Wizards and witches
From Harry Potter Wiki
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| Wizards and witches | |
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| Species information | |
| Sentience |
Sentient |
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| Distinction(s) |
Typically wear long robes, carry a wand, and don't use electricity |
| Affiliation | |
Wizards (male) and Witches (female) are terms for a human who can use magic. The ability to use magic is a trait inherited through a family. Muggle-born wizards and witches develop magical powers because they are descended from a Squib who married a Muggle, with the magical gene resurfacing some generations later.
In childhood, wizards and witches may exhibit random bursts of magic, called accidental magic, which are honed and controlled as they progress in maturity. To perform controlled magic, almost all wizards/witches need to use a wand, although the skill of non-verbal magic may be mastered in later life. A few highly advanced wizards can do controlled magical acts without a wand, such as Albus Dumbledore, who demonstrated the ability at the close of Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts.
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[edit] Magical Skills and Abilities
[edit] Seers
Some wizards are born with abilities beyond those of the average wizard. Seers, for example, have the skill of insight into future events. They may garner this insight through visions and dreams or through scrying physical objects like tea dregs, tarot cards, and crystal balls.
[edit] Animagi
While some wizards have the ability to turn into animals, it is not an inherent power, but rather a trained technique. This type of wizard is called an Animagus. Babbitty Rabbitty was said to be an Animagus with the ability to transform into a hare. Sirius Black was an Animagus who could turn into a black dog named Padfoot. Rita Skeeter is an Animagus who can turn into a beetle and used this for gathering information for her articles. James Potter was an Animagus who could turn into a stag.
[edit] Metamorphmagus
Other wizards may have the ability to change only their physical appearance rather than their bodily form. This type of wizard is termed a Metamorphmagus. Such a wizard can change the shape of their noses or hair colour and other physical attributes.
[edit] Communicating with Animals
Some wizards have the ability to talk to animals. For instance, a Parselmouth can speak to snakes. This ability is extremely rare. Other wizards, like Rubeus Hagrid for example, have an innate ability to communicate and bond with all kinds of animals.
[edit] Squibs
Individuals from wizarding families who cannot perform magic at all are called Squibs. Squibs are much less common than Muggle-borns.
[edit] Occlumens
Some wizards have the ability to protect their minds from others who can perform Legilimency. This ability is called Occlumency.
[edit] Legilimens
Legilimens are people who can perform Legilimency. These people can tune into other people's minds, but have to work against the people who can perform Occlumency.
[edit] Social Habits
As decreed by the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, wizards maintain a society entirely separate from Muggle society, with their own culture and traditions. Wizards populate areas all over the globe. At the Quidditch World Cup in 1994, over 100,000 wizards were in attendance. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, there are over 600 students in residence at any given time. It is unknown exactly how many witches and wizards are in the entire world, but chances are they are not counted in the six billion population count of muggles.
Wizards may live together in communities such as Godric's Hollow or Hogsmeade. Other wizards live in solitary locations such as Spinner's End or 12 Grimmauld Place. Most wizards maintain little if no contact with Muggle society and find Muggles strange and unpleasant. Some wizards don't like to talk about their Muggle relatives. Other wizards, like Arthur Weasley, find Muggles to be highly intriguing. Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born witch, took up Muggle Studies at Hogwarts because she felt it would be fascinating to think about Muggles from a wizarding perspective.
