Merlin

"Medieval, dates unknown. Most famous wizard of all time. Sometimes known as the Prince of Enchanters. Part of the Court of King Arthur."

- Merlin's Chocolate Frog Card

Merlin was a wizard who lived during the medieval era. Little is known of his past, but he was a member of King Arthur's court, and arguably one of the most powerful wizards of all time.

Early life
Merlin was born sometime during the medieval era. During his formative years, he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was sorted into Gryffindor House. It is possible that he was taught by Godric Gryffindor himself, given the time period Merlin lived in. It is said that Merlin's wand was of English oak (though his grave has never been found, so this cannot be proven).

Later life
At some point in his lifetime, Merlin became a part of the Court of King Arthur, assisting him during his reign. He was the enemy of Arthur's half-sister, Morgan le Fay (also known as Morgana), a dark witch.

Merlin believed that wizards should help Muggles and live peacefully with them. To this end, he founded the Order of Merlin, an organisation which promoted Muggle rights, creating rules against using magic on them.

Merlin was also an expert user of charms. His exceptional skill earned him the epithet "Prince of Enchanters".

Legacy
At some point, either during Merlin's lifetime or after his death, the Order of Merlin switched from a Muggle rights organisation to an award bestowed upon witches and wizards who performed a great deed at personal risk or contributed to the betterment of wizarding society in some way, a sign of the estrangement of the Muggle community from the Wizarding one.



Merlin's renown led his name to become a part of everyday wizarding vernacular. The popular exclamation, "Merlin's beard!", and the more unusual "Merlin's pants!" are examples of such.

Merlin was immortalised on a Chocolate Frog Card. Harry Potter found a copy of this card in one of the Chocolate Frogs he bought on the Hogwarts Express on 1 September, 1991.

On 31 July, 1998, the Daily Prophet published a letter by a reader suggesting a "Merlin Remembrance Day" be established.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Magical Mastery: Arguably one of the most powerful wizards of all time, it can be assumed that Merlin were rich in learning and experience and that his proficiency and knowledge in magic were matched by few if any wizard in his time.
 * Charms: Merlin's skill in using charms, bewitchments and enchantments are legendary, to the point of him being dubbed the "Prince of Enchanters", which speaks for his exceptional ability in this field of magic.
 * Spell inventor (possibly): It was thought by some that the Disarming Charm had been a creation of Merlin's, although some (like Miranda Goshawk writes in Book of Spells) maintain that that spell was created in the 14th century by Elizabeth Smudgling.

Behind the scenes

 * Merlin is a wizard featured in many British legends. Though he first appeared under the name Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the wild) in Welsh literature as a half-crazed prophet of the forest, he is perhaps most famous as a central figure in the Arthurian legend. He is most commonly depicted as the adviser of King Arthur.


 * As the legends and tales of Merlin is known both to Muggles and wizards alike, and Muggles have written about how Merlin is said to have been the child of a human woman who was impregnated by a demon, many fans speculates that Merlin may have been a Half-Blood wizard, and that his father may have been a fearsome Warlock using magic against Muggles and were so widely feared by Muggles that he was recorded in myth as an evil entity. However, as mentioned, this is just speculation.
 * One of the possible questions in the Sorting quiz at Pottermore mentions that Merlin marked his possessions with a mysterious rune. Since this is just a possible answer to a hypothetical question, it is unclear if Merlin actually used this symbol as his mark in historical canon.
 * Albus Dumbledore, an extraordinarily talented and powerful wizard, resembled Merlin in many ways, such as the iconic long beard and prodigious magical skill. Both were "Muggle sympathizers", although Merlin's belief in the pure-blood elitism is unknown, it likely was the same as Dumbledore's.
 * It is usual that Merlin, one of the most famous proponents of Muggle rights and tolerance, would be placed in Gryffindor, a house strongly associated with pro Muggle views, although since he was such an ambitious person with all his plans for the Order of Merlin, it is not entirely surprising.
 * In fact, the entire placement of Merlin at Hogwarts is paradoxical. Hogwarts was founded in the 9th/10th century, and while the early 9th century was the time the first records of the Arthur-myth were written, the actual myth plays around the year 500 A.D., meaning that the 'historical' Merlin in fact predates Hogwarts by roughly five-hundred years.
 * Coincidentally,, who plays Merlin in BBC One's Merlin, was sorted into Slytherin in Pottermore.

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 (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 (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Daily Prophet Newsletters
 * Pottermore

Notes and references
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