Filius Flitwick

"No! You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

- Professor Flitwick duelling Severus Snape shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts.

Professor Filius Flitwick (b. October 17) was a gentle-spirited, part-goblin wizard who was an accomplished sorcerer and Duelling Champion in his youth. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of eleven and was Sorted into Ravenclaw House, being an intelligent young man and a model student. Some time after his graduation, Flitwick returned to Hogwarts, the school from which he had studied, and became the Charms Master, as well as Head of Ravenclaw House.

Flitwick opposed Lord Voldemort, although he did not join the Order of the Phoenix, led by Albus Dumbledore. In 1995, he opposed Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, and, on Minerva McGonagall's orders, alerted Severus Snape to the Battle of the Astronomy Tower in 1997, after which he attended the Funeral of Albus Dumbledore. He also protected the students from the Carrows from 1997 until 1998. At the end of the year, he partook in the Battle of Hogwarts and defeated the Death Eater, Antonin Dolohov, after duelling another named Yaxley. He survived the war, and likely continued to teach Charms at Hogwarts to the future generations.

Childhood and Teenage Years
"Dumbledore and Flitwick, those model students..."

- A brief description of Flitwick's time at Hogwarts.

Filius Flitwick was born on October 17 to a wizarding family with the distant descent of a goblin. Because of his ancestral background, Flitwick was welcoming and accepting of Muggle-borns and half-breeds such as himself. He studied magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, presumably after purchasing his wand from Ollivander's, and was Sorted into Ravenclaw House. At some point, he asked the Grey Lady about the whereabouts of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, which was rumoured to grant the wearer wisdom. However, she denied revealing the information, which she would later relay to Harry Potter in 1998. It was also mentioned that Flitwick, being a model student with nothing to hide, never entered or used the Room of Hidden Things in the Room of Requirement, which was, in fact, where the Diadem was eventually hidden by Tom Riddle after having turned it into a Horcrux. It is likely that he achieved a high graded O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in Charms Class, as later in his life he went on to teach this subject for over thirty years at least. He also may have taken exams in Defence Against the Dark Arts, as he became a Master Duellist sometime after leaving the school.

Life after Hogwarts
"... Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young..."

- Hermione Granger discussing the Duelling Club.

After completing his Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests in his seventh year, Flitwick graduated from Hogwarts and then proceeded to become a Master Duellist and earned the title of "Duelling Champion" at some point. He was also noted to have become an accomplished wizard, masterfull in spells, charms and defensive magic. Despite being a Champion Duellist, Flitwick either retired or quit, and decided to settle down as a professor back at Hogwarts School sometime before or during the sixties.

Early Years
"Never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

- Professor Flitwick using rhymes to teach.

Now back at his old school, Hogwarts, Professor Flitwick took up the post of Charms Master. His classroom was Classroom 2E, which was located on the third floor of the Charms Tower. The room had four long, large desks that were built like stairs, and were located on either side of the classroom. There was also a large fireplace in the room, as well as several books stacked on top of each other, where Professor Flitwick had to stand to see over his desk. His office was located on the seventh floor near the base of the West Tower, and contained portraits, a desk, and sleeping quarters, with a red and gold theme about the room.

Professor Flitwick's teaching style is regarded as more "laid-back" than some other teachers at Hogwarts, such as Minerva McGonagall's or Severus Snape's. He, unlike others, allows his students to play games during the lessons before the Christmas holidays, but he isn't a bad teacher as Fred Weasley commented that he "couldn't see old Flitwick getting marked down. He usually gets everyone through exams alright." He also encourages students to experiment with their own magic and does not generally give detentions for slack work; instead he prefers to give students homework so they can catch up. The only punishment he does give is lines, such as when Seamus Finnigan accidentally knocked him off of his stack of books by letting go of his wand in the air.

Teaching Lily and the Marauders
"Quills down, please! That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"

- Professor Flitwick overseeing the Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.

In 1971, Lily Evans arrived at Hogwarts and was Sorted into Gryffindor. Professor Flitwick taught Lily, and grew to be rather fond of her and was not prejudiced because she was Muggle-born. A few of his other students during these years included James Potter, Lily's husband later in life, Peter Pettigrew, a later Death Eater, and Remus Lupin and Severus Snape, both of whom would later become Flitwick's former colleagues.

In 1976, Flitwick administered the Theory of Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. He walked between the hundreds of small desks in the Great Hall during the exam and, once their time was up, ordered the students to put down their quills, but had to tell a pupil named Stebbins twice before he put his down. Flitwick then used a Summoning Charm to collect in the papers, but was knocked over onto the floor when the hundred scrolls of parchments zoomed into his outstretched arms.

Flitwick would later go on to survive the First Wizarding War, in which his former students, Lily and James, were killed. Despite these dark times, or perhaps because of them, Flitwick continued to teach at Hogwarts.

The Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter
"Professor Flitwick [...] took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight."

- Harry Potter's first Charms Class.

Professor Flitwick, now in his elderly years, was still teaching at Hogwarts during the 1991-1992 school year. Just before the start of the new school year, Albus Dumbledore trusted him to contribute to the defences of the Philosopher's Stone Chambers. Flitwick, being the Charms Master, enchanted a considerable amount of Winged Keys to fly through the air. He placed broomsticks in there too, so that the person wishing to pass through the magically locked door would have to ride a broom and catch the correct key, which had bright blue wings. Once the new year began, Flitwick attended the Welcoming Feast, aswell as the Sorting ceremony, and watched Harry Potter be Sorted into Gryffindor. At the start of his first first year lesson, he took the register and, upon seeing Harry's name on his register, squeaked excitedly and fell off of his stack of books. Also, Flitwick was very impressed when Professor McGonagall, his friend and fellow colleague, told him that she was giving a Nimbus 2000 broomstick to Harry after being chosen to play as the Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. When he received the broom, Draco Malfoy told Flitwick, hoping it would get him in trouble, but Flitwick said that he heard all about the "special circumstances" and seemed very impressed.

Professor Flitwick also attended the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. He sat high up in the stands near Severus Snape, the Potions Master, and Quirinus Quirrell, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He looked extremely shocked and worried when Harry seemingly lost control of his broom, aswell as when Snape's cloak caught fire, but applauded merrily when Harry regained control and caught the Snitch.

Professor Flitwick didn't allow his first year class to actually perform any magic until Halloween, and, after some coaching, he gave each of his pupils a feather which they were to levitate using the Hover Charm; Wingardium Leviosa. The class had been anxious to try this since Flitwick used the charm on Neville Longbottom's toad, Trevor. Hermione Granger, who was paired with Ronald Weasley, performed the spell perfectly and Professor Flitwick happily announced her success to the class. During October, he also taught the Softening Charm; Spongify, which would help the students in their future lessons, such as using it against a troll in Professor Sprout's Herbology class.

On December 24, Christmas Eve, Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were in charge of decorating the Great Hall. Flitwick used a charm, possibly Baubillious, to create golden bubbles to adorn the Christmas Trees' branches. He also used live fairies to decorate, which he was rather fond of doing. The hall was noted to look absolutely spectacular, with holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls and no fewer than twelve Christmas Trees stood towering around the room, some decorated with candles and others icicles. He also attended the Feast on Christmas Day and pulled a cracker with Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster exchanged his pointed wizard hat for a flowery bonnet and Flitwick read a joke to him, which made him chuckle merrily. As the First Year Exams approached, Professor Flitwick set the first years homework to learn various spells and charms off by heart. When it finally was time for the tests, Flitwick called his students one-by-one into his classroom and asked them to make a pineapple tap-dance across his desk. He presumably also set theoretical papers, which were to be completed in a swelteringly hot classroom. Once the exams were over, Hermione Granger visited Flitwick in the staffroom, saying that she was worried that she got a question wrong in the theory test. He, unable to help himself, told her in confidentiality that she had gotten a hundred and twelve percent correct.

At the end of the year, Professor Flitwick attended the End-of-Term Feast and watched as Gryffindor won the House Cup from Slytherin. His own House, Ravenclaw, came third place.

The Chamber of Secrets and Gilderoy Lockhart
""The heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white. "left another message. Right underneath the first one. Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever." Professor Flitwick burst into tears."

- Flitwick being informed of Ginny Weasley's kidnap.



Professor Flitwick continued to teach during the 1992-1993 school year. During a Charms Class, Ron Weasley's wand flew out of his hand and hit Flitwick squarely inbetween his eyes, leaving a great green boil there, which he presumably Vanished. He also set a piece of homework for his second years to do, which involved using The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2.

One of the first lessons that Professor Flitwick taught during the first term was revising the Hover Charm with his second year class. He also taught the second years the Skurge Charm, which Vanishes Ectoplasm, and the Incendio Spell, or "Bluebell Flames". Later on in the year, Mrs. Norris, Argus Filch the caretaker's cat, was found Petrified on the first floor. Professor Flitwick was amongst the crowd of students and teachers who saw her there. Not long after, Colin Creevey was also attacked and taken to the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall told Flitwick about it the next day, and they were overhead by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Another attack followed, this time on Hufflepuff second year Justin Finch-Fletchley and Gryffindor House Ghost Nearly Headless Nick. Professor Flitwick and the rest of the staff arrived at the scene shortly after the discovery and he, assisted by Professor Aurora Sinistra of the Astronomy department, took Justin to Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing.

Near the end of the year, Professor Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff, were called to the staffroom by Professor McGonagall. McGonagall told them that Slytherin's Monster had kidnapped a student and taken them to the Chamber of Secrets. Flitwick immediately let out a squeal while Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth and Professor Snape gripped a chair tightly and asked how she could be sure. McGonagall told them that the Heir of Slytherin had left another message right under the first, which read; Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. Flitwick burst into tears at hearing the news while Madam Hooch, weak-kneed, asked who had been taken. It had, in fact, been Ginevra Weasley, one of Flitwick's students, and, when Lockhart entered the room, the whole staff turned against him. While all the teachers told him his comments of knowing what was in the Chamber and so forth, Flitwick piped in and said that he had told that he was quite sure he knew what was inside it.

The next day, Professor Flitwick was to send his Ravenclaws home on the Hogwarts Express. However, Harry Potter had slain the monster, sealed the Chamber and saved Ginny, so Hogwarts remained open. Instead, Flitwick attended the End-of-Term Feast and applauded happily when Rubeus Hagrid returned from Azkaban, being incorrectly sent there on suspicion of the Chamber openings.

Would the Chamber of Secrets not had opened during the year, Professor Flitwick would have had to administer the Second Year Exams. However, at the End-of-Term Feast, Professor Dumbledore cancelled all examinations as a special school treat.

The Escape of Sirius Black
"Ah, Miss Granger, would you be so kind as to bring both Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to the front with you? Today it is your turn to collect the Carpe Retractum spell book."

- Professor Flitwick teaching his third year class.

Prior to the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and Dementors were placed outside Hogwarts for the students' safety. Regardless, Professor Flitwick continued his tenure as Charms Master, along with the added responsibility as the Conductor of the Hogwarts Choir. During the Welcoming Feast, Flitwick, now the Conductor of the Hogwarts Choir, led a reciting of Something Wicked This Way Comes. He also remained seated at the High Table while Professor Dumbledore announced the employment of Remus Lupin as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and Rubeus Hagrid as the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Near Christmas, Professor Flitwick went to the Three Broomsticks Inn with McGonagall, Hagrid, Madam Rosmerta and Cornelius Fudge. Together, they discussed James and Lily Potter’s deaths, aswell as the escape of Sirius Black. When it was said that the Potters used the Fidelius Charm to protect their home in Godric's Hollow, Flitwick explained and described the operation of the spell and the position of Secret-Keeper.

During the snowy season, Professor Flitwick taught his third years the Carpe Retractum Charm. While explaining the spell's uses to the class, Hermione Granger arrived late after, having used a Time-Turner to go back in time from a Study of Ancient Runes class with Professor Babbling. This happened again after the Easter-holidays when Hermione overslept and missed the charms class on Cheering Charms. Soon after, Professor McGonagall confiscated a Firebolt broomstick that Harry Potter received as an anonymous Christmas present, and she handed it over to Professor Flitwick and Madam Rolanda Hooch, the Flying Instructor. The two examined it to see if there were any malicious or unfriendly spells cast upon it, since they thought it possible that Sirius Black had sent it to him in the hope of killing him.

Later on in the year, Sirius Black successfully broke into the castle and infiltrated the boys’ dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. As a defence mechanism, Professor Flitwick taught the oak front-doors to recognise a picture of Black so as to not grant him access. Also around this time, Flitwick set the Third Year Exams, which involved casting the Cheering Charm.

Nearer the end of the school year, Black was finally captured and locked inside Professor Flitwick’s office on the seventh floor near the base of the West Tower. However, Black vanished that night and escaped from the castle.

The Triwizard Tournament
"Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday, and spent most of it talking to Harry about the perfect Summoning Charm he had used during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament."

- Professor Flitwick during the 1994-1995 school year as the Yule Ball approached.

Professor Flitwick continued his career in 1994 at Hogwarts when the Triwizard Tournament was being held. When the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute students arrive, he applauded them at their entrances, and, after that, both he and Professor Dumbledore led a presentation of Hoggy Warty Hogwarts by the whole school. At the High Table, Flitwick sat next to Dumbledore and Hagrid and, while talking with Madame Olympe Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbatons, Hagrid accidentally stabbed his hand with a fork. He taught the Summoning Charm, Accio, to his fourth year students shortly before Halloween and assigned three books worth of reading before actually starting. It was this charm that Harry Potter used during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, which earnt him first place.

Professor Flitwick later taught his fourth year class the Banishing Charm. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn’t really pay attention and decide that Charms was a good lesson to have conversations that they didn’t want to be overheard, as Flitwick’s lessons were always noisy with activity of students practicing spells. He started to ease off his lessons in the week before Christmas and the Yule Ball and instead spent his time talking about the Summoning Charm that Harry had used in the First Task, being a proud Charms Master.

During the Yule Ball, Professor Flitwick conducted the Hogwarts school choir in playing waltzes. However, once the dances “heated up” and the Weird Sisters arrived to perform, Flitwick was passed over the heads of all the dancers, imitating what Muggles call a moshpit, yelling at them to let him down.

In the Third Task, Professor Flitwick, along with Minerva McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid and “Alastor Moody” was appointed one of the marshals to patrol around the Maze. He wore a shining star on his wizard hat and had to respond to any of the champions cries for help (The Periculum Spell). At the end of the task, Cedric Diggory was murdered, and Lord Voldemort was declared to have risen to power again, and thus the Second Wizarding War was kicked off. Flitwick attended the Memorial Feast to Cedric Diggory at the end of the year.

The Reign of Dolores Umbridge
"Umbridge just lurked in the corner making notes on a clipboard. You know what Flitwick’s like, he treated her like a guest, didn’t seem to bother him at all."

- The Weasley twins on Umbridge’s inspection of Flitwick’s Charms Class.

The next year, Dolores Umbridge became the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She quickly arose to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, gaining the power to inspect the teaching standards of her fellow colleagues.

During Umbridge’s inspection of Professor Flitwick’s Charms Class, she sat in the corner of the classroom making notes on her clipboard while he taught his N.E.W.T. students. He treated her like a guest and did not seem to be distracted by her at all, since she hardly spoke, though she did ask Alicia Spinnet what the classes were like. Happy with what she had heard and seen, Umbridge left Flitwick to continue his lesson. When Umbridge inspected Professor Flitwick’s class with the school choir, she seemed impressed and pleased, but pulled out a tape measure and measured Flitwick’s height. He did not seem happy at all and looked rather offended.

Once Professor Umbridge had banned the Quibbler from the school after an interview of Harry Potter was printed, all the teachers were proud of him standing up to her. Professor Flitwick, not allowed to talk about anything than his subject, secretly gave a box of Sugar Mice to Harry during one of his classes, before saying “shh!” and running away. Later on in the year, Professor Umbridge became the new Headmistress after Professor Dumbledore left the school. On her first day in office, Fred and George Weasley released fireworks into Hogwarts Castle and some sparklers managed to find themselves in Classroom 2E, Flitwick’s classroom. He, wanting to annoy Umbridge like the rest of the staff, ran for her help from her. Once she had extinguished the fireworks, he revealed that he could have gotten rid of them himself, but he wasn’t sure that he had the “authority”, before slamming the door in her face.

After Easter break, Fred and George used one of their inventions, a Portable Swamp, to change a corridor into a bog and then departed from school to go into the world of business. Professor Flitwick was seen cheering and supporting them at their departure after they ran rings around Umbridge and Argus Filch. Flitwick was asked to remove the swamp they created at the end of the year, which he did, but he left a small patch under the window as he believed it to be really good magic.

The Death of Albus Dumbledore
"It was nearly midnight when Professor Flitwick came sprinting down into the dungeons. He was shouting about Death Eaters in the castle, I don’t think he really registered that Luna and I were there at all, he just burst his way into Snape's office and we heard him saying that Snape had to go back with him and help and then we heard a loud thump and Snape came hurtling out of his room and he saw us and – and – [...] he said Professor Flitwick had collapsed and that we should go and take care of him while he – while he went to help fight the Death Eaters. We went into his office to see if we could help Professor Flitwick and found him unconscious on the floor... and, oh, it’s so obvious now, Snape must have Stupefied Flitwick [...]."

- Hermione Granger describing what happened when Flitwick went for Snape’s help.

In 1996, Hogwarts was put under the protection of a group of Aurors. Professor Flitwick, together with the caretaker, Argus Filch, was appointed to check off every student entering the school at the entrance gates on a register and take their belongings to be searched for any dark artefacts or weapons. When Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood’s names were not ticked off on the register, he went looking for them, though they turned up soon after. With every student now in the grounds, Flitwick cast some sort of magical barrier spell on the gates, preventing anyone from entering.

One of the first classes he taught to his sixth year class was transforming vinegar into wine. He approached Harry, Ron and Hermione during the lesson and asked them to perform the spell. Hermione casted it perfectly first time while Harry turned his to ice and Ron blew his up. Flitwick gave the two boys homework based on their performance; to practice for next lesson. During one of the students' trips to Hogsmeade, Professor Flitwick also visited the village, possibly for security reasons. On his way back to the castle, Horace Slughorn, the new Potions Master, invited him to have a drink at the Three Broomsticks Inn, but Flitwick claimed to have "emergency choir-practice" and left him.

Later on in the year, Flitwick was in the Great Hall with the Hogwarts choir when Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts and Minerva McGonagall ordered him to get Severus Snape. When inside Snape’s office, Snape Stupefied him, and told Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood that he had collapsed and that they should tend to him. Shortly after knocking Flitwick out, Snape killed Professor Dumbledore. Once recovering from his attack by Snape, Flitwick took part in the conversation of whether or not Hogwarts should remain open or be closed, as having the Headmaster killed by one of the staff was a "terrible stain on Hogwarts history." Flitwick insisted that the decision should be made by the school governors, which Minerva McGonagall, the new Headmistress, was inclined to agree with. He also argued that Dumbledore should be buried in the grounds, which had never happened to any Headmaster or Mistress.

Professor Flitwick, with the rest of the staff and students, later attended the Funeral of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the year in the grounds near the Hogwarts Lake.

Headmaster Snape and the Carrows
"“I can act from here,” said Flitwick, and although he could barely see out of it, he pointed his wand through the smashed window and started muttering incantations of great complexity. [There was] a weird rushing noise, as though Flitwick had unleashed the power of the wind into the grounds."

- Professor Flitwick protecting the castle from the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort.

Prior to the start of the 1997-1998 school year, Severus Snape was made Headmaster of Hogwarts while his fellow Death Eaters, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, became the Muggle Studies and Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers respectively. Despite the school now in the grasp of Lord Voldemort, or perhaps because of it, Professor Flitwick returned to the castle to teach and protect the students.

The Carrows were put in charge of all discipline and punishments, though Flitwick and the staff never sent students to them if they could avoid it. He also, with the other Heads of House, protected the pupils from Alecto and Amycus.

Near the end of the year, Alecto ordered Professor Flitwick to let her into Ravenclaw Tower. He did so, answering the riddle required to enter. When she failed to come out, Amycus told McGonagall to make Flitwick open the door for him too, but she did it herself. That night, Flitwick, with Professors Sprout and Slughorn, heard a disturbance in one of the corridors and, still in their night-clothes, went to find out what it was. They found McGonagall duelling Snape to the death, and, after squeaking her name in shock, told Snape he would not commit any more murder in the castle. He proceeded to cast a spell which animated the suit of armour that Snape was using to shield himself from McGonagall. Snape then ran into a classroom, chased by Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall, and flew out of the window, escaping them.

Aware that Lord Voldemort would soon attack the castle, Flitwick and the other professors set to defend the school and the students. He pointed his wand out of the window and cast several intricate protective spells, including Protego Horribilis. Then, he was quizzed over the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw by Harry Potter, whom he was shocked to see during the circumstances. He told Harry that the diadem was long since lost and that it wouldn't really help anyway, unaware that it was a Horcrux.

After a brief discussion of how to fight the Death Eaters, it was agreed that Flitwick, McGonagall and Sprout would take groups of over-age fighters up to Ravenclaw Tower, Gryffindor Tower and the Astronomy Tower. Flitwick presumably took his group up to Ravenclaw Tower, since it was a good place to work spells and enchantments. Professor Flitwick was seen fighting Yaxley close to the front doors in the Entrance Hall, just before Voldemort ordered everyone to cease duelling and offered peace in return for Harry Potter. However, battle soon resumed after Harry was thought to be murdered by Voldemort. In the Great Hall, Antonin Dolohov was seen falling to the ground with a scream at Flitwick's hands, defeated and possibly killed.

Flitwick also witnessed the duel between Harry and Voldemort in the Great Hall and, after Voldemort's spell rebounded on him, Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall all reached to hug Harry at the same time, while everyone else joined in.

A celebration feast was later held, but no one sat in their proper places; teachers, parents and students were all jumbled up. It is likely that Professor Flitwick sat by the Ravenclaws, since he was their Head of House.

Later Life
It is likely that Professor Flitwick continued his long tenure as Charms Master after the war, though he may have retired sometime before 2017, being as old as he was.

Physical Description
"Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk."

- Description

Flitwick, due to his goblin blood, was distinguishingly short and frequently described as “tiny little Professor Flitwick”. He had a shock of white hair in his elderly years and brown when he was younger. Also when hne was young, he usually wore black clothes and suits as opposed to the green robes that he wore in his later years.

Personality and Traits
"Splendid! Well done, dear!"

- Professor Flitwick congratulating one of his students.

Flitwick was an emotional fellow, who seemed to have a gentle spirit. During the 1992–1993 school year when Ginevra "Ginny" Weasley was taken into the Chamber of Secrets, he burst into tears, and in 1993's Valentine's Day, when Gilderoy Lockhart called him a "sly old dog", he buried his face in his hands. During one Charms lesson, Neville Longbottom, while fumbling with attempts at casting a Banishing Charm, ended up sending Flitwick sailing across the room; Flitwick accepted this resignedly instead of losing his temper.

Nevertheless, he commanded respect in spite of his sensitive nature and small stature. When he encountered Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy on the stairs discussing Harry's new Nimbus 2000, Malfoy treated him just like any other teacher with no hint of the sarcasm he used with Remus Lupin. Furthermore, Flitwick was a talented duellist. During the Battle of Hogwarts, he helped to drive off extremely talented wizard Severus Snape, fought Yaxley and defeated Antonin Dolohov, a highly dangerous Death Eater who had previously defeated the likes of Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin and severely injured Hermione Granger.

Abilities and Skills
"You may have heard that I was a Duelling Champion!"

- Professor Flitwick drawing his wand on misbehaving students.

Charms Mastery: As a Charms Master, Professor Flitwick was learned and masterful of charms, enchantments and bewitchments, ranging from conjuring simple decorations to the most advanced shield charms. He may have also invented a few of his own spells as he encouraged his students to do so.

Master Duellist: Sometime after leaving Hogwarts, Flitwick became a Duelling Champion. Though he hadn't duelled in some time, he was still good enough to help run Severus Snape out of the school, as well as hold his own against Yaxley and defeat Antonin Dolohov.

Transfiguration: Professor Flitwick was shown to be successful in the transfiguration branches of Conjuration and Vanishing, creating baubles from his wand to decorate the Christmas Trees and able to vanish a Portable Swamp.

Conducting: Professor Flitwick became the Conductor of the Hogwarts Choir during the 1993-1994 school year and taught the choir how to sing Something Wicked This Way Comes and In Noctem. He also led the orchestra during the Yule Ball.

History of Magic: Professor Flitwick was also learned in history, myths and legends, knowing the tale of the Chamber of Secrets off-by-heart and able to relay it to his class during the 1992-1993 school year.

Harry, Ron and Hermione
"Oh, well done! See here, everyone! Miss Granger's done it!"

- Professor Flitwick announcing Hermione's accomplishment of the Hover Charm.

Professor Flitwick was kind to Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. He was so excited to see Harry's name on his register that he fell off of his stack of books with a squeek. Flitwick was thoroughly impressed when Hermione managed to succesfully cast the Hover Charm, announcing her feat to the class. He allowed Harry and his friends to talk during classes, aswell as play games sometimes, and helped defend Hogwarts Castle to give time for Harry to find Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, casting a Protego Horribilis on the school grounds.

Ravenclaw Students
"Professor Flitwick was knocked out, but [...] he insisted on going off to look after the Ravenclaws."

- How much Flitwick cared for his House.

Professor Flitwick is very caring and protective of the members of his House, Ravenclaw, as he is Head of Ravenclaw House. In 1997, when Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts Castle by use of a Vanishing Cabinet, Flitwick was knocked out, but left the Hospital wing in a hurry in order to look after the Ravenclaws, despite still being shaky from his attack. At the end of the year, after Albus Dumbledore’s death, Flitwick, aswell as Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Rubeus Hagrid and Horace Slughorn had to decide whether the school should re-open the following year. He could not decide where his students would be safer, at Hogwarts or at their homes, and wanted to leave the decision to the board of governors, which Professor McGonagall was inclined to agree to. The school did indeed reopen for the 1997-1998 school year, but McGonagall had been replaced as Head by Severus Snape. Snape, along with Alecto and Amycus Carrow, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies Professors, treated all of the school’s students brutally and horribly, aside from the Slytherins of course. Because of this, Flitwick protected the Ravenclaws, as well as the other students, from the Carrows, as did McGonagall, Sprout and Slughorn. Once Lord Voldemort declared war on the Castle, Flitwick fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and survived, so he likely continued to teach and care for the next generation of Ravenclaws.

Hogwarts Professors


Flitwick seemed to have a good relationship with the most of his colleagues at Hogwarts. Some of them were Minerva McGonagall and Pomona Sprout. The relationships between Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Sprout are unknown. All three are professors at Hogwarts, while Heads of House. However, after the death of Albus Dumbledore in 1997, both women agreed with the decision that Hogwarts should be Dumbledore’s burial ground. McGonagall and Flitwick, watched by Sprout and Horace Slughorn, duelled Professor Snape, who had taken hold of the school, ultimately forcing him to flee. Both Sprout and Flitwick exhibited yells of shock at Harry Potter when he unexpectedly arrived at the school, and Sprout and McGonagall fought with Flitwick in the Battle of Hogwarts and survived the Second Wizarding War. After the duel between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, the three of them hurried to Harry to congratulate him and celebrate.

Flitwick may have also been friendly with, or at least unusually persuasive to, Poppy Pomfrey, the school matron, as the strict nurse very rarely lets people out of the Hospital wing until they make a full recovery, but she let Flitwick out after he was hit by a stunner by Severus Snape, despite still being shaky. This may, however, just be because he is the Charms Master and a professor. Horace Slughorn, the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, seemed to believe that he was friendly with Professor Flitwick. However, the latter seemed to try to avoid him during a trip to Hogsmeade after he invited him to the Three Broomsticks Inn. Flitwick declined, saying that he had “emergency choir practice” with the Hogwarts choir back at the school. Professor Flitwick, like all the other professors at the school, disliked the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher of the 1992-1993 school year; Gilderoy Lockhart. Despite Lockhart being a former Ravenclaw, and possibly one of his old students, Flitwick did not have a very good relationship with him. On Valentine's Day, Lockhart suggested to the students that they ask Professor Snape to brew them Love Potions and said that Flitwick knew more about Entrancing Enchantments than anyone he knew. Flitwick responded by burying his face in his hands, while Snape looked like he would force-feed poison to the first person to ask him for a love potion. During the 1995-1996 school year, Dolores Umbridge, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, was made High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. When Umbridge inspected Professor Flitwick's N.E.W.T. Charms Class, he treated her like a guest and was very polite. But when she inspected his rehearal with the Hogwarts choir, Umbridge pulled out a tapemeasure and measured his height as if there were a height limit. When she became Headmistress of the school, Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff and the students, was against her. After Fred and George Weasley released fireworks into the corridors, Umbridge spent an entire day running around putting them out, and Flitwick later said that he could have easily put them all out, but was not sure that he "had the authority" to do so. The twins also released a Portable Swamp into another one of the corridors, and, once Umbridge had been suspended, Flitwick vanished it in a second, but left a small patch since he considered it to be a good piece of magic.

Portrayal in the Films
"When it came to the third movie, of course the looks of the whole films had changed. Alfonso really wanted to put his mark on the films. And then a lot of things altered: anything from character looks, to the actual layout of Hogwarts itself. And another thing was happening at the same time. There wasn’t really anything for Flitwick in the script at all, and I got a call one day from the producer, saying basically, "There’s nothing for you, but we’d love you to be in the film all the same. How do you fancy coming in and doing a kind of cameo in the movie as somebody else?" And I said, "Well, that’s great, thanks for asking. I’m always thrilled to be part of all of this, anyway." So, I went in for a meeting with Alfonso, the director, and Nick Dougland, who’s the make-up supervisor, and we came up with this new look for this character who would be basically the conductor of the Frog Chorus in the Great Hall. And so, we went with that."

- Warwick Davis in an interview.

Although Flitwick is fairly predominant Hogwarts character within the books, his appearance in the film adaptations is sporadic. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, he has a major scene during the Charms lesson where he teaches the spell Wingardium Leviosa. For the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the part is reduced to a background character. Flitwick was written out of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; however, Warwick Davis was offered a small part as the conductor of the Hogwarts chorus appearing as a small man with brown hair and moustache, identified in the credits only as "wizard". Despite Warwick's appearance as a conductor in the film of Prisoner of Azkaban, in the video game version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Flitwick appears as a teacher, and his physical appearance is as it was for the first two films and first two video games. This same character reappeared in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire although now identified as Professor Flitwick. According to interviews, Director Mike Newell liked the look of a younger Flitwick. In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, he is seen in a Chorus Class in the Great Hall. He is seen again cheering when Fred and George Weasley depart Hogwarts. Filius, with his post-Chamber look, is finally confirmed onscreen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He also displays a far more prickly demeanor than in The Philosopher's Stone. Without a doubt, Filius is likely to return in the final two films, meaning that in some way or another, he has appeared in every Potter film. However, it should be noted that Flitwick's physical appearance in the first two films is credited as the teacher and his canon represented physical appearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince merchandise (The Annual 2009 Poster Sticker Book) also uses the elder Flitwick. Also, Warwick Davis who plays Flitwick believes himself that the two characters (Conductor and Teacher) are different people but perhaps related. However despite Warwick Davis believing this, in the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry confirms them both to be the same character in a conversation with Flitwick.

That said, given the context of the series, the possibility that Flitwick's appearance was changed at some point due to an off-screen magical incident is not out of the realm of possibility, though without any on-screen or in-print confirmation, the discrepancy remains a mystery and it has caused confusion amongst viewers and a rather large inconsistancy.

Etymology

 * Filius is Latin for "son", and the filius philosophorum, meaning "the philosopher's son" is a symbol in alchemy, sometimes associated with the philosopher's stone.
 * The surname Flitwick may come from the Charms professor's own advice for wand movement: "swish and flick". Flitwick is also the name of an English town, pronounced "Flittick".

Behind the scenes

 * Flitwick is played in the films by Warwick Davis. Davis also provided the voice of Griphook the Goblin in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and will play him again (both physical form and voice) in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
 * Flitwick decorates with live fairies quite a bit, especially during Christmas in the Great Hall.
 * Flitwick's favourite drink is cherry syrup and soda with ice and an umbrella.
 * In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game), the Chamber of Secrets speech is given by Flitwick instead of Cuthbert Binns, the History of Magic professor.
 * Strangly, despite her hatred of "Half-breeds", Dolores Umbridge did not seem to hate Professor Flitwick, as the Weasley twins stated that she gave him a good review. However, this may be due to the fact that his "half-breed" ancestery comes from a distant relative. In the film, though, Umbridge is seen measuring Flitwick in front of everyone, as though Hogwarts has a height requirement.

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 Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * 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)

Notes and References
Filius Flitwick Filius Flitwick Филиус Флитвик