• Plants • Wandmaking Acacia is a type of wand wood known for creating “tricky wands,” described by Ollivander in his essays on wandlore (Pm). Read More
• Symbols Tea leaf symbol from Unfogging the Future meaning “windfall, unexpected gold.”… Read More
• 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
• Magical effects An Age Line is a thin golden line drawn on a floor which affects anyone too young to cross it. 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
• Areas of knowledge Alchemy is the ancient study of transforming base metals into gold and eventually creating a Philospher’s Stone which would give the owner eternal life. Because metals must be melted and mixed before they are transformed into gold, alchemy is a cross between Potions and Transfiguration. The most famous alchemist in… 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
• Plants • Wandmaking Alder is a type of wand wood (Pm). Read More
• Event Egyptian wizards put curses on tombs which nowadays are broken by curse-breakers for Gringotts Bank who try to regain the treasure locked in those tombs. When the Weasley family visited Egypt, Ron saw mutant skeletons of Muggles who had broken into a pyramid and “grown extra heads and stuff” as… Read More
• Magical discipline Ancient Magic is magic which happens independently of efforts by wizards, an effect which is triggered by events and powers endemic to the nature of reality. It is extremely old and mysterious, and a wand is not necessary for it to work. It is part of the “magical-ness” of the… 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
• Magical identities An Animagus is a witch or wizard who is capable of transforming himself – or herself – into the form of an animal. Background Ordinary Transfiguration of a human into an animal’s shape results in the human having an animal’s brain (QA1) (although Draco Malfoy‘s experience in … Read More
• Magical effects Animagus Transfiguration is the magical process of taking on the form of an animal, or afterward, reverting back again to human form. The animal form is sometimes referred to as the witch or wizard’s Animagus form. Animagi See the Animagus entry for further details about wizarding folk who can perform… Read More
• Magical effects Anti-Gravity Mist is a Charm which creates an innocent-looking golden mist that hovers above the ground. A person stepping into this mist immediately finds that up and down have reversed and they are hanging from the ground over the endless sky. Read More
• Spells Apparition is an advanced spell used by fully trained witches and wizards to disappear from one place and appear almost instantly somewhere else. A person who uses this spell is referred to as an Apparator. Apparition is typically cast non-verbally. No one can Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts because of… Read More
• Event Harry and the other sixth years take their first Apparition lesson, under watchful eye of the Ministry instructor, Wilkie Twycross. None of the students manage to Apparate in this first lesson, although Susan Bones does manage to Splinch herself (HBP18). The lessons will continue for twelve… Read More
• Magical identities Someone who practices Arithmancy, the magical study of numbers, is called an Arithmancer. Read More
• Areas of knowledge • Hogwarts academics Arithmancy is a branch of magic that is concerned with the magical properties of numbers; someone who practices Arithmancy is called an Arithmancer. Read More
• Article
Posted by in Harry Potter Lexicon Minute
Arithmancy is a branch of magic which deals with the magical properties of numbers, and Hermione tells us it’s her favourite subject. In previous episodes we’ve already talked about some of the interesting ways that J.K. Rowling uses numbers in the books, and if we look through an arithmancy lens… Read More
• Hogwarts academics Arithmancy class is taught at Hogwarts by Professor Vector. In Professor Vector’s class, Arithmancy students are expected to write essays and to be able to understand complicated number charts, which are part of their homework (PA12). Hermione Granger appears to be the only Gryffindor in… Read More
• Wandmaking A wand wood also used to make other magical objects. Read More
• Areas of knowledge A type of Divination which relies on star charts and the time and date of a person’s birth. Read More
• Areas of knowledge Astronomy is the study of celestial bodies and their movements. In typical Muggle usage, “astronomy” denotes a scientific discipline. In the wizarding world, astronomy also encompasses astrology and connects with Divination, particularly for the Centaurs. Astronomy affects magic in direct ways, which is why the subject is studied at Hogwarts. Read More
• Titles, nicknames, and honorifics Title given to Delphi, the daughter of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange, in an alternate-reality timeline visited by Scorpius Malfoy using a Time-Turner (CC3.3, CC3.16). Read More
• Character Professor Sinistra was a professor of Astronomy at Hogwarts during the 1990s (JKR, CS11, GF12, GF23, OP12, OP13, OP14). Sinistra helped carry Justin Finch-Fletchley‘s Petrified body to the hospital wing in 1992 (CS11). She danced a two-step with Moody at… Read More