1. Latin in the
Harry Potter
Books

2. Minerva McGonagall

3. Minerva McGonagall
Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, courage, and justice.
Minerva is also known as the Greek goddess Athena, who turned a girl (Arachne) into a spider.
Minerva McGonagall is the professor of transfiguration.

4. Draco Malfoy

5. Draco Malfoy
Draco = Latin for dragon, which comes from the Greek word “drakon,” meaning serpent.
The word “draconian” means “unusually severe or cruel.”
Malfoy from the Latin “malum,” meaning “bad” and the French “foi,” which comes from “fidēs” and means trust, belief, or faith.

6. Severus Snape

7. Severus Snape Sevērus = means stern or harsh in Latin
This description fit his character well as he interacts with Harry in a harsh manner.
Factoid: In ancient Rome, there was an emperor named Septimius Severus who brutally murdered dozens of people.

8. Dolores Umbridge

9. Dolores Umbridge
Dolores comes from the Latin “dolor,” which means “pain” or “sorrow.”
Umbridge caused Harry great physical and emotional pain in various detentions.
“Umbra” in Latin means “shadow.” One could argue that her presence creates a dark cloud over the castle.

10. Sirius Black

11. Sirius Black
Sirius = in astronomy, it is known as the “Dog Star” and is the brightest star in its constellation, Canis Major (Big Dog)
Of course, Sirius is an animagus* who turns into a big, black dog.

12. Animagus
Animagus, by the way, comes from the Latin animus, which means soul or mind, and
magus, which is a sorcerer or magician.
Animagus is also a double play-on-words as these wizards turn into animals, as animus is the Latin word for animal

13. Ludo Bagman Lūdō = means “I play” in Latin Lūdī means “games”
Ludo Bagman was the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports in the fourth book, which begins with the Quidditch World Cup.

14. Rubeus Hagrid

15. Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus = derived from the Latin “rubus,” meaning “briar” or “bramble.” This describes his hair and overall appearance.
Rubeō is also a Latin word meaning “to blush,” which is appropriate given that Hagrid often says something he shouldn’t.
Also note the color of Hagrid’s umbrella.

16. Hermione Granger

17. Hermione Granger
Hermione was the daughter of Helen of Troy, the beauty that caused all that trouble in the Trojan War.
Hermione (daughter of Helen) was loved by Orestes and Neoptolemus.
In Book 4, Hermione was loved by what two men?

18. Hermione Granger
The name Hermione derives from Hermes, the Greek messenger God. Among other things, Hermes was the god of oratory, wit, and cunning.
Hermione’s initials are HG. What element is Hg?
Factoid: Hermione’s parents were dentists. Historically, dentists used a mercury amalgam in fillings.

19. nox = night, darkness (no light)
Spells and Charms
Lumos
lūmen = light, daylight
Nox
nox = night, darkness (no light)

20. expellere = to drive out, expel
Spells and Charms
Expelliarmus
expellere = to drive out, expel
arma = weapons

21. incantātum = charmed, enchanted
Spells and Charms
Finite Incantatem
fīnītum = end
incantātum = charmed, enchanted

22. Spells and Charms
Mobilicorpus
mōbilis = movable
corpus = body

23. Spells and Charms
Levicorpus
levāre = to lift
corpus = body

24. “I shield” or “I protect”
Spells and Charms
Prōtegō
“I shield” or “I protect”

25. Assignment
Search through all seven Harry Potter books and find at LEAST 10 Latin-based charms.
In the first column, write the charm.
In the second column, write the purpose of the charm (what does it do?).
In the third column, provide the Latin roots and meanings. Be sure to explain each Latin root in the charm (some have more than one).
Extra credit: Analyze a character’s name and explain the mythology or Latin meaning behind the name, tying it into the character’s actions or personality.