Professor Heliotrope Wilkins was a witch who was Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sometime before Albus Dumbledore. Her portrait hung in the Headmaster's office in order to give advice to the current Head. [1]
Etymology
Heliotrope is a term used to describe a plant which turns to face the sun, derived from the Greek helios, "sun", and tropein, "to turn."[2] In the language of flowers, heliotropes represent devotion.[3] Miss Heliotrope is a character in The Little White Horse, a 1946 novel by Elizabeth Goudge, which was a childhood favourite of J. K. Rowling.[4]
Wilkins is an English patronymic surname based on Wilkin,[5] a nickname of the given names Will and William,[6] which both derive from Wilhelm, a Germanic name made up of the elements wil, "will", and helm, "helmet."[7] This was also the surname Hermione Granger chose when she invented new identities for her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and sent them into hiding for safety's sake during the Second Wizarding War.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) (Appears in portrait(s))
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) DVD (Disc 2 - Dumbledore's Office)
- ↑ "Heliotropium" on Wikipedia
- ↑ "Language of flowers" on Wikipedia
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald article on Accio Quote!
- ↑ "Wilkins" on The Surname Database
- ↑ "Wilkinson" on Behind the Name
- ↑ "William" on Behind the Name