Arif Sikander

Arif Sikander
Biographical information
Born	Before 1973 (most likely)
Nationality	British or Irish
Title(s)	Professor
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Hair colour	Brown
Eye colour	Brown
Skin colour	Light
Magical characteristics
Wand	Unknown length, wood and core
Affiliation
Occupation	Muggle Studies Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1990–1991 school year)
Loyalty	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"Welcome class! I am Professor Arif Sikander. It is my pleasure to take over Muggle Studies while Professor Quirrell enjoys his European tour."

— Professor Sikander introducing himself to seventh-year students in 1990

Professor Arif Sikander was a wizard who acted as the replacement Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1990–1991 school year, whilst the former teacher Quirinus Quirrell was away on a sabbatical trip in Europe.

Biography

Sikander was introuced as Professor Quirrell's replacement as the Muggle Studies Professor at the 1990 Start-of-Term Feast. He introuced himself later to seventh-year students in his first lesson with them in the Muggle Studies Classroom. He taught his seventh-year students about many fascinating Muggle inventions.

Professor Sikander helping Jacob's sibling and Corey destroy the Cursed CD

During the school year, he had a conversation with Severus Snape about Muggle chemistry in the Potions Classroom, before they were interrupted by Jacob's sibling and Nymphadora Tonks. Snape, however did want to speak to him and rudely rejected his attempts at friendliness, although Sikander was cordial in response. Later on, Jacob's sibling and Corey Hayden approached Sikander in the Muggle Studies Classroom with a cursed CD case they needed destroying with Muggle means to free several people (including Professor Flitwick) of a laughing curse attached to it. He first suggested destroying it by scratching it with their nails like what Muggles would often do, but this was not an option as the CD case spread the curse by touch. He and the students then decided to use a magically-powered microwave in the classroom to destroy it, which worked. He thanked the students for requesting his help and told them to come to him again about any similar issues.

Magical abilities and skills

• Muggle Studies: As a professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, Sikander was highly knowledgeable of Muggles and their ways of living. He could use his knowledge of Muggle artefacts to help solve problems involving them.
• Nonverbal magic: Sikander could cast spells proficiently without saying their incantations aloud; he once turned on a Muggle microwave just by flicking his wand silently.

Etymology

Arif is a male Arabic name meaning "knowledgeable" or "wise". Sikandar is the Persian version of the name Alexander, meaning "to defend man".

Behind the scenes

• This character appears to have been modelled after an unnamed background character that made an appearance in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, possibly meaning the two are meant to be the same person, although this is unconfirmed.
• Assuming Professor Sikander was offered the post full-time once it became clear that Quirrell would switch subjects rather than return to it, this would also imply that Sikander was the male Muggle Studies professor mentioned in the video game adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) (Possible appearance)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (First appearance)