User:Jack "BtR" Saxon/Pince draft

Madam Irma Pince was an unpleasant witch and head of the library at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As all Hogwarts staff are highly skilled and professional, Madam Pince was no exception as she was highly possessive and protective of the Hogwarts Library's valuable books. She was a severe and strict woman, who was described as thin, irritable and looked like an underfed vulture. After the death of Albus Dumbledore, she attended his funeral and wore a long black veil as a mark of respect. Madam Pince may have also participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, unless she was busy protecting her precious books.

Early Life
Irma Pince was born sometime before 1970 and presumably purchased her wand prior to attending school. She likely attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and proceeded with her studies into the magic arts until at least her sixth year, since she could perform intricate non-verbal magic and place powerful jinxes and hexes on objects.

Earlier Career
"Quiet! I'll tell Madam Pince!"

- A student to a noisy classmate in the library.

At some point, Pince took up the position of Librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, being granted the title of "madam". She was greatly disliked by the students for being very strict and unhelpful in finding books for them. An example of her strictness was the fact that she would not allow food in the library, for fear that the books would be damaged, and also disallowed talking, laughing, whispering, sneezing, scurrying, or any other behaviour that might seem at all suspicious in any way. She was also known to jinx books for their protection.

At some point, the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, visited the library with the goal of publishing Quidditch Through the Ages for Muggles to raise money. However, Madam Pince was extremely reluctant to let the book leave the confines of the library, aswell as the wizarding world, and Dumbledore had to pries each of her fingers from the spine to take it. Once he had taken the book, she wrote a warning, threatening the readers that the consequences of mistreating the book would be as horrible as it was in her power to make them.

1991-1992 school year
"What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks."

- Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger after being sent out of the library by Madam Pince.

Madam Pince was still librarian by the time Harry Potter had arrived at the school. As Harry, along with his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, searched the library for a book on Nicolas Flamel, Pince got in their way countless times. The first time, she saw Harry edging towards the Restricted Section of the Library and asked him what he was looking for. When he answered "nothing" for fear of her suspicion, she sent him out.