Bathilda Bagshot

Bathilda Bagshot
Biographical information
Born	Prior to 1881
Died	Sometime before December 24, 1997 Godric's Hollow
Blood status	Pure-blood or half-blood (possibly)
Also known as	"Batty" Bagshot
Title(s)	Professor
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Family information
Family members	Gellert Grindelwald (great-nephew) Bagshot (possibly)
Affiliation
Occupation	Author Historian

Harry Potter: "Bathilda Bagshot? The author of A History of Magic?"

Elphias Doge: "Yes. A most gifted magical historian and an old friend of Albus's."

Muriel: "Quite gaga these days, I've heard."

— Harry Potter, Elphias Doge, and Muriel in 1997

Professor Bathilda Bagshot (before 1881-December 1997) was a magical historian and the author of A History of Magic. Her book is used in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry class of the same name, taught by Professor Binns. She lived in Godric's Hollow, and died in 1997, after which her corpse was animated by Lord Voldemort to contain his magical familiar Nagini.

Bathilda was also the great-aunt of Gellert Grindelwald, the infamous dark wizard who was defeated by Albus Dumbledore.

Quick Answers

What is the significance of Bathilda Bagshot in the Harry Potter series?

Bathilda Bagshot is a renowned magical historian, known for her book 'A History of Magic' which is considered a fundamental text in the wizarding world, and a variety of other books on topics including Divination. Bathilda is also known for her appearance in 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', where she is revealed to be a corpse under the control of Nagini, Voldemort's snake. Her character adds depth to the series' lore and contributes to the suspense and mystery in the Deathly Hallows.

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How did Bathilda Bagshot die in the Harry Potter series?

Bathilda Bagshot met a tragic end. She was murdered through the use of Dark Arts. After her death, her body was animated by Lord Voldemort, who used his snake, Nagini, to inhabit her corpse. This was done as a trap for Harry Potter, who Voldemort reasoned would visit Bathilda's cottage.

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Who portrayed Bathilda Bagshot in the Harry Potter films?

Bathilda Bagshot in the Harry Potter films was portrayed by the English actress Hazel Douglas.

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What is Bathilda Bagshot's connection to Godric's Hollow?

Bathilda Bagshot, the renowned magical historian, had a deep connection with Godric's Hollow. She lived there for a significant part of her life. Bathilda was friendly with the Potters and the Dumbledores, both families also being residents of Godric's Hollow. In a twist of fate, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger visited Godric's Hollow in 1997 to find Bathilda, hoping she had the Sword of Gryffindor they needed to destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. However, they discovered that Bathilda had been dead for a while, and Voldemort's snake Nagini had been placed inside her by Voldemort himself.

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Biography

===Early life=== Bathilda was a long-time resident of the village of Godric's Hollow, given her close affiliation with the Dumbledore family and then the Potter family nearly a century later. Not long after Albus Dumbledore graduated from Hogwarts, her great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald, came to live with her and she watched the two talented young men become friends. It is unknown how much or what Bathilda knew of her nephew's actions concerning Aberforth and Ariana Dumbledore, but she witnessed the fist-fight that broke out between the Dumbledore brothers at Ariana's funeral. Bathilda may have been a teacher at some point, possibly at Hogwarts, as Hermione Granger refers to her as "Professor Bagshot" when referencing the book.

Later life and death

In her later years, Bathilda was on close terms with Lily Potter and even spoke to the younger woman on the closeness between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, though Lily remained somewhat sceptical, given Bathilda's advancing age and possible senility.

"Dear Batty, Thanks for your help. Here's a copy of the book, hope you like it. You said everything, even if you don't remember it. Rita."

— Rita Skeeter's note to Bathilda in her book

In 1997, after the death of Albus Dumbledore, Bathilda was interviewed by Rita Skeeter through Veritaserum, who used the material for her only semi-true biography The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. It is implied that Skeeter took advantage of Bathilda's poor mental state to twist her material to be more sensationalist.

Sometime afterwards, Bathilda died or was murdered and her body was animated by Lord Voldemort using his snake familiar, Nagini. He left Nagini there as a trap if Harry Potter ever came by to visit his parents' former home. Harry did come around Christmas with Hermione Granger during their quest to destroy the Horcruxes. The pair met the possessed woman and were almost captured when "Bathilda" lured them into her home. After determining Harry's identity, Nagini leapt from Bathilda's body to attack him, leaving the old woman for good. The plan, however, failed and the two young people escaped.

Bathilda's body was later found, and her death by Dark magic was reported by Potterwatch.

Behind the scenes

• It is possible that Bathilda's body was animated as an Inferius, and thus controlled by Voldemort's will. As Inferi are never shown to speak, this would account for why Nagini had to speak for her instead.
• Bathilda Bagshot will be portrayed by Hazel Douglas in the film versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
• Bathilda was quite old when she died, as she was considered a great aunt of Grindelwald in the 1890s, though her precise date of birth is not mentioned.

Etymology

• Bagshot is the name of a town in Surrey, England. The name is thought to be derived from a tribe (bacca) and the Anglo-saxon word for "The place of" (sheatte) meaning "the place of Bacca's tribe" though Bag could also mean badger, "the place of the Badger", creating a reference to Hufflepuff.
• Bathilda is an alternate spelling of the name of Saint Balthild, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon noble and wife of King Clovis II of Burgundy who dedicated her later life to helping the ill and the poor. The name is derived from the Old English Bealdhild, meaning "bold battle".
• Bathilda's last name, Bagshot, is likely a reference to The Lord of the Rings, in which the characters Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, and Hamfast and Samwise Gamgee lived on Bagshot Row.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film)