Poppy Pomfrey

"Madam Pomfrey, the matron, was a nice woman, but very strict."

Poppy Pomfrey is the Matron and nurse in charge of the Hospital wing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is depicted as a stern and professional woman who takes her chosen path quite seriously. She is apparently on cordial terms with Professor Minerva McGonagall, who calls her by her first name. She was already the school nurse when Harry's parents were students, as she is mentioned as escorting Remus Lupin out to the Whomping Willow, the entrance to the Shrieking Shack, in order for him to transform. Severus Snape sees the two of them walking out on the school grounds, and decides to follow them, causing Sirius Black to play a near-fatal prank on Snape. Due to their knack at getting involved in things over their heads, Harry Potter and his friends ended up in Pomfrey's care relatively often while they were students.

Career at Hogwarts
Poppy Pomfrey started her career at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the schools matron and nurse at a relatively early age. She is a well respected member of staff at Hogwarts and is good friends with fellow staff members Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. By 1971 she was trusted enough in her skills as a witch and healer by Albus Dumbledore to take on the task of caring for new student Remus Lupin, who due to Fenrir Greyback biting him was infected with lycanthropy making him a werewolf on the full moon. As part of her job has his carer Poppy would be required to escort Lupin to the Whomping Willow and use its secret passage way into the Shrieking Shack, where he would be treated with medicine to calm his behaviour and kept overnight to prevent any harm coming of the other students.

1991-1992 school term
In 1991 after visiting Hagrid, Ron Weasley was required to go to Madam Pomfrey after being bitten by the dragon Norbert. Ron told her that he had been bitten by a dog, but Madam Pomfrey had doubts it was a dog that bit Ron due to the unusual color of purple, green, and black, but in the end she dropped the subject and continued to aid him after Ron insisted it was a dog.

Later on in the year after Harry Potter fought Professor Quirrell in the Hogwarts dungeons over the Philosopher's Stone, he spent three days unconscious in the hospital wing under Pomfreys care. Madam Pomfrey was reluctant for Harry to have any visitors, particularly Ron and Hermione as she thought that all Harry needed was bed rest but she allowed headmaster Albus Dumbledore to visit Harry in time.



1992-1993 school term
In 1992, Madam Pomfrey was required to use Skele-Gro to regrow the bones in Harry's arm after Gilderoy Lockhart's attempt to fix a broken bone failed disastrously and did more damage than good. Pomfrey was annoyed that Harry had not been bought straight to her in the first place as she could fix bones almost in an instant but regrowing them she claimed to be a much more difficult task for both her and her patient. In the same year, Hermione Granger ended up in the hospital wing for a month after an accident in unauthorised high-level potion-making (Polyjuice Potion) left her half-feline; apparently the group felt comfortable letting her treat Hermione as she was known for not asking many questions about such incidents and just getting on with the job in hand. Hermione was allowed visitors, but it bothered Madam Pomfrey somewhat.

Also in the 1992-1993 school term Hogwarts was facing potential closure as a monster had been attacking Muggle-born students all around the school. It was Pomfrey's job to make sure that these students were found and treated to the best of her ability, though in the case of petrification she could not treat students without the help of Pomona Sprout and her batch of Mandrakes, which would have their juice drained and used as a cure. That year Poppy and Pomona both helped to cure Hermione Granger, Colin Creevey, Penelope Clearwater, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Nearly Headless Nick and Mrs. Norris. At the end of the year Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout sat proud position at the staff table and Albus Dumbledore asked the whole school to thank them both for their efforts in helping all petrified students.

1993-1994 school term
In 1994 Harry, Ron, and Hermione all had endured injuries following the events that took place when Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts and revealed Peter Pettigrew to be alive. The three all woke up in the hospital wing after Ron broke his leg the previous evening, and both Harry and Hermione had passed out from the Dementor attack along with Sirius Black. Madam Pomfrey was not suprised to have the three in her care again. Whilst in the Hospital Wing it was then that Hermione used her Time Turner to go back in time with Harry to before the three were injured and rescue Buckbeak and Sirius Black from certain death.

1994-1995 school term
"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next?"

- Madam Pomfrey complains about the Triwizard Tournament

When several students, including Fred and George Weasley, S. Fawcett and Summers "decided to age themselves up a little" in order to be eligible to enter the 1994 Triwizard Tournament, Madam Pomfrey had to remove the beards which they had grown in attempting to cross Dumbledore's Age Line. She was most annoyed by the students actions and treated them with regret. She felt that the Triwizard Tournament would bring the school nothing but grief, and she was right. During the same school year, it was Madam Pomfreys job to tend to the injuries that the four Triwizard Champions, Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour and Cedric Diggory received during the course of the tournament. It was also her job to take the body of Cedric Diggory to the Hospital Wing after he had been kiled by Lord Voldemort during the last task, also during this task Harry Potter recieved injuries as well as torture via the Cruciatus Curse and he should have been put in her care but was not as Bartemius Crouch Jr. imposing Alastor Moody snatched him from the scene before she could.

1995-1996 school term
"I don't wonder you're shocked, Potter, as if one of them could have stunned Minerva McGonagall face-on by daylight! Cowardice, that's what it was... despicable cowardice... if I wasn't worried what would happen to you students without me, I'd resign in protest!"

- Madam Pomfrey to Harry Potter

In 1996 Hogwarts was under the control of the Ministry. Albus Dumbledore had vanished after facing potential imprisonment in Azkaban and Dolores Umbridge had taken over. Minerva McGonagall, Poppys close friend was hit by four stunning spells to the chest by Aurors working for Dolores Umbridge when she was Headmistress and High Inquisitor. Pomfrey was deeply shocked by this attack and was unable to help Minerva and took her to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries where she could be treated by a higher trained healer. Madam Pomfrey said she would resign in protest after this attack if she weren't afraid of what would become of the students without her. She subsequently was right in her choice helped treat students Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter to recover from the assorted injuries they'd sustained during the battle in the Department of Mysteries, including a broken ankle, a broken nose and a severly injured Hermione from an unknown curse, which if conjured verbally Pomfrey said could have killed her. Later on in the year Pomfreys friend McGongall would return, but confined to a wheelchair after suffering trauma to the chest.



1996-1997 school term
In 1997 Madam Pomfrey was asked to examine Katie Bell after she had been badly cursed by a necklace. Pomfrey could not help Katie Bell with her injuries and she was taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a specialists opinion. Later on in the year Hogwarts fell under attack from Death Eaters, several students and Aurors were caught up in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, a battle which resulted in the death of headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Madam Pomfrey tended to the wounds and injuries of those in battle, all of which were adults as the students had taken Felix Felicis to prevent injury. Bill Weasley was injured worst of all, werewolf Fenrir Greyback had savaged and bit him whilst in his human form causing Bill to be scarred but not entirely infected with lycanthropy. Pomfrey noted that whilst he wouldn't take the form of a wolf he would develop wolf-like qualities, such as enjoying raw red meats perhaps. Madam Pomfrey would shortly after attend the Funeral of Albus Dumbledore to pay her respects to her lost colleague and friend.

1997-1998 school term
Following the death of former headmaster Albus Dumbledore it was believed that Poppys friend and deputy headmistress Minerva McGonagall would take on the position of Head of Hogwarts for the start of the 1997-1998 school term, but this was wrong. Following his death, Lord Voldemort had taken control of Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic and he had appointed Albus' killer Severus Snape as Headmaster. This year would prove to be Madam Pomfrey's busiest year as nurse and matron, despite Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, her usual patients being absent from school. With Death Eaters Amycus and Alecto Carrow as teachers, it was only a matter of time before students started to get hurt. Detentions and punishments were severe and made Dolores Umbridge, former headmistresses torture punishments seem "tame". Students would be in and out of the Hospital Wing daily and Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan sustained several injuries, Seamus to the point his face was bruised and battered he was unrecognizable if he didn't speak with his strong Irish accent. Later on in the year, Harry, Ron and Hermione would return to Hogwarts to complete the final part of their mission set by Dumbledore the year before. Staff and students were required to defend the school against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eater army whilst Harry searched for a Horcrux. It was now that the Battle of Hogwarts ensued and students and staff alike where injured, or even killed. After the battle, presuming she survived Poppy would tend to all the students for their injuries.

Magical abilities and healing skills
"She's not here, Potter, she was transferred to St Mungo's this morning. Four Stunning Spells straight to the chest at her age? It's a wonder they didn't kill her."

- Madam Pomfrey admits to her skills as a healer not being enough to help McGonagall in 1994

Madam Pomfrey is very likely to have undergone Healer training as she had a very high level of understanding in Medical Charms, and could mend broken bones in a few hours and relatively moderate injuries in an instant. Remus Lupin, who is rather powerful himself, had once stated that he could never heal bones like Madam Pomfrey, although that may be due him having far less training in healing spells.

However, she seems to have her limits, as she was unable to heal a heavily stunned Professor McGonagall, a cursed Katie Bell, and a lycanthropy infected Bill Weasley (although werewolf infections are usually not curable). The first two patients were transferred to St. Mungo's instead. It is possible that Healer training, like Medical studies, has different levels of specialization and that Madam Pomfrey is the equivalent of a GP while Healers at St. Mungo's are more specialised.

Etymology
Poppy juice was used as a pain reliever in Medieval times; opium is also made poppy sap. Pomfrey sounds like comfrey, a plant in the borage family which can be made into a soothing salve. Meanings of her names are both in some way medical related.

Behind the scenes

 * Madam Pomfrey appeared in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where she is played by Gemma Jones.
 * At the London premiere of HP6, Gemma Jones confirmed that she does return as Madam Pomfrey for the last film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 
 * the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It has now been changed to the costume Madam Pomfrey is seen wearing during the Time-turner sequence in the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * 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 (film)
 * 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 Half Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film)

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