Irma Pince

"The only […] sound was the slight squeaking of one of Madam Pince's shoes, as the librarian prowled the aisles menacingly, breathing down the necks of those touching her precious books."

- Description of a group of fifth-years doing homework in the library.

Madam Irma Pince was a highly unpleasant witch and the librarian at the Library of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As all Hogwarts staff were highly skilled and professional, Madam Pince was no exception as she was highly possessive and protective of the Hogwarts Library's valuable books. She was a severe and strict woman, who was described as thin, irritable and looked like an underfed vulture. After the death of Albus Dumbledore, she attended his funeral and wore a long black veil as a mark of respect.

Early life
Irma Pince was born a witch and presumably purchased her wand prior to attending school. She likely attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and proceeded with her studies into the magic arts until at least her sixth year, since she could perform intricate non-verbal magic, was able to place powerful jinxes and hexes on objects and could effectively remove a curse from a student by administering the correct counter-curse.

Earlier career
"Quiet! I'll tell Madam Pince!"

- A student to a noisy classmate in the library.

At some point, Pince took up the position of Librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was greatly disliked by the students for being very strict and unhelpful in finding books for them. An example of her strictness was the fact that she would not allow food in the library, for fear that the books would be damaged, and also disallowed talking, laughing, whispering, sneezing, scurrying, or any other behaviour that might seem at all suspicious in any way. She was also known to place odd jinxes and hexes on library books for their protection; for instance, one copy of Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration was jinxed to hit the reader around the head, should he ever doodle on it. Pince cleaned the dust on the shelves of the library manually, with a feather duster she brandished at students whenever they looked suspicious.

At some point, the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, visited the library with the goal of publishing Quidditch Through the Ages for Muggles to raise money. However, Madam Pince was extremely reluctant to let the book leave the confines of the library, as well as the wizarding world, and Dumbledore had to prise each of her fingers from the spine to take it. Once he had taken the book, she wrote a warning, threatening the readers that the consequences of mistreating the book would be as horrible as it was in her power to make them.

1991–1992 school year
Madam Pince was still librarian by the time Harry Potter had arrived at the school. As Harry, along with his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, searched the library for a book on Nicolas Flamel, Pince was deemed an obstacle, as she could warn Snape of their activities. Once, in December 1991, she saw Harry edging towards the Restricted Section of the Library and asked him what he was looking for. When he answered "nothing" for fear of her suspicion, she sent him out.

1992–1993 school year
"Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test."

- Madam Pince examining Hermione Granger's note.

On the next school year, Madam Pince was among the crowd who, on October 31, 1992, read the Heir of Slytherin's message on the second-floor corridor of the Castle.

Later, Hermione Granger arrived at the library with a note written by the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher allowing her to attain Moste Potente Potions from the Restricted Section. She gave it to Madam Pince, albeit reluctantly, wanting to keep Lockhart's autograph, and Pince did a very long observation of the note, checking for forgery. She then went into the Restricted Section and handed over the book, despite still being very suspicious.

Pince attended the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match. She was shocked to see that Draco Malfoy was hurt.

Madam Pince attended the End-of-Term Feast at the end of the school year, in which she sat by the Potions master, Severus Snape.

1995–1996 school year
"Chocolate in the library! Out—out—OUT!"

- Madam Pince catches Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley eating an Easter egg on the library.

During the next school year, Madam Pince kept her usual routine of prowling around the library, breathing down the necks of those touching the books. Early in 1995, Dolores Umbridge was made High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

During the Easter holidays, she was seen stamping out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott, who was presumably revising for her O.W.L.s. That day, she found Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter with chocolate in the library, and used her wand to bewitch their belongings to chase them out.



1996–1997 school year
Madam Pince remained at the library for the next school year, prowling around the bookshelves and protecting her tomes. At eight o'clock in the evening one day, Pince closed the library and told all of the students in there to return the books back to their shelves and to leave. When she told Harry Potter and Hermione Granger to leave, she noticed the Half-Blood Prince's highly graffitied copy of Advanced Potion-Making. Enraged, she screamed about how the book was "despoiled" and "befouled", and looked as if she may have had a seizure.

After the death of Albus Dumbledore, Madam Pince was seen prior to the funeral in the Entrance Hall, standing by Argus Filch and wearing a thick black veil that fell to her knees. It is likely she attended the funeral.

1997–1998 school year
The following year, Hogwarts was attacked by the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort's forces.

Physical description
"Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture."

- Description

One of Madam Pince's most striking physical attributes was looking like an underfed vulture. Her skin was parchment-like, her cheeks were sunken, her face was shriveled and she had an unflattering hooked-nose. She was also very thin and irritable-looking.

Personality and traits
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

- Pince catches students eating in the library

Pince was a short-tempered woman who was overly protective of the Library's books and, as such, quite unpopular among students. She was mainly seen by students as an obstacle to research, but she was professional nonetheless, helping students to check out books.

Magical skills and abilities
Librarian Skills: As a librarian, Madam Pince was able to easily locate various pieces of information for students, as Harry Potter was sure that she would be able to find Nicolas Flamel in a second, but thought it might be too suspicious to ask her about it.

Jinxing and Hexing: Madam Pince was skilled with jinxing and hexing books with nasty spells to make sure they were not mistreated. She also jinxed Harry Potter's belongings to chase him and Ginny Weasley out of the library.

Curses and Counter-Curses: Madam Pince was able to lift the Curse of the Bogies with ease.

Non-verbal Magic: Madam Pince was also adept in casting intricate non-verbal magic with her wand. One example was when she saw Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley with chocolate in the library. She jinxed their possessions to chase them out.

Etymology
The last name Pince seems to be in reference to the French word, which means "to pinch". The style of folding eyeglass, pince-nez, literally means "to pinch the nose". Irma could be a play on firma, which can mean both solid and frail. This makes her name mean something along the lines of "a frail woman with a pinched nose", or one who has a "firm pinch". Irma could also mean "the strong" or "she who is protected by Irm" (Irm is a Germanic god).

Behind the scenes

 * Madam Pince was portrayed by Sally Mortemore in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets where she appears briefly sat next to Severus Snape during the End-of-Term Feast and can be seen in the background of several other scenes.
 * Irma Pince has been rumoured to be Eileen Prince in hiding, due to the fact that the letters in Pince's name can be rearranged to spell "I am Prince", but this has not been confirmed.
 * In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Madam Pince is seen awarding house points. She never does so in the books.
 * In the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Madam Pince appears to have red hair, rather than black.
 * The Gameboy Color versions of the video games depict Pince as a helpful old woman with very thick glasses.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * 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 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Quidditch Through the Ages

Notes and references
Irma Pince Ирма Пинс