Wizards, Witches and Beings: B
Babbitty Rabbitty
Babbitty Rabbitty was a witch in the wizarding fairy tale "Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump" from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. In this fable, Babbitty Rabbitty outwits a greedy king and his "charlatan" sorceror who try to round up wizards and witches so they can have all the magic to themselves (TBB/BR).
This name (and story title) may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the books Rowling wrote when she was five or six years old: "The first finished book I did was a book called ‘Rabbit,’ um, about a Rabbit called Rabbit, thereby revealing the imaginative approach to names that has stood me in such good stead ever since. I wrote the Rabbit stories for ages to the point where it was a series of books about Rabbit which were very dull, illustrated by the author." (HPM)
Babbling,
Bathsheba 
Hogwarts Professor for the Study of Ancient Runes according to an early planning draft for Prisoner of Azkaban available on JKR's website. However, this should not be considered strict canon because other information on this page changed by the time the book was actually published (JKR scrapbook).
'Babble' = (Eng.) foolish chatter, or the murmuring sound of flowing
water. One of Rowling's onomatopoeic names.
'Bathsheba' = The biblical wife of David and mother of Solomon. (the name is hand-written and difficult to read. It could be "Bathsheda")
Baddock,
Malcolm 
(born c.1983)
Hogwarts student; Slytherin, 1994 - 2001 (GF12).
Bagman,
Ludovic ("Ludo") 
Celebrated Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps c. 1980 and later head of the Department of Games and Sports until his somewhat informal departure from the Ministry in late June 1995. (More...)
"ludo" = Latin for "play."
"bagman" = (Eng. slang) While in the U.S. this carries the
sense of "one who collects money, as for racketeers", in the
U.K. it carries the meaning "traveling salesman."
Bagman, Otto
Got into trouble with the Muggle Artifacts Office because of an unusual lawnmower, but Arthur Weasley straightened things out for him. Out of gratitude, Otto's brother Ludo then arranged the Weasleys' tickets to the Quidditch World Cup (GF5).
Bagman (Sr.)
Father of Ludo and Otto, friend of the Death Eater Augustus Rookwood (GF30).
Bagnold,
Millicent
Minister of Magic before Cornelius Fudge, from 1980-1990 (OP5). Mentioned in the third W.O.M.B.A.T. test posted on jkrowling.com (JKR).
Bagshot,
Bathilda 
(mid-1800s - 1997)
Author of A History of Magic (PS5), and resident of Godric's Hollow. Killed by Voldemort or his minions to lay a trap for Harry. (More...)
The French Saint Bathilde was a runaway slave who married King Clovis II and died c. 680 (Catholic Encyclopedia).
'Bagshot' is the name of a village in Surrey, England. Could also come from 'Robin of Bagshot,' a character in the 1728 play "The Beggar's Opera." Bagshot was a scoundrel with many aliases (Brewer's Dictionary).
Most likely, the name 'Bathilda Bagshot' was simply meant to hint that she was a "batty old bag."
Barbary,
Heathcote 
(b. 1974)
Plays rhythm guitar with the popular wizarding band The Weird Sisters (fw95).
Barkwith,
Musidora
(1520 - 1666)
Barkwith was a famous composer whose Wizarding Suite featured an exploding tuba. This unfinished work is now banned, ever since a performance in 1902 blew the roof off of the Town Hall of Ackerly (fw36).
"Musidora" = from "music"
"Bark" = might be connected to the idea that dogs bark when they
hear music being played or sung extremely poorly.
Barnabas the Barmy 
A moving tapestry of this wizard, depicting his foolish attempt to train trolls for the ballet, hangs on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle, opposite the entrance to the Room of Requirement (OP18, HBP20).
"Barmy" = British slang for "crazy."
Baruffio
(wizard) 
Wizard who mispronounced a charm and suffered for it (PS10). Lent his name to some patent medicine of dubious value called Baruffio's Brain Elixir (OP31).
Bashir,
Ali 
Ali is a flying carpet merchant who was very interested in importing flying carpets into Britain. Arthur Weasley wouldn't allow it, so Ali tried to smuggle carpets in (GF7, 27).
Basil
Ministry wizard, wearing a kilt and a poncho in an attempt to dress like a Muggle, who worked at the Portkey terminus at the Quidditch World Cup. He was refered to as the 'keeper of the Portkeys' (GF7, 10).
Beamish,
Oswald
(1850 - 1932)
Pioneer of goblin rights (fw66).
Beedle the Bard
(15th century )
Accredited author of wizarding children’s fairy tales including "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," "Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump." and "The Tale of the Three Brothers." The five stories were collected in a book entitled The Tales of Beedle the Bard that was given to Hermione Granger by Dumbledore (DH7, DH21, TBB).
Beery, Herbert 
(early 20th century)
Hogwarts professor of Herbology when Dumbledore was a young Transfiguration teacher (so in the first half of the 20th century). He directed the one and only Hogwarts Christmas pantomime, based on "The Fountain of Fair Fortune". It was a complete disaster. After leaving Hogwarts, he taught at the Wizarding Academy of the Dramatic Arts, but he never again produced a play based on that particular story (TBB).
Belby,
Flavius
(1715 - 1791)
Survived a Lethifold attack while in Papua New Guinea in 1782. He wrote about the experience, revealing for the first time the existence of this terrible creature and also the fact that a Patronus Charm will drive a Lethifold away. Belby had at one time been voted the president of the local Gobstones Club (FB). He appears on a Famous Wizard card (fw51).
Belby,
Marcus 
Ravenclaw, years unknown.
A "thin and nervous-looking" boy. A candidate for the Slug Club because his Uncle Damocles invented Wolfsbane potion (HBP7).
The role of Marcus in the 6th movie is played by Robert Knox.
Belcher, Humphrey
A wizard who mistakenly thought a cheese cauldron would be a good idea (HBP10).
Bell,
Katie 
(born c. 1978)
Gryffindor, 1990 - 1997, Quidditch team Chaser (PS11, CS6, PA13, GF17, OP13, OP19, OP31, HBP11). (More...)
"big blond" 
This unnamed, "massive" Death Eater was part of the group that invaded Hogwarts where he did tremendous damage (HBP27). Possibly the same person as the "Brutal-faced Death Eater" (see below). It was his Avada Kedavra that killed fellow Death Eater Gibbon when it missed Lupin.
Bilius
Ron Weasley's Uncle Bilius saw a Grim and died, twenty-four hours later (PA6). Fred missed him at Bill and Fleur's wedding, saying he always good for a laugh (DH8). Bilius is also Ron's middle name (DH7).
"Bilious" is the adjective for 'bile,' a yellowish-green secretion of the liver. The word "bilious" goes back to the old belief that there were four bodily humors (black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood) and these four humors determined a person's temperament. "Bilious" was the personality type associated with an excess of yellow bile, and indicates a peevish, ill-natured disposition (MedicineNet.com).
Binns,
Cuthbert 
History of Magic professor (ghost). (More...)
Professor Binns' first name appears on a list Jo created while planning Prisoner of Azkaban; however, his first name cannot be considered canon because other information on this page changed by the time the book was actually published (JKR scrapbook).
Binns' last name is a subtle bit of wordplay; I imagine him wearing very thick lenses -- "bins" (from binoculars) is a slang term for spectacles. --Morag Traynor
Birch, Brevis
Captain of the Tutshill Tornados who blamed their loss to the Ballycastle Bats on a bout of sleeping sickness that affect the Keeper (DP2).
Black
Family (see also: Black
family tree)
- Alphard (died
c.1976-77) (SEE Black
family page)
- Andromeda (?1953- ) (SEE Black
family page)
- Araminta Meliflua (SEE Black
family page)
- Arcturus (1884-1959) Son of Phineas
Nigellus (SEE Black family page)
- Arcturus (1901-1991) Grandfather of Sirius and Regulus (SEE Black family page)
- Bellatrix (1951- ) (SEE Lestrange,
Bellatrix Black)
- Belvina (1886-1962) (SEE Black
family page)
- Callidora (1915-present?) (SEE Black
family page)
- Cassiopeia (1915-1992) (SEE Black
family page)
- Cedrella (SEE Black
family page)
- Charis (1919-1973) (SEE Black
family page)
- Cygnus (1889-1943) Son of Phineas
Nigellus (SEE Black family page)
- Cygnus (1929-1979) Father of Bellatrix, Andromeda
and Narcissa (SEE Black family page)
- Dorea (1920-1977) (SEE Black
family page)
- Elladora (1850-1931) Sister of Phineas
Nigellus (SEE Black family page)
- Elladora - Aunt of Sirius and Regulus (SEE Black
family page)
- Isla (SEE Black family
page)
- Lucretia (1925-1992) (SEE Black
family page)
- Lycoris (1904-1965) (SEE Black
family page)
- Marius (SEE Black family page)
- Narcissa (1955- ) (SEE Malfoy,
Narcissa Black)
- Orion (1929-1979) (SEE Black
family page)
- Phineas Nigellus (1847-1925)
(SEE Black family page)
- Phineas - Son of Phineas
Nigellus (SEE Black family page)
- Pollux (1912-1990) (SEE Black
family page)
- Regulus (1906-1959) (SEE Black
family page)
- Regulus Arcturus (1961-1979)
(SEE Regulus Black)
- Sirius (1845-1853?) Older brother of Phineas Nigellus Black (SEE Black family page)
- Sirius (1877-1952) Oldest son of Phineas
Nigellus Black (SEE Black family
page)
- Sirius (1958
or 59 - June 1996)
(SEE Sirius & Quotes
by and about Sirius)
- Sirius' Grandfather Black who was awarded Order
of Merlin, First Class for "Services to the Ministry" (OP6).
- Walburga (1925-1985)
Mother of Sirius and Regulus (SEE Black
family page)
Blane,
Balfour
(1566 - 1629)
Wizard who established the Committee on Experimental Charms. He appears on a Famous Wizards card (fw39).
Blenkinsop, Barnabus
His obituary in the Daily Prophet offered a reward for information about what happened to him, since all that was found in his bed was a tin of anchovies (DP2).
Blenkinsop,
Timothy
(born c. 1976)
Puddlemere United supporter who was 23 at the time of their 30 September 1999 match against the Holyhead Harpies and was caught in the ensuing riot. . He still has a tail because of it (DP4).
Bletchley
Ministry of Magic employee whose rain-afflicted office was mended by the spell Meteolojinx Recanto (DH13)
Bletchley, Miles
Slytherin, c. 1989 - 1996, Quidditch team Keeper.
Hit Alicia Spinnet from behind with a jinx in the library prior to the autumn 1995 Gryffindor-Slytherin match, but Snape refused to believe the fourteen eyewitnesses (OP19).
Since Bletchley was at least a second year when Harry started at Hogwarts, and since he was still at Hogwarts in the 1995 - 1996 school year, he must be either one or more likely two years older than Harry.
Bloody Baron
c. 1000 A.D.
The Bloody Baron is a grim, silent, terrifying ghost who is covered with bloodstains. He is never heard to speak, although Harry does impersonate him once, using a hoarse whisper (PS16).
The Baron is the ghost of a man who a millennium ago loved Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw. When Rowena lay dying, she sent the Baron to find Helena and beg her to come back. Helena refused and the Baron lost his temper and killed her. In his remorse, he committed suicide with the same knife, and now carries the bloody evidence of his crime on his ghostly clothing (DH31).
Peeves, who respects the Baron for some unknown reason, calls him "Your Bloodiness" and "Mr. Baron." (PS16).
In PS/f, the Bloody Baron is inexplicably depicted as rather frilly and goofy, not at all like the character in the books.
Bloxam,
Beatrix
(1794-1910)
Author of The Toadstool Tales series of children's books. These books have been banned because they cause nausea and vomiting. Bloxam appears on a Famous Wizard card (fw59) and is mentioned several times in Tales of Beedle the Bard (TBB) .
Very possibly this is a reference to Beatrix
Potter (see).
Please note that there appeared to be a discrepancy between the image of
Bloxam on the card (as an elderly lady) and her birth and death dates which
indicate that she died at the age of 16. This error was corrected in Tales of Beedle the Bard. (TBB/WHH)
Boardman,
Stubby
The lead singer of the Hobgoblins, who retired c. 1980 after being hit in the ear by a turnip at a concert in Little Norton Church Hall (OP10). See also Doris Purkiss.
Bobbin,
Melinda
Hogwarts student who in 1996 was recommended as a member of the Slug Club because her family owns a large chain of apothecaries (HBP7).
Bode,
Broderick
(c.1946 - 1996)
Sallow-skinned wizard with a mournful face who works for the Department of Mysteries (GF7, OP8). Injured late in 1995 when Lucius Malfoy Imperiused Bode into removing the Prophecy from the Department of Mysteries (OP26). Bode lost the power of speech and thought he was a teapot. He was regaining his health at St. Mungo's (OP23) when he was assassinated by a Devil's Snare plant that strangled him to death (OP19, OP23, OP25). It's ironic that this 'Unspeakable' was rendered incapable of speech by his injuries.
Who killed him? While at St. Mungo's, he was visited by a "very old stooped wizard with a hearing trumpet" (OP22). And according to a (non-canon) planning chart for Order of the Phoenix, Macnair was the one visiting Bode at St. Mungo's on Christmas Eve.
"To bode" = to portend or be an omen for something. It has a somewhat sinister connotation, although it can mean either good fortune or bad.
Bole
(born c.1977)
Slytherin, 1989 - 1995, Quidditch Beater (PA15, OP19)
Wizard who deliberately fouled Alicia Spinnet in
the 1993-94 Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch
final, hitting her with a club, then claiming he'd thought she was a Bludger (PA15).
Then again, given the usual standard of Slytherin Beater brainpower,
maybe it was an accident...
Bole = the trunk of a tree, an apt name given the build of a typical Slytherin Beater.
Bonaccord, Pierre
First Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, a position later held by none other than Albus Dumbledore. Bonaccord wanted to ban troll-hunting and grant trolls rights, possibly full "being" status, but since a tribe of Mountain Trolls had been causing a lot of trouble in Liechtenstein, their wizarding community contested Bonaccord's appointment, and refused to join the Confederation as a result (OP31).
"Bon" = French for "good" + "accord" = harmony or reconciliation.
Bones family
- Amelia Susan (d. 1996)
Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement until her death. ( More...) - Edgar
Brother of Amelia Susan Bones, uncle of Susan Bones, and member of the Order of the Phoenix in the 1970s. (More...) - Mrs. Bones
Grandmother of Susan Bones (BN), killed by Death Eaters (PS4). (More...) - Susan (b. circa 1980)
Hufflepuff, 1991 - 1998. (More...)
Bonham,
Mungo
(1560 - 1659)
A healer who founded St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries. He appears on a Famous Wizard card (fw38). "Wizard of the Month" on JKR's website for March, 2005 (JKR).
St. Mungo (518-603) is the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland. St. Mungo,
aka St. Kentigern or Kentigern Mungo (
church
window illustration). St. Mungo survived an anti-Christian uprising by
local pagans, and according to local
tradition (not official Catholic hagiography) St. Mungo baptized
a bard named Merlin on a large boulder near Stobo.
Boot,
Terry
(born c. 1980)
Ravenclaw, 1991 - 1998 (PS7).
Checked out Quidditch Through
the Ages on 21 August (QA).
Joined the DA October 1995,
apparently having heard about it as a friend of Michael
Corner (OP16). One of the DA members
who helped Harry cope with Malfoy in
the ambush on the Hogwarts Express (OP38). Terry fought in the Battle of Hogwarts (DH31).
In 2001 Rowling flashed a notebook during a BBC interview that showed her notes on the students in Harry Potter's year and Terry is noted as being a male Muggleborn in Ravenclaw House. Boot's ancestry cannot be considered canon, however, because the notes conflict in too many places with the stories as they were actually published.
Boothby,
Gladys 
Created the Moontrimmer broomstick in 1901 (QA9).
Borage,
Libatius 
(dates unknown)
The author of Advanced Potion-Making.
Libatius=variation of 'libation' to pour wine in honor of a god (an offering);
later the word came to mean a beverage, especially an intoxicating beverage
( Dictionary)
borage=a prickly herb with blue or purplish star-shaped flowers; it grows
wild over much of Europe and was used for "putrid and pestilential fevers,
to defend the heart, and help to resist and expel the poison, or the venom
of other creatures." The seeds were used to "expel pensiveness and
melancholy." The distilled water "helps the redness and inflammations
of the eyes." (Culpeper)
Borgin
Proprietor of Borgin and Burkes of Knockturn Alley; an oily, smooth-talking fellow who fawned on Lucius Malfoy during the summer of 1992 but was less than impressed after his customers' departure (CS4). Draco visited his shop again in late July 1996 to force the shopkeeper to help him repair a broken Vanishing Cabinet, the duplicate of which was in the store. When Draco left, Borgin was visibly shaken (HBP6).
Boris the Bewildered
Statue on the fifth floor of Hogwarts near the Prefects' bathroom (GF23).
Bott,
Bertie
(born 1935)
Inventor
While experimenting with ways to create tasty candies from food,
Bott accidentally included a pair of dirty socks in one of his trials, and
created the first of the many surprises found in Bertie
Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
Bozo
A paunchy man working as a photographer for the Daily Prophet, Bozo was Rita Skeeter's co-conspirator during their coverage of the Triwizard Tournament (GF18, GF19, GF24). c.f. photographer for the Daily Prophet (CS4).
Bradley
Ravenclaw Chaser, 1990s (OP30, OP31).
Bragge,
Barberus
Chief of the Wizards' Council in 1262, attended a Quidditch match and offered 150 Galleons to whomever caught a Golden Snidget which he released onto the pitch (at that time, 150 Galleons was the equivalent of over a million Galleons today). Madam Modesty Rabnott of Kent took to the field in protest at the abuse of the small, defenseless bird; she caught the Snidget with a Summoning Charm and was fined 10 Galleons. This incident began the practice of catching a live Golden Snidget as part of the game of Quidditch (QA4). Bragge appears on a Famous Wizard card because his actions changed the game of Quidditch forever (fw).
"Barberus" = similar to "barbarian" and "brag" means to boast about oneself. Each of these words suggest his character, which is bullying and crude.
Braithwaite, Betty
Daily Prophet reporter who landed an exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter to talk about Skeeter’s then upcoming book "The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore" (DH2).
Brand,
Rudolf
Captain of the Heidelberg Harriers who, at the end of a famous match with the Holyhead Harpies, proposed marriage to the Harpies' team captain, Gwendolyn Morgan; she whacked him over the head with her broom (QA7).
Brankovitch,
Maximus, III
Seeker for the Fitchburg Finches from Massachusetts, USA, who also captained the USA in several recent World Cups (QA8).
Branstone,
Eleanor
(born c.1983)
Hufflepuff, 1994 - 2001 (GF12).
Broadmoor,
Karl & Kevin
World-famous Beaters for the Falmouth Falcons from 1958 to 1969. The Broadmoor brothers were notorious for their hard and rough style of play (QA7).
The brothers' brutal style of Quidditch play is particularly apt, as Broadmoor is an English high-security prison for mentally insecure criminals --Ross Gillson.
Brocklehurst,
Mandy
(born c.1980)
Ravenclaw, 1991 - 1998 (PS7). Sorted at the same time as Harry (PS7).
Brookstanton, Rupert 'Axebanger'
Hermione came across this name when she was searching for someone with the initials "R.A.B." (HBP30).
Brown,
Lavender
(born c.1980)
Gryffindor, 1991 - 1998 (PS7)
Gryffindor student in Harry's year; a member of Dumbledore's Army. (More...)
"lavender" = from Latin "lavare" to wash (because the plant lavender is used to perfume things by being washed with them). Lavender's herbal properties include the promotion of sleep and sound rest, another reason why sheets and linens were scented with it. It is also the color associated with clothing made for elderly ladies.
"brutal-faced Death Eater"
The Death Eater that Harry stunned during the assault on Hogwarts (HBP27). Possibly the same person as the "big blond" (see above).
Bulstrode,
Millicent 
(born c.1980)
Slytherin, 1991 - 1998 (PS7)
Member of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad in
her fifth year (OP32). In her
second year, Millicent partnered Hermione at
the Duelling Club at Snape's direction, resorting
to a headlock despite the standard "no contact" rule of wizard duelling,
leaving some black hair on Hermione's
robes in the process ... which the quick-witted Hermione saved
for use in her Polyjuice
Potion. Unfortunately, the hair was not Millicent's own; apparently she
keeps a cat (CS11, CS12).
An "M. Bulstrode" checked out Quidditch Through the Ages (6 February) (QA).
Black-haired (or Hermione wouldn't have made her mistake), with a square build and heavy jaw, Millicent was "no pixie" in her second year (referring to her size and build); by their fifth year she was still able to physically overpower Hermione. Both Ron and Harry consider Millicent ugly; she reminds Harry in particular of a hag (CS11, OP32).
In 2001 Rowling flashed a notebook during a BBC interview that showed her notes on the students in Harry Potter's year and Millicent is noted as being a Half-blood. However, Millicent's ancestry cannot be considered canon without confirmation from Rowling, because the notebook conflicts in too many places with the stories as they were actually published.
Bulstrode, Violetta
Her husband was the son of Phineas Nigellus
Black and Ursula Flint (BFT). Probably an ancestor of Millicent, a Slytherin girl in Harry’s year (PS7).
Daughter Dorea and at least two more, one of which appears to have been disowned
(BFT).
Violetta is the tragic heroine of "La Traviata." Derived from the name of a small purple pansy-like flower, but also sounds similar to "violent."
Bundy, K.
Hogwarts student, 1990s.
Checked Quidditch Through The
Ages out of the Hogwarts library (QA).
Bungs, Rosalind Antigone
Hermione came across this name when she was searching for someone with the initials "R.A.B." (HBP30).
Burbage,
Charity
Hogwarts Professor of Muggle Studies (DH2). She wrote an impassioned defense of Muggle-borns in the Daily Prophet during the summer of 1997; in retaliation, she was taken prisoner, then killed personally by Voldemort less than a week later at Malfoy Manor, at which point he offered her to Nagini as a meal (DH1). The Daily Prophet did not report her disappearance or death, but reported shortly after Harry's return to Privet Drive for that summer that Professor Burbage had resigned her job (DH2).
Burke,
Caractacus
One of the founders of Borgin and Burkes, a shop in Knockturn Alley. The man behind the counter when Lucius Malfoy came in (CS4), however, was Mr. Borgin.
Burke was one of the people that Dumbledore interviewed when he was piecing together the story of Merope (Gaunt) Riddle. Burke purchased a heavy gold locket from her that he knew once belonged to Salazar Slytherin, paying her 10 Galleons even though he knew it was priceless. Caractacus is described as a small old man with a thatch of hair that covered his eyes (HBP13).
Burke hired Tom Riddle when he was fresh out of Hogwarts to research and "persuade" owners of powerful, valuable magical objects to sell them to Burke. Burke was as surprised as anyone that Riddle vanished one day without leaving word (HBP20).
'Burke'=English for a gruesome murder involving suffocation and dissection.
More commonly, "to burke" something is to avoid a problem, usually
by stifling it or hushing it up [NSOED].
'Caratacus'=romanized version of the old Welsh name 'Caradog,' meaning "beloved."
Burke, Herbert
Husband of Belvina Black (1886-1962), the daughter of Hogwarts Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black. They had two sons and one daughter (unnamed) (BFT). Possibly related to Caractacus Burke of Borgin and Burke's (see above).
'Burke'=English for a gruesome murder involving suffocation and dissection. More commonly, "to burke" something is to avoid a problem, usually by stifling it or hushing it up [NSOED].
