The Story of Dobby The House - Elf
written by Shakira Marvolo Riddle
A three foot tall house-elf with bat like ears and green eyes the size of tennis balls, is Here to Gift his Story of Life! This Book is Complete.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
7
Reads
8,169
His Friends
Chapter 3
Crookshanks
From the third book to the sixth, Crookshanks is Hermione Granger's pet cat. Crookshanks was purchased by Hermione in a shop called Magical Menagerie in the third Harry Potter book; Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Crookshanks resembles a Persian Cat, and Rowling has described him as half-Kneazle,[19] an intelligent cat-like creature sensitive to dishonesty, explaining his identification of the rat 'Scabbers' as Peter Pettigrew, and of Sirius Black in his dog form. Crookshanks is seen in Prisoner of Azkaban talking to Padfoot in the school grounds. Crookshanks was portrayed by a cat called Crackerjack.[20]
Dobby
Dobby in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
Dobby is a "house-elf" in the Harry Potter series. He was once owned by the Malfoy family, and he first appears in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to discourage Harry from returning to Hogwarts. Dobby later tries to keep Harry away from Hogwarts by magically sealing off the hidden entrance to Platform 9¾, only to be foiled when the protagonists pilot Arthur's flying Ford Anglia to school. During a Quidditch match, Dobby enchants a Bludger to chase Harry, hoping to cause him enough injury to be sent home; but the Bludger only manages to break Harry's arm. Dobby discloses that when an enslaved house-elf is presented with an article of clothing by his or her master, that house-elf is subsequently set free; and when Harry (after returning from the Chamber of Secrets) discovers that Dobby's master is Lucius Malfoy, he tricks Malfoy into setting Dobby free, a feat that secures him the house-elf's undying loyalty. He was now willing to save Harry Potter no matter if it would mean risking his life, because after all, "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"
Dobby returns in Goblet of Fire. Now a free elf, he obtains a paid post at Hogwarts. Dobby also quickly becomes the only house-elf who will clean the Gryffindor common room, when Hermione leaves knitted clothing half-hidden around the room in an attempt to free the elves, which they find insulting. Dobby later appears in Order of the Phoenix, showing Harry the hidden Room of Requirement, which Harry uses for the secret meetings of Dumbledore's Army. When Professor Umbridge finds the meetings later, Dobby enters to warn the group. In Half-Blood Prince Harry entrusts Dobby to watch his compatriot Kreacher when he orders him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens with the other house-elves; and later assigns both to follow Draco Malfoy.
Dobby makes his last appearance in Deathly Hallows when Aberforth Dumbledore sends him to rescue the protagonists from Malfoy Manor after Harry asks for Aberforth's help while viewing his eye in Sirius's mirror, but in the process Dobby is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. He is buried at Shell Cottage, beneath a headstone bearing the epitaph "Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf".
Dobby's name is derived from a creature in English folklore. This creature performs household chores and is kind to children,[21] as is the character in the series.
Dobby was voiced by Toby Jones in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.[22] In the Comic Relief spoof, Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, he is played by Basil Brush.[23][24] IGN put Dobby as their 24th top Harry Potter character, with his death described as "one of the most touching moments in the series."[25] In NextMovie.com's Harry Potter Mega Poll, Dobby was voted the No. 1 favourite magical creature in the series.[26]
Fawkes
Fawkes is Albus Dumbledore's pet phoenix, a mythological bird which cyclically bursts into flame upon its death and is then reborn from the ashes. Phoenix tail feathers are suitable for inclusion in some wands (both Harry and Voldemort's wands contain a feather from Fawkes's tail, the only two he ever gave) and their tears have healing powers. Fawkes can also teleport himself and others in a burst of flame.
In Chamber of Secrets, Harry's display of loyalty to Dumbledore results in his summoning Fawkes to his aid against Salazar Slytherin's basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets; whereupon Fawkes punctures the basilisk's eyes, eliminating its ability to kill with its gaze. Fawkes later uses his tears to negate the basilisk's venom; and when the basilisk is killed, conveys Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Gilderoy Lockhart to their guardians. In Goblet of Fire, during the duel between Harry and Voldemort, the "reverse spell effect" ('Priori Incantatem') occurs, as both of their wands are made of Fawkes's feathers.
During the confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic at the climax of Order of the Phoenix (book only), Fawkes saves Dumbledore's life by swallowing a Killing Curse from Voldemort; then bursts into flame and is reborn as a chick from the ashes.
After Dumbledore's death in Half-Blood Prince, Fawkes is heard singing a lament, and thereafter is not seen again. In an interview, Rowling stated this was to symbolise the loss of Dumbledore. When asked why Fawkes did not return to Harry due to his loyalty to Dumbledore, Rowling stated that Fawkes was non-transferable between owners.
According to Rowling, Fawkes is named after 17th century conspirator Guy Fawkes.[27]
Firenze
Firenze is a centaur and, after Order of the Phoenix, a Divination teacher at Hogwarts. He is described in the book as a palomino centaur with astonishingly blue eyes. He first appears towards the end of Philosopher's Stone, in which he rescues Harry from Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Having carried Harry to safety on his back, Firenze quarrels with other centaurs who object to the symbolic suggestion that centaurs are subservient to humans.
The character does not make another appearance until Order of the Phoenix, in which he is appointed by Dumbledore to teach Divination at Hogwarts in place of Sybill Trelawney, who has been sacked by Dolores Umbridge. For this, he is ostracised by his fellows. In Half-Blood Prince, he shares teaching duties with a reinstated Trelawney.
In Deathly Hallows, he is seen near the end of the book alongside the other members of the Hogwarts staff, against Voldemort and his Death Eaters; it is mentioned that he was wounded on his flanks by the Death Eaters but ultimately survived the Battle. Although not mentioned in the series, Rowling revealed that Firenze's herd is later forced to acknowledge that Firenze's pro-human leanings are not shameful, and allowed him to rejoin them.[2]
The character is based on Steve Eddy, Rowling's former English teacher, who attempted to discourage her from writing fantasy tales.[28] His name is the Italian form of Florence.
Ray Fearon voiced Firenze in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Frank
Frank is a thunderbird that was kidnapped and trafficked to Egypt in the 1920s. In the film Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Frank is the reason Newt went to America. After rescuing Frank from the traffickers, Newt stored Frank with his other magical creatures in his suitcase. Newt brings Frank to America in hopes of returning him to his native land of Arizona.
In the climax of the film, the existence of magic is revealed to the people of New York City, following a battle between American wizarding government MACUSA and an obscurial. Knowing the secrecy of wizard-kind has been compromised, Newt releases Frank from his suitcase and gives him a potion that has memory wiping properties. Because of the thunderbird's ability to generate storms, Newt says goodbye to Frank as Frank flies into the sky, creating a rainfall using the liquid from the potion, erasing the memories of all non-magical people of the event.
Rowling revealed in a tweet following the film's release that Frank did indeed make it back to Arizona following the events of the film.[29]
Griphook
Griphook is a goblin and an employee at Gringotts until the Second Wizarding War. In Philosopher's Stone, after Hagrid presents Harry's key and Dumbledore's letter to an unnamed goblin in the Gringotts lobby, Griphook is called to escort Harry and Hagrid through the underground rail-system to Harry's vault, and afterwards to Vault 713 to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone. He is not heard of again until Deathly Hallows, when the Snatchers holding him captive also capture Harry, Ron, and Hermione. When Hermione lies under torture to Bellatrix Lestrange that the sword of Gryffindor is a fake, Bellatrix asks Griphook for confirmation, which she receives. He is saved, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, by Dobby and successfully escapes to Shell Cottage. Because Harry needs to take a Horcrux from Bellatrix's vault, Griphook reluctantly agrees to help them break into Gringotts, in exchange for the sword of Gryffindor; but when escaping, Griphook betrays them to the other goblins and escapes with the sword. His fate is left unknown in the book, but in the film he is shown dead during the aftermath at Gringotts, and Gryffindor's sword vanishes before Voldemort can see it. In spite of Griphook's insistence that the sword belongs to the goblins, the sword reappears when Neville Longbottom pulls it from the Sorting Hat and beheads Nagini.
Verne Troyer appeared as Griphook in the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone with Warwick Davis providing his voice and the latter fully portrayed him in the Deathly Hallows films.
Hedwig
Hedwig is Harry Potter's owl, given to him in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as an eleventh birthday present by Rubeus Hagrid, who purchases the owl in Diagon Alley at the Eeylops Owl Emporium. Harry gives her this name after reading it in a book on the history of magic. Hedwig is used for delivering messages throughout the series, and also serves as a companion to Harry, especially when he is unable to interact with other wizards. It is implied throughout the books that Hedwig can fully understand Harry's speech. In the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix,[30] Hedwig is intercepted by Dolores Umbridge and is hurt, but is later healed by Professor Grubbly-Plank. In the seventh book, The Deathly Hallows, Hedwig is killed by a curse from a Death Eater; in the film version, she is killed defending Harry from the Death Eater. According to Rowling, Hedwig's death represents the loss of Harry's innocence.[2]
Although the character of Hedwig is female, she is played on film by male owls (female snowy owls have dark patches of plumage, while only the males are completely white). The John Williams composition which serves as title music for the entire film series is named "Hedwig's Theme".
Hokey
Hokey is a house-elf who works for Hepzibah Smith, an old woman deceived by Tom Riddle into showing him Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup, which he uses as two of his Horcruxes. Hokey's memory allows Harry and Dumbledore a glimpse of the visit Voldemort makes two days before Hepzibah Smith is poisoned and both treasures disappear; whereafter Riddle, who magically tampers with Hokey's memories, frames Hokey for Hepzibah's murder. She does not deny the accusation and is convicted for accidental murder.
Kreacher
Kreacher is a house-elf who serves the House of Black for generations. His name is a pun on the word creature, indicating that his masters regarded him as an inferior. Kreacher first appears in Order of the Phoenix as an unwilling servant to Sirius Black. Kreacher disdains Sirius, mainly due to his devotion to his former masters (Regulus Black in particular), whose pure-blood values Sirius has rejected. Sirius also treats him harshly because the elf is a living reminder of a home to which he earlier had no intention of returning. Knowing too much of the Order of the Phoenix's activity, Kreacher is not allowed to leave Grimmauld Place. Kreacher has lived alone in the house for years with only the screaming portrait of Mrs. Black for company. Despite obeying Sirius, he is insolent and rude, insulting in undertones all present who he refers to as "Blood traitors, Mudbloods and scum". Kreacher desires to leave Sirius and serve his next of kin, Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys. He betrays Sirius and persuades Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries, where a trap has been laid. Sirius is killed by Bellatrix in the ensuing combat, while trying to save Harry. Following Sirius's death, Harry inherits all Sirius's possessions, including a highly unwilling Kreacher. Harry immediately orders him to work at Hogwarts, where he comes to blows with Dobby about his lack of loyalty to Harry.
In Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends coax from the house-elf the current whereabouts of Salazar Slytherin's Locket, a Black heirloom and one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes; whereafter Harry sends Kreacher to retrieve the locket from Mundungus Fletcher and gives him its substitute as a token of remembrance (referring to Regulus Black, who alone treated Kreacher with respect). Thereafter Kreacher appears cleaner and happier, restores the house to pristine condition, and begins to treat Harry and his friends with courtesy and respect. When Grimmauld Place is infiltrated by Death Eaters, Harry decides against calling the elf back to them, fearing possible betrayal. In the Battle of Hogwarts, Kreacher rallies the Hogwarts house-elves against the Death Eaters, calling Harry his "master and defender of house elves". It is implied that he survived the battle, as Harry wonders 'whether Kreacher will bring him a sandwich' after his battle with Voldemort.
Kreacher appears in the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, voiced by Timothy Bateson.[31] Producers admitted they had wished to cut the character from the film, but when Rowling was consulted, she advised: "You know, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Or you can, but if you get to make a seventh film, you'll be tied in knots."[32] In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Kreacher is voiced by Simon McBurney, as Timothy Bateson had died.[33]
Nagini
Nagini, Voldemort's snake, is introduced in Goblet of Fire. Her name is the female version of the Nāga. She is a safeguard to Voldemort's immortality.[34]
Voldemort is able to communicate with Nagini due to his ability to speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes.[35] Nagini is first sighted when the snake alerts Voldemort to the presence of an eavesdropping Frank Bryce, an old gardener who had worked for the Riddle family.[36] During the fourth year Harry spends at Hogwarts, Voldemort's temporary body is sustained by Nagini's venom, harvested by Peter Pettigrew.[36] In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry assumes Nagini's viewpoint during her attack on Arthur Weasley in one of his dreams;[37] Albus Dumbledore believes this an effect of Harry's special connection to Voldemort, with Harry's witnessing the attack by virtue that Voldemort's mind "happened to be" in Nagini at the time.[37] This is the first indication of Nagini and Voldemort's deeper connection, having the ability to share thoughts and connect with Harry.[37]
In Deathly Hallows, Nagini consumes Charity Burbage, a Hogwarts Muggle Studies professor, after the Killing Curse is used on her.[34] Nagini is later placed inside the corpse of Bathilda Bagshot by Voldemort, to enable a surprise assault on Harry when he visits Godric's Hollow.[34] Because some snakes (pit-vipers and pythonids) can sense heat and movement in a way humans cannot, Nagini is able to detect Harry and Hermione even when they are under the Invisibility Cloak.[2] After discovering that Harry is searching for his Horcruxes, Voldemort places Nagini into a protective magical cage to prevent her from being killed, but uses her to kill Severus Snape by expanding the cage over him.[34] When Harry is apparently killed by Voldemort, Nagini is released from the protective enchantment and is draped around Voldemort's shoulders during the Death Eaters' victory march back to Hogwarts.[34] After Neville Longbottom openly defies Voldemort, Voldemort punishes him by forcing the Sorting Hat on his head and setting it on fire.[34] The Death Eaters are then attacked and a battle ensues, and Neville pulls Godric Gryffindor's sword from the Hat, as Harry had done in Chamber of Secrets,[35] and beheads Nagini.[34] In the film, Nagini is instead protected by a force field and participates in the final battle as opposed to dying before it began; her fate, however, is the same as in the book.
Voldemort made Nagini his final Horcrux when he was hiding in the forests of Albania by murdering Bertha Jorkins;[2] but Dumbledore suspected that Nagini was made by Voldemort killing Frank Bryce. Due to this connection, Voldemort has complete control over the snake, even for a Parselmouth, as mentioned by Dumbledore in Half-Blood Prince. Nagini was also able to inform Voldemort about the presence of Harry in Godric's Hollow.
The prequel film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald depicts Nagini, portrayed by Claudia Kim, initially as a Maledictus at the start of the 20th century. She carries a blood curse that allows her to transform into a snake which eventually becomes permanent. Due to this, she is being exploited in the Circus Arcanus by its ringmaster, Skender, before running off with Credence.[38]
Peeves
Mary GrandPré's illustration of Peeves.
Peeves is a poltergeist who causes trouble in Hogwarts, and is therefore often pursued by Argus Filch. He is capable of flight and can choose whether to be tangible; and is able to manipulate objects, a trait not generally possible with ghosts, but common among poltergeists. Peeves's existence is essentially the embodiment of disorder,[39] which he is observed to constantly cause. In appearance, he is a small man with a mischievous face and a wide mouth, dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing. He derives joy from disaster and mischievous acts, usually causing disruptions to daily activity.
Peeves only listens to a select few: Dumbledore; the Bloody Baron; in the second book Nearly Headless Nick; and in the fifth book, Fred and George Weasley. Filch, who is usually left with cleaning up the mess and damage that Peeves causes, tries repeatedly to remove him; however, Rowling has stated in an interview that not even Dumbledore would be able to rid Hogwarts of Peeves forever.[40] Peeves is vulnerable to some magic; in Prisoner of Azkaban, Professor Lupin uses magic to teach Peeves a lesson by making the gum Peeves was stuffing into a keyhole enter the poltergeist's nose. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry uses magic to attach Peeves's tongue to the roof of his mouth, after which Peeves angrily departs.
During Dolores Umbridge's attempts to take control of Hogwarts in Order of the Phoenix, Peeves begins a rampage at the Weasley twins' request. When Umbridge attempts to sneak out of Hogwarts, Peeves chases her out, whacking her with Minerva McGonagall's cane (which she lent to him for that purpose) and a sock full of chalk. Peeves is twice depicted at the conclusion of Deathly Hallows: initially attacking Death Eaters with vicious plants and subsequently singing a victory song for Harry.
It is also implied that Peeves was still at Hogwarts at the time of the epilogue, since Harry tells his son Albus Severus not to "mess with Peeves".
Rik Mayall was cast as Peeves for the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone, but his scenes were cut from the final film and do not even appear in the deleted scenes section of the DVD release.[41] Peeves was subsequently omitted from the Harry Potter films that followed, though he can be seen in the video games.
Winky
Winky is a house-elf who originally served the Crouch family, described as having enormous brown eyes and a large, round, soft nose. She viewed herself as a dutiful servant and guarded the family's many secrets. When Barty Crouch Jr is rescued from Azkaban by his mother, he is supervised and nursed back to health by Winky. In Goblet of Fire, she persuades Barty Crouch Sr to let his son attend the Quidditch World Cup; she attends it with the younger Crouch, who is hiding under an Invisibility Cloak, and claims the apparently empty seat beside her is being saved for Crouch Sr. During the festivities, Crouch Jr steals Harry's wand from his pocket and later uses it to conjure the Dark Mark, in spite of Winky's attempts to stop him. In the resulting chaos, Harry and his friends see Winky running into the forest, appearing to struggle against the invisible Crouch Jr. Later she is caught with Harry's wand, which is magically proven to be the one used to conjure the Dark Mark; though Crouch Sr realises what happened, he agrees with the apparent conclusion that Winky conjured the mark, and fires her, both to save face and as punishment for failing to control Crouch Jr. Following her dismissal, Dobby takes the distraught Winky to work with him at Hogwarts. There the unhappy Winky, retaining her loyalty to Crouch, becomes an alcoholic until the final book,[2] and eventually fights in the Battle of Hogwarts with the other house-elves.[2]
The Weasleys' creatures
Many pets and animals are associated with the Weasley family:
Scabbers, a brown rat retained for twelve years; at first by Percy, but passed to Ron. Near the end of the third book, Scabbers is revealed to be Peter Pettigrew, an Animagus who betrayed James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort.
Pigwidgeon (nicknamed "Pig"), Ron's hyperactive scops owl, a gift from Sirius Black upon the loss of Scabbers.
Hermes, a screech owl owned by Percy, which was a gift to him from his parents for becoming a Prefect in his fifth year. He is named after the Greek god Hermes.
Errol, an aged great grey owl who serves as the family's courier. He has trouble carrying loads and is often found unconscious after collision or exhaustion.
Arnold, a purple Pygmy Puff (miniature puffskein) owned by Ginny and obtained from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the sixth book.
A puffskein belonging to Ron and killed by Fred when he used it for Bludger practice, revealed in the first Harry Potter game, and later confirmed in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
A ghoul lives in the attic of The Burrow and causes minor disruptions by groaning and banging on the walls and pipes. In Deathly Hallows, the ghoul is magically altered in appearance to resemble Ron as cover for his absence from school. In 12 Grimmauld Place there is also a ghoul in "an upstairs bathroom".
The Weasleys have gnomes all over their garden and in their shed, bushes, Wellington boots, and more. They are quarrelsome and seem to know many obscenities, which they were supposedly taught by Fred and George Weasley. Crookshanks likes to chase the gnomes while visiting; the rest of the family deals with them by physically throwing them off the grounds. In Deathly Hallows one bites Luna Lovegood; whereas Fred is bitten by one in Half-Blood Prince and as a punishment stuns it, paints it gold, gives it a miniature tutu with wings and hangs it on top of the Christmas tree as an angel.
Hagrid's pets
Over the course of the series, Hagrid cares for a large number of animals, many of them dangerous, including Aragog (a giant spider or 'Acromantula'), Buckbeak (Hippogriff), Fang (boarhound), Fluffy (Three-Headed Dog), Norbert ('Norwegian Ridgeback' Dragon), and Tenebrus (Thestral). Hagrid's love for animals got him the teaching job for Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts. In their fourth year, Harry and his classmates take care of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts (a crustacean-like predator), one of which (grown to giant size) is placed in the hedge maze for the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Although its exoskeleton can repel spells, Harry is able to pass it unhurt. They also have lessons on Nifflers, Unicorns, Fire salamanders and Flobberworms.
From the third book to the sixth, Crookshanks is Hermione Granger's pet cat. Crookshanks was purchased by Hermione in a shop called Magical Menagerie in the third Harry Potter book; Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Crookshanks resembles a Persian Cat, and Rowling has described him as half-Kneazle,[19] an intelligent cat-like creature sensitive to dishonesty, explaining his identification of the rat 'Scabbers' as Peter Pettigrew, and of Sirius Black in his dog form. Crookshanks is seen in Prisoner of Azkaban talking to Padfoot in the school grounds. Crookshanks was portrayed by a cat called Crackerjack.[20]
Dobby
Dobby in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
Dobby is a "house-elf" in the Harry Potter series. He was once owned by the Malfoy family, and he first appears in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to discourage Harry from returning to Hogwarts. Dobby later tries to keep Harry away from Hogwarts by magically sealing off the hidden entrance to Platform 9¾, only to be foiled when the protagonists pilot Arthur's flying Ford Anglia to school. During a Quidditch match, Dobby enchants a Bludger to chase Harry, hoping to cause him enough injury to be sent home; but the Bludger only manages to break Harry's arm. Dobby discloses that when an enslaved house-elf is presented with an article of clothing by his or her master, that house-elf is subsequently set free; and when Harry (after returning from the Chamber of Secrets) discovers that Dobby's master is Lucius Malfoy, he tricks Malfoy into setting Dobby free, a feat that secures him the house-elf's undying loyalty. He was now willing to save Harry Potter no matter if it would mean risking his life, because after all, "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"
Dobby returns in Goblet of Fire. Now a free elf, he obtains a paid post at Hogwarts. Dobby also quickly becomes the only house-elf who will clean the Gryffindor common room, when Hermione leaves knitted clothing half-hidden around the room in an attempt to free the elves, which they find insulting. Dobby later appears in Order of the Phoenix, showing Harry the hidden Room of Requirement, which Harry uses for the secret meetings of Dumbledore's Army. When Professor Umbridge finds the meetings later, Dobby enters to warn the group. In Half-Blood Prince Harry entrusts Dobby to watch his compatriot Kreacher when he orders him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens with the other house-elves; and later assigns both to follow Draco Malfoy.
Dobby makes his last appearance in Deathly Hallows when Aberforth Dumbledore sends him to rescue the protagonists from Malfoy Manor after Harry asks for Aberforth's help while viewing his eye in Sirius's mirror, but in the process Dobby is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. He is buried at Shell Cottage, beneath a headstone bearing the epitaph "Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf".
Dobby's name is derived from a creature in English folklore. This creature performs household chores and is kind to children,[21] as is the character in the series.
Dobby was voiced by Toby Jones in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.[22] In the Comic Relief spoof, Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, he is played by Basil Brush.[23][24] IGN put Dobby as their 24th top Harry Potter character, with his death described as "one of the most touching moments in the series."[25] In NextMovie.com's Harry Potter Mega Poll, Dobby was voted the No. 1 favourite magical creature in the series.[26]
Fawkes
Fawkes is Albus Dumbledore's pet phoenix, a mythological bird which cyclically bursts into flame upon its death and is then reborn from the ashes. Phoenix tail feathers are suitable for inclusion in some wands (both Harry and Voldemort's wands contain a feather from Fawkes's tail, the only two he ever gave) and their tears have healing powers. Fawkes can also teleport himself and others in a burst of flame.
In Chamber of Secrets, Harry's display of loyalty to Dumbledore results in his summoning Fawkes to his aid against Salazar Slytherin's basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets; whereupon Fawkes punctures the basilisk's eyes, eliminating its ability to kill with its gaze. Fawkes later uses his tears to negate the basilisk's venom; and when the basilisk is killed, conveys Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Gilderoy Lockhart to their guardians. In Goblet of Fire, during the duel between Harry and Voldemort, the "reverse spell effect" ('Priori Incantatem') occurs, as both of their wands are made of Fawkes's feathers.
During the confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic at the climax of Order of the Phoenix (book only), Fawkes saves Dumbledore's life by swallowing a Killing Curse from Voldemort; then bursts into flame and is reborn as a chick from the ashes.
After Dumbledore's death in Half-Blood Prince, Fawkes is heard singing a lament, and thereafter is not seen again. In an interview, Rowling stated this was to symbolise the loss of Dumbledore. When asked why Fawkes did not return to Harry due to his loyalty to Dumbledore, Rowling stated that Fawkes was non-transferable between owners.
According to Rowling, Fawkes is named after 17th century conspirator Guy Fawkes.[27]
Firenze
Firenze is a centaur and, after Order of the Phoenix, a Divination teacher at Hogwarts. He is described in the book as a palomino centaur with astonishingly blue eyes. He first appears towards the end of Philosopher's Stone, in which he rescues Harry from Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Having carried Harry to safety on his back, Firenze quarrels with other centaurs who object to the symbolic suggestion that centaurs are subservient to humans.
The character does not make another appearance until Order of the Phoenix, in which he is appointed by Dumbledore to teach Divination at Hogwarts in place of Sybill Trelawney, who has been sacked by Dolores Umbridge. For this, he is ostracised by his fellows. In Half-Blood Prince, he shares teaching duties with a reinstated Trelawney.
In Deathly Hallows, he is seen near the end of the book alongside the other members of the Hogwarts staff, against Voldemort and his Death Eaters; it is mentioned that he was wounded on his flanks by the Death Eaters but ultimately survived the Battle. Although not mentioned in the series, Rowling revealed that Firenze's herd is later forced to acknowledge that Firenze's pro-human leanings are not shameful, and allowed him to rejoin them.[2]
The character is based on Steve Eddy, Rowling's former English teacher, who attempted to discourage her from writing fantasy tales.[28] His name is the Italian form of Florence.
Ray Fearon voiced Firenze in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Frank
Frank is a thunderbird that was kidnapped and trafficked to Egypt in the 1920s. In the film Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Frank is the reason Newt went to America. After rescuing Frank from the traffickers, Newt stored Frank with his other magical creatures in his suitcase. Newt brings Frank to America in hopes of returning him to his native land of Arizona.
In the climax of the film, the existence of magic is revealed to the people of New York City, following a battle between American wizarding government MACUSA and an obscurial. Knowing the secrecy of wizard-kind has been compromised, Newt releases Frank from his suitcase and gives him a potion that has memory wiping properties. Because of the thunderbird's ability to generate storms, Newt says goodbye to Frank as Frank flies into the sky, creating a rainfall using the liquid from the potion, erasing the memories of all non-magical people of the event.
Rowling revealed in a tweet following the film's release that Frank did indeed make it back to Arizona following the events of the film.[29]
Griphook
Griphook is a goblin and an employee at Gringotts until the Second Wizarding War. In Philosopher's Stone, after Hagrid presents Harry's key and Dumbledore's letter to an unnamed goblin in the Gringotts lobby, Griphook is called to escort Harry and Hagrid through the underground rail-system to Harry's vault, and afterwards to Vault 713 to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone. He is not heard of again until Deathly Hallows, when the Snatchers holding him captive also capture Harry, Ron, and Hermione. When Hermione lies under torture to Bellatrix Lestrange that the sword of Gryffindor is a fake, Bellatrix asks Griphook for confirmation, which she receives. He is saved, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, by Dobby and successfully escapes to Shell Cottage. Because Harry needs to take a Horcrux from Bellatrix's vault, Griphook reluctantly agrees to help them break into Gringotts, in exchange for the sword of Gryffindor; but when escaping, Griphook betrays them to the other goblins and escapes with the sword. His fate is left unknown in the book, but in the film he is shown dead during the aftermath at Gringotts, and Gryffindor's sword vanishes before Voldemort can see it. In spite of Griphook's insistence that the sword belongs to the goblins, the sword reappears when Neville Longbottom pulls it from the Sorting Hat and beheads Nagini.
Verne Troyer appeared as Griphook in the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone with Warwick Davis providing his voice and the latter fully portrayed him in the Deathly Hallows films.
Hedwig
Hedwig is Harry Potter's owl, given to him in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as an eleventh birthday present by Rubeus Hagrid, who purchases the owl in Diagon Alley at the Eeylops Owl Emporium. Harry gives her this name after reading it in a book on the history of magic. Hedwig is used for delivering messages throughout the series, and also serves as a companion to Harry, especially when he is unable to interact with other wizards. It is implied throughout the books that Hedwig can fully understand Harry's speech. In the fifth book, Order of the Phoenix,[30] Hedwig is intercepted by Dolores Umbridge and is hurt, but is later healed by Professor Grubbly-Plank. In the seventh book, The Deathly Hallows, Hedwig is killed by a curse from a Death Eater; in the film version, she is killed defending Harry from the Death Eater. According to Rowling, Hedwig's death represents the loss of Harry's innocence.[2]
Although the character of Hedwig is female, she is played on film by male owls (female snowy owls have dark patches of plumage, while only the males are completely white). The John Williams composition which serves as title music for the entire film series is named "Hedwig's Theme".
Hokey
Hokey is a house-elf who works for Hepzibah Smith, an old woman deceived by Tom Riddle into showing him Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup, which he uses as two of his Horcruxes. Hokey's memory allows Harry and Dumbledore a glimpse of the visit Voldemort makes two days before Hepzibah Smith is poisoned and both treasures disappear; whereafter Riddle, who magically tampers with Hokey's memories, frames Hokey for Hepzibah's murder. She does not deny the accusation and is convicted for accidental murder.
Kreacher
Kreacher is a house-elf who serves the House of Black for generations. His name is a pun on the word creature, indicating that his masters regarded him as an inferior. Kreacher first appears in Order of the Phoenix as an unwilling servant to Sirius Black. Kreacher disdains Sirius, mainly due to his devotion to his former masters (Regulus Black in particular), whose pure-blood values Sirius has rejected. Sirius also treats him harshly because the elf is a living reminder of a home to which he earlier had no intention of returning. Knowing too much of the Order of the Phoenix's activity, Kreacher is not allowed to leave Grimmauld Place. Kreacher has lived alone in the house for years with only the screaming portrait of Mrs. Black for company. Despite obeying Sirius, he is insolent and rude, insulting in undertones all present who he refers to as "Blood traitors, Mudbloods and scum". Kreacher desires to leave Sirius and serve his next of kin, Bellatrix Lestrange and the Malfoys. He betrays Sirius and persuades Harry to go to the Department of Mysteries, where a trap has been laid. Sirius is killed by Bellatrix in the ensuing combat, while trying to save Harry. Following Sirius's death, Harry inherits all Sirius's possessions, including a highly unwilling Kreacher. Harry immediately orders him to work at Hogwarts, where he comes to blows with Dobby about his lack of loyalty to Harry.
In Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends coax from the house-elf the current whereabouts of Salazar Slytherin's Locket, a Black heirloom and one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes; whereafter Harry sends Kreacher to retrieve the locket from Mundungus Fletcher and gives him its substitute as a token of remembrance (referring to Regulus Black, who alone treated Kreacher with respect). Thereafter Kreacher appears cleaner and happier, restores the house to pristine condition, and begins to treat Harry and his friends with courtesy and respect. When Grimmauld Place is infiltrated by Death Eaters, Harry decides against calling the elf back to them, fearing possible betrayal. In the Battle of Hogwarts, Kreacher rallies the Hogwarts house-elves against the Death Eaters, calling Harry his "master and defender of house elves". It is implied that he survived the battle, as Harry wonders 'whether Kreacher will bring him a sandwich' after his battle with Voldemort.
Kreacher appears in the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, voiced by Timothy Bateson.[31] Producers admitted they had wished to cut the character from the film, but when Rowling was consulted, she advised: "You know, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Or you can, but if you get to make a seventh film, you'll be tied in knots."[32] In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Kreacher is voiced by Simon McBurney, as Timothy Bateson had died.[33]
Nagini
Nagini, Voldemort's snake, is introduced in Goblet of Fire. Her name is the female version of the Nāga. She is a safeguard to Voldemort's immortality.[34]
Voldemort is able to communicate with Nagini due to his ability to speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes.[35] Nagini is first sighted when the snake alerts Voldemort to the presence of an eavesdropping Frank Bryce, an old gardener who had worked for the Riddle family.[36] During the fourth year Harry spends at Hogwarts, Voldemort's temporary body is sustained by Nagini's venom, harvested by Peter Pettigrew.[36] In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry assumes Nagini's viewpoint during her attack on Arthur Weasley in one of his dreams;[37] Albus Dumbledore believes this an effect of Harry's special connection to Voldemort, with Harry's witnessing the attack by virtue that Voldemort's mind "happened to be" in Nagini at the time.[37] This is the first indication of Nagini and Voldemort's deeper connection, having the ability to share thoughts and connect with Harry.[37]
In Deathly Hallows, Nagini consumes Charity Burbage, a Hogwarts Muggle Studies professor, after the Killing Curse is used on her.[34] Nagini is later placed inside the corpse of Bathilda Bagshot by Voldemort, to enable a surprise assault on Harry when he visits Godric's Hollow.[34] Because some snakes (pit-vipers and pythonids) can sense heat and movement in a way humans cannot, Nagini is able to detect Harry and Hermione even when they are under the Invisibility Cloak.[2] After discovering that Harry is searching for his Horcruxes, Voldemort places Nagini into a protective magical cage to prevent her from being killed, but uses her to kill Severus Snape by expanding the cage over him.[34] When Harry is apparently killed by Voldemort, Nagini is released from the protective enchantment and is draped around Voldemort's shoulders during the Death Eaters' victory march back to Hogwarts.[34] After Neville Longbottom openly defies Voldemort, Voldemort punishes him by forcing the Sorting Hat on his head and setting it on fire.[34] The Death Eaters are then attacked and a battle ensues, and Neville pulls Godric Gryffindor's sword from the Hat, as Harry had done in Chamber of Secrets,[35] and beheads Nagini.[34] In the film, Nagini is instead protected by a force field and participates in the final battle as opposed to dying before it began; her fate, however, is the same as in the book.
Voldemort made Nagini his final Horcrux when he was hiding in the forests of Albania by murdering Bertha Jorkins;[2] but Dumbledore suspected that Nagini was made by Voldemort killing Frank Bryce. Due to this connection, Voldemort has complete control over the snake, even for a Parselmouth, as mentioned by Dumbledore in Half-Blood Prince. Nagini was also able to inform Voldemort about the presence of Harry in Godric's Hollow.
The prequel film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald depicts Nagini, portrayed by Claudia Kim, initially as a Maledictus at the start of the 20th century. She carries a blood curse that allows her to transform into a snake which eventually becomes permanent. Due to this, she is being exploited in the Circus Arcanus by its ringmaster, Skender, before running off with Credence.[38]
Peeves
Mary GrandPré's illustration of Peeves.
Peeves is a poltergeist who causes trouble in Hogwarts, and is therefore often pursued by Argus Filch. He is capable of flight and can choose whether to be tangible; and is able to manipulate objects, a trait not generally possible with ghosts, but common among poltergeists. Peeves's existence is essentially the embodiment of disorder,[39] which he is observed to constantly cause. In appearance, he is a small man with a mischievous face and a wide mouth, dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing. He derives joy from disaster and mischievous acts, usually causing disruptions to daily activity.
Peeves only listens to a select few: Dumbledore; the Bloody Baron; in the second book Nearly Headless Nick; and in the fifth book, Fred and George Weasley. Filch, who is usually left with cleaning up the mess and damage that Peeves causes, tries repeatedly to remove him; however, Rowling has stated in an interview that not even Dumbledore would be able to rid Hogwarts of Peeves forever.[40] Peeves is vulnerable to some magic; in Prisoner of Azkaban, Professor Lupin uses magic to teach Peeves a lesson by making the gum Peeves was stuffing into a keyhole enter the poltergeist's nose. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry uses magic to attach Peeves's tongue to the roof of his mouth, after which Peeves angrily departs.
During Dolores Umbridge's attempts to take control of Hogwarts in Order of the Phoenix, Peeves begins a rampage at the Weasley twins' request. When Umbridge attempts to sneak out of Hogwarts, Peeves chases her out, whacking her with Minerva McGonagall's cane (which she lent to him for that purpose) and a sock full of chalk. Peeves is twice depicted at the conclusion of Deathly Hallows: initially attacking Death Eaters with vicious plants and subsequently singing a victory song for Harry.
It is also implied that Peeves was still at Hogwarts at the time of the epilogue, since Harry tells his son Albus Severus not to "mess with Peeves".
Rik Mayall was cast as Peeves for the film adaptation of Philosopher's Stone, but his scenes were cut from the final film and do not even appear in the deleted scenes section of the DVD release.[41] Peeves was subsequently omitted from the Harry Potter films that followed, though he can be seen in the video games.
Winky
Winky is a house-elf who originally served the Crouch family, described as having enormous brown eyes and a large, round, soft nose. She viewed herself as a dutiful servant and guarded the family's many secrets. When Barty Crouch Jr is rescued from Azkaban by his mother, he is supervised and nursed back to health by Winky. In Goblet of Fire, she persuades Barty Crouch Sr to let his son attend the Quidditch World Cup; she attends it with the younger Crouch, who is hiding under an Invisibility Cloak, and claims the apparently empty seat beside her is being saved for Crouch Sr. During the festivities, Crouch Jr steals Harry's wand from his pocket and later uses it to conjure the Dark Mark, in spite of Winky's attempts to stop him. In the resulting chaos, Harry and his friends see Winky running into the forest, appearing to struggle against the invisible Crouch Jr. Later she is caught with Harry's wand, which is magically proven to be the one used to conjure the Dark Mark; though Crouch Sr realises what happened, he agrees with the apparent conclusion that Winky conjured the mark, and fires her, both to save face and as punishment for failing to control Crouch Jr. Following her dismissal, Dobby takes the distraught Winky to work with him at Hogwarts. There the unhappy Winky, retaining her loyalty to Crouch, becomes an alcoholic until the final book,[2] and eventually fights in the Battle of Hogwarts with the other house-elves.[2]
The Weasleys' creatures
Many pets and animals are associated with the Weasley family:
Scabbers, a brown rat retained for twelve years; at first by Percy, but passed to Ron. Near the end of the third book, Scabbers is revealed to be Peter Pettigrew, an Animagus who betrayed James and Lily Potter to Lord Voldemort.
Pigwidgeon (nicknamed "Pig"), Ron's hyperactive scops owl, a gift from Sirius Black upon the loss of Scabbers.
Hermes, a screech owl owned by Percy, which was a gift to him from his parents for becoming a Prefect in his fifth year. He is named after the Greek god Hermes.
Errol, an aged great grey owl who serves as the family's courier. He has trouble carrying loads and is often found unconscious after collision or exhaustion.
Arnold, a purple Pygmy Puff (miniature puffskein) owned by Ginny and obtained from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the sixth book.
A puffskein belonging to Ron and killed by Fred when he used it for Bludger practice, revealed in the first Harry Potter game, and later confirmed in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
A ghoul lives in the attic of The Burrow and causes minor disruptions by groaning and banging on the walls and pipes. In Deathly Hallows, the ghoul is magically altered in appearance to resemble Ron as cover for his absence from school. In 12 Grimmauld Place there is also a ghoul in "an upstairs bathroom".
The Weasleys have gnomes all over their garden and in their shed, bushes, Wellington boots, and more. They are quarrelsome and seem to know many obscenities, which they were supposedly taught by Fred and George Weasley. Crookshanks likes to chase the gnomes while visiting; the rest of the family deals with them by physically throwing them off the grounds. In Deathly Hallows one bites Luna Lovegood; whereas Fred is bitten by one in Half-Blood Prince and as a punishment stuns it, paints it gold, gives it a miniature tutu with wings and hangs it on top of the Christmas tree as an angel.
Hagrid's pets
Over the course of the series, Hagrid cares for a large number of animals, many of them dangerous, including Aragog (a giant spider or 'Acromantula'), Buckbeak (Hippogriff), Fang (boarhound), Fluffy (Three-Headed Dog), Norbert ('Norwegian Ridgeback' Dragon), and Tenebrus (Thestral). Hagrid's love for animals got him the teaching job for Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts. In their fourth year, Harry and his classmates take care of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts (a crustacean-like predator), one of which (grown to giant size) is placed in the hedge maze for the final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Although its exoskeleton can repel spells, Harry is able to pass it unhurt. They also have lessons on Nifflers, Unicorns, Fire salamanders and Flobberworms.
