Filius Flitwick

From Harry Potter Wiki

Professor Filius Flitwick ^[2] (born October 17^[3], c.1950's) is a Part-Goblin who is the Charms Professor, conductor and Head of Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. ^[4] In 1998 Professor Flitwick helped drive Severus Snape and Death Eaters out of Hogwarts in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early Life 1.2 Career at Hogwarts 1.2.1 Early Years c.1971-1990 1.2.2 Later Years 1991-1995 1.3 Second Wizarding War 1.3.1 Teaching 1995-1998 1.3.2 Battle of Hogwarts 2 Magical Abilities and Skills 3 Physical description 4 Personality and traits 5 Portrayal in the Films 6 Etymology 7 Behind the scenes 8 Appearances 9 Notes and references

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early Life

Flitwick was born into a wizarding family with a distant descent of a Goblin. He studied magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into the house of Ravenclaw. It is likely that he achieved a high graded O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in Charms as later in his life he went on to teach this subject for over thirty years. At some point in his early life, Flitwick became a Master Duellist, and then later a Charms teacher at Hogwarts.

[edit] Career at Hogwarts

[edit] Early Years c.1971-1990

Flitwick went on to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from which he studied and now he taught there as a Charms professor. Flitwick taught Lily Evans and the Marauders, whilst they were studying at Hogwarts in 1971 and in 1975 he may have taught a year of Defence Against the Dark Arts as he was the teacher to gather the O.W.L. papers for this class. He would have also taught his later in life colleague Severus Snape whilst he studied at Hogwarts.

Flitwicks approach to teaching is regarded as more "laid-back" than the other subjects at Hogwarts, specifically Minerva McGonagall's who teaches Transfiguration. He unlike others allows his students to play games during the lessons before the Christmas holidays but he isn't a bad teacher as Fred Weasley comments that he "couldn't see old Flitwick getting marked down. He usually gets everyone through exams alright.". He also encourages students to experiment with their own magic and does not endulge in giving detentions for slack work, instead he prefers to give students homework so they can catch up. Flitwick would later go on to live through the First Wizarding War, in which is former students James Potter and Lily Evans were killed in and celebrate the downfall of Lord Voldemort.

[edit] Later Years 1991-1995

Flitwick was still teaching into his elderly years at Hogwarts, and was still Charms professor when Harry Potter arrived, having taught his father over fifteen years ago. However, by 1991 Flitwick had been given the position of Head of Ravenclaw. As Flitwick was rather small, it was noted that he stands a small pile of books to be able to see over his desk, and in 1991 when he read his First Year class, he as so excited to see the name "Harry Potter" listed that he fell off his stack of books.

Flitwick didn't allow his charms class to actually perform any magic until Halloween, and after some coaching Flitwick he gave the class a feather each in which they were to levitate using the spell Wingardium Leviosa. Hermione Granger was paired with Ron Weasley she unlike Ron was able to perform the spell perfectly and Flitwick announces her success to the class. Later on in the year it is learnt that Flitwick was trusted by Albus Dumbledore to provide one of the guardian barriers for the Philosopher's Stone Chambers, which is protecting the Philosopher's Stone. Flitwick chose to have his chamber full of Winged Keys that fly around with broomsticks in it to catch the correct key to pass, which proved to be a difficult task. Also, around Christmas, Flitwick levitates ornaments onto the Christmas trees in the Great Hall, he also decorates using live fairies.^[5]

In 1992 Flitwick continues to teach Charms. This year however, the Chamber of Secrets was written to be open once again, having last time it was open killed Ravenclaw student Myrtle in 1943. Flitwick was present went muggle-born student Justin Finch-Fletchley was discovered, petrified after an attempted attack on him by the Basilisk. Together he and Professor Aurora Sinistra removed Justins body and took him to the Hospital wing where he was to be treated by Poppy Pomfrey. During this year, Penelope Clearwater a Ravenclaw student in his house was attacked by the Basilisk that resided in the Chamber of Secrets, however with the help of Madam Pomfrey and Pomona Sprout she made a full recovery. Also this year Flitwick presumably hung the Christmas decorations again.

Flitwick continued teaching in 1993 and whilst on a weekend visit to Hogsmeade, he amongst others were overheard by Harry Potter discussing recent escapee from Azkaban, Sirius Black. From this conversation Harry learnt that Sirius Black was best friends with his father, best man to the wedding of his father and mother and also his own godfather. They also discuss when the Potter's went into hiding and Fliwick mentions that they used the Fidelius charm to conceal themselves, and Sirius Black was appointed their Secret-Keeper. Flitwick describes the operation to perform the Fidelius Charm. ^[6] Later on in the year when Harry Potter receives a Firebolt from an unidentified source, Minerva McGonagall confiscates it and asks Flitwick and Madam Hooch to examine it to see if it is cursed. Later on in the year when Sirius Black is unrightfully imprisoned in Flitwicks office by Dementors, Albus Dumbledore tells Harry and Hermione Granger to rescue Sirius using Flitwicks window in his office. This year also, Flitwick appears to have taken on the role of conducting the schools Choir. ^[7]

Flitwick continues his career in 1994 at Hogwarts when the Triwizard Tournament is being held. Harry Potter is selected as a champion for this. Flitwick conducts the school choir before the arrival of the guests and when the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute students arrive he applauds them at their entrances. In Flitwicks lesson of Banishing Charms, Harry, Ron and Hermione don't really pay attention and decide that Charms is a good lesson to disucss conversations that they don't want to be overheard, as Flitwick's lessons were always noisy with activity of students praciticing charms. Flitwick starts to ease of his lessons in the week before Christmas break and the Yule Ball and instead he spends his time talking about the Summoning Charm that Harry had used in the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, being a proud charm professor. In the third task, Flitwick is appointed one of the marshalls to patrol around the Maze. At the end of this task Cedric Diggory was murdered, and Lord Voldemort was declared to have risen to power again, and thus the Second Wizarding War was kicked off. Flitwick attended the Memorial Feast to Cedric Diggory at the end of the year.

[edit] Second Wizarding War

At the end of the 1994-1995 school year Albus Dumbledore told the staff and students of Hogwarts that Cedric Diggory was murdered by the newly rebodied Lord Voldemort, this unofficially was the start of the Second Wizarding War, but as the Ministry of Magic refused to believe such claims it was as of yet unofficially a war. Despite the it being dark and dangerous times, teaching resumed as normal at Hogwarts and Flitwick returned to his position of Charms teacher.

[edit] Teaching 1995-1998

After the previous year at Hogwarts declared that Lord Voldemort was at large again, the Second Wizarding War started, despite the Ministry of Magic refusing the believe it. In 1995 the ministry had appointed Dolores Umbridge as High Inquisitor at Hogwarts as well as professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. As part of her job, Dolores inspected the teaching methods of all staff at Hogwarts, when she inspected Flitwick's class Fred and George Weasley mentioned that she had no influence on him and that he taught his class as usual and treated her as if she was one of his students. Other staff members however did not follow this politeness, for example Minerva McGonagall and Umbridge bickered during her inspection. Throughout the year Dolores Umbridge used her authority as a tool to change Hogwarts, and later in the year she was appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts. As Headmistress she had full control off the school, and when Fred and George Weasley set of fireworks around the ground she spent a day running around putting them out, after she had done Flitwick tells her that he could have put them all out eaisly but was concerned he didn't have the authority to do so. After Easter break, Fred and George use one of their inventions, a Portable Swamp to change a corridor into a swamp and then shortly afterwards they depart from school to go into the world of business. Flitwick was seen cheering and supporting them at their departure after they ran rings around Umbridge and Filch. Flitwick is asked to remove the swamp they created, which he does but he leaves a small patch in the corner as he believes it to be really good magic. At the end of the year, the Ministry of Magic is forced to believe Voldemort has returned and publicly announce it in the Daily Prophet.

In 1996 Hogwarts was put under the protection of Aurors, Flitwick together with Argus Filch was appointed to check off every student entering Hogwarts at the entrance gates, on a register and take their belongings to be searched for any dark artifacts or weapons.^[8] Like the previous years, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley use Flitwick's lessons as a time to talk in private. They discuss the contents of Harry's old potions book and debate who the Half-Blood Prince could be, in this lesson they were supposed to be transforming vinegar into wine and when Flitwick goes over to the group only Hermione is able to perform the spell correctly, Ron blows his up and Harry turns his into ice. Later on in the year when Death Eaters invade Hogwarts and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower starts Minerva McGonagall orders Flitwick to get Severus Snape, when inside Snapes office Snape knocks Flitwick out, and when Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood turn up he tells them that Flitwick fainted and that they should tend to him. Shortly after knocking Flitwick out, Snape killed Albus Dumbledore. Flitwick attended the Funeral of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the year.^[9]

[edit] Battle of Hogwarts

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Flitwick helped run Severus Snape out of the school and then tried to give the students evacuating more time before Lord Voldemorts arrival by sending out an incantation that sounded like a "weird rushing noise, as though Flitwick had unleashed the power of the wind into the grounds." This, apparently, has certain same effects as the Protego Horribilis charm.

He also helped Harry Potter in his search for Voldemort's last Horcrux, commenting that no one in living memory had seen Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. This led Harry to seek out the Grey Lady, the ghost of Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter, who helped Harry find the diadem. Along with the other professors, Flitwick took groups of fighters up to Hogwarts' towers to defend the castle, and was briefly seen fighting Yaxley once the Death Eaters got into the school. Later in the battle, Flitwick defeated, perhaps killed, Antonin Dolohov. Flitwick survived the battle and was one of the many to rush to congratulate Harry Potter immediately after his final defeat of Voldemort. It is likely that Flitwick continued to teach in his long career at Hogwarts as the Charms professor long after the war and under new Headmistress McGonagall.

[edit] Magical Abilities and Skills

Charms Master: Flitwick is masterful in the use of charms, from simple decorations to the most advanced charms and he takes great pride in invention of charms and perhaps has invented a few of his own spells as he encourages others to do so.

Master Duellist: When Flitwick was younger he was a dueling champion. Though he hasn't duelled in some time he was still good enough to help run Severus Snape out the school, as well as combat the Death Eaters as they invaded the school. These included Yaxley and Antonin Dolohov.

Conductor: Flitwick also coordinated and conducted the Hogwarts Choir from 1993 onwards. It is possible he also taught the Muggle Music (class) from 1991-1992 and was conductor from then.

[edit] Physical description

Flitwick is described as having a "dash" of goblin^[10] blood. He is known to empathize with other "half-breeds", such as half-giant Rubeus Hagrid. In addition, he is very short and requires a stack of books in order to see over the top of his desk, and sits on a pile of cushions at the staff table in the Great Hall. He has a "shock" of white hair, and his voice is squeaky which is explained by his small stature.

[edit] Personality and traits

Flitwick is an emotional fellow, who seems to have a gentle spirit. During the 1992 school year when Ginny Weasley was taken into the Chamber of Secrets, he burst into tears, and in 1993's Valentine's Day, when Gilderoy Lockhart called him a "sly old dog", he buried his face in his hands. During one Charms lesson, Neville Longbottom, while fumbling with attempts at casting a Banishing Charm, ended up sending Flitwick sailing across the room; Flitwick accepted this resignedly instead of losing his temper.

Nevertheless, he commands respect in spite of his sensitive nature and small stature. When he encountered Harry and Draco Malfoy on the stairs discussing Harry's new Nimbus 2000, Malfoy treated him just like any other teacher with no hint of the sarcasm he used with Remus Lupin. Furthermore, Flitwick is a talented duellist. During the Battle of Hogwarts, he helped to drive off extremely talented wizard Severus Snape and defeated Antonin Dolohov, a highly dangerous Death Eater who had previously defeated the likes of Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin and severely injured Hermione Granger.

[edit] Portrayal in the Films

Although Flitwick is fairly predominant Hogwarts character within the books, his appearance in the film adaptations is sporadic. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, he has a major scene during the Charms lesson where he teaches the spell Wingardium Leviosa. For the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the part is reduced to a background character. Flitwick was written out of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; however, Warwick Davis was offered a small part as the conductor of the Hogwarts chorus appearing as a small man with brown hair and moustache, identified in the credits only as "wizard". Despite Warwicks appearance as a conductor in the film of Prisoner of Azkaban, in the video game version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) Flitwick appears as a teacher, and his physical appearance is as it was for the first two films and first two video games. This same character reappeared in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire although now identified as Professor Flitwick.

According to interviews, Director Mike Newell liked the look of a younger Flitwick. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, he is seen in a Chorus Class in the Great Hall. He is seen again cheering when Fred and George Weasley depart Hogwarts. Filius, with his post-Chamber look, is finally confirmed onscreen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He also displays a far more prickly demeanor than in The Philosopher's Stone. Without a doubt, Filius is likely to return in the final two films, meaning that in some way or another, he has appeared in every Potter film. However, it should be noted that Flitwick's physical appearance in the first two films is credited as the teacher and his canon represented physical appearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince merchandise (The Annual 2009 Poster Sticker Book) also uses the elder Flitwick. Also, Warwick Davis who plays Flitwick believes himself that the two characters (Conductor and Teacher) are different people but perhaps related. However despite Warwick Davis believing this, in the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry confirms them both to be the same character, Professor Flitwick in a conversation with him.

That said, given the context of the series, the possibility that Flitwick's appearance was changed at some point due to an off-screen magical incident is not out of the realm of possibility, though without any on-screen or in-print confirmation, the discrepancy remains a mystery and it has caused confusion amongst viewers and a rather large inconsistancy.

[edit] Etymology

• Filius is Latin for "son", and the filius philosophorum, meaning "the philosopher's son" is a symbol in alchemy, sometimes associated with the philosopher's stone.
• The surname Flitwick may come from the Charms professor's own advice for wand movement: "swish and flick". Flitwick is also the name of an English town, pronounced "Flittick".

[edit] Behind the scenes

• Flitwick is played in the films by Warwick Davis. Davis also provided the voice of Griphook the Goblin in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and will play him again (both physical form and voice) in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
• Flitwick decorates with live fairies quite a bit, especially during Christmas in the Great Hall.
• Flitwick's favourite drink is cherry syrup and soda with ice and an umbrella.^[11]
• When Flitwick first saw Harry Potter in his Charms class in 1991, he became so excited that he fell off his stack of books.^[12]

[edit] Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (As "Conductor" or "Wizard")
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film)

[edit] Notes and references

Preceded by: Unknown, eventually Rowena Ravenclaw Head of Ravenclaw House Succeeded by: Unknown

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hogwarts Houses:
Namesake Founder: Godric Gryffindor · Helga Hufflepuff · Rowena Ravenclaw · Salazar Slytherin
Head of House: Minerva McGonagall · Pomona Sprout · Filius Flitwick · Horace Slughorn
House Ghost: Nearly Headless Nick · Fat Friar · Grey Lady · Bloody Baron