Irma Pince

Madam Irma Pince is the librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As all Hogwarts staff are highly skilled and professional, Madam Pince is no exception as she is highly possessive and protective of the Hogwarts Library's valuable books. She is a severe and strict woman, who is described as looking like an "underfed vulture."

Early Life
Little is known about Madam Pince's early life. She probably acquired her wand at Ollivander's Wand Shop at the age of eleven. It is presumed that she attended Hogwarts, and proceeded with her studies in magical arts to at least her sixth year, as she can perform intricate non-verbal magic.

At Hogwarts Library
She will not allow food in the library, for fear the books will be damaged. Once, she caught Ginny Weasley eating chocolate in the library, and jinxed Ginny's and Harry Potter's belongings to chase them out.

Irma Pince also disallows talking, laughing, whispering, sneezing, scurrying, or any other behaviour that might seem at all suspicious in any way. She is rather like Argus Filch in some respects. In fact Harry believes they may be romantically involved. They were standing together at the Funeral of Albus Dumbledore.

Madam Pince is an obstacle to students who are in the library to do anything other than honest studying. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione were trying to uncover the identity of Nicolas Flamel, Madam Pince presented barriers to their goal. Harry had to sneak in after dark under his Invisibility Cloak, and even then the books whispered and even screamed at him. Either the book was jinxed by Madam Pince, or it was just an evil book to begin with. What's more, Hermione had to get a note from Professor Gilderoy Lockhart to check Moste Potente Potions out of the library for an experiment in Polyjuice Potion, and Madam Pince was rightfully suspicious.

Irma Pince has only allowed a library book to leave the confines of Hogwarts on one documented occasion. In Quidditch Through the Ages, which is supposedly published for Muggles using the Hogwarts Library's copy, Madam Pince is referred to in Albus Dumbledore's foreword. She is described as extremely reluctant to let the book be available to Muggles, to the point of Dumbledore having to "pries each of her fingers individually from the spine" to take it. She also gives a written warning, threatening the readers that the consequences of mistreating the book would be "as horrible as it is in [her] power to make them".

It is unknown whether she participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, but it is likely that she did due to the loyalty of the staff to the school

Physical appearance
Irma Pince was a thin, sallow woman who had a wizened, hollow-cheeked face with a long, hooked nose. Her appearance was often compared to that of an "underfed vulture."



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 movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets where she appears briefly sat next to Severus Snape at the staff table, and can be seen in the background of several other scenes.
 * Madam Pince's role in the second film amounted to several appearances with no speaking parts. However it seems a speaking part was filmed and subsequently cut from the shown film, however on the Chamber of Secrets DVD two disc set, Madam Pince's speaking scene is on the DVD.
 * 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.

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
 * Hogwarts Library's Copy of Quidditch Through the Ages

External link

 * Lexicon page on Madam Pince

Irma Pince Ирма Пинс