Bathilda Bagshot

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.

Early life
Bathilda was a resident of the village of Godric's Hollow for about a century, 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 years
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. Ron Weasley's great aunt Muriel called her "gaga" during Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding.



Interview
"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 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.

Death
Sometime afterwards, Bathilda either died or was murdered and her body was animated by Lord Voldemort using his snake familiar, Nagini. He left Nagini there as a trap, thinking that Harry Potter may visit Godric's Hollow to see his parents' grave and their home. On the following Christmas Eve, Hermione Granger and Harry did so, thinking that perhaps Dumbledore had left Godric Gryffindor's Sword there for them to be able to destroy the horcruxes they were hunting. 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 Harry and Hermione escaped.

Post-mortem
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.
 * Hazel Douglas was cast as Bathilda for the film versions of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. However, she will probably only portray the corpse controlled by Nagini/Voldemort.
 * 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

 * 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".
 * 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's last name, Bagshot, may also be 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
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

Notes and references
Bathilda Tourdesac Bathilda Bagshot