Aurora Sinistra

Aurora Sinistra
Biographical information
Title(s)	Professor
Physical information
Gender	Female
Affiliation
Occupation	Hogwarts Astronomy Professor

Professor Aurora Sinistra is the Professor of Astronomy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and holds her lessons at midnight on top of the Astronomy Tower.

Biography

Early Life

Aurora probably attended Hogwarts at the age of eleven. If so, she would’ve attained her Wand from Ollivander’s Wand Shop and arrived at the school via the Hogwarts Express. After being Sorted into her House, Aurora would’ve been educated in the magic arts for seven years. It is likely that she obtained good marks in Astronomy for her Ordinary Wizarding Levels and Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.

Career at Hogwarts

At some point after graduating, Aurora returned to the school and became the Professor of Astronomy under Albus Dumbledore. She taught at midnight, when the sky was clearest, on top of the Astronomy Tower, which was the highest point of the Castle. Her subject was mandatory for students up to their O.W.L year.

The Philosopher’s Stone

Rubeus Hagrid: "Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone"

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (film): "{{{4}}}"

— {{{5}}}

In 1991, the Philosopher's Stone was brought to be protected at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, chose seven teachers who he trusted enough to set up enchantments and puzzles to guard the Stone. Aurora wasn’t chosen, whether it was because she wasn’t trusted or Astronomy simply wasn’t a good enough subject for a puzzle. Also that year, the famous Harry Potter arrived at the school and was taught by Aurora every Wednesday at midnight. At the Halloween Feast, Professor Quirinus Quirrell alerted the teachers to a Troll in the dungeons. Professor Dumbledore ordered the teachers, probably including Aurora, to follow him to the dungeons. They discovered that there was no troll there, and a few teachers were sent to search the school for it. By the end of the year, her fellow colleague, Professor Quirinus Quirrell, attempted to steal the Stone, but was prevented by Harry Potter. Aurora held her Astronomy Finals for her students around this time. These events led Gryffindor to win the House Cup.

The Chamber of Secrets

Minerva McGonagall: "What does this mean, Albus?"

Albus Dumbledore: "It means that Hogwarts is no longer safe"

Minerva McGonagall: "Minerva McGonagall"

Albus Dumbledore: "What shall I tell the staff"

— Albus Dumbledore

In 1992, Aurora continued her teaching as normal until a threatening message, written in blood, was written on the wall of the first floor corridor. It read ‘The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware.’ Below the message was a petrified Mrs. Norris, Argus Filch’s cat, and students and teachers alike were warned to be cautious by Professor Dumbledore. Later in the year, a first year Gryffindor called Colin Creevey was found petrified by Minerva McGonagall, who suggested lying to the staff to make things better. Albus Dumbledore told her to tell the truth and Aurora soon knew of the attack. A Hufflepuff second year and the Gryffindor House Ghost were soon discovered petrified by Harry Potter and Argus Filch. Aurora helped Professor Flitwick carry him to the hospital wing. Being the third-fourth attack, Aurora and her colleagues were ordered to escort their students to their next lesson so as to keep them safe. After another joint attack on a Gryffindor girl and a Ravenclaw Prefect, the school was being considered closed-down. The Headmaster was taken away soon after by Lucius Malfoy and Professor McGonagall became temporary headmistress. One night, Aurora and the rest of the staff were called down to the staff room where McGonagall told them that Ginevra Weasley had been abducted by the monster and taken into the Chamber. This was considered the end of Hogwarts until Harry Potter and Ron Weasley journeyed to the Chamber, rescued Ginny and slayed the monster. Aurora, therefore, kept her job and joined in the celebrations. Exams were cancelled that year.

The Dementors and Black

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Another term began and couldn’t have started on a worse note. Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and Dementors had been placed around the school to guard it. Aurora continued teaching, probably nervous of the Dementors like the rest of the staff, but trouble soon brewed. The Fat Lady who guarded Gryffindor Tower was attacked and she told the staff that Sirius Black was in the castle. Therefore, security was tightened and more Dementors brought in. Aurora probably attended the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch match, where Harry Potter was attacked by Dementors and fell to the ground. The Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game was not long after, and three Slytherin’s pretended to be Dementors in order to stop Gryffindor winning. Aurora and the teachers were shocked when they found out and they were punished most severely. Later that year, Black was captured and imprisoned in Flitwick’s office. However, he somehow escaped and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Remus Lupin, was discovered to be a Werewolf.

The Triwizard Tournament

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This year, the Triwizard Tournament was to be held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the other contesting schools being Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Institute. The Beauxbatons champion was Fleur Delacour, Durmstrang’s was Viktor Krum and Hogwarts’ was Cedric Diggory. However, Aurora and the staff were shocked when the Goblet of Fire also made Harry Potter a champion. The staff debated over whether he should be allowed to compete or not, and Dumbledore allowed him to compete in order to see why and who entered him. The first task was to see who could capture a Golden Dragon Egg the quickest. Aurora and the staff watched as Delacour lulled the Common Welsh Green to sleep, Krum used a Conjunctivitis Jinx on the Chinese Fireball to keep it busy, Diggory distracted the Swedish Short-Snout by transfiguring a rock into a Labrador, and Potter used a broom to trick the Hungarian Horntail. The judges made Fleur last place, Krum third, Diggory second and Potter first. Soon, the Yule Ball took place and many of the teacher’s (including Dumbledore and Madame Sprout) had paired up to dance. Aurora, however, danced a nervous two-step with the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody. After the second and third tasks, Cedric Diggory was found dead, which shocked Aurora and the staff, aswell as the pupils of course. A memorial feast was held and Dumbledore and Potter claimed that Voldemort had returned. However, not everyone believed him.

Dolores Umbridge

Albus Dumbledore: "As usual, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that –"

Dolores Umbridge: "Hem-hem... Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome."

— Professor Umbridge rudely interrupting Professor Dumbledore’s speech.

The next year, Dolores Umbridge was appointed Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor by Minister Fudge. She annoyed and irritated many of the teacher’s, Aurora probably among them, and, after an argument with Minerva McGonagall, was made High Inquisitor. With her new powers, Umbridge had the right to interview teachers and dismiss those who she thought unworthy. Aurora’s classes were observed by Umbridge, and Umbridge was happy with her teaching standards. However, Professor Trelawney wasn’t that lucky and was fired immediately. After many irksome weeks, a secret defence club was discovered and Dumbledore was held responsible. The Headmaster escaped arrest and Umbridge was made Headmistress. Aurora and the staff all hated the weeks under her reign and were prone to allowing school pranks to continue, saying ‘I wasn’t sure if I had the authority.’ Eventually, Umbridge disappeared and Dumbledore was reinstated, restoring peace to the school.

The Battle of Hogwarts

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The next year began normally, but with many new protections around the school and with Horace Slughorn as Potions professor. Aurora taught her lessons as normal, on top of the Astronomy Tower at midnight, but at the end of the year, her tower became the murder scene of Professor Dumbledore. The rest of the school was infiltrated and under attack by Death Eaters. Aurora and the staff fought their enemies and two Death Eaters were killed. Eventually, they escaped with Severus Snape, who killed Dumbledore, and returned to safety. Fortunately, none of the Hogwarts staff or students were killed, although Charms Master Flitwick was knocked out. Aurora and the rest of the school raised their wands to Dumbledore’s memory and attended his funeral, held by the lake.

The Battle of Hogwarts

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During the holidays, many things happened in the Wizarding World that affected Aurora’s life. Firstly, Rufus Scrimgeor, the Minister for Magic, was believed to have resigned and was replaced by Pius Thicknesse, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He began to make laws against Muggle-borns and Blood-traitors, completely re-designed the Ministry of Magic and made several changes in staffing at the Ministry, such as Yaxley, Travers and Selwyn. Aurora returned to Hogwarts at the beginning of term to find that her colleague, Muggle Studies Professor Charity Burbage, had ‘resigned’ and that Amycus Carrow had replaced her, Alecto Carrow had become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher (now known simply as ‘Dark Arts’) and Severus Snape was made Headmaster. One by one, students were abducted by Death Eaters or tortured for no apparent reason. At the end of the year, her students and colleagues rebelled and fought the Carrows and Snape, who fled almost immediately. Soon, it became known that Harry Potter was in the Castle and an army of Death Eaters came to kidnap him. Aurora and the other Hogwarts residents, however, prepared to do battle and soon, the Death Eaters were defeated at the cost of many good wizards and witches. Aurora was possibly one of them.

Etymology

Professor Sinistra's name originates from the Latin sinister, meaning left or with a direction to the left. The most probable explanation for this is that the planets of the solar system rotate counterclockwise (from right to left). Sinistra is also the name of a star of the constellation of Ophiuchus. The contemporary meaning of the word sinister is "having bad intent", but considering Professor Sinistra's uninvolvement in the plot so far this is a less likely theory.

The first name 'Aurora' indicates a relationship with the dawn, however it is possibly derived from 'Aurora Borealis', a phenomena which occurs when solar winds interact with the earth's magnetic field.

Behind the scenes

• Thanks to the scarcity of information surrounding her, Professor Sinistra is rather popular in the fan fiction community, as her character can be moulded in any way the writer wishes. She is even on a House Competition on Mugglenet Interactive. The most common piece of fanon about her used to be that she is the head of Ravenclaw House, this has however since been disproved as J. K. Rowling has said that the Head Teacher of Ravenclaw is Professor Flitwick.
• Professor Sinistra´s first name only appeared on a list of of the Hogwarts professors which was released on Joanne K. Rowling´s website.
• Several unidentified female teachers have appeared in the films. One of them may be Aurora.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix