text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Mundungus Fletcher

Overview
Mundungus Fletcher is a dweller in the Wizarding underworld, a dealer in stolen merchandise and controlled substances.

Chamber of Secrets
When Arthur Weasley returns home from work, and is telling about his day, he mentions that he had a run-in with Mundungus Fletcher, and that Mundungus had tried to hex him when his back was turned.

Goblet of Fire
It is mentioned that Mundungus Fletcher has put in an absurdly inflated claim for damages after the events of the Quidditch World Cup.

When Dumbledore learns that Voldemort is back, he sends off Sirius Black to alert "the old crowd", specifically naming Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg and Mundungus Fletcher.

Order of the Phoenix
Mundungus is initially set as a guard over Harry Potter, a post he deserts in order to cut a deal on some cauldrons which have "fallen off the back of a broom". Mundungus reappears after the Dementor attack, and is chastised (both verbally and with a shopping bag full of cans of cat food) by Mrs. Figg, who orders him to report to Dumbledore.

We see him next at the kitchen table at headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, of which he is evidently a part. He is asleep at the table; roused, he mumbles that he agrees with Sirius. This is apparently the limits of his usual involvement, making him singularly ineffective as part of the council. At dinner, he tells a story that involves selling a load of toads to another underworld character, the joke of which is that they were his own toads that Mundungus had stolen from him; chastised by Molly Weasley, he says that it is all right because the other man had stolen them himself.

He gets into trouble with Molly Weasley when he tries to bring his load of stolen cauldrons to Headquarters for storage. He also provides a number of controlled magical ingredients to Fred and George Weasley, which helps them set up their magic shop.

When the initial meeting of Dumbledore's Army is held in the Hog's Head, Mundungus is present, unbeknown to Harry, and reports back to the Order. Sirius Black, revealing this to Harry, says that Mundungus was heavily veiled and disguised as a witch because he had previously been barred from the Hog's Head, and admits that Mundungus had been tailing Harry.

Mundungus somehow finds a car to take the Weasley family to St. Mungo's, to visit with the injured Arthur. We do not learn where he got the car, nor do we learn where he left it after dropping the Weasley family at the hospital, or how the family returns to Headquarters.

Half-Blood Prince
Apparently, since the death of Sirius, Mundungus has been clearing valuables out of the headquarters of the Order and selling them. Harry catches him in Hogsmeade trying to sell Black family silver to the bartender from the Hog's Head, whereupon Mundungus goes into hiding.

It is mentioned later in the book that Mundungus has been sent to Azkaban for impersonating an Inferius.

Deathly Hallows
Mundungus, now freed from Azkaban, is set the task of being one of the seven Potters when Harry escapes from the Dursleys' house. He is very reluctant to do this, fearing that he will be a target. Riding a broomstick behind Alastor Moody, he gets cold feet and Disapparates, leaving Moody to be hit by the Killing curse that had been aimed at Mundungus by Voldemort.

The remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, discussing how Voldemort had known when Harry was going to be moved, had suggested that it might be Mundungus who had leaked the secret. However, it is recalled that Mundungus had suggested the six mock Potters, and that was the one part of the plan that Voldemort had not been prepared for.

After their arrival at Grimmauld Place, and the discovery of the identity of R.A.B., Hermione recalls the "heavy locket that none of them could open." Remembering that Kreacher had been stealing things back that they had been trying to discard, the Trio search Kreacher's sleeping area with no result, and then Harry summons Kreacher. Kreacher says that the locket is unfinished business for him, he had been told to destroy it and had not been able to. He also says that Mundungus had stolen it from him. Winning Kreacher over to his side by saying that they were planning to destroy the locket, and by giving Kreacher another locket which had been his old master's, Harry sends Kreacher out to find Mundungus.

When Mundungus arrives a few days later, under threat of "persuasion" by Kreacher he admits to having taken the locket, but then had it extorted from him by Dolores Umbridge.

In the Hog's Head, Harry happens to see a magic mirror, twin to the one given to him by Sirius Black. The bartender says that it had been sold to him by Mundungus, and he had been using it from time to time to keep an eye on what Harry was doing.

When Harry relives Severus Snape's memories, he sees the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, in conference with Snape, developing the plan of having multiple mock Potters to allow the escape from Privet Drive. Dumbledore says that this is Harry's only chance of escape, as Snape must give Voldemort Harry's true departure date to stay in Voldemort's inner council, and suggests that Mundungus should be the one to mention it to the Order. We later see a memory of Snape, in a pub, teaching this plan to a Confunded Mundungus.

Strengths
Mundungus evidently has significant magical abilities related to concealment and escape, as he is able to overpower Kreacher in order to steal the valuables from Grimmauld Place, and is able to hide from Kreacher for several days. Kreacher tells Harry that Mundungus was very tricky.

Weaknesses
Mundungus is a thief and primarily concerned with his own welfare. Although loyal to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, his criminal activities and selfish interests make him unreliable.

Relationships with Other Characters
Mundungus has several unsavory habits, including a preference for a blend of pipe "tobacco" that apparently smells quite strongly of burning socks, and a very loose set of ethics regarding other people's property and commerce laws, which make him less than popular with the stricter members of the Order. Molly Weasley seems to accept his membership in the Order only because Dumbledore does; the other members of the Order are more amused by him, but still don't seem to entirely trust him.

Mundungus himself, we are told, respects Dumbledore, and has joined the Order at Dumbledore's request out of that respect. Dumbledore feels that the Order needs to know what is happening in the Underworld, and needs to get its own message out to that population, in order to succeed.

Analysis
The real world is not composed entirely of heroes, villains, and the masses; apart from those wholly on the side of good, and those wholly on the side of evil, there are those on the fringe who don't care who's in power, but simply do what they need to do in order to survive, with no more concern for legality or ethics than they are forced to have. In a world as fully imagined as the world of Harry Potter, clearly we must find a similar underclass. Mundungus Fletcher is the sole representative of that underclass to whom we are introduced, though clearly, from his stories, we can see he is not the only denizen of that group. It might seem curious that so many of the stories we hear about the underworld end up involving Fletcher, but we must also bear in mind that with the limited Wizarding population, there are relatively few fringe dwellers.

Fletcher is, of course, critical to the success of the Twins' venture. We learned in the first book that some magical items are not tradeable, notably dragon eggs. If dragon eggs are prohibited goods, despite the useful qualities of dragons and dragon products (as seen by the high value placed on dragon liver in the Apothecary in Diagon Alley in that same book, and Dumbledore's oft-mentioned dissertation on The Twelve Uses of Dragon's Blood), clearly there must be other potentially-useful but prohibited magical items. Fred and George are experimenting with new fields of magic, and they will need proscribed ingredients and equipment in order to create the new potions, charms, and devices that they plan to sell. The only sources of such items would be the shops in Knockturn Alley, which seems to cater more for the very dark wizards, or Fletcher and his ilk. While we expect that the Twins will eventually visit Knockturn Alley in search of ingredients, Fletcher is likely able to procure them more cheaply, particularly in the smaller quantities the Twins would need initially. And Fletcher is grudgingly accepted as an associate of the Twins, through the Order of the Phoenix, which is a critical point while they are younger than 17 and so nominally under Molly Weasley's care.

It is also important to remember that, had it not been for Mundungus, Harry's quest would have ended prematurely. It was from him that Aberforth Dumbledore obtained the two-way magic mirror, which assisted him with effecting Harry's escape from Malfoy Manor. Had Mundungus not stolen said mirror, it is extremely unlikely Harry would have escaped.

Questions

 * 1) Why might Mundungus be a member of the Order of the Phoenix?


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Alice Longbottom

Overview
Alice Longbottom is Neville's mother. She was part of the Order of the Phoenix and worked alongside Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter.

Goblet of Fire
Harry sees a trial by the Wizengamot in Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve. The trial was of four Death Eaters, Barty Crouch Jr., Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange (Bellatrix's husband), and Rabastan Lestrange (Rodolphus' brother), who used the Cruciatus Curse on Frank Longbottom, in an attempt to discover what had happened to Lord Voldemort so that he could be returned to power. When that failed, they repeated the process on Alice Longbottom, Frank's wife, possibly in an attempt to get something out of him by forcing him to witness his loved one being hurt. As a result, Frank and Alice both lost most of their mental faculties, and they have both become irreversibly insane. Dumbledore tells Harry that the two of them are now residing at St. Mungo's, and asks Harry not to tell anyone else about this.

Order of the Phoenix
At the celebration feast for Ron and Hermione becoming Prefects, Alastor Moody shows Harry a picture of the old Order of the Phoenix. In that picture, we see Alice and Frank Longbottom smiling and waving.

Before Potions class one day, Draco Malfoy, taunting Harry, mentions something about people with mental infirmities being forced to stay at St. Mungo's. Neville, pushed beyond his endurance, tries to attack him, but is restrained by Harry and Ron. Ron and Hermione wonder what that was all about, but while Harry knows, he also cannot answer because of his promise to Dumbledore.

Just before Christmas, while Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione are visiting Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's, they run into Gilderoy Lockhart, and end up being brought to his ward to visit. There, then encounter Neville and his grandmother, who are visiting Neville's parents. Alice and Frank are sharing Lockhart's ward. Alice walks up to Neville and hands him an empty Drooble's bubblegum wrapper, as they are leaving. His grandmother suggests he throw it away because Alice has given him so many, but Harry thinks he sees Neville secretly slip it into his pocket. Harry can still see a resemblance to the picture Moody had showed him.

When Neville is captured by Death Eaters in the Battle in the Ministry, Bellatrix Lestrange says she will torture him as she tortured his parents. She is stopped only by the arrival of members of the Order arriving.

Strengths
Alice Longbottom was a strong woman mentally: despite witnessing her husband's torture and being tortured herself, she gave no information to the Death Eaters.

Relationships With Other Characters
Alice Longbottom, as mentioned, is the mother of Neville Longbottom and the wife of the disabled Frank Longbottom. She still seems to love her son, giving him what she can, even if it is only wrappers from Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Because of her mental disability, we cannot form any clear idea of what her actual relationships with other characters would have been.

Questions

 * 1) Why do you think Alice gives Neville bubble gum wrappers? What does this represent?

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Frank Longbottom

Overview
Frank Longbottom is Neville's father.

Goblet of Fire
Harry finds out by watching the scene of a trial, in Dumbledore's Pensieve, why Neville is being raised by his grandmother. Frank was an Auror, and shortly after Lord Voldemort's disappearance was attacked and tortured by Barty Crouch Jr., Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, and Rabastan Lestrange, who used the Cruciatus Curse on him and his wife, Alice, until they lost most of their mental faculties. The two of them are now residing at St. Mungo's.

Order of the Phoenix
At the celebration feast for Ron and Hermione becoming Prefects, Alastor Moody shows Harry a picture of the old Order. In that picture, we see Alice and Frank Longbottom smiling and waving.

Before Potions class one day, Draco Malfoy, taunting Harry, mentions something about people with mental infirmities being forced to stay at S. Mungo's. Neville, pushed beyond his endurance, tries to attack him, but is restrained by Harry and Ron. Ron and Hermione wonder what that was all about, but while Harry knows, he also cannot answer because of his promise to Dumbledore.

Just before Christmas, while Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione are visiting Mr. Weasley at St. Mungo's, they run into Neville and his grandmother who are visiting Neville's parents.

When Neville is captured by Death Eaters in the Battle in the Ministry, Bellatrix Lestrange says she will torture him as she tortured his parents. She is stopped only by the arrival of members of the Order arriving.

Strengths
In order to be employed as an Auror, Frank must have been a quite skilled wizard.

Analysis
Neville Longbottom's parents were not killed, since this is not a killing curse. They were driven to madness and reside in a special ward (for those suffering from long-term spell damage) at St. Mungo's Hospital.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Dorcas Meadowes

Overview
Dorcas Meadowes is a past member of the Order of the Phoenix, who had been killed in Voldemort's previous reign of terror.

Order of the Phoenix
Alastor Moody shows Dorcas' picture to Harry in the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, saying that she had been personally killed by Lord Voldemort while in the Order of the Phoenix.

Strengths
She was a likely strong and powerful witch as (said by Alastor Moody) she was killed personally by Voldemort.

Relationships with Other Characters
It is assumed that due to her similar age to the rest of the order that she would have been at Hogwarts at similar times to James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Lily Evans.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Marlene McKinnon

Overview
Marlene McKinnon is a former member of the Order of the Phoenix who was killed along with her family.

Philosopher's Stone
In their first meeting, Hagrid mentions to Harry that Voldemort killed some of the best wizards of the age such as the McKinnons, along with the Bones and the Prewetts.

Goblet of Fire
As part of his attempt to plea-bargain his way out of Azkaban, Igor Karkaroff accuses Travers of killing the McKinnons.

Order of the Phoenix
At the celebratory party at Grimmauld Place for Ron and Hermione's appointment as Prefects, Alastor Moody shows Harry a photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix. Marlene McKinnon is in that photo, and Moody says that she and her family had been killed by Death Eaters.

Deathly Hallows
McKinnons are mentioned in a letter written to Sirius by Lily. In the letter Lily mentions that she cried all evening after hearing of McKinnons´ murder.

Relationships with Other Characters
She and her family seems to have friendly relationship with some of the Order members. Lily mentioned in the letter to Sirius Peter was sad probably because of the death of McKinnons and that she (Lily) cried all evening when she got the news.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Merpeople

Overview
The Merpeople are a race of aquatic people, at least one group of whom live in the lake on the grounds of Hogwarts.

Extended Description
Merpeople do not much resemble the Muggle idea of mermaids and mermen. They are very thin, with very long arms and a fish's tail; some are armed with spears. They have high-pitched voices, and seem to be able to speak, or at least parrot, some English words; however, among themselves they generally speak their own language, Mermish. Above water their singing or speech sounds like a screech, yet underwater it is eerie and hypnotic.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, to solve the puzzle of the second challenge, Harry makes use of the Prefect's bathroom. There is a painting of a mermaid on the wall there; however, as Harry discovers when the Challenge actually happens, the painting is very different from the reality. The clue is actually a merpeople song, that has to be listened to under water to be understood.

The second Challenge actually is to rescue four people, one for each Champion, from under the lake. They are guarded by Merpeople, and the way the Challenge is worded, it would appear that they had kidnapped the people; in fact, however, the four "detainees" (for want of a better word) were Stunned by Professor McGonagall and handed over to the merpeople.

Before points are awarded for completion of the challenge, Professor Dumbledore consults with the mer-chieftainess to determine what actually happened; the fact that Harry had waited and then rescued detainees other than the one that was his main concern, as confirmed by the mer-chieftainess, counted in his favour in the competition.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Merpeople come near the surface of the lake and sing a haunting song at Dumbledore's funeral.


text:
User:Tommy Irianto~enwikibooks

Craft13 00:13, 26 July 2006 (UTC) hey do u know how to get to the classes

title: User:Tommy Irianto~enwikibooks


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Parvati Patil

Overview
Parvati Patil is a Gryffindor in Harry's year, twin sister to Padma Patil, and close friend of Lavender Brown. She favours Professor Trelawney's Divination lessons above all others.

Philosopher's Stone
Parvati's name is called at the Sorting shortly before Harry's.

After Neville's accident in his first Flying lesson, Draco jeers at Neville's expression; Parvati tells him to shut up, and Pansy Parkinson accuses her of being sweet on Neville. When Harry is caught by Professor McGonagall, Parvati tries to defend him, but McGonagall cuts her and Ron off before they can explain.

As they go down to the Hallowe'en Feast, Harry and Ron overhear Parvati telling her friend Lavender Brown that Hermione was crying in the girls' toilet and wanted to be left alone. Ron, who had made harsh comments about her following Charms class, seems to feel a bit awkward about this revelation.

Prisoner of Azkaban
In Professor Lupin's first Defence Against the Dark Arts class, Harry's class is learning the Riddikulus charm against Boggarts. Confronted by Parvati, the Boggart takes the form of a mummy. As they leave the class, Parvati wonders why Professor Lupin is afraid of crystal balls.

When Professor Trelawney's nebulous prediction, about something that Lavender Brown is fearing, is slightly matched by actual events, Lavender and Parvati become convinced that Trelawney can predict the future. They will spend much of their time in the Divination classroom after this. Their belief is fueled also by Hermione's decision to drop Divination, which they see as fulfillment of Trelawney's prediction in September that "around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever."

Goblet of Fire
Colin Creevey excitedly tells Harry that his brother Dennis will be entering Hogwarts this year, and hopes that Dennis will be Sorted into Gryffindor. Harry asks Hermione if brothers and sisters generally end up in the same House. Hermione points out that Padma and Parvati Patil are twins, yet while Parvati ended up in Gryffindor, Padma is a Ravenclaw.

Harry must find a dance partner to attend the Yule Ball with, as he has been told that he will be leading off the dancing. When Cho Chang regretfully turns him down, Harry, in some desperation, sees Parvati and Lavender entering the common room, and asks Parvati if she will go to the Ball with him. She accepts. Harry, knowing Ron is also dateless, asks Lavender on Ron's behalf, but she has been invited by someone else. Parvati mentions that her sister Padma does not yet have a date, and Harry asks if she'd be willing to go with Ron. Parvati says she will ask.

Parvati meets Harry in the Gryffindor common room, and they head down to the Entrance Hall with Ron. (Fred and George in passing ask Harry how he and Ron had managed to hook up with the most beautiful girls in the school.) Harry, as one of the Champions, must wait until all the others have entered the Great Hall, and then the four Champions with their dates parade in and up to head table. After dinner, the four Champions open the dance; Parvati leads Harry out onto the floor. Harry is glad to see, as others join them, that he is not the worst dancer there; Neville, for instance, is repeatedly stepping on Ginny's feet. Professor Moody, dancing past, comments on Harry's mis-matched socks (hand-knitted for him by Dobby), and Parvati comments that she feels that eye of his is creepy. When Harry chooses to sit out the next dance, Parvati leaves, finding a Beauxbatons boy to dance with instead.

After Christmas, Rita Skeeter publishes an article in which she exposes Hagrid's half-Giant ancestry. Hagrid, too embarrassed to leave his hut, stops teaching Care of Magical Creatures and sends his resignation in. For the next week, Care of Magical Creatures is taught by Professor Grubbly-Plank. After the first lesson, concerning the unicorn, Parvati is heard to comment that this was a much better lesson than they usually got from Hagrid, and that she hopes that Professor Grubbly-Plank will be there for a long time. Harry privately agrees with her, but knows it would be disloyal to say anything.

When Professor Dumbledore refuses to accept Hagrid's resignation, he returns to teaching, and apparently decides to show that he can teach the material at least as well as Professor Grubbly-Plank. He continues the lessons on the Unicorn; this time, he has captured a pair of foals, and Parvati and Lavender are entranced by them.

Order of the Phoenix
Parvati Patil is talking with Lavender Brown when Harry arrives in the Great Hall at the start of the school year. They greet Harry with a light, airy unconcern that tells Harry that they had been discussing him before he arrived.

In the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class of the year, Hermione wonders when they will be actually practicing defensive magic. Professor Umbridge says that she can't see any time when people will be attacked in her classroom. Parvati, following Dean Thomas' repeated question about the possibility of attacks outside the classroom, asks if there is a practical part of the OWL exams. Umbridge over-sweetly explains that the Ministry feels that understanding the principles of defensive magic will be sufficient preparation for the practical exam.

On the second day of classes, when Professor Grubbly-Plank asks if anyone can identify the creatures she has in front of her, Hermione puts her hand up, and Draco imitates her. Pansy shrieks with laughter, then screams as the little bundles of twigs on the table jump up. Lavender and Parvati let out little sighs of amazement, which annoy Harry: it is not like Hagrid had not been showing them fantastic creatures all along.

As Harry enters the greenhouse for Herbology on the second day of classes, Luna Lovegood says that she believes Harry. Parvati and Lavender laugh at Luna and her earrings that appear to be orange radishes, but become much more sober when Ernie Macmillan loudly states that he believes Harry's report of the return of Voldemort.

Parvati is one of the students who attends the first meeting of what becomes Dumbledore's Army, in the Hog's Head.

After receiving her evaluation from Umbridge, Professor Trelawney seems distraught. Parvati and Lavender ask her what is wrong, and catch a lot of the resulting diatribe against "the establishment".

One of the memories that Harry uses to sustain himself in Umbridges's class, once Dumbledore's Army starts meeting regularly, is of Parvati producing a Reductor curse that reduced the table under the Sneakoscopes to dust.

With Hagrid's absence on his mission for Dumbledore, Professor Grubbly-Plank has been teaching Care of Magical Creatures for most of the first term. When Hagrid does return, reactions are mixed, with Fred and George being overjoyed, but Parvati and Lavender seem slightly dismayed.

When Hagrid, on his first day back, teaches about Thestrals, Parvati is scared, saying that they are really unlucky, bringing misfortune to those who see them, according to Professor Trelawney. Hagrid counters by saying that they are dead useful, not unlucky at all.

Parvati and Lavender are seen hugging each other and crying quietly as Professor Trelawney is sacked by a cheerfully sarcastic Umbridge.

The following day, Lavender and Parvati suggest that Hermione should now be sorry that she had given up Divination, as the new teacher is Firenze. Hermione says that she was not terribly fond of horses, and Lavender, indignant, says that he isn't a horse, he's a Centaur. Hermione dismisses this, saying he still has four legs. Lavender says also that she and Parvati had gone to see Professor Trelawney and had found that she was distraught, still, and was saying that she would prefer to leave the school.

Lavender tells Ron that Firenze will be teaching in Classroom Eleven, on the ground floor, as he cannot manage the ladders that lead up to the tower. Reaching the classroom, everyone is surprised to see that it has been turned into a replica of a clearing in the Forbidden Forest. When Firenze says that he would prefer that this course be taught in the Forest, Parvati says that they have been there with Hagrid, and are not afraid. Firenze says that it is on his account that they are not in the Forest, as he has been banished by his herd. Firenze then begins teaching about the stars, and Parvati repeats things that Professor Trelawney has told them; Firenze dismisses this, saying that Trelawney, as a human, suffers from the limitations of humankind. Parvati is not the only one disgruntled by this dismissal.

Half-Blood Prince
With the departure of Professor Umbridge and the reinstatement of Professor Dumbledore as Headmaster, Professor Trelawney is also reinstated. Professor McGonagall tells Parvati and Lavender that Professor Trelawney and Firenze have split up Divination, and that Trelawney will be taking the sixth-year classes. Parvati heads off to Divination class looking slightly disappointed.

Shortly before Christmas, Parvati and Hermione have a conversation about the Christmas party that Professor Slughorn will be hosting. Hermione, who has been annoyed with Ron ever since his relationship with Lavender Brown became apparent, seems to be provoking Ron with her announcement that she has invited Cormac McLaggen as her guest.

After Dumbledore's death at the end of the school year, Parvati and her sister Padma are both pulled out of school by their parents, making them unable to attend the funeral.

Deathly Hallows
When Harry, Ron and Hermione reach Hogwarts, they find Parvati Patil, among others, in hiding in the Room of Requirement. As Neville had been using this room as a way to stay at Hogwarts as the leader of the revived Dumbledore's Army, it is likely that Parvati had similarly found living openly in Hogwarts too dangerous and had retreated to the Room of Requirement so that she could continue the work of Dumbledore's Army in safety. Parvati joins in the Battle of Hogwarts, but we don't directly see what she is doing, aside from duelling Travers and then helping Dean duel Antonin Dolohov.

Weaknesses
Mummies (as seen when the Boggart in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban takes that form).

Relationships with Other Characters
She attended the Yule Ball with Harry Potter but it's not known if she has had a romantic relationship with anyone.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Jack Sloper

Overview
Jack Sloper is a Beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Along with Andrew Kirke, he takes over for Fred and George Weasley after the latter are suspended from playing Quidditch.

Order of the Phoenix
In the last meeting of Dumbledore's Army before Christmas, Angelina Johnson tells Harry that they have finally managed to get replacement Beaters. Alicia Spinnet says the new beaters are Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper, and that they are nowhere as good as Fred and George, but were the best of a very bad lot.

On February 14th, Ron says that he can't go to Hogsmeade, because Angelina wants a full day's practice. Ron is skeptical that it will help, because Sloper and Kirke are even worse than he is.

The following weekend, in the match against Ravenclaw, it is remarked that one of the low points of the game is Sloper swinging at a Bludger, missing, and hitting Angelina in the mouth with his bat.

Sloper is later mentioned at Easter Break. Ginny, meeting Harry in the library, tells him that Quidditch practice had ended early because Ron had had to take Sloper to the Hospital Wing. They are not sure what happened, but they think he knocked himself out with his own bat.

Half-Blood Prince
Jack carries a message from Albus Dumbledore to Harry, then asks Harry when try-outs are.

When try-outs happen two weeks later, Jack is passed over; the new Beaters are Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote.

Strengths
Jack appears to have at least some knowledge of Quidditch; although he is comically shown to not be a particularly good Beater, he does successfully try out for the position (and, in fact, is part of a team that wins the Quidditch Cup). He is also keen to try out again in the following year.

Although he delivers a message to Harry at one point, this may just be coincidental. Anyone can deliver a message; Jack was just an available Gryffindor.

Weaknesses
Despite liking Quidditch, Jack is not very good at it. He does try out again for the position in Harry's sixth year, but is not successful.

Relationships with Other Characters
Jack is presumably on relatively good terms with Andrew Kirke, as they work together as Beaters on the Quidditch team. He also knows Harry by association, as he addresses him as "Harry" when delivering his message.

Questions

 * 1) Why is Jack on the Quidditch team when he lacks the necessary ability?
 * 2) How old do you think Jack might be? Why is this?


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Padma Patil

Overview
Padma Patil is a member of Ravenclaw house in Harry's year, and twin sister to Parvati Patil.

Philosopher's Stone
We hear Padma's name called at the Sorting, followed immediately by Parvati's.

Goblet of Fire
Colin Creevey excitedly tells Harry that his brother Dennis will be entering Hogwarts this year, and hopes that Dennis will be Sorted into Gryffindor. Harry asks Hermione if brothers and sisters generally end up in the same House. Hermione points out that Padma and Parvati Patil are twins, yet while Parvati ended up in Gryffindor, Padma is a Ravenclaw.

Harry must find a dance partner to attend the Yule Ball with, as he has been told that he will be leading off the dancing. When Cho Chang regretfully turns him down, Harry, in some desperation, sees Parvati and Lavender entering the common room, and asks Parvati if she will go to the Ball with him. She accepts. Harry, knowing Ron is also dateless, asks Lavender on Ron's behalf, but she has been invited by Seamus. Parvati mentions that her sister Padma does not yet have a date, and Harry asks if she'd be willing to go with Ron. Parvati says she will ask.

Padma evidently is willing, because she is waiting for Ron when he reaches the entrance hall. (Fred and George in passing ask Harry how he and Ron had managed to hook up with the most beautiful girls in the school.) Padma is rather upset by Ron's threadbare formal robes, despite his attempts to make them less horrible by removing the lace trim. She is further upset during the course of the ball that Ron does not seem to be paying her any attention, instead focusing on Hermione and Viktor Krum, her date. When Ron flatly tells Padma that he doesn't intend to dance, she leaves, finding a Beauxbatons boy to dance with instead.

After the Second Trask in the Triwizard Tournament, Padma acts more friendly and keener towards Ron, due to him having been Harry's hostage, who he had to rescue from the Black Lake.

Order of the Phoenix
On the Hogwarts Express, Ron, returning to Harry's compartment, tells Harry that the new Prefects from Ravenclaw are Padma Patil and Anthony Goldstein.

Padma Patil is present at the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army in the Hog's Head. While she doesn't say much there, she does seem interested in what Harry has to say, and also shows up for subsequent meetings in the Room of Requirement. In one of the meetings of Dumbledore's Army, we see her paired with her sister Pavati, trading jinxes.

Half-Blood Prince
While Padma doesn't appear much, her sister Parvati mentions several times that they're parents want them out of Hogwarts for their safety. After Dumbledore's death, they're both pulled out of school the following morning, making them unable to attend the funeral.

Deathly Hallows
When Harry, Ron and Hermione reach Hogwarts, they find Padma Patil, among others, in hiding in the Room of Requirement. As Neville had been using this room as a way to stay at Hogwarts as the leader of the revived Dumbledore's Army, it is likely that Padma had similarly found living openly in Hogwarts too dangerous and had retreated to the Room of Requirement so that she could continue the work of Dumbledore's Army in safety. Padma joins in the Battle of Hogwarts, but we don't directly see what she is doing.

Strengths
Smart, sensible, and considered the most responsible of the two twins after becoming a Ravenclaw prefect.

Analysis
While the films are not canon, for reasons outlined in the Project Standards, we will note here that Padma is placed alongside Parvati in Gryffindor House in the films. We do not pretend to be able to understand why this was done; perhaps the producers of the films felt that explanation would be required if identical twins were Sorted into different Houses. We note that the author believed no such explanation was necessary.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Adrian Pucey

Overview
Adrian Pucey is on the Slytherin Quidditch team. He is a student, significantly older than Harry, but little described. We never seem to see him except as part of the Slytherin Quidditch team.

Philosopher's Stone
Adrian Pucey is mentioned as being one of the Chasers on the Slytherin Quidditch team. While he manages several shots on goal, he does not succeed in scoring against Oliver Wood.

Chamber of Secrets
Adrian Pucey is mentioned twice as being on the Slytherin Quidditch team, apparently still as a Chaser, as at one point we see him trying to score against Wood. Harry can't spare much attention for him, as he is trying to avoid a rogue bludger, so we do not see much else of what is going on.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Adrian Pucey is not mentioned as being on the Slytherin Quidditch team in the final, although as Marcus Flint has evidently changed the line-up to favour brawn over skill, it's likely Pucey has been sidelined. In this match, Flint, Warrington, and Montague are mentioned as being Chasers, Derrick and Bole as Beaters, Draco Malfoy as Seeker, and the Keeper is never named.

Goblet of Fire
Quidditch being suspended for the year because of the Triwizard Tournament, Pucey does not play any role in this book.

Order of the Phoenix
Harry takes part in only one Quidditch match, again against Slytherin. In this match, Pucey, Warrington, and Montague are mentioned as being Chasers, Crabbe and Goyle as Beaters, Draco Malfoy as Seeker, and Miles Bletchley as Keeper. Pucey scores several times against Ron, who is Keeper for Gryffindor.

Analysis
Adrian Pucey is notable for being one of the few Slytherin Quidditch players who has not committed a foul during a game or attacked an opposing player outside the game, despite having played Quidditch in three books and at least five years.

Questions

 * 1) Do you think Adrian Pucey was a Pure-blood?
 * 2) Do you think everyone who played on the Slytherin Quidditch Team was a Pure-blood?


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Tom Marvolo Riddle

Overview
Tom Marvolo Riddle, the only child of the Muggle Tom Riddle and witch Merope Gaunt, attended Hogwarts some fifty years before the story opens. He was born on 31 December; internal evidence in the series indicates that this would have fallen in the late 1920s, some sources indicate that he was born in 1926.

Chamber of Secrets
A secret diary, originally belonging to Tom Riddle, plays an important part in the plot. Through magic embedded in it, Riddle's memory bewitches Ginny Weasley into opening the Chamber of Secrets and releasing a monster that attacks Muggle-born students. When Ginny becomes frightened by the diary's power, she throws it away. Harry happens upon it, and the diary shows him a day fifty years before, when Rubeus Hagrid was accused of opening the Chamber and releasing the monster. Later, with the diary back in Ginny's possession, Riddle's memory summons her to the Chamber of Secrets; there he begins draining her life force to restore his own body. Harry kills the monster, then destroys the diary, vanquishing Riddle's memory, and saving Ginny's life. Harry discovers the diary had been surreptitiously slipped to Ginny by Lucius Malfoy.

During the battle inside the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle is revealed to be the same person as Lord Voldemort.

Goblet of Fire
Tom Riddle's name never appears, though it can be inferred: Tom Riddle of Riddle Manor, who we deduce is Tom Marvolo Riddle's father, is mentioned as having been found incomprehensibly dead along with his parents some fifty years before. Riddle Manor, the house in Little Hangleton, plays a part in the story.

Order of the Phoenix
During the duel between Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore repeatedly calls his opponent "Tom", much to his annoyance.

Half-Blood Prince
Dumbledore tells Harry they will be having private lessons throughout the year. Harry, intrigued, wonders what special magic Dumbledore will teach him, but is surprised by the first session; it seems they will be studying Tom Riddle as he grew up. By watching memories in Dumbledore's Pensieve, Harry (and thus the reader) becomes acquainted with Lord Voldemort's origins and why he discarded his birth name, Tom Marvolo Riddle. Professor Dumbledore always refers to him by this name, even when he is calling himself Voldemort.

Tom is never seen as an infant, but we see his mother, Merope, uncle Morfin, and grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt at their ramshackle house. Merope has become infatuated with the handsome Muggle, Tom Riddle. Shortly after Marvolo and Morfin were arrested and imprisoned, the homely Merope eloped with Riddle. Dumbledore suggests she possibly used a love potion to coerce him into marrying her, but may have stopped using it after becoming pregnant, perhaps believing that bearing his child would keep him with her. Tom Riddle quickly abandoned Merope and their unborn offspring.

Tom Marvolo Riddle, Merope Gaunt's son, is first seen in the orphanage where he grew up. Dumbledore has arrived to offer the 11-year-old boy admission to Hogwarts. Discussing Tom with the orphanage matron, Dumbledore learns that Merope passed away shortly after giving birth one New Years' Eve; she asked that her son be named Tom, after his father, and Marvolo after his grandfather. Tom, a quiet and withdrawn boy, apparently lacked friends. Strange things happen around Tom, but nothing directly caused by him; he also frightened the other orphans. On the annual seaside outing, two children were terrified by something to do with a cave, but neither would discuss it. In Dumbledore's memories, Tom appears assured far beyond his years, though he remains a solitary figure. He is initially suspicious when Dumbledore visits, believing he may be a doctor from a psychiatric hospital, but is won over by Dumbledore displaying magic. Interestingly, Tom seems bothered when Dumbledore mentions that someone named Tom works at the Leaky Cauldron. Tom dislikes his name, for some reason. Almost as an afterthought, Tom mentions he can talk with snakes.

Dumbledore says few memories still exist concerning Tom Riddle's school years; those who do remember Tom are reluctant to discuss him. One memory belongs to Tom's uncle, Morfin Gaunt. Morfin evidently believed that Tom, now grown, was his father, Tom Sr., and it was only after Tom spoke in Parseltongue that Morfin realized he was Merope's son. Tom then apparently Stunned Morfin, stole the Gaunt signet ring and Morfin's wand, then killed his Muggle father, Tom Riddle, Sr., and his father's parents. Morfin's memory was modified so that Morfin recalled killing the Muggles, and forgot Tom's presence.

Tom is seen in a memory belonging to Professor Slughorn. Tom, wearing the Gaunt ring, is among his school cronies, then later asks Slughorn about Horcruxes. In this memory, which Dumbledore says is obviously edited, Slughorn claims he knows nothing about Horcruxes. Dumbledore tells Harry that obtaining the original memory is crucial, and he alone is uniquely equipped to retrieve it. If he fails, Dumbledore's lessons will be useless.

Another memory belonging to a house-elf, Hokey, shows Tom, who now works for Borgin & Burkes, as he calls on an elderly but vain witch, Hepzibah Smith. Taken with Tom's charm, she shows him her most treasured items: Salazar Slytherin's locket, and Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Greed and suppressed anger at seeing the locket swell up in Tom, who apparently remembers Morfin Gaunt telling him that Merope took it with her when she left. Hepzibah died soon after Tom's visit, apparently accidentally poisoned by Hokey; her two treasures had vanished.

In another memory, Tom is applying for the post as Hogwarts' Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor. Then-headmaster Dippet turned him down, saying he lacked real-world experience. In Dumbledore's own memory set some years later, Tom is again refused the position, this time because Dumbledore distrusts Tom to teach the subject. Dumbledore notes Tom's changed appearance, and knows he now calls himself Voldemort, though he still addresses him as Tom. Dumbledore is also aware that Tom's supporters have accompanied him to Hogsmeade.

Some time later, Harry secures Slughorn's unedited memory. In response to Tom's questions, Slughorn responds that a Horcrux is among the darkest things in Dark magic. Murdering someone tears the soul; with incantations, which Slughorn professes not to know, a torn-off soul fragment can be encapsulated into another object, which is a Horcrux. The Horcrux binds the soul to earth when the body housing it is killed. Tom then asks, if one Horcrux can give immortality, would more not be better? Is not seven the most magical number? Slughorn is horrified by this suggestion; Tom claims it is purely an academic question, but Harry notes his triumphant expression, similar to the one Tom had when Dumbledore told him he was a wizard.

Dumbledore reveals that the diary in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was one of Tom's Horcruxes. It allowed Riddle's memory to think and act independently and to nearly become a material person by sapping Ginny Weasley's life force. Discovering this worried Dumbledore, as Horcruxes would normally be kept safely stored and hidden, and yet the diary seemed crafted as a weapon, in addition to a means of immortality. Dumbledore feels certain that this would not have been done if it had been the only Horcrux Tom had made; with this memory, he understands that Tom, or Voldemort, would have made six Horcruxes, leaving a total of seven soul fragments. Two, the diary and the Gaunt ring, have been found and eliminated, likely leaving four more. When he finds another, Dumbledore says Harry can accompany him to help retrieve and destroy it.

Dumbledore surmises that Tom only used significant objects to craft his Horcruxes, including ones tied to his heritage. The Gaunt ring, for instance, is an ancient family heirloom, as is the Slytherin locket. Dumbledore explains the diary's importance, saying that it having been used to open the Chamber was proof that Tom is the heir of Slytherin. Dumbledore suggests further that, even as the Horcruxes were made from significant items, they will also be hidden in particularly significant places. The ring was found in the Gaunt shack, for instance.

Dumbledore summons Harry to his office one final time, telling him he has located the sea cave where Tom took his two young victims from the orphanage. Dumbledore believes that, as this was where Tom's earliest triumph took place, it is extremely likely a Horcrux is hidden there. Tom had, in fact, concealed a Horcrux there, though an as-yet unknown person found and removed it later.

Deathly Hallows
Slytherin's locket, mentioned in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is recovered and proves to be a Horcrux, as expected. Harry finally manages to open it. It is mentioned that the eyes in the locket Horcrux are Tom Riddle's handsome eyes, from before he changed his appearance to its current snakelike state.

While his name is not mentioned explicitly, Harry learns that Tom once charmed the Grey Lady, who is the ghost of Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter, into revealing where Ravenclaw's lost diadem was hidden. Having then retrieved the diadem, Tom had converted it into a Horcrux and hidden it in the Room of Requirement.

When Harry is dueling Voldemort, Harry addresses him as "Tom" or "Riddle", to show he rejects the power of Riddle's "new" name.

Just after he dies, the text says that "Tom Riddle hit the floor".

Strengths
Tom is an extremely powerful wizard, intelligent, ambitious and resourceful. Even before receiving any training, he is able to produce somewhat-controlled magic, without using a wand. He is also able to perform NEWT-level magic, probably before he has even completed his OWLs.

In Hokey's and Horace Slughorn's memories, we learn that Tom, a handsome lad, can be extremely persuasive and charming, traits he often uses to gain an advantage. His charismatic personality attracts and retains followers to his inner circle, though he never considers anyone as a "friend".

Weaknesses
Professor Slughorn's memory shows that even as a teen-aged boy, Tom was already so consumed with his own immortality that he had created a Horcrux. (Evidence in the series indicates that the Gaunt ring was made into a Horcrux on the same night it was stolen from his maternal uncle, Morfin; thus, when it was seen on Riddle's hand in that memory, it was already a Horcrux.) This would indicate that he deeply feared death.

In Dumbledore's memories, we see that Tom Riddle was always very much alone, apparently preferring it that way. He had no companions at the orphanage, and refused any assistance, other than funds, with buying his school supplies in Diagon Alley. This determination to do everything himself, which he likely perceives as strength, actually masks a major weakness, an inability to understand how other peoples' minds truly work. Also, he, unlike Harry Potter, failed to realize that to succeed in anything, you must have loyal allies. He also lacks any capacity to love, resulting in his having no friends, loved ones, or family from which he can derive strength and comfort.

Relationships with Other Characters
Tom always appeared to be a solitary figure, usually preferring his own company. At the orphanage he has no friends as the other children feared him, and at Hogwarts he gathered followers, not schoolmates, though he treated them like friends in public. Even at this young age, those who gravitated to Tom seemed mostly interested in gaining something, rather than befriending him, and perhaps feared reprisals if they left. Tom never considered anyone, ally or enemy, worth his respect, and only trusted himself.

Tom had no interest in or loyalty to his immediate family, killing every one he met, including his Muggle father, paternal grandparents, and maternal uncle. Although his father abandoned him and his mother, his other relatives never inflicted any harm on Tom, though this had no effect on his decision to murder them. Any feelings he may have had for his late mother are unknown, though he despised his father for having deserted her. Probably the only one Riddle did admire was Salazar Slytherin, his ancient ancestor.

It is said that the only person Lord Voldemort ever feared was Albus Dumbledore. This fear probably started with Dumbledore's display of magic before Tom in the orphanage, and was not dimmed over the years, despite Tom's having assumed the new name.

Tom seemed to have some degree of respect for his Head of House, Horace Slughorn, though it's likely that this was merely a form of flattery in order to get information. Nonetheless it is implied that he at least recognized that Slughorn was a talented and knowledgeable wizard, shown by his certainty that the professor would have the information he needed about Horcruxes.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Augustus Rookwood

Overview
Augustus Rookwood was an Unspeakable, working in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic.

Note that in early editions of the British version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the name appears as Algernon Rookwood. It is corrected in later editions.

Goblet of Fire
In Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve, Harry re-lives Dumbledore's memory of a hearing at the Wizengamot, in which Igor Karkaroff is naming Death Eaters in an attempt to get his sentence reduced. The only name he comes up with that is unknown to the Aurors is that of Augustus Rookwood, who had been passing information to the Death Eaters. Rookwood is apparently an employee of the Ministry.

Immediately after this, Harry relives Dumbledore's memory of the trial of Ludovic Bagman. Bagman says that he had been passing information to Rookwood, but that he thought he was "one of ours," as he was in the Ministry. In part, perhaps, because of his fame (he was still a Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps Quidditch team at that point), he is absolved of all charges and released.

Order of the Phoenix
Augustus Rookwood is one of the ten Death Eaters who break out of Azkaban. We later learn that they have broken out because the Dementors have left to join Voldemort.

In one of Harry's dreams where he is sharing Voldemort's thoughts, he sees Rookwood reporting to Voldemort that the plan that had been suggested for retrieving something from the Ministry was bound to fail. Rookwood had worked in the Department of Mysteries, and knew about the protective measures in place.

Rookwood is one of the twelve Death Eaters who take part on the Battle at the Ministry. He is the only Death Eater not assigned a partner during the chase. He is later seen during the final battle dueling Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Deathly Hallows
Rookwood takes part in the battle at Hogwarts at the end of this book. Percy Weasley sees him, and takes off after him. He is last witnessed by Harry fighting and losing to Aberforth Dumbledore.

Strengths
The only time we directly see him, Rookwood is carrying bad news to Voldemort, and quite evidently in fear of punishment for carrying that news. We can assume that he has some strength of character, as many Death Eaters learn that Voldemort is in the habit of retaliating against the messenger; it must take some spiritual strength to inform Voldemort that his plan is doomed to failure.

Weaknesses
It could be argued that his loss dueling an elderly wizard (Aberforth Dumbledore) indicates a lack of magical ability. Against this, of course, we must mention that Aberforth was a member of an extremely powerful Wizarding family who was not only running a somewhat shady pub without apparent assistance from bouncers, but had been known for his dueling ability when he was at Hogwarts.

Relationships with Other Characters
Apart from one brief scene, where we see him cringing before Voldemort in fear for punishment for bringing bad news, we have no direct experience with Rookwood. However, we can guess that he is persuasive, as he had convinced people to pass information to him before he was imprisoned. Judging by everyone's reaction when Karkaroff named him as a Death Eater and Ludo Bagman's claims that his father was a friend of Rookwood's, he was probably affable and well-liked during his time as a spy.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Zacharias Smith

Overview
Zacharias Smith is a member of Dumbledore's Army and of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. He is rather obnoxious, and nobody in Dumbledore's Army seems to like him. He contrasts the Hufflepuff ideal of "loyal, kind, and hard-working".

Order of the Phoenix
Zacharias Smith is present at the first meeting of what will become Dumbledore's Army at the Hog's Head. He was invited to join after overhearing Hermione talking to Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott about starting it. Zacharias wonders out loud what Harry would have to teach them, given that he has said himself that he didn't do a lot of the stuff on his own, and the other students there present start listing off his accomplishments. He subsides, after a half-joking threat from Fred and George.

When Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four, banning all student groups that have not been approved by the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, is published, Ron immediately guesses that Zacharias Smith had told on them. Hermione says that that is impossible, as if he had, a spell on the parchment they had all signed would give him an awful set of facial blemishes.

At the first actual meeting of Dumbledore's Army, in the Room of Requirement, Harry elects to start the class off with the Disarming charm. Zacharias says this is too simple a charm to start with. Harry responds that it worked well enough against Voldemort, but Zacharias is free to leave if he feels the material is beneath him.

Professor Dumbledore requires that Harry learn Occlumency after Christmas, and assigns Professor Snape to be his instructor. Snape, telling Harry this, instructs him to explain this, if necessary, by saying he is taking Remedial Potions. When he must explain the new schedule for meetings of Dumbledore's Army, Zacharias is particularly supercilious.

Harry does note that Zacharias seems to be working harder in his classes after the mass breakout from Azkaban. Some time after this, though, Dumbledore's Army is betrayed, and Zacharias does not enter our story again in this book.

Half-Blood Prince
With the departure of Lee Jordan at his graduation at the end of the previous book, there is no announcer for Quidditch, so Zacharias is announcing the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Starting off being openly critical of Harry's choice of Ron Weasley as Keeper and Ginny Weasley as one of the three Chasers, he shortly changes his tune as Ginny scores the majority of the goals against Slytherin and Ron stops everything that comes his way. He remains critical of Gryffindor, however, until the end of the match. Swooping down to join the Gryffindor victory celebration, Ginny "forgets to brake" and runs into the announcer's tower, sending Zacharias tumbling onto the field in a shower of wood.

Zacharias is not, apparently, asked to announce for any other games; that honour passes to Luna Lovegood.

Following Dumbledore's death at the climax of the book, Zacharias does not stay for the funeral; he is escorted home by his "haughty-looking" father.

Deathly Hallows
We only see Smith in passing: as the underage wizards in the school are being evacuated to safety, Harry sees Zacharias Smith knocking several of them over in his haste to reach the Room of Requirement and the passage to safety at the Hog's Head.

Strengths
Since he is on the Hufflepuff team, it is likely he is a fairly good Quidditch player.

As a member of the DA, he has learned a fairly comprehensive amount of defensive magic from Harry and the other members.

Weaknesses
Zacharias is portrayed as a very self-centred individual. As mentioned, in his haste to depart Hogwarts before the battle in the final book, he bowls over several first-years in his own house, in contradiction to the "just and loyal" type that Hufflepuff House Sorts for.

Relationships with Other Characters
He is believed to have be on friendly terms with his fellow Hufflepuffs, Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott.

He is rather supercilious and dismissive of many other members of Dumbledore's Army, although he remains a member and is making an effort.

Analysis
There has been much discussion about why Zacharias is in Hufflepuff, seeing as he initially appears to have none of the related qualities.

It may be interesting to note, however, that he puts in a lot of work in the DA sessions, and that he does not betray the organisation as Marietta does, despite being given ample opportunity to do so. This shows a small amount of both hard work and loyalty, which are both Hufflepuff traits.

Questions

 * 1) Why is Zacharias in Hufflepuff?
 * 2) If he is so mistrusting of Harry and his friends, why does he sign up to the DA?
 * 3) Where do his real loyalties lie, if indeed he has any?
 * 4) He is a student in Harry's seventh year, so must have Blood Status. Is he a pure-blood or half-blood?

Greater Picture
The introduction of Zacharias may be an attempt by the author to show that not everyone is simply good or bad, or defined by their House, in this case. Zacharias, unlike every other Hufflepuff we meet, is rude, sarcastic and almost impossible to like.

The fact that he remains a loyal member of Dumbledore's Army, and not their betrayer, is a surprise to the reader, as they (like Ron) may have suspected him from the start.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Sturgis Podmore

Overview
Sturgis Podmore is a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He has straw-colored hair and a square jaw.

Order of the Phoenix
Sturgis Podmore is a member of the Advance Guard that arrives at the Dursleys' to bring Harry to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

When Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Hermione leave Grimmauld Place for the Hogwarts Express, they almost miss the train because Mad-Eye Moody is waiting for Sturgis, who was supposed to be one of the guards for Harry. Harry later finds a small article in the Daily Prophet that says Sturgis Podmore was found in the Ministry trying to get through a top-security door. He had not offered any defence of his actions, and had been sent to Azkaban for six months. Ron guesses that he had been lured there by the Ministry, because they knew he was one of "Dumbledore's lot." Hermione tentatively agrees.

After Harry sees Mr. Weasley attacked, Dumbledore sends Harry and the Weasley children to Grimmauld Place to get them out of the way of Umbridge. When Mrs. Weasley arrives to thank Harry for saving her husband, one of the thing she mentions is that it gave Dumbledore time to make up a story as to why he was there, and "you have no idea what trouble he would have been in otherwise, look at poor Sturgis..." The implication in this seeming throwaway line is that Mr. Weasley had been at the door that Sturgis had apparently been caught trying to go through.

Harry later hears, in a dream in which he experiences Voldemort's thoughts, that Bode had been put under the Imperius curse by Malfoy, in an attempt to retrieve something. Discussing this with Ron, Harry and Ron determine that the thing Voldemort had wanted Bode to retrieve was the weapon that had been mentioned at the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix immediately after Harry had arrived at Headquarters. The following morning, Hermione suggests that, as Lucius Malfoy had been present just outside the door to the Department of Mysteries immediately following Harry's hearing, he might have placed Sturgis under the Imperius Curse then. If Sturgis had been on guard at the door, he might have made some small noise; or Lucius could have just guessed that there was someone there and used the Imperius curse just in case there was someone.

Relationships with Other Characters
Sturgis Podmore might be related to Sir Patrick Podmore, of the headless hunt.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Gideon Prewett

Overview
Gideon Prewett was a member of the original Order of the Phoenix, and one of Molly Weasley's brothers.

Philosopher's Stone
In their first meeting, Hagrid mentions to Harry that Voldemort killed some of the best wizards of the age such as the Prewetts, along with the Bones and the McKinnons.

Order of the Phoenix
At the celebratory party at Grimmauld Place for Ron and Hermione's appointment as Prefects, Alastor Moody shows Harry a photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix. Gideon Prewett is in that photo, with his brother Fabian, and Moody says it took five Death Eaters to kill them.

Gideon and Fabian were Molly Weasley's brothers. It is in part because she has lost immediate family members to Death Eaters already that her greatest fear, as shown by the Boggart in that same chapter, is of her own family members dying. We suspect that her apparent fear that Harry will die is an indication that she feels Harry to be part of her family.

Strengths
Gideon was apparently a skilled wizard, evidenced by the fact that he and his brother fought through multiple Death Eaters before being killed.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Dean Thomas

Overview
Dean Thomas is a Gryffindor in Harry's year, who shares a dormitory with Harry, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Seamus Finnigan. Although there is no particular description in the UK editions of the book, in the US edition it is mentioned that he is a black Londoner.

Philosopher's Stone
Dean is sorted into Gryffindor where he meets Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom.

Dean, apparently of Muggle origins, like Harry, has never heard of Quidditch, and so has a poster of the West Ham football team that he puts up over his bed in the dormitory. Ron, who had had an argument with Dean about football and how a game with only one ball and two goals could be any good, is seen at one point poking the poster with his wand to try and make the players move.

At Harry's first Quidditch match, Seamus, Neville, and Dean have made a banner that reads "Potter for President". Dean, who is apparently something of an artist, had painted the Gryffindor lion underneath that, and Hermione had charmed it so that the paint flashed different colours. When the Snitch first appears, Harry is about to grab it when he is fouled by Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain. Dean demands that the ref send Flint off, and Ron explains that you can't do that in Quidditch.

Later on in the year, when Harry, Neville and Hermione are caught wandering the corriders at night, Gryffindor house loses a total of 150 points, which puts them in last place. It is possible that Dean was one of the Gryffindors that was mad at Harry, Neville and Hermione for lowering their chances of getting the House Cup.

Towards the end of the year, Albus Dumbledore awards points to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville for their good actions that lead to stopping Quirinus Quirrell from stealing the Sorcerer's Stone. The points that he awards them puts them ahead of Slytherin House, making them win the House Cup for the first time in seven years. It can be assumed that Dean was very happy by this.

At the end of the year, Dean rode the Hogwarts Express to go back to his parents.

Chamber of Secrets
Dean joins Gilderoy Lockhart’s dueling club and witnessed Harry speaking parseltongue, a rare dark art. He also shared speculation about the Chamber of Secrets during the year. He was also believed to be at risk due to him being muggleborn.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Dean offers to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on Harry's permission slip to facilitate Harry's visiting Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, by this point Harry has already told Professor McGonagall of the issue with his permission slip, so this does not happen.

Order of the Phoenix
When Harry and Neville reach the dormitory on Harry's first night back at Hogwarts, Dean says that Seamus has had a rough summer, largely due to the scurrilous reports in the Daily Prophet which have been painting Harry as a dangerous lunatic and Dumbledore as a senile old fool. After Seamus and Ron reach an accommodation, Ron asks if anyone else had a problem with Harry. Dean says that it is not a problem for him, his parents are Muggles.

In the first Defence Against the Dark Arts class of the year, Hermione wonders when they will be actually practicing defensive magic. Professor Umbridge says that she can't see any time when people will be attacked in her classroom. Echoing Harry, who Umbridge is ignoring, Dean points out that if they are going to be attacked, it will be outside the classroom. Umbridge over-sweetly explains that the Ministry feels that understanding the principles of defensive magic will be sufficient.

Dean is one of the students who attends the first meeting of what becomes Dumbledore's Army, in the Hog's Head.

Harry gives an interview to Rita Skeeter about the events surrounding Voldemort's return. The following Monday at dinner, he apparently tells Dean and Neville about it. Dean is awestruck, and says he can't wait to see Umbridge's reaction.

Dean is present in the first class with Firenze, the centaur teacher brought in to replace Professor Trelawney after Umbridge sacks her. Firenze says that he would prefer to teach these classes in the Forbidden Forest, but this is not possible, as he has been banished by his herd. Dean, excited at the possibility that there are more Centaurs, asks if Hagrid had been breeding them, like the Thestrals, and apparently immediately realizes that he has said something horrible. Firenze, after a pause in which Dean evinces extreme embarrassment, says that Centaurs are a race apart, having little to do with humans.

Dean is pleased to hear that OWL results won't arrive until sometime in July, as that means he won't have to worry about them until the middle of vacation. We see him later, practicing Charms theory with Seamus Finnigan.

Following the final OWL exam, Dean and Seamus tell Harry that they are planning a dusk-to-dawn end-of-OWLs celebration and suggest that one of the students, Harold Dingle, believes that he can get some Firewhisky. Harry is in a panic, trying to get in contact with Sirius, and pushes past without answering.

It is noted that Hedwig and Pigwidgeon are disturbed by Ron's outburst when he learns that Ginny is going out with Dean.

Half-Blood Prince
He is going out with Ginny Weasley without her brother Ron's approval. What makes Ron even madder is when he catches them "snogging" (kissing) in a secret hallway. Their relationship is ended when Harry, under the effects of a good luck potion, bumps into Ginny while under his Invisibility Cloak. Ginny thinks Dean purposely pushed her so he could help her get inside. So, much to Harry's good fortune, they break up.

Deathly Hallows
It is only in this book that we learn that Dean actually has been raised only by his mother. As Dean cannot prove that his father was a wizard, he is an outlaw for daring to have a wand. When we first see him, he is on the run with Ted Tonks, one Dirk (probably Dirk Cresswell) and the goblins Gornuk and Griphook. Ted, Dirk Cresswell, and Gornuk are ultimately killed, but Dean and Griphook escape only to later be captured by Snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Dobby arrives, and Harry has him carry Dean, along with Luna Lovegood and Ollivander who are also prisoners of the Malfoys, to safety. (Griphook is also saved, shortly after.)

Dean remains in safety at Shell Cottage, but rejoins our story to take part on the final battle at Hogwarts. As the gathered members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix leave the Room of Requirement to assist in the defence of Hogwarts, Dean takes Luna Lovegood's hand, and they leave together.

Later, during the Battle of Hogwarts, the trio see Dean - now with a wand - duelling Antonin Dolohov, while Parvati Patil is nearby duelling Travers.

Strengths
Dean is shown to be a skilled artist. It is Dean who paints the Gryffindor lion on the "Potter for President" banner that appears at Harry's first outing on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire he is apparently responsible for some other banners.

As he has also been a member of Dumbledore's Army, Dean is learned in defensive magic. During the final battle, he manages to win himself a wand, despite initially entering the mêlée without one.

Relationships with Other Characters
Dean was once in a short-lived romantic relationship with Ginny Weasley, although there are few details about this relationship and it is only mentioned in relation to Harry Potter's own love interests.

He is also best friends with Seamus Finnigan and gets on well with the other boys in his dormitory.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Roger Davies

Overview
Roger Davies is the Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and is one of the Chasers. He is a talented player and seems to be considered very good looking - Fleur Delacour evidently liked him enough to allow him to escort her to the Yule Ball.

Prisoner of Azkaban
Referred to only as 'Davis', Roger appears in the Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw Qudditch game, as he shakes hands with Gryffindor Captain Oliver Wood, telling us he's Captain of the Ravenclaw Qudditch Team.

Goblet of Fire
Roger appears at the Yule Ball as the date to Fleur Delacour, Triwizard Champion for Beauxbatons. Yule Ball.

Order of the Phoenix
In this book Cho Chang claimed to Harry that Roger asked her to go out with him but she turned him down in favour of Harry instead. Later in the fifth book, Roger and his date for the afternoon, a pretty blonde girl, ended up in Madam Puddifoot's in Hogsmeade - the same tea shop as Harry and Cho (and many other student couples). Talking with Harry about this afterwards, Hermione suggests that Cho likely was trying to use Roger's interest in her to make Harry jealous, and thus gauge Harry's interest in her. However, it seems to have only succeeded in confusing him. Roger later plays in the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch Match and manages to score at least one goal.

Relationships with Other Characters
During the Triwizard Tournament, Roger Davies dated Fleur Delacour. He was Fleur's partner for the Yule Ball – we are led to believe that this was Fleur's choice.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Travers

Overview
Travers (first name unknown) is a tall, thin Death Eater, part of Voldemort's organization in both his first and second times in power.

Goblet of Fire
As part of his attempt to plea-bargain his way out of Azkaban, Igor Karkaroff accuses Travers of killing Marlene McKinnon and her family. While this is ancient history at the time, Karkaroff having been imprisoned during Voldemort's first reign of terror, we see it in this book thanks to Professor Dumbledore's Pensieve.

Order of the Phoenix
Travers may have been among the Death Eaters who escaped from Azkaban during the mass breakout, though his name is not noted.

Deathly Hallows
We first hear of Travers in this book when Kingsley Shacklebolt tells us that Travers' hood had fallen off when Kingsley had cursed him during the escape from Privet Drive. At the time, Kingsley says that Travers is supposed to still be in Azkaban, but there evidently has been a mass breakout that hasn't been reported.

Travers is mentioned in passing when Harry and Hermione, invading the Ministry of Magic in search of the Locket Horcrux, run into Dolores Umbridge. Dolores asks Hermione, who is disguised as Mafalda Hopkirk, if Travers had sent her; evidently, Travers is then working in the Improper Use of Magic Office at a higher rank than Mafalda.

Travers and another Death Eater, Selwyn, answer Xenophilius Lovegood's summons. They are annoyed and sarcastic, this is evidently the third time Xeno has summoned them, and while he is saying that he has Harry Potter in the house, they don't believe him, thinking that it's another scheme of his to get his daughter Luna released.

Travers is in Diagon Alley when Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Griphook are on their way to break in to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. As Hermione is disguised as Bellatrix Lestrange, he is initially unsuspicious; however, he seems to sense some odd things happening as the scheme unfolds, and eventually Harry has to put him under the Imperius curse to keep him out of the way. Under Harry's orders, then, he follows them into the tunnels, and finally Harry sends him off to try and hide himself.

Travers is later briefly seen during the final battle. It's not known what happened to him following this event however.

Strengths
Travers is a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Magic. Being a Death Eater, he presumably also has some knowledge of Dark Magic. He certainly uses some offensive magic on Xenophilius Lovegood.

Weaknesses
Travers shows no resistance to Harry's Imperius Curse, despite the fact that Harry is unfamiliar with casting it. He may be particularly susceptible to the curse; then again, he may well have not expected it, and therefore would have had no chance to prepare himself.

Relationships with Other Characters
As a Death Eater, Travers is familiar with those within Voldemort's inner circle. He shows some familiarity, bordering on respect, with Bellatrix Lestrange.

He shows distain for a "Wandless" wizard on Diagon Alley (even using the pronoun "it" to refer to them), suggesting that he has a sort of superiority around him, possibly as a link to "pure-blood" supremacy.

As we see so little of him, it is unclear whether he has any particular friends or family. Although Umbridge mentions him by name, this is almost certainly due to his civilian job; Umbridge may not even be aware that he is a Death Eater.

Analysis
Travers' minor role in the books seems to cast him as a sort of stock character - he is a random Death Eater, there to bolster Voldemort's ranks and do miscellaneous tasks for him (such as taking place in the battle above Privet Drive and answering Xeno Lovegood's summons). He has no other particular characteristics; his appearance in Diagon Alley may just be a result of the author's need for a Death Eater to be present, and due to his scant appearances, this was a chance to use him.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Emmeline Vance

Overview
Emmeline Vance is a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Order of the Phoenix
We see Emmeline Vance briefly; a stately witch, she is a member of the Advance Guard who comes to collect Harry Potter from the Dursley's house near the start of the book.

Half-Blood Prince
In discussion between the Muggle Prime Minister and Cornelius Fudge, we learn that the Vance family has been brutally murdered, only a short distance away from the Prime Minister's home. In discussions between Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Narcissa Malfoy, we learn further that it was by means of information received from Snape that Lord Voldemort was able to have Emmeline Vance murdered.

Relationships with Other Characters
She may possibly have been friends with Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, Dorcas Meadows, Remus J. Lupin, or Marlene McKinnon, as they were all in the original Order of the Phoenix. However, we have no direct information about this.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Winky

Overview
Winky is the House Elf of the Crouch family. She is intensely loyal to Bartemius Crouch Sr..

Goblet of Fire
We first meet Winky when she is apparently holding a seat in the Top Box at the Quidditch World Cup for Bartemius Crouch Sr., despite the fact that she is scared of heights. Hermione is incensed that anyone could be so insensitive as to subject a house-elf to such fear. We later see Winky running across a path in the forest near the stadium, apparently talking to herself, and finally she is found Stunned at the spot in the forest where the Dark Mark was conjured, holding the wand that had conjured it. After inconclusive questioning by the Ministry wizards there gathered, Bartemius says he is going to dismiss her, saying "This means Clothes!" Winky is devastated at her dismissal.

We meet her again twice in the kitchens at Hogwarts; Dobby has apparently secured a job for her with the school. Both times, she is simply sitting by the fireplace, mourning her lost Master, and getting steadily more drunk on Butterbeer.

Finally, when Barty Crouch Jr. is unmasked, he says that Winky had been one of the guardians set over him in his captivity in his father's house; and that in fact Winky had been not only holding a seat for him at the World Cup, but he himself had been present there, and it was he who had conjured the Dark Mark, with a wand he had stolen from Harry, leaving Winky to take the blame. Professor Dumbledore summons Winky to take care of him while they wait for the Minister for Magic.

Order of the Phoenix
Dobby mentions that he has, a few times, needed a place to put Winky so she could sleep off the effects of the Butterbeer, and has found the Room of Requirement. Harry then uses this room for meetings of Dumbledore's Army.

Strengths
Winky is a house elf, and capable of the wandless magic common to her species. It is noted that house elf magic is of a different variety than that used by human wizards and witches, and we get the impression that it is difficult for humans to prevent house-elf magic.

Weaknesses
Winky is unable to contemplate life away from her masters, even when she has been dismissed from service. Though nominally working for Hogwarts, Winky spends all her time worrying about how the Crouch family is getting along without her. This perpetual dwelling on her past prevents her from doing much of anything.

Relationships with Other Characters
As the dedicated house-elf she is, Winky professes undying loyalty to Bartemius Crouch, and, as we find out later, to his son, Barty Crouch Jr. This loyalty long outlasts her tenure with that family.

Dobby seems to think Winky is a close friend. It is true that they entered Hogwarts together, but Winky is probably too awash in her own grief to think of Dobby at all.

Analysis
Once one is aware of the presence of Barty Crouch Jr., Winky's antics at the Quidditch World Cup become much more intelligible. In every case she is extremely close to Barty, who is under an invisibility cloak, trying unsuccessfully to keep him under control while being constrained by her station to not hurt him. It also becomes obvious why Bartemius Crouch is dismissing Winky. Like all the other wizards there present, Harry, and the reader, feels that dismissal is far too severe a punishment for being found holding Harry's wand. Knowing that Barty was there, and guessing, as Bartemius did, that it was Barty who conjured the Dark Mark, the reader can see that Winky's crime was allowing Barty to get out of her control, and letting him steal a wand. This would certainly be serious enough to warrant dismissal, though we have to wonder how Bartemius thought he could control Barty on his own, if Winky was unable to.

Hermione, infuriated by what she perceives as Winky's slavery, embarks on a mission to gain the rights for house-elves that humans already enjoy. While we see Dobby as an example of what elves can be when freed, we note that few witches or wizards share Hermione's opinion. Hagrid, for instance, tells Hermione that the elves are happier as they are, and in our visit to the Hogwarts kitchen, we see that the indentured house-elves seem to share that opinion. At one point it is mentioned that Hermione believes the hundred or more house-elves in the Hogwarts kitchens may be swayed by Dobby's obvious happiness at being freed. Harry privately thinks that Winky provides a much more powerful counter-example. It is likely that Winky was brought into the story in this way specifically to highlight the complexity of making such a sweeping societal change.

Greater Picture
Hermione, like many her age, is convinced that she has found a great injustice and must tackle it head-on. The older reader can see that, in the real world, such attempts are doomed; one person in pitched battle against an entrenched tradition can not expect to make any headway. It is to the author's credit that she allows us to watch as Hermione tries to alter the status quo and fails; many authors would not see fit to allow any of the heroes to fail, which, in this case, could set up impossible expectations for a child's ability to change the world. While characters like Hagrid, Sirius, and the Malfoy family give us the wizard's view of this battle, Winky and the kitchen elves show us the other side: that in many cases the nominally oppressed see their condition as enviable, and resist change more strongly than the oppressors. The author could have been using this episode to show that this sort of change is best brought about from within, stealthily, rather than by trying to meet it head-on.


text:
User talk:Craft13

Wikiversity
Hi, Craft13. You start a Wikiversity class simply by creating the class page! See User:Diplomat/Early Republic for an example. --hagindaz 00:28, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

Welcome
Hello and welcome to Wikibooks!

Here are some tips to help you get started:
 * You can sign your name on Talk and vote pages using four tildes, like this: ~~~~.
 * Remember to conduct any editing experiments in the sandbox.
 * Check out our help page if you need additional help.
 * Eventually, you might want to read the Manual of Style and Policies and Guidelines.
 * Take a look at Naming policy
 * See list of templates which can save your time
 * Remember to maintain a Neutral point of view.
 * Explore, be bold in editing pages, and have fun!

You will find more resources in Community Portal. If you want to ask a question, visit the Study help desk, the Staff lounge, IRC channel or ask me personally on my talk page.

Good luck! --hagindaz 00:28, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

title: User talk:Craft13


text:
Automobile Repair/Introduction

Introduction
Automobile repair might seem like a lost art, especially with the complexity of modern vehicles. Today's cars are safer, more fuel-efficient, and more comfortable than ever thanks to amazing technological advances. However, this progress comes with a price. Cars made after 2000 depend heavily on specialized tools, computer diagnostics, and dealer-only parts, making DIY repairs more challenging.

But don't worry! Despite these obstacles, you can still tackle many simple car repairs yourself. Before diving into the "how," let's explore the compelling reasons why taking car repair into your own hands is totally worth it.

Why repair your automobile yourself?

 * So you don't have to pay a mechanic for labor. Mechanics often charge high base rates for even simple repair tasks, such as changing motor oil and filters, replacing brakes, or fitting new spark plug wires and radiator hoses. There is no reason why anyone should pay $30 dollars to do what would take you 10 minutes to handle yourself.
 * You can often get the job done before a mechanic could, because you devote your whole attention to the job at hand. Mechanics, especially in high traffic shops, are in a hurry to get things done on several cars. Yet at the same time, the simpler the task, the longer they end up taking to do it. When you consider the time spent driving to find a mechanic, waiting for them to get to your car, and the time spent paying them and going on your way, you will end up saving both money and time if you simply handle it yourself.
 * If you're paranoid about someone else doing a poor job, you can do it right yourself. Many mechanics, stressed and under pressure, can make mistakes -- leaving a lug nut off the tire they changed, or not putting the bolt back in the oil pan, or crossing your wires on your battery and shorting your computer out. If your vehicle is your only mode of transportation, a mechanic's mess up could be costly indeed. Fixing it yourself ensures no simply "absentminded" mistakes will be made.
 * It's an excellent chance to learn more about your automobile. In a day and age where mechanics can often charge you for things that didn't need repairing in the first place, knowing how to do simple repair tasks can be useful. And if you are stuck on the road somewhere with a broken fan belt, it's a lot easier to fix it yourself than get towed.

Risks involved

 * 1) You could damage your auto, especially if you don't know what you're doing
 * 2) You could injure or kill yourself if you don't take the proper safety precautions
 * 3) You could void your manufacturer's warranty

Safety tips (for you)

 * 1) When using a jack, only use it to lift. Use a jack stand or wooden blocks to hold the auto for any extended period of time.
 * 2) When working under the auto, especially if you're working on the drive train or a manual transmission vehicle, put blocks behind the tires so the auto doesn't roll over you.
 * 3) If you're working with something heavy like a transmission, use a jack or motorcycle tie downs or something similar to prevent dropping it on yourself.
 * 4) If you're doing anything with the electrical system, especially if you aren't sure, disconnect the battery.
 * 5) Wear safety glasses or goggles!
 * 6) Be aware of any potential dangers and do whatever you can to eliminate them
 * 7) Dispose of any fluids that come out in a suitable manner. Antifreeze is the big hazard here, but oils can make quite a mess and get into the groundwater supply if you aren't careful.
 * 8) If your vehicle has Airbags do NOT work on electrical faults unless you definitely know what you are doing. They are extremely powerful devices that can cause fatal injury and extensive damage to your cars interior.
 * 9) If your vehicles air bags have deployed then consult your vehicle testing authority, As ECUs, Airbags, Collapsible steering column and impact sensors may have to all be replaced to safely restore the reliability or the airbag system
 * 10) Always transport airbags with front face facing away from personal and objects. Lay the airbag facing up so if accidental deployment occurred risk will be minimized.

Safety tips (for your auto)

 * 1) Don't start a job unless you're confident that you can finish it properly or at least put everything back together properly to get the auto to someone who can
 * 2) Don't be afraid to improvise; some jobs require very strange tools that you may not have access to, but don't cut corners and don't do anything that could damage an otherwise intact part or your auto, because if it can, it probably will
 * 3) Don't over-tighten anything. Most jobs don't REQUIRE a torque wrench, but if you're concerned, use one.
 * 4) If you come across an especially tight bolt or nut, lubricate it rather than breaking the thing off and smashing your knuckles on something hard
 * 5) Always check for leaks and any other sign of a problem after finishing a job
 * 6) Again, if you're not sure what you're doing, read up on it, talk to someone who knows what they're doing, or have someone else do it.
 * 7) There is a Haynes website or other workshop manual for the car: if you intend to do a lot of maintenance it will pay for itself in saved bills.

title: Automobile Repair/Introduction


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Billywig

Overview
A Billywig is an insect native to Australia. Its speed is so great that most Muggles or wizards cannot recognize it until they are stung by it. It grows up to an inch long.

Extended Description
The effect of a Billywig sting is giddiness followed by levitation. Some wizards have tried to make a Billywig repeatedly sting them to enjoy the side-effects of the Billywig's sting, but too many stings will make the witch or wizard float for days, and if the witch or wizard is allergic to Billywig stings, they may float forever. Dried Billywig stings are used in many potions, and are reputed to be used in making the popular Wizarding treat, Fizzing Whizzbees.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Bowtruckle

Overview
A Bowtruckle is a tree dwelling creature found in western England, southern Germany, and Scandinavian forests. It appears to be made of bark and twigs with two brown eyes which makes it hard to distinguish from the trees it inhabits. If a Bowtruckle thinks its tree is in danger, it has been known to gouge the intruder's eyes out. The Bowtruckle's favourite food is woodlice, which can be used to distract it.

Extended Description
Professor Grubbly-Plank teaches a class on Bowtruckles early in Harry's fifth year. Harry's Bowtruckle escapes before he is finished drawing it, and he has to finish the drawing as homework. A Bowtruckle chatters angrily at him later, when he is in the Forbidden Forest.

There is a mention of them also in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. As the Prince is escaping at the end of the book, Hagrid's hut is set on fire. Hagrid comments that he was binding up the legs of a couple of Bowtruckles, and mourns that they are now "burnt ter twigs."

From a throw-away comment by Aberforth Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, "They'd be on you like Bowtruckles on Doxy eggs," we surmise that Doxy eggs are a favoured food for Bowtruckles, when they can find them.

Analysis
Bowtruckles are very peripheral to the story. They appear in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as one of the topics most likely to appear on the Ordinary Wizarding Levels tests. Their appearance in the story seems to be designed as a means of comparing Professor Grubbly-Plank's teaching methods with Hagrid's more unorthodox techniques.

Questions

 * 1) What do Bowtruckles like to eat?
 * 2) What is a group of Bowtruckles called?
 * 3) How do you tame Bowtruckles?


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Demiguise

Overview
Located in the far east, the Demiguise is incredibly hard to find, as it will turn itself invisible if it feels threatened.

Extended Description
It is mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that many Invisibility Cloaks are actually woven out of Demiguise hair. It is also mentioned that these cloaks become opaque over time.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Diricawl

Overview
The Diricawl is a plump-bodied flightless bird which originated in the Mauritius. It is noticed for its ability to escape danger. It vanishes and then appears elsewhere. With this incredible ability, muggles have been led to think they have hunted it to extinction, but they are wrong. The Muggles call them "dodo".


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Flobberworm

Overview
The flobberworm is a large worm that can grow up to ten inches; each end is indistinguishable from the other. It lives in damp ditches, and its preferred food is lettuce.

Extended Description
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Vincent Crabbe claims to have been bitten by a Flobberworm; this information is provided to Rita Skeeter who is, at the time, gathering damaging information about Rubeus Hagrid. However, this is rather damaging to the eventual story, because in fact Flobberworms have no teeth.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, after spending all term teaching about Flobberworms, and that they will die if fed too much lettuce, Hagrid manages to kill all the Flobberworms he has been teaching with over Christmas break by feeding them too much lettuce.

Analysis
The key aspect of the flobberworm is its total harmlessness. As Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Hagrid is very uncertain of himself, and his first-ever lesson goes rather horribly wrong, with a Hippogriff injuring Draco Malfoy. In order to avoid a repetition of this problem, Hagrid retreats to the safety of the innocuous, and so his class are faced with a long series of boring lessons about the flobberworm. The main purpose of this seems to be showing the fragility of Hagrid's self-image; big and fearsome as he is, he is easily upset and easily dismayed.


text:
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Fwooper

Overview
The Fwooper is an African bird that comes in green, yellow, orange, or pink. Its main use in the Wizarding world is as a source of particularly posh quills. Its main defence mechanism involves singing a song which eventually drives the listener to insanity.