- "Pass, friend to Hufflepuff!"
- — Giffard Abbott[src]
Giffard Abbott was a wizard. There are portraits of him hanging in Hogwarts Castle. He had a pet dog. He seemed to have access to a source of food, because Damara Dodderidge frequently asked him if he had any to give her.[1]
Biography
Early life
Giffard may have attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was probably Sorted into Hufflepuff.
1992-1993 school year
In early 1993, Giffard had a portrait at the Grand Staircase, hung immediately below the first-floor landing. As it was placed in an inaccessible place, it is unlikely he guarded any shortcut to another part of the school.[2]
1995-1996 school year
One of his portraits was hanging at the Grand Staircase, guarding the shortcut to the Transfiguration Courtyard, under the password "Dragon's Egg".[1] There was another set of portraits of him, hiding another hidden passageway between the Clock Tower and the corridor outside the Library; the password needed to gain acess to this shortcut was "Tempus neminem manet"[3].
1996-1997 school year
Giffard's portrait was moved to another landing of the Grand Staircase, during the next school year. However, he still guarded a secret passage to the same place in the Transfiguration Courtyard. Its password became "Light Against Darkness". He had a penchant for sighing wistfully, "Oh, to be young again!", when approached[4].
Behind the scenes
- Giffard may have died sometime prior to early 1993, as many portraits hung at Hogwarts depict deceased individuals. His clothes indicate that he most likely lived during the Middle Ages.
- It is possible that Abbott's portrait is a reference to a portrait of Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire by Titian.
Etymology
- "Giffard" is from an English surname, which was derived from the Germanic given name "Gebhard".[5]
- "Abbott" is a Middle English surname.[6]
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)(Appears in portrait(s))
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)(Appears in portrait(s))
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Appears in portrait(s)) (First identified as Giffard Abbott)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) - Chapter 22 (The Diary)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) - GBA version
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- ↑ http://www.behindthename.com/name/giffard
- ↑ http://www.wordnik.com/words/Abbott