CLOSING THE BOOK: GLOSSARY

Azkaban: The wizard prison

Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans: Like a jelly bean with flavors including everything from liver to peppermint to earwax

Boggart: A magical creature that turns into whatever thing the person who sees it fears most

Chamber of Secrets: A secret chamber buried underneath Hogwarts that is home to the basilisk, a giant monster snake

Death Eaters: Voldemort’s followers

Dementors: The guards of Azkaban

Diagon Alley: A magically hidden street in London filled with shops, restaurants and the wizard bank Gringott’s

Floo Powder: Magic powder that when thrown into a fireplace can transport people to other places

Goblet of Fire: A huge magical goblet that selects the contestants for the Tri-Wizard Tournament

Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin: The four houses at Hogwarts in which students live

Hogwarts Express: The train that takes students to Hogwarts from the secret Platform Nine and Three Quarters at Kings Cross Station in London

Horcrux: An item in which one can store part of one’s soul

House-elf: An elf that is bound to serve one family until death or until granted freedom

Howler: A letter sent by owl that screams the contents to the recipient then bursts into flames

The Leaky Cauldron: A well-hidden pub in London, through the back of which a wizard may gain access to Diagon Alley

Marauder’s Map: A magical map of Hogwarts that shows where everyone is at all times

Mudblood: A degrading term referring to witches or wizards who have Muggle blood

Muggle: A nonmagical person

Order of the Phoenix: A secret society of witches and wizards, led by Dumbledore

Pensieve: A bowl-like object used to store memories that can be viewed later

Pureblood: A witch or wizard of pure descent, coming from one of the original magical families

Quidditch: The most popular wizard sport. It is played by two teams on broomsticks.

Sorcerer’s Stone: A magical red stone that turns anything into gold and creates the Elixir of Life that makes the drinker immortal

Sorting Hat: A wizard’s hat that sorts first-year students at Hogwarts into their dormitories

Squib: Someone born into a magical family who has little or no magical power

Compiled by Adam Zinser