The Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter (9 page)

So quickly do the astonishing adventures of Harry and his friends fly by that we rarely have a moment to consider the wealth of real mythology, folklore, and history that shimmers just beneath the surface. One of the great pleasures of reading the Harry Potter books comes from the extraordinary richness of the magical universe they contain—fashioned partly from J. K. Rowling’s seemingly boundless imagination and partly from the vast collective lore of magic from around the world. Potions and charms, giants and dragons, cauldrons and crystal balls—all have intriguing and often surprising histories going back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. Magic wands like those sold in Diagon Alley were once fashioned by Druid sorcerers out of the sacred yew tree. Love potions are traceable to ancient Greece and Rome. And books of spells and curses—required reading at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—were highly popular (and much frowned upon) during the Middle Ages.

The Sorcerer’s Companion
is designed to allow the curious reader to look up anything “magical” from any of the Harry Potter books and discover a wealth of fascinating and unexpected information. How did the Sorcerer’s Stone get its power? What were the first magic words? Did J. K. Rowling dream up the terrifying basilisk, the seductive veela, or the vicious grindylow? And if she didn’t, who did?

The history of magical beliefs is vast, and in writing this book we have had to leave out far more than we put in. Barely mentioned are the rich traditions of magic and mythology of China, Africa, India, Japan, Australia, and the Americas. Rather we have limited our focus to those aspects of lore directly related to Harry’s world. Nearly all of the magical practices taught at Hogwarts are rooted in the Western magical tradition, which emerged from the ancient empires of the Middle East, Greece, and Rome. Imaginary creatures like the centaur, the manticore, and the unicorn come from the same rich tradition. Many other magical beings, such as elves, gnomes, goblins, hinkypunks, and trolls, have their roots in the folklore of northern Europe and the British Isles.

When we first began researching
The Sorcerer’s Companion
we asked Harry Potter fans what subjects interested them the most. Some wanted to know more about spells, charms, and curses. Others were eager to learn about boggarts, red caps, or the difference between witches and hags. We expect you, too, will have your own particular interests and will follow them as you choose. This book is not intended to be read straight through in alphabetical order, although it certainly can be. You might want to start with the
Magic
entry for an introduction to this fascinating subject. But actually, you can start anywhere—and chances are, you’ll end up everywhere.

In each entry, we’ve tried to provide an overview of the subject and its roots in mythology, folklore, and history. Whenever a word appears in bold, that means it has its own entry. Following most entries, you’ll find this symbol
and an abbreviation indicating at least one place in the Harry Potter books where the subject appears. “SS 5/71,” for example, refers you to
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
, chapter 5, page 71. CS refers to
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
, PA to
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
, GF to
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
, OP to
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
, HBP to
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
, and DH to
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
. All references are to the American editions.

In researching
The Sorcerer’s Companion
we learned many curious things we never expected to know, like how to read tea leaves, get rid of goblins, safely harvest mandrake root, and use arithmancy to choose a breakfast cereal. We feel more secure knowing how to recognize a demon and what to do if attacked by a ghoul (never, ever hit him twice). We hope all of this information is as interesting to you as it is to us. You never know when you might need it.

re you unusually susceptible to colds and infections? Do you have a tendency to attract the wrong kind of attention? Are you plagued by bad luck? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, an amulet might be just what the doctor ordered. In fact, centuries ago, an amulet often
was
what the doctor ordered—to ward off disease, avoid misfortune, or chase away evil spirits.

An amulet (from the Latin word
amuletum
, meaning “a method of defense”) is an object thought to magically protect its owner from harm. Amulets can come in any size, shape, or material. Indeed, when Hogwarts is struck by a mysterious epidemic of
petrification
, Neville Longbottom tries to protect himself with an amulet made from a smelly green onion! Amulets range from small pendants, rings, and pouches of herbs (worn around the neck to prevent disease) to sizable statues and wall hangings intended to protect an entire household, building, or village. The ancient Babylonians liked to wear tiny, jewel-encrusted clay cylinders to ward off evil spirits. The Romans collected sculptures of Priapus, the god of luck and fertility, and many Americans still hang lucky horseshoes over their doors to guard against misfortune and unwelcome visitors.

Amulets have been present in virtually every society since the beginning of recorded history The earliest amulets were probably just chunks of stone or metal whose bright colors or unusual shapes suggested they might have magical properties. (In India and Thailand, pieces of pink coral are still used to ward off the evil eye.) Over time, however, it became customary to make amulets in the shape of animals, god and goddess figures, and magic symbols. Images of horns and hands (symbolizing fertility and life) and drawings or carvings of the human eye (suggesting eternal watchfulness) appear on amulets throughout the world. Many amulets also have
magic words
, short
spells
, or the names of gods written on them.

Although their appeal is nearly universal, amulets are most closely associated with the ancient Egyptians, who wore them everywhere—even to the grave. It was customary for
mummies
to be buried with dozens of beetle-shaped amulets called scarabs. These small stone figurines, named after a real type of Egyptian beetle, were supposed to prevent the deceased person’s soul from being eaten by Ammit the Devourer—a dreadful part-lion, part-hippo, part-crocodile who guarded the scales of justice in the Egyptian afterworld. Apparently, the more important a person was, the more scarabs he took to the afterworld. When King Tutankhamen’s body was unearthed some eighty years ago, over 140 amulets were found tucked away in the wrappings of his mummy! Other common Egyptian amulets like the
ankh
(an Egyptian hieroglyph symbolizing life) and the
wadjet
(commonly known as the Eye of Horus) served more practical purposes: protecting living Egyptians from death, disease, and the evil eye.

The
ankh
symbolized eternal life and was worn to protect against disease
. (
photo credit 1.1
)

Unfortunately, amulets do have their limitations. For instance, they can only protect you from the specific dangers for which they are designed. A scarab may scare Ammit the Devourer, but it’s useless against
vampires, hinkypunks
, and treasure-hungry archaeologists. And if you’re going to do battle with the forces of evil, it’s important not to confuse amulets with their close cousins,
talismans
. Unlike enchanted swords,
invisibility cloaks
, and other classic talismans, amulets do not endow their owners with magical abilities. An amulet cannot be used as a weapon, only as a shield. So if you’re planning some epic adventure—like slaying a
dragon
—you should probably swap your lucky rabbit’s foot for the sword of Sir Godric Gryffindor. But if you prefer to stay home where it’s nice and cozy, nothing beats an amulet for keeping hostile forces at bay.