Unidentified female Hogwarts teacher

"She is dead."

- Sybill Trelawney

The Professor (c. 1970 - May 1, 1998 ) was a witch who taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, having possibly once been a student there as a member of Horace Slughorn's Slug Club.

In 1994, she attended the Welcoming Feast held for the arrival of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, aswell as the Yule Ball. Her lessons were presumably evaluated by Dolores Umbridge the following year, during which she sat by Sybill Trelawney at the Start-of-Term Feast. She later attended the Slug Club Christmas party in 1996.

After fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts, the Professor was killed by an unknown Death Eater, Snatcher, or other servant of Voldemort. Trelawney and Padma Patil apparently brought her body in.

Early life
This witch was born no later than 1970 somewhere in Great Britain to at least one parent of wizardkind.

It is possible that she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a member of Potions master Horace Slughorn's Slug Club. She presumably attained high marks in one particular subject.

1994-1995 school year
"When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their house tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats."

- Description

The Professor was teaching at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by 1994. She attended the Start-of-Term Feast at the beginning of the 1994-1995 school year.

Later, the Professor watched the delegations from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute arrive at Hogwarts Castle for the Triwizard Tournament. After they arrived, she and the rest of the staff made their way to the Great Hall for the Welcoming Feast, during which she spent some of her time writing in a book. She watched the foreign students with interest, and smiled warmly when Albus Dumbledore greeted Igor Karkaroff as a friend.

Not long after, she watched the Goblet of Fire select Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum become champions of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang respectively, and then Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter both become champions of Hogwarts. She did not seem quite as confused as her colleagues following the fourth champion's selection.

At Christmas, the Professor attended the Yule Ball, stood with Professor Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Igor Karkaroff, and a fellow colleague. She smiled when Dumbledore took to the floor with McGonagall.

Later in the year, she watched the Second Task of the Tournament, which Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory came first and second in respectively.

1995-1996 school year
"Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though Harry noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping."

- Description

At some time prior to September 1 1995, the Professor got married.

During the 1995–1996 school year, the Professor once again attended the Start-of-Term Feast, sitting by a black wizard and Sybill Trelawney. She listened attentively with interest to Dolores Umbridge's speech, despite being distracted by Trelawney's appalling table manners. Though some of the staff "brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping", the Professor did not clap at all.

That year, the Professor's classes were presumably inspected by Umbridge following her employment as Hogwarts High Inquisitor. If so, Umbridge must have believed that she was a competent teacher, as she was not suspended.

1996-1997 school year
Once again, the Professor watched the sorting of the first years in 1996. She sat on Professor Dumbledore's left hand side, next to Rubeus Hagrid.

When Dumbledore announced Horace Slughorn's reinstation as Potions master, she applauded merrily and smiled at him. However, she did not applaud when Severus Snape was declared Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Shortly before Christmas, the Professor went to the Hogwarts Library, looking for books, scanning the shelves while walking down the aisle. After only a fraction of a minute, she had found the books she needed and, putting a Levitation Spell, Hovering Charm or some other form of magic, left the library with the books levitating behind her.

Weeks later, the Professor attended the Slug Club Christmas party held by her apparent friend, Horace Slughorn. She was arm-in-arm with a white-haired wizard when Argus Filch interrupted the party, dragging Draco Malfoy with him. After Snape led him out, the Professor carried on with the party and smiled to Flora and Hestia Carrow.

The Battle of the Astronomy Tower occurred at the end of the school year. It is possible that the Professor took part in it.

1997-1998 school year
The Professor apparently continued to teach at Hogwarts during the 1997-1998 school year, during which Severus Snape, who the Professor appeared not to like, was made Headmaster following his murder of Albus Dumbledore during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.

After Harry Potter arrived and the Battle of Hogwarts began, the Professor helped defend Hogwarts Castle with protective enchantments. When the Death Eaters broke through, the Professor partook in the fighting. Unfortunately, she was killed at some point before Voldemort temporarily called back his forces. Her body was brought to the Great Hall, where Sybill Trelawney, assisted by Padma Patil, pronounced her as dead.

Physical description
The Professor was a tall witch with white skin, brown eyes, and brown hair. She appeared to have a fondness for the colour red during social occasions, such as the Yule Ball and the Slug Club Christmas party, and black for everyday schoolwear.

Personality and traits
The Professor was an intelligent person, as shown when she appeared to decode Dolores Umbridge's speech and refused to clap for her. She also seemed to have a dislike for Severus Snape, not applauding his employment as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, while happily clapping and smiling for Horace Slughorn's return.

Her soft side showed when Dumbledore embraced Igor Karkaroff, smiling warmly, and when she went arm-in-arm with a white-haired wizard during the Christmas party. She may have also been bookish, as she wrote in a book instead of watching some of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang's students rehearsed entrances, and when she visited the library during 1996.

Hogwarts staff
The Professor appeared to have a good relationship with the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. She stood beside him during the Yule Ball, and grinned to herself when he took to the floor with Minerva McGonagall. She also sat by him during the 1996-1997 school year Start-of-Term Feast.

She also seemed to be friendly with Horace Slughorn, Potions master and Head of Slytherin House. She applauded happily (which was a rarity in itself) for him after he took his old job back, and attended his Christmas party.

The Professor may also have had a relationship of sorts with Sybill Trelawney, a seer and Divination teacher. She sat by her during the Start-of-Term Feast of 1995, and Trelawney was the one that tended to her dead body during the hour-long break during the Battle of Hogwarts.

However, she seemed to be unfriendly with Severus Snape and Dolores Umbridge, neither of whom did she clap for during their respective announcements of becoming Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, despite applauding for Professor Slughorn.

Behind the scenes

 * The Professor was portrayed by Hazel Showham in all of her appearances.
 * The teacher has something of a resemblance with Septima Vector, who was seen in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film).
 * She may be professor Bathsheda Babbling, due to the fact that this is the only canon teacher she could possibly be. However, she could be a non-canon teacher or a recasting of Septima Vector, Aurora Sinistra or Irma Pince. Alternatively, she may be the teacher of Advanced Arithmancy Studies, Ancient Studies, Art, Muggle Art or Ghoul Studies.

Appearances

 * 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 Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2