of course, but having faith in your team even when they don't have it in themselves shows some solid leadership. 

## When Ron finally pulled off some spectacular saves

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Thanks to Hagrid’s not-so-little brother Grawp, Harry and Hermione missed Ron’s winning moment in *Order of the Phoenix*, but the sight of Ron being borne aloft on the shoulders of his teammates after helping them (finally) win the Quidditch Cup was something very special. After months of miserable practises, it was just incredibly refreshing to hear the Gryffindors sing *their* version of Weasley is our King, proving that with a bit of self-belief, it is possible to turn your fortunes around.

The Burrow crossword

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How much do you know about The Burrow, really?

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Visit our [puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) to try more challenges.

Video: Everything you need to know about the Hufflepuff common room

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In Harry Potter's time at Hogwarts, he was lucky enough to not only explore his own Gryffindor common room, but also Ravenclaw's and Slytherin's. However! Hufflepuff's common room remained a bit of a mystery for a while, aside from this [helpful piece of writing about it from J.K. Rowling.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/hufflepuff-common-room)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/fnGoCpBhb_s?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Then [Hogwarts Legacy came along](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/hogwarts-legacy-showcase-reveals-more-features-and-character-creator), and all of a sudden, we could roam Hufflepuff's beautiful, badger sett-esque room to our hearts' content. 

We asked our resident expert, WizardPHD, to wrap up everything we now know about this common room, in honour of any Hufflepuffs reading this right now! 

And if you're out there still wondering what your Hogwarts house even is, you can [visit our Sorting Ceremony to find out.](https://my.wizardingworld.com/sorting-hat)

Molly Weasley's epic gifts – RANKED

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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and the Philosopher's Stone 

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## 16. Ron’s dress robes

It seems a bit unfair to kick off with this one given Molly bought Ron’s mouldy-lace-trimmed dress robes second-hand and there wasn’t much choice, but we must acknowledge how deeply unhappy Ron was to receive them. You work with what you’ve got, sure, but it’s unfortunate that they were also maroon, on top of everything else.

## 15. Her extra-small easter egg for Hermione, in Goblet of Fire


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Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs Weasley had sent. Both Harry’s and Ron’s were the size of dragon eggs, and full of home-made toffee. Hermione’s, however, was smaller than a chicken’s egg.

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Molly was usually generous with the sweet treats, so the mean little Easter egg she sent Hermione after reading Rita Skeeter’s article about the supposed [Harry-Hermione-Krum love triangle](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/a-brief-history-of-wizarding-world-love-triangles) in *Witch Weekly* was quite a departure. It offered a rare glimpse at Molly’s less charitable side, which did sometimes rear its head when it came to protecting those she loved, including Harry. You’d think Molly would have known better than to believe Rita Skeeter, but hey, nobody’s perfect.

## 14. Percy’s returned Weasley jumper in Order of the Phoenix

The low-placing of this particular Weasley jumper should not be seen as indicative of its quality, because we’re sure it was just as cosy and warm as anything Molly ever knitted. But the fact that Percy took time out of his day to send his mother’s hand-made Christmas gift back, without a note and with no acknowledgment of his father being in hospital, leaves us thinking that was one jumper that might not have hung around in the wardrobe for long. Nobody’s perfect, yes, but oh Percy…

## 13. Ron’s various maroon jumpers

Every Christmas, Molly knitted a lot of jumpers, which must have taken a significant amount of effort even if she did use magic. And yet every Christmas, Molly knitted Ron’s jumper in a colour he didn’t like. Ron’s hatred for the colour maroon was well-documented, but for some reason Molly just couldn’t stop creating jumpers for him in that particular browny-red colour and we cannot really fathom why. Surely she could have used another shade, at least once?

## 12. Harry's fifth Weasley jumper and home-made mince pies in Order of the Phoenix 

Every Weasley jumper Harry received also came with a side order of sweets, and the one he got in Order of the Phoenix was no exception. We imagine Molly’s home-made mince pies were as delicious as her knitting was cosy, so yum yum for this one.

## 11. Harry's second Weasley jumper and plum cake in Chamber of Secrets

The second Weasley jumper Harry ever received also came with a tasty additional treat – plum cake. The fact that he received these gifts just months after crashing Mr Weasley’s bewitched car into the Whomping Willow did give Harry a surge of guilt as he opened the lumpy package, but surely the plum cake helped.

## 10. Harry's first Weasley jumper and home-made fudge in Philosopher’s Stone

Fudge was the sugary companion of Harry’s first ever Weasley jumper, which was emerald green. It was also one of the first Christmas presents Harry had ever received, so extra points for that.


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## 9. Ron’s new broom in Order of the Phoenix

When Ron was made a prefect in *Order of the Phoenix*, Molly immediately wanted to reward him with a gift of his choice – much to Fred and George’s apparent chagrin. The result was a new Cleansweep Eleven, which was the very broom that helped Ron become Gryffindor’s Quidditch Keeper. OK, his time as Keeper might have been eventful, but his new broom gave him the confidence to try which is no bad thing.

## 8. The Easter egg Molly sent to Harry in Order of the Phoenix

With Harry, Molly seemed to have a knack of timing gifts at just the right moment. When Ginny delivered the handsome Golden Snitch-decorated Easter egg her mum had sent, as Harry sat in the library dwelling on the scene from Snape’s Pensieve that showed his father bullying Snape, it struck him so much he got a lump in his throat. This prompted him to tell Ginny he wanted to talk to Sirius, who suggested a way he might be able to do just that, and all thanks to a chocolate egg. Good one, Molly.

## 7. Harry's sixth Weasley jumper, with Golden Snitch design, in Half Blood Prince

Most of the Weasley jumpers Molly knitted seem to have been plain, but she did also work some intricate designs, as with Harry’s Golden Snitch-decorated knitwear in Half Blood Prince. It was certainly better than another gift he got that year: a pile of maggots from his House-Elf, Kreacher.

## 6. Harry's fourth Weasley jumper and home-made mince pies in *Goblet of Fire*

There was another green jumper and more mince pies for Harry in fourth year, but this time the jumper had a picture of a dragon on it to commemorate the first Triwizard task Harry had completed shortly before. We imagine knitting a Hungarian Horntail required some serious skills, so we’re particularly impressed with this one, design-wise.

## 5. The Gred and Forge jumpers in Philosopher’s Stone

The Weasley twins’ festive jumpers in *Philosopher’s Stone* ushered in a whole new Christmas tradition for Harry, and the initial design was simple but effective. A true Molly Weasley classic.

## 4. Harry's third Weasley jumper and treats galore in Prisoner of Azkaban

This was officially the best Weasley jumper Harry ever received, because not only was it Gryffindor scarlet with a lion on the front, but it also came with a bumper selection of festive goodies: a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake and a box of nut brittle, all wrapped up in one Weasley package. Delicious.

## 3. Ron’s new wand in Prisoner of Azkaban

Ron’s original hand-me-down wand took a bit of a beating when he and Harry crash-landed into the Whomping Willow in *Chamber of Secrets*, so he was well overdue a new one by the beginning of his third year. So it was a good thing the Weasleys won that Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw, hey?

## 2. Ron’s new watch in Half Blood Prince


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‘Seriously good haul this year!’ he announced, holding up a heavy gold watch with odd symbols around the edge and tiny moving stars instead of hands. ‘See what Mum and Dad got me? Blimey, I think I’ll come of age next year too …’

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Ron’s 17th birthday might have ended badly (it was the one where he accidentally ate love potion-spiked Chocolate Cauldrons, went to Slughorn’s office with Harry for an antidote, and ended up getting poisoned) but at least it started well, when he received the traditional watch from his parents. With its solid gold weight and mystical symbols, it was a special present made even more meaningful by the effort his parents went to to give it to him, when so much of Ron’s wardrobe consisted of hand-me-downs.

## 1. Harry’s hand-me-down watch in Deathly Hallows

A few months later, Molly also gifted Harry a watch to mark his 17th birthday. This time it wasn’t new – it had belonged to Molly’s brother, Fabian, and it was a bit dented on the back. But whereas receiving a new watch meant a lot to Ron because he so rarely received new things, for Harry, the simple fact that the Weasleys had thought to acknowledge his significant birthday in the traditional way meant just as much to Harry as the watch itself. This gift was about a lot more than wizarding tradition. It showed just how much Molly cared for Harry, and that she saw him as one of the family. Harry wasn’t one to voice those thanks, but he tried to show it in another way, which Molly seemed to appreciate...

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

‘It’s traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age,’ said Mrs Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. ‘I’m afraid that one isn’t new like Ron’s, it was actually my brother Fabian’s and he wasn’t terribly careful with his possessions, it’s a bit dented on the back, but –’

The rest of her speech was lost; Harry had got up and hugged her. He tried to put a lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted his cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her wand in a slightly random way, causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan on to the floor.

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and the Deathly Hallows

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So thanks, Molly, for showing us the most important thing to remember when giving a gift: the recipient. 

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