THE HARRY POTTER ENCYCLOPEDIA

By: Matthew Sean FitzPatrick

A

Abbott, Hannah - "pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails"; a Hufflepuff

Acid Pops - candy bought at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade that burns holes in your tongue

Aconite - a plant used in potions which is also known as 'monkshood' or 'wolfsbane'

Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle, The  - comic books Ron owns

Agrippa - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series [1]; historically, a noted founder in the study of Alchemy

alchemy - a medieval science that is based on turning any metal into pure gold

"alohomora" - a spell to unlock a door

animagi [an-im-AJ-eye] - wizards (plural) who are able to transform into an animal form

Aragog - a huge spider in the forbidden forest

animagus [an-im-AJ-us] - a wizard who is able to transform into an animal form

"aparecium" - a spell to make invisible ink appear

apparate - the magical ability to disappear and reapper at your destination

Arithmancy - a class taken by Hermione, dealing with the study of numbers; an early form of numerology where divination is made through numbers (especially those numbers associated with the letters of a person's name)

Astronomy - a class at Hogwarts for the study of the galaxy, planets, stars, etc.

Aunt Marge - Uncle Vernon's sister;  she hates Harry and openly insults him

Azkaban - the wizard prison

B

badger - the mascot for Hufflepuff

Bagshot, Bathilda - wrote A History of Magic [1]

Bandon Banshee - banshee banished by a harelipped witch, for which Lockhart took credit

Bane - a centaur in the Forbidden Frest;  black haired and bodied

.Basilisk - the King of Serpents;  anyone who is fixed with the beam of the giant snake's eyes dies instantly;  read about real a real basalisk at Microsoft Encarta or this gaming page.

beater - position on Quidditch team;  two beaters per team try to protect their teammates from bludgers.  They try to redirect the balls toward their opponants.

Bell, Katie - Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans - wizard candy coming in every flavor, such as chocolate, peppermint, spinach, liver, tripe and vomit!

bezoar - a stone taken from the stomach of a goat which will save one from most poisons

Billius (also Uncle Billius) - Ron's uncle who saw a grim and died 24 hours later

Binns, Prof. - a ghost who teaches History of Magic at Hogwarts

Black Forest - where Quirrell was rumored to have run into vampires and become "jumpy"

..Black, Sirius - best friend of James Potter in their Hogwarts days, in Azkaban on murder charges

blood-flavoured lollipops - treats for vampires

Bloody Baron, The - the ghost of the Slytherin Tower.  Not much is known about him other than he is very wickid and scary looking; his eyes are blank, black sokets and his robes are covered in silver blood.  He is the only "person" who can control Peeves the Poltergeist.  ~Amber, Ravenclaw

bludger - a jet black Quidditch ball, slightly smaller than a soccer ball;  2 bludgers per game which fly around trying to knock players from their brooms.  Can cause serious injury.

Boa Constictor - snake at the zoo Harry "talks" to [1]

Boggart - a shape shifiter which takes on the likeness of one's worst fear

Bones', The - one of four families killed by Voldermort

Bones, Susan - student sorted into Hufflepuff

Boot, Terry - student sorted into Ravenclaw

Borgin and Burke's - Dark Arts store in Knockturn Alley where Harry finds himself after attempting to travel by floo powder

Brazil - country where the first snake Harry talks to says he wants to go

Break With A Banshee - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart that is required for all 2nd years [2]

Brocklehurst, Mandy - student sorted into Ravenclaw

broom - n. 1. a long handled implement for sweeping with a brush of straw or similar material (Webster's Dictionary definition) 2. a long handled implement made of twigs which witches and wizards use for flying (also used in Quidditch) ~Danny of Gryffindor

Brown, Lavender - student sorted into Gryffindor

..Buckbeak - a Hippogriff (a big beast which is half horse and half eagle)

Bulstrode, Millicent - a Slytherin who duels Hermione during the Dueling Club demos

Burrow, The - name of the Weasley home

Butterbeer - frothy, buttery hot drink served in Hogsmeade (a favorite of Ron and Hermione)

C

Cadogan, Sir - slightly demented knight that inhabits a painting on the landing of the seventh floor in Hogwarts. Temporary guardian of  Gryffindor Tower in Book Three.

"Caput Draconis" - a password for Gryfindor in the first book

Care of Magical Creatures - a class Harry takes in his third year that is taught by Hagrid

Catchpole - village near the Weasley family home

cauldron - a pot which ingrediants are put into to make potions

Cauldron Cakes - a treat on the Hogwarts Express cart [1]

centaur - a mythical creature that is half-horse and half-man. It has the body and legs of a horse, but the arms and face of a man

Chamber of Secrets - a secret lair at Hogwarts that Salazar Slytherin built after he lost his battle with Gryffindor

..Chang, Cho - a Ravenclaw fourth year who is the Seeker on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team [3]

charm - a magical spell which adds properties to something causing it to change

chaser - position on Quidditch team;  three chasers per team throw a Quaffle back and forth trying to get it through a goal hoop for 10 points

chipolata - served during the Christmas feast in the first book; it is a type of long, skinny banger (sausage), similar in thickness to American breakfast links

Chocoballs - a chocolate sweet sold in Honeydukes

Chocolate Frogs - a treat on the Hogwarts Express cart which come with Famous Wizards Cards. [1]

Chudley Cannons, The - professional Quidditch team Ron admires, they wear bright orange and black robes and are 9th in the league

Circe [SIR-see] - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series; traditionally a figure from greek mythology, best known for her tendency to turn men into the animals they are most like (mostly pigs and dogs). She appears in two sets of stories, that of Jason and the Argonauts (she helps her neice Medea escape with Jason), and that of the Odyssey.  She temporarily turns most of Odysseus's men into swine before she gives them directions home. Thanks to Cathy Weeks

Cleansweep Seven - a respected type of broomstick for flying

Clearwater, Penelope - a Ravenclaw perfect and is Percy Weasley's girlfriend

Cliodna - a druidess depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series;  Celtic goddess of beauty and the otherworld

Cockroach Clusters - a rather nasty sweet made of cockroaches sold in Honeydukes

codswallop - nonsense, baloney, malarkey, etc.

Committee on Experimental Charms - office at the Ministry of Magic

Common Room - a general meeting room of each Hogwarts house

Common Welsh Green - a breed of wild dragon found in Britain

.Cornish Pixies - devilish little fairies that reak havoc

Crabbe, Vincent - Draco Malfoy's friend and cohort

Creevey, Colin - is a year younger than Harry. Colin is also in Gryffindor and he may be Harry's biggest admirer (after Ginny Weasley).  Colin is always following Harry around, trying to take his picture and get his autograph. ~Katy, Ravenclaw

Crockford, Doris - woman Harry meets at his first trip to The Leaky Cauldron [1]

.Crookshanks - Hermione's cat who scares Scabbers [3]

Curse of the Bogies - a spell Quirrell told his students about

D

Daily Prophet - wizards' newspaper

de-gnoming - removing pesky garden gnomes as described in Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests

Dark Arts - the practice of evil wizards and dark mythical creatures

Dark Lord, The - see Voldemort

Deathday Party - may be celebrated by a ghost on the anniversary of his/her death

Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst is Coming - book on death omens in Flourish and Blotts with a picture of a Grim on the cover

Delaney-Podmore, Patrick - leader of the Headless Hunt

..Dementor - creature who feeds on the happy emotions of humans, leaving one cold and sad. The kiss of the dementor is when the dementor sucks the very soul out of a human, leaving you emotionless.

.De Mimsy-Porpington, Sir Nicholas (see also Nearly-Headless Nick) - resident ghost of Gryffindor

Dennis - a friend of Dudley [1]

Dervish and Banges - the wizarding equipment store in Hogsmeade

Devil's Snare - a plant which entraps anyone who it can reach

.Diagon Alley - cobbled street where wizards can do their shopping

diary of Tom Riddle - diary which holds spirit of Tom Riddle

Diggory, Cedric - is the Seeker on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team

Diggle, Dedalus -

disapparation - a method of travel for experienced wizards, which involves disappearing from one place and reappearing in another

"dissendium" - a spell which opened a secret passage inside a statue

Divination - class taken by Harry, Ron and Hermione that deals with fortune-telling

..Dobby - a house elf who tries to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts for his second year

Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks - a favorite prank of the Weasley twins, they fill the room with red & blue stars that bounce around for at least a half an hour

Draco - see Malfoy, Draco

"Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus" - the Hogwarts motto, translates to: "Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon"

Draught of Living Death - powerful sleeping potion made of asphodel and wormwood

Drooble's Best Blowing Gum - a treat on the Hogwarts Express cart [1]

Dueling Club - a club started in Hogwarts to teach about wizard duels

...Dumbledore, Albus - the current headmaster of Hogwarts;  he has a long silvery beard, a very crooked nose and he always wears half moon specticles.

Dungbombs - a trick item you can buy at Zonko's

..Dursley, Dudley - the spoiled and pampered son of  Petunia and Vernon Dursley.  Is extremely overweight due to greed.  Enjoys hanging out with his gang and beating up his cousin Harry.  Now attends Smeltings, his father Vernon's alma mater.  Had to have a pig's tail surgically removed from his backside [1] Mrinalini, Hufflepuff

.Dursley, Petunia - Harry's muggle aunt, sister of Lily Potter

.Dursley, Vernon - Harry's muggle uncle, Petunia's husband

E

eagle - the mascot for Ravenclaw

Eeylops Owl Emporium - shop on Diagon Alley

Egypt - country where Bill Weasley works for Gringotts

Elixer of Life - a liquid that has the power to make a wizard or witch live forever

Elfric the Eager - subject in History of Magic

elves - small creatures which live deep in the Forbidden Forest where they hold midnight feasts and play pranks on the lost passerby. They are actually very nice despite their tricky nature.

Emeric the Evil - mentioned in Binns' History of Magic class

Erised - see Mirror of Erised

Ern - driver of the Knight Bus

Errol - the Weasley family owl

Eton - a school for muggle borns

Every Flavor Beans - see Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans

"Expecto Patronum" - a spell to guard you from the dementors by conjuring a patronus

"Expelliarmus" - disarming charm

Exploding Bonbons - a treat found in the Hogsmede store, Honeydukes

F

Famous Wizard Cards - trading cards of famous wizards throughthe ages; packaged with Chocolate Frogs

Fang - Hagrid's pet boarhound

Fat Lady, The - woman in a pink silk dress who sits in a portrait and protects the entrance to Gryffindor

Fawcett, Miss - a student at Hogwarts who was injured during Dueling Club demos

Fawkes - Dumbledore's Phoenix (a bird which dies and is reborn again)

"Ferula" - a spell to create a sling

Fidelius Charm - an extremely complex charm in which a secret is conceled within a single living soul

Figg, Mrs. - Dursley neighbor with whom Harry stayed every year on Dudley's birthday

Filch, Argus - caretaker at Hogwarts

Filibuster Fireworks - see Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks

Finch-Fletchley, Justin - sorted into Hufflepuff [1]

"Finite Incantatem" - a charm used by Snape to end commotion by students

Finnigan, Seamus - sorted into Gryffindor, his dad's a muggle, his mother a witch [1]

Firebolt - a top-of-the-line broom given to Harry as a gift from an unknown friend

Firenze - [FEER-en-zay] a centaur in the Forbidden Forest, young with white-blonde hair and a palomino body

Fizzing Whizbees - levitating sherbert balls

Flamel, Nicolas - an alchemist and friend of Dumbledore; historically “Flamel was a famous character of his time, an official of the university reputed to be an alchemist.  People thought he had got the gold to buy this mansion from finding the philosopher's stone-but really he married a rich widow." [from guidebook Cadogan Paris] Thanks to Jenny Miller

Flamel, Perenelle - wife of Nicolas Flamel

Flesh-Eating Slugs - pest which infested the Hogwarts cabbages

Fletcher, Mundungus -

flibertigibbet - one of the passwords for Gryffindor house

Flint, Marcus - captain of Slytherin Quidditch team

..Flitwick, Prof. - charms teacher at Hogwarts

Flobberworm - a harmless, worm-like magical creature which students must keep alive in order to pass Care of Magical Creatures class

Floo Powder - a fine powder which allows wizards to travel from one place to another

Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour - a shop on Diagon Alley

Flourish & Blotts - a bookshop in Diagon Alley

Fluffy - a huge three headed dog protecting a sectret chamber at Hogwarts

Forbidden Forest, The - a patch of woods on the Hogwarts grounds, off-limits to students

Ford Anglia - the Weasley family car, bewitched by Mr. Weasley

Friar (or Fat Friar) - resident ghost of Hufflepuff

Fudge, Cornelius - Minister at Ministry of Magic

G

Gadding With Gouls - name of a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

Galleons - gold wizard coin that equals 17 Sickles

Gambol & Japes Wizarding Joke Shop  - shop on Diagon Alley

ghoul - a creature that lives in attics and bangs on pipes while groaning

Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests - a book owned by Mrs. Weasley

gnome - see also degnome, a small creature which wreaks havoc in Wizard gardens and must be removed

goblins - run Gringotts, the wizards' bank

Gobstones - a marbles-like Wizard game where the pieces squirt a stinky substance when a player loses a point

Godric's Hollow - where Lily and James Potter lived before they were killed

Golden Snitch (or Snitch) - golden Quidditch ball about the size of a large walnut with tiny silver wings.  Quidditch match ends only after the elusive Snitch is caught, earning the catching team 150 points.

Gordon - friend of Dudley [1]

Goshawk, Miranda - wrote The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) [1]

.Goyle, Gregory - Draco Malfoy's friend and cohort

Gran - Neville's grandmother whom he lived with

...Granger, Hermione [her-MY-oh-nee] - bushy-haired, buck-toothed, bossy and the smartest pupil at Hogwarts; a Gryffindor

Great Auntie Enid - Neville's ancestor

Great Hall - main gathering point at Hogwarts

Great Humberto, The - a television show airing Monday nights which Dudley enjoys [1]

Great Uncle Algie - Neville's ancestor who tried to force magic out of him

Gregory the Smarmy - a statue at Hogwarts

Grey Lady, The - the ghost of Ravenclaw, unnamed in books 1-3;  Jennifer reports: "Hundreds of years ago an earl, John Dudley, tried to take over the English throne with his accompliace, Lady Jane Grey. They where beheaded, but Lady Jane's ghost is still said to be walking around Dudley Castle.  Her nickname has been for the past several decades, The Grey Lady ghost."  Note from Jenna: the story of John Dudley and Lady Jane Grey is portrayed in the wonderful film, Lady Jane.

Grim - a giant black dog one sees as a death omen; when someone sees a Grim, it is believed that he/she will soon die

Grindelwald - a dark wizard defeated by Dumbledore in 1945

Grindylow - a water demon

.Gringotts - wizards' bank hundreds of miles under London, run by Goblins

Griphook - a goblin at Gringotts [1]

Grunnings - a drill company run by Harry's Uncle Vernon

Grunnion, Alberic - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series

Gryffindor - House at Hogwarts, includes Harry, the Weasleys and Hermione Granger

Gryffindor, Godric - the founder of Hogwart's Gryffindor House

Gudgeon, Davey - former Hogwarts student nearly lost an eye trying to touch the Whomping Willow

H

....Hagrid, Rubeus [HAG-rid, roo-BAY-us] - the near-giant-sized Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.  Hagrid is a former student of Hogwarts who was expelled for unknown reasons.  He is in his 60's.

half-blood - a witch or wizard who has one wizard parent and one muggle parent

Hand of Glory - a withered hand on a cushion which, when a candle is inserted, gives light only to the person holding it

Harry - see Potter, Harry

"Harry Hunting" - a favorite game of Dudley and his friends

Head Boy/Head Girl - an honored last-year student at Hogwarts who looks after the affairs and fellow students of his or her house

Headless Hunt - an exclusive membership of headless huntsmen ghosts who participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo.  They will only accept into their membership those ghosts whose heads have been  completely severed.

Hebridean Black - a breed of wild dragon found in Britain

.Hedwig - Harry's snowy owl, a gift from Hagrid

Heir of Slytherin - the true heir of one of the founders of Hogwarts (Salazer Slytherin) who could unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic, especially Muggle-born witches and wizards

Hengist of Woodcroft - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series

Herbology - the study of plants and mythical plants

Hermes - Percy Weasley's owl that was bought for him when he became a prefect

Hermione - see Granger, Hermione

High Table - table in the great hall where Hogwarts faculty sits

Higgs, Terance - the Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team during Harry's first year

Hinkypunk - a creature with a lantern; on dark nights it leads lost people into bogs and swamps

.Hippogriff - a magical creature which has the head and talons of an eagle and the back, hind legs and tail of a horse

"His Eyes Are as Green As a fresh Pickled Toad" - a poem written by Ginny Weasly to Harry  on Valentine's Day.

His Eyes are as green as a fresh Pickled toad,
His hair as dark as a chalkboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
Our hero who conquered the dark lord.

Hog's Head, The - the pub in the village where Hagrid won a dragon's egg [1]

Hogsmeade - a town for wizards and witches. Visits to Hogsmeade begin in a student's third year at Hogwarts

Hogwarts, a History - a book about hogwarts

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - school for wizard students ages 11-17;  probably located in Scotland

Hogwarts Express - train which takes students from King's Cross to Hogwarts

Hogwarts School Song - a song led by Dumbledore which all the students sing, it has no rythym or tune and can be sung however one wishes.

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So tech us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until out brains all rot.

Holidays With Hags - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

Homorphus Charm - charm which turns a werewolf back into his human form

Honeydukes - the candy shop in Hogsmeade

..Hooch, Madam - head of Quidditch at Hogwarts, teaches first-years how to fly on broomsticks

Hopkirk, Mafalda - employee of the "Improper Use of Magic" office at the Ministry of Magic

house - one of four dormatories the students are assigned to upon arriving at Hogwarts;  houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin

House Elves - small creatures which work as servants in some wizard homes;  they can only be set free when the master offers the elf a piece of clothing

House Cup - trophy awarded to the House with the most points at the end of the year

house points - points awarded to or taken from a house depending on the actions of its members

Howler - a letter which yells messages at extremely loud volumes when opened

.Hufflepuff - a Hogwarts house named for one of the founders, Helga Hufflepuff

Hut-on-the-Rock - a place Uncle Vernon takes the family to hide, where Hagrid locates Harry

I

Ice Mice - gum bought at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade that "make your teeth squeak and chatter"

Ickle Duddeykins - a "baby-talk" name Mrs. Dursley uses to dote on Dudley

"Ickle Firsties" - a name Peeves uses to mock first year students, meaning "little first years"

"impervious" - a magic spell Hermione put on Harry's glasses so they would repell water during a Quidditch match

Intermediate Transfiguration - textbook for third year Transfiguration course at Hogwarts

Invisible Book of Invisibility, The - available at the bookshop on Diagon Alley... if you can find it

Invisibility Cloak - shiny, silvery grey cloth which makes everything it covers invisible

J

Jelly Slugs - a sweet sold in Honeydukes

Jigger, Arsenius - wrote Magical Drafts and Potions [1]

Johnson, Angelina - chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team

..Jordan, Lee - friend and conspirator of the Weasley twins; he has dreadlocks

July 31, 1981 - the day of Harry Potter's birth

K

Keeper - position on Quidditch team, protector of goal

Kettleburn, Prof. - taught Care of Magical Creatures prior to Hagrid

King's Cross - train station for catching the Hogwarts Express (at platform nine and three-quarters); an actual train station in London.

kip - slang for "nap" or "sleep"

knickerbocker glory - an English ice cream dessert.  Click here for the recipe.

Knight bus - bus which can be called upon by wizards in distress;  summoned by raising the wand arm

Knockturn Alley - a street next to Diagon Alley that is full of dark magic shops

Knuts - little bronze coins, wizard currency; 29 Knutes to a Sickle

Kwikspell - correspondence course in beginner's magic

L

Leaky Cauldron, The - shabby old pub and inn next to which is the entrance to Diagon Alley

Lemon Drops (or Sherbert Drops) - a muggle treat Dumbledore admits to being fond of.

Licorice Wands - a treat on the Hogwarts Express cart [1]

lion - the mascot for Gryffindor

..Lockhart, Gilderoy - Defense Against the Dark Arts in Harry's second year;  author of self-glorifying autobiographies and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's "Most-Charming Smile Award"

"locomoto mortis" - spell for the leg-locker curse

..Longbottom, Neville - forgetful and clumsy classmate of Harry's; a Gryffindor; his gran brought him up and she was a witch

Lord Voldemort - see Voldemort

"lumos" - a charm to light the end of a wand (acts as a flashlight)

..Lupin, Remus J. - Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in Harry's third year

M

MacDougal, Morag - sorted into an unknown house [1]

Macmillan, Ernie - Hufflepuff student and friend of Justin's

Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions - shop on Diagon Alley

Madam Rosmerta  - see Rosmerta, Madam

Magical Me - autobiography of Gilderoy Lockhart

Malcolm - friend of Dudley [1]

...Malfoy, Draco - a Slytherin, Harry's arch-enemy at Hogwarts

Malfoy, Lucius - Draco Malfoy's father

mandrake - a plant which has a screaming baby on the end, the cry is fatal to all who hear it.  A mandrake plant, when full-grown, is a powerful restorative used to return those who have been transfigured back to their original state.

Marge - see Aunt Marge

Marauders Map - a secret map that shows all the passege-ways at Hogwarts

..McGonagall, Minerva - Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, head of Gryffindor and professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts

McGuffin, Jim - weatherman on Muggle television [1]

McKinnons, The - one of four families killed by Voldermort

Merlin - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series, traditionally thought to have trained King Arthur

Ministry of Magic - in charge of keeping witches and wizards secret from the Muggles

Mirror of Erised - a mirror Harry finds with writing that reads: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.  Backwards (or in a reflextion) it reads: I show not your face, but your heart's desire.

Moaning Myrtle - a ghost who haunts the toilet in the girl's bathroom. She moans loudly and complains that no one likes her (which is probably true)

Mobiliarbus - the magical way of moving objects

Mobilicorpus - when someone can't walk on their own this magic makes it seem as if invisible strings are holding the person up

Modern Magical History - a book about the history of the magical world

Monkshood - a plant used in potions which is the same as wolfsbane and also goes by the name of aconite

Monster Book of Monsters, The - textbook chosen by Hagrid for the Care of Magical Creatures course for third-years.  It will bite and run away from one unless it is stroked down the spine.

Moon - student sorted into an unknown house at Hogwarts [1]

Moony - the nickname of Remus Lupin as a student at Hogwarts

Morgana - a witch depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series, traditionally believed to be the half-sister of King Arthur

Mortlake - was taken away for questioning about "extremely odd ferrets" by the Committee on Experimental Charms

Mosag - Aragog's wife

Moste Potente Potions - a book in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library

Mr. Paws - one of Ms. Figgs' cats that she bores Harry with

.Mrs. Norris - Filch's scrawny cat who helps keep the students in line

Mudblood - an insulting term for a half-blooded wizard or a muggle-born wizard

Muggle - wizard term for non-magic folk

Muggle Protection Act - a law written by Arthur Weasley that prevents people of the magical community from using magic in a way that muggles can see or come in contact with.  This includes the enchanting of regular muggle objects, such as keys and cars.  (Mr. Weasley claims to his wife, however, that unless you are intending to use the object, the fact that the object could do something magical wouldn't matter.) ~Sara of Ravenclaw

Muggle Studies - class taken by Hermione that deals with studding muggles. Hermione says, "It will be interesting to study them from a wizard's point of view".

N

Nearly Headless Nick (see also De Mimsy-Porpington, Sir Nicholas) - resident ghost of Gryffindor

"Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon" - the translation of the Hogwarts motto, translated from: "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus"

N.E.W.T. - the abbreviation of Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests

Nimbus 2000 - a well-respected type of broomstick for flying

Nimbus 2001 - an upgrade on the Nimbus 2000.

.Norbert - a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon which Hagrid hatches after he wins an egg at a pub.

Norwegian Ridgeback - a rare type of dragon, like Norbert

Nott - student sorted into an unknown house at Hogwarts [1]

"Nox" - a charm used to turn out the light on your wand after you say "lumos"

O

"obliviate" - memory charm used by Lockhart which backfires

Ollivanders - shop for wands on Diagon Alley

One-Eyed Witch - statue which contains a secret passage to Honeyduke's

O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) - test taken at the end of the year by most students at Hogwarts

owls - birds used by the magical community to carry their mail

P

Padfoot - the nickname of Sirius Black as a student at Hogwarts

Paracelsus - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series

Parkinson, Pansy - a Slytherin at Hogwarts

parselmouth - a wizard who has the ability to speak to snakes; thought to be the mark of a Dark Wizard

parseltongue - language spoken by a parselmouth

Patil - a twin sorted into an unknown house at Hogwarts [1]

Patil, Parvati - a Gryffindor and a twin

Patronus - an anti-dementor created by using the spell "expecto patronum" while thinking happy thoughts

"patronus totalus"  - a spell to create a patronus; one performs the spell while thinking happy thoughts

Peeves - a Hogwarts poltergeist

Pepper Imps - candy that makes you breath fire

Perks, Sally-Anne - sorted into an unknown house at Hogwarts [1]

"Peskipiksi Pesternomi" - spell used by Lockhart to get rid of destructive Cornish pixies (it doesn't work)

"Petrificus Totalus" - spell for the Full Body-Bind, causing the subject to lie motionless (petrified)

Pettigrew - a wizard who was a friend of James Potter in his school days

Philosopher's Stone (see also Sorcerer's Stone) - a substance which turns any metal into gold;  produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal; learn about the actual historical significance at http://tqd.advanced.org/2690/hist/alchemy.html

phoenix - a bird that bursts into flames and rises from its ashes for a re-birth.  A phoenix is a very good pet and it's tears can heal wounds.

Pince, Madam - the Hogwarts School Librarian

Pocket Sneakoscope - a very small spining glass top which lights up and makes a high-pitched whistle when there is somebody or something suspicious around

Polyjuice Potion - a potion that makes a person change into a different person

Polkiss, Mrs. - Piers' mother [1]

Polkiss, Piers - Dudley's best friend [1]

Pomfrey, Poppy - the stern school nurse at Hogwarts

Potions - a class at Hogwarts taught by Severus Snape. Potions class teaches students how to make potions such as enlarging potions, bubbling potions, etc.

.Potter, Harry - a young boy who unexpectedly finds himself at Hogwarts studying wizardry

Potter, James - Harry's father, a pure-blooded wizard

Potter, Lily - Harry's mother who died protecting him from Voldemort; a muggle-born

Prang, Ernie - driver of the Knight Bus; "prang" means "to crash into"

.prefect - an honored senior student who helps with younger pupils

Prefects Who Gained Power - a book which interests Percy in a junk shop in Diagon Alley

Prewetts, The - one of four families killed by Voldermort

Privet Drive - the street where the Dursley's live, complete address is: 4 Privet Dr., Little Whinging, Surrey

Professorhead - a name peeves calls Dumbledore

Prongs - the nickname of James Potter as a student at Hogwarts

Ptolemy - a wizard depicited on the Chocolate Frogs trading card series

Pucey, Adrian - chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team

Pumpkin Juice - beverage enjoyed by wizards and witches at Hogwarts and on the Hogwarts Express

Pumpkin Pasties [PASS-teez] - a treat on the Hogwarts Express cart [1]

Put-Outer - a device used to turn streetlamps on and off, looks like a silver cigarette lighter [1]

Q

Quaffle - bright red Quidditch ball about the size of a soccer ball;  10 points every time a chaser gets a Quaffle through the gaol hoop

Quality Quidditch Supplies - a shop in Diagon Alley which sells broomsticks and other Quidditch supplies

.Quidditch - wizard sport played on brooms with four balls

Quidditch Cup - trophy given to the winningest Quidditch team at the end of a season

Quidditch season - begins in November

Quirrell, Prof. - nervous, stuttering young professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts during Harry's first year at Hogwarts [1]

.

R

Railview Hotel - "a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city" where Uncle Vernon takes the family to hide (they stay in room 17) [1]

Ravenclaw - a Hogwarts house named for one of the founders, Rowena Ravenclaw

Red Cap - a creature that lives wherever there is bloodshed

Remembrall - glass marble-sized ball which, when held, turns red to tell the holder if they've forgotten something

"rictusempra" - a tickling charm

Riddle, Tom Marvolo - a young Lord Voldemort;  born of a muggle father and a witch mother who died in childbirth

"ridikulus" - a charm to make a boggart take on characteristics of a person or object the sayer is thinking of

Ripper - Aunt Marge's precious bullhound

Romania - country where Charlie Weasley studies dragons

Ron - see Weasley, Ron

Ronon - a centaur in the Forbiden Forest

Rosmerta, Madam -  the owner of The Three Broomsticks

S

7th Floor - entrance to the Gryffindor common room

Scabbers - Ron's hand-me-down rat; fat, old and useless

Scamander, Newt - wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them [1]

Scops owl - a breed of owl, very small and used for "Local Deliveries Only".

Secret-Keeper -

Seeker - Quidditch position for catching the Golden Snitch

self-shuffling playing cards - a deck of cards that mix themselves

"Serpensortia" - a charm used to summon snakes

sherbert balls - candy bought at Honeydukes in Hogsmeade that let you levitate a couple inches from the ground while sucking on them

sherbert drops (see also lemon drops) - a muggle treat Dumbledore admits to being fond of

Shooting Star - an outdated flying broomstick model

Shrieking Shack - a shcak located behind  the Whomping Willow. One must push a button on the Whompin WIllow to turn it off in order to safely pass to the Shrieking Shack.

Shrivelfig - an ingredient in magic potions, used in Shrinking Solution

Sickles - silver coins, wizard currency; 17 Sickles to a Galleon

Silver Arrow - a kind of broomstick that is no longer being made

Sinistra, Prof. - teacher of Astronomy at Hogwarts. His lessons are given every Wednesday at midnight on top of the highest tower

Sites of Historical Sorcery - book, quoted as saying that the inn at Hogsmeade was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and that the Shrieking Shack is the most severely haunted building in Britain.

Skele-Gro - a type of medicine you take when someone has deboned you are. When you take skele-Gro your arms grow back, but it's painful.

.Slytherin [SLITHER-in] - a Hogwarts house named for one of the founders, Salazer Slytherin

Slytherin, Salazer - the founder of the Slytherins house, a parseltoungue.

Smeltings - private school Dudley attends, Uncle Vernon's alma mater

Smeltings stick - stick used at Smeltings to hit people with while the teachers are not looking. This is suppoesed to be good training for later in life.

Smethley, Veronica - Lockhart fan to whom Harry was addressing a letter when he first heard the Basilisk's voice

snake - the mascot for Slytherin

Snape, Severus - Hogwarts Potions teacher, wants to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, leader of Slytherin House

Sneakoscope - see pocket sneakoscope

Snitch (or Golden Snitch) - the smallest Quidditch ball, gold with silver wings; earns 150 points for the team who catches it

Snowy - one of Ms. Figgs' cats that she bores Harry with

Sonnets of a Sorcerer - a cursed book, everyone who read from it spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives

Sorcerer's Stone (see also Philosopher's Stone) - a substance which turns any metal into gold;  produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal

Sorting Hat - an old wizard's hat which assigns new students to their houses at Hogwarts

Spell-O-Tape - unpredictable wizards tape used to mend broken wands

Spinnet, Alica - chaser for Gryffindor Quidditch team

Spore, Phyllida - wrote One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi [1]; the prefix "Phyll" means leaf, and a spore is a single-celled reproductive organism that is resistant to drying out and heat. It's capable of growing into a new organism.  The reason it's funny its that mushrooms reproduce via spores, and Phyllida Spore is the author of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi (fungi are mushrooms).  Thanks to Cathy Weeks

Sprout, Prof. - professor of Herbology (plants) at Hogwarts; a sprout is a small or baby plant

Squib - the child of two wizards who shows no wizarding ability

Stan - conductor of the Knight Bus

Standard Book of Spells - required text at Hogwarts ("Grade" indicates year - "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade One" was required for first year students, "Grade Two" for second year, and so on)

Stink Pellets – Small brown pellets that stink when tossed or dropped.

Stonewall High - the public secondary school Harry would have attended at the Dursley's [1]

Study of Ancient Runes - a class taken by Hermione [3]

sugar quills - delicate sugar spun quills that you can suck on in class "and just look like you're thinking what to write next." (Ron, Book 3)  Sold in Honeydukes.

Switch, Emeric - wrote A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguarion

T

tarantallegra" - a dancing spell

Ted - newscaster on Muggle televsision [1]

Thomas, Dean - a Gryffindor; a tall black boy and a fan of soccer who shares a room with Ron and Harry; he is a good artist

Three Broomsticks, The - a pub in Hogsmeade

Tibbles - one of Ms. Figgs' cats that she bores Harry with

Time-Turner - a necklace with a hourglass on it

toad peppermint creams -

Tom - bartender at The Leaky Cauldron

Toothflossing Stringmints – Floss with different flavores.

transfiguration (see also Transifugration) - a spell which changes the nature of a person or object completely -- the molecular structure of the object is altered

Transifugration (see also transifugration) - a class at Hogwarts taught by Professor McGongall

Travels With Trolls - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

Treacle Tarts - basically crusts, bread crumbs, lemon rind, eggs, flour and golden syrup baked like a pie [thanks to Laura]

.Trelawney, Sybil - Divinations professor at Hogwarts; obsessed with dark predictions and death predictions. Hermione gets fed up with her and leaves her class. Ron and Harry think she is crazy.

Trevor - Neville's pet toad who is always escaping from his owner

Trimble, Quentin - wrote The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

Tuffy - one of Ms. Figgs' cats that she bores Harry with

Turpin, Lisa - student sorted into Ravenclaw at Hogwarts [1]

Twig Trimmer - a device used to cut unruly twigs off your broom

U

Uncle Billius - see Billius

Unfogging the Future - book by Cassandra Vablatsky

unicorn - a horse-like creature with a horn coming out of its head. If you drink its silvery blood, it will keep you alive for a limited time if you are near death... at a price. You will have a cursed, half-life. It is faster than a werewolf and very graceful. It's hair is used in Potions.

Uric the Oddball - mentioned in Binns' History of Magic class

V

Vablatsky, Cassandra - wrote Unfogging the Future

Vector, Prof. - the Arithmancy teacher at Hogwarts. Vector is a mathematical term.

Viridian, Vindictus - wrote Curses and Countercurse (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) [1]

Voldemort - powerful Dark Wizard whom most refer to as "You-know-who".  He killed Harry's parents and left a thunder-bolt scar on Harry's forehead in a failed attempt to kill him as a baby.

Voyages With Vampires - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

W

"Waddiwasi" - a spell used by Prof. Lupin to send gum up Peeve's nose [3]

Waffling, Adalbert - wrote Magical Theory and A History Of Magic

wand - for magic (willow is good for charm work, mahogany for transfiguration)

Wanderings With Werewolves - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

Warbeck, Celestina - singing sorceress popular on the Whitching Hour radio program

wattlebird - Gryffindor password at the beginning of Book 2

Weasley, Arthur - Ron's father, works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department of the Ministry of Magic and enjoys tinkering with Muggle items

Weasley, Bill - was head boy at Hogwarts, works for Gringotts in Africa

Weasley, Charlie - was Quidditch captain at Hogwarts, in Romania studying dragons

Weasley, Fred - twin of George, Gryffindor, Beater on Quidditch team

Weasley, George - twin of Fred, Gryffindor, Beater on Quidditch team

Weasley, Ginny - youngest Weasley and only girl, has a crush on Harry

Weasley, Molly - mother of Ron, wife of Arthur, very matronly and worrysome

Weasley, Percy - the Gryffindor Prefect, currently the oldest Weasley student at Hogwarts

.Weasley, Ron - youngest Weasley boy, Harry's best friend

Wendelin the Weird - a witch from the medieval times who loved getting burned and performing a Flame Freezing Charm;  was burned forty-seven times in different disguises

werewolf - a half man and half wolf creature

Which Broomstick - book or catalogue (with order form in the back) which describes the different makes of flying broomsticks

Whizzing Worms -

Whomping Willow - a tree outside Hogwarts that becomes violent against anything it comes in contact with

"Wingardium Leviosa" - a spell to make things fly

Witches Weekly - magazine for witches which has contest for most charming smile

Witching Hour - a wizard radio program

Wizards Duel - a one-on-one fight between wizard's, a challenge

Wolfsbane - a plant used in potions which is the same as monkshood and also goes by the name of aconite

Wolfsbane Potion - a potion which makes a werewolf safe during the full moon

Wood, Oliver - captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team

Wormtail - the nickname of Pettigrew as a student at Hogwarts

Wormwood - an herb that with it and ashphodel it makes a sleeping potion so powerful it's known as the "drought of living death"

X

Y

Year With The Yeti - a book by Gilderoy Lockhart

You-know-who - the term given to Lord Voldemort when people are too afraid to say his name

Yvonne - Mrs. Dursley's friend, vacationing in Majorca [1]

Z

Zabini, Blaise - student sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts [1]

Zonko's - the joke shop in Hogsmeade