• Character Adalbert Waffling was a famous magical theoretician and the author of Magical Theory (PS5, DH2, FW). Albus Dumbledore, which whom he corresponded, credits Waffling with the codification of the “Fundamental Laws of Magic” (DH2, WHH, TBB). Read More
• Books and Literature Advanced Potion-Making is a potions textbook used at Hogwarts in the 1990s. It is the N.E.W.T. level set text for Potions during Harry Potter’s sixth year (HBP9) and cost nine Galleons brand-new (HBP11). The book was originally written around the year 1946 (HBP16) and… Read More
• Character Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim was scholar and author who wrote on many topics, including the occult. He appears on a Chocolate Frog trading card, which reads “celebrated wizard imprisoned by Muggles for his writing, because they thought his books were evil” (FW, PS6, CF). In September 1991, Ron… Read More
• Furniture and household items • Glossary An airing cupboard is a type of linen closet that typically contains a water heater and has slatted shelves to allow the heat from the boiler to circulate throughout the cupboard, keeping the stored linen free from damp. Read More
• Art and Culture • Books and Literature Alas, I have Transfigured my Feet (Hélas, Je me suis Transfiguré mes Pieds) is a play written in the early 1400s featuring characters named “Grenouille” and “Crapaud” (“Frog” and “Toad,” a nod to the characters in the books by Arnold Lobel). The script includes a reference to playing Quidditch (QA8, BoS2). Read More
• Headlines and advertisements • Historical events Albus Dumbledore Remembered is an obituary written by a life-long friend of Dumbledore, Elphias Doge, who attended Hogwarts with him as a child (DH2, DH8). Read More
• Books and Literature Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science is a book written by a servant of Lord Voldemort, Argus Pyrites. The book includes information about the Philosopher’s Stone (JKR). Read More
• Character Amarillo Lestoat was a flamboyant american vampire. Author of A Vampire’s Monologue – intended to bore the reader into a stupor making him/her easier prey for vampires. Read More
• Event Amarillo Lestoat, American vampire and author of the incredibly boring novel A Vampire’s Monologue, died in 1977 (FW). Read More
• Article
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
It’s clear to everyone who reads the Harry Potter books that J.K. Rowling is an accomplished wordsmith and a big fan of wordplay. She clearly delights in choosing just the right names for characters and other things in the wizarding world. With that in mind, I’d like to… Read More
• Article
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
In a previous episode we talked about the fun that fans have had searching for anagrams in the Harry Potter books, and how they fueled fan theories back when the series was still in progress. One popular pastime was hunting for anagrams in character names and wondering whether they… Read More
• Areas of knowledge • Hogwarts academics Ancient runes are a form of writing which witches and wizards used hundreds of years ago. It is also a subject at Hogwarts. Classwork and homework involves plenty of practice translating runes, and the O.W.L. involves translating something written in runes into English . Hermione used Spellman’s Syllabary to translate her… Read More
• Books and Literature Ancient Runes Made Easy is an introductory textbook for the study of Ancient Runes at Hogwarts School. Hermione Granger began reading this book during her second year, not long after signing up to take Ancient Runes the following year (CS14). Read More
• Character Two authors are listed simply as “anonymous”: the author of Hairy Snout, Human Heart (FB) and the author of the infamous Pure-Blood Directory in the early 1930s. Many believe the latter to be Cantankerus Nott (Pm). Read More
• Books and Literature An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms is a Charms reference book. It was one of the books that Harry, Ron, and Hermione examined while preparing for the second task (GF26). Read More
• Character Antioch Peverell was the oldest of the three brothers in The Tale of the Three Brothers, and owner of the Elder Wand. Read More
• Books and Literature Asiatic Anti-Venoms is a healing reference book which Harry consulted while doing some fifth-year Potions homework (OP16). Read More
• Character Editor at Obscurus Books who, in 1918, commissioned an authoritative compendium of magical creatures by a lowly Ministry employee by the name of Newt Scamander (FB). Read More
• Occupations The wizarding world is full of books. Witches and wizards share their ideas, research and stories by writing them down. Read More
• Magical objects An Auto-Answer Quill presumably automatically answers a question asked in its presence. They are banned from the examination hall during tests at Hogwarts (OP31). Read More