Welcome to the The Harry Potter Lexicon
The most compleat and amazing reference to the wonderful world of Harry Potter
est. 2000 A.D.
Phase of the Moon: Waxing Crescent
5 GBP = 1 Galleon 
D’you Really Think They’re Suited? Why Hermione is Not the Right Girl for Harry
This essay was written in October 2004, between the publications of Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince. At that point in Potter fandom history, speculation was rampant about who would end up with whom. Friendships were actually broken over arguments of whether Harry would end up with Hermione or with Ginny. This essay became something of a legend in that… Read More
Portrait hole
The portrait hole is the entrance to the Gryffindor common room located behind the painting of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle. The hole is only revealed when someone gives the correct password to the Fat Lady causing her to swing aside. Gryffindor students must then crawl through the portrait hole to enter their common room:… Read More
Winged keys
A flock of winged keys were one of the protections for the Philosopher’s Stone, put in place by Filius Flitwick. The swarm of winged keys filled a well-lit chamber blocking the way to the hiding place of the Mirror of Erised and the Philosopher’s Stone within. The keys had shiny, brightly colored wings which glittered like jewels. One particular key, an old-fashioned… Read More
Kwikspell
Kwikspell is a company which publishes a correspondence course to train those whose magical ability is low. Kwikspell’s course, which is billed as “A Correspondence Course in Beginners’ Magic,” arrives in a purple envelope with silver lettering. It is recommended by a number of satisfied customers, including Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham and Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury. The cover letter… Read More
Differences between British and US versions of CS
This page indicates all differences between the U.K. and U.S. editions of the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. pp. U.K. Edition U.S. Edition pp. 8 top-of-the-range top-of-the-line 3 10 fortnight two weeks 5 12 ice-creams ice cream 10 13 joint loin 10 21 was hard-done-by had it bad 14 23 completely at sea completely lost… Read More
Doxycide
Doxycide is a black liquid, usually delivered by spray bottle, used to knock out Doxies so that they can be safely disposed of. The effects last quite a long time. Doxycide is commercially sold with the instructions for use printed on the side of the bottle, considering how Mrs. Weasley described the process: “When I say the word, start spraying… Read More
On this day in 1993...
Harry and Ron discover the Chamber of Secrets
Harry and Ron learn that Ginny has been taken into the Chamber and go to offer… Read More
Some of [the names] are invented. Voldemort is an invented name. Malfoy is an invented name. Quiddich is invented. But I also collect them from all kinds of places, maps, street names, names of people I meet, old books… Read More
Latest from the Lexicon Blog
Character Quotes
• Article
The editor for the Characters section of the Lexicon was Lisa Bunker who was also the founder of Accio Quote. So it was a natural fit for her to collect quotes by and about the main characters in the books as she worked to bring each character’s biography up to date. Read More
The Harry Potter Companion - UPDATE
• Article
Quotes and Mis-Quotes
• Article
We all know the quotes. They’re turned into memes, they’re spouted by cosplayers — they seem to define the characters who said them. Except DID they say them? In many cases, the answer is no. Yes, Quirrel did say “Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know” (PS10)… Read More
The Death Eaters: A Guide To Who Was Where
• Article
Episode 26: Fantastic Beasts and the 2001 thirst for canon
• Podcast Episode
Episode 26 of the Lexicon Podcast focuses on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the schoolbook released in 2001 and a new edition released this week), and Quidditch Through the Ages (the book that was originally published along with Fantastic Beasts in 2001). We first talked… Read More