Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington is beheaded (nearly)

Sir Nicholas inadvertently caused the teeth of a noblewoman to grow to the size of tusks with a misfiring spell. His penalty was beheading, but the execution was botched, leaving the head attached by only a small amount of skin and sinew. Sir Nicholas died but became a ghost rather than “moving on.” This near-beheading would torment Sir Nicholas for centuries.