Edessa Skandenberg

Warning!

At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Spoilers will be present within the article.

"Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves..."

This page is being considered for renaming to Edessa Skanderberg.

If you disagree with this proposal, please explain why at Category talk:Candidates for renaming.

Professor Edessa Skanderberg (or possibly Skandenberg)^[3]^[4] (fl. 1503) was a Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the early sixteenth century.^[5]

Biography

Lifetime

Professor Skanderberg lived in the fifteenth century. In her lifetime, she was a social historian, specialising in Muggle society.^[6] She was appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and had a portrait painted in 1503.^[7]

Post-mortem

After her death, her portrait was hung in the Headmaster's office, so that she could advise the current Headmaster.^[5] She had more portraits around the castle: in the East Wing,^[8] Grand Staircase^[9] and other halls such as the Glanmore Peakes' Corridor^[8]

Etymology

"Edessa" (probably originally from a Phrygian or Illyrian word meaning ‘tower in the water’) is the name of a Greek city and, in Ancient Greece, also a province.
Her surname may be the Albanian name Skanderbeg influenced by German names ending in -en-berg.

Behind the scenes

Edessa Skanderberg's portrait was based on a 1706 portrait of the Henwife of Castle Grant by Richard Waitt.
The phrase on Skandenberg's portrait (mirabile visu) is a Latin expression, meaning "wonderful to behold."^[10]
On a wood panel in the Divination Classroom of Hogwarts, her last name seems to be Skanderberg.
On the cover of the Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles prop that was featured on the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Edessa Skanderberg is credited to have authored the book. This is canonically wrong, as we know the book was written by Wilhelm Wigworthy in 1987, but nevertheless we can conclude from the text of the back cover blurb that Edessa was a "social historian and Muggle specialist".^[6]

Appearances

The Harry Potter Wiki has 5 images related to Edessa Skandenberg.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)^[11]
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Appears in portrait(s))
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (Appears in portrait(s))
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Appears in portrait(s))
The Making of Harry Potter (Appears in portrait(s))
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
The Art of Harry Potter Mini Book of Graphic Design

Notes and references

↑ J. K. Rowling stated at the Edinburgh Book Festival on 15 August 2004 (source) that all portraits at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are of deceased individuals. Thus, Skandenberg must have died sometime in or before 1992, given her portrait's appearance in the Headmaster's office in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
↑ "World Exclusive Interview with J K Rowling," South West News Service, 8 July 2000 - "Hogwarts just serves Britain and Ireland."
↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) DVD (Disc 2 - The Quest of Sir Cadogan)
↑ Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 16 (The Forest Vault)
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) DVD (Disc 2 - Dumbledore's Office)
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Harry Potter Limited Edition - A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications from the Harry Potter Films (see this image)
↑ See this image.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
↑ "Mirabile visu" at Meriam-Webster.com
↑ Edessa herself had escaped during the Battle of Hogwarts, but the portrait is there.

Hogwarts Faculty
Founders	Godric Gryffindor \| Helga Hufflepuff \| Rowena Ravenclaw \| Salazar Slytherin
Headteachers	Eupraxia Mole \| Vulpus \| Phyllida Spore \| Dexter Fortescue \| Eoessa Sakndenberg \| Ambrose Swott \| Everard \| Vindictus Veridian \| Dilys Derwent \| Quintin Trimble \| Limebert \| Phineas Nigellus Black \| Walter Aragon \| Basil Fronsac \| Armando Dippet \| Albus Dumbledore \| Dolores Umbridge \| Severus Snape \| Minerva McGonagall \| Brian Gagwilde \| Elizabeth Burke
Deputy Heads	Minerva McGonagall \| Amycus Carrow \| Alecto Carrow
Heads of House	Filius Flitwick \| Minerva McGonagall \| Horace Slughorn \| Severus Snape \| Pomona Sprout
Teaching Staff	Bartholomew \| Bathsheda Babbling \| Herbert Beery \| Cuthbert Binns \| Charity Burbage \| Alecto Carrow \| Amycus Carrow \| Albus Dumbledore \| Dolores Umbridge \| Firenze \| Filius Flitwick \| Fortinbras \| Rubeus Hagrid \| Rolanda Hooch \| Arsenius Jigger \| Silvanus Kettleburn \| Gilderoy Lockhart \| Neville Longbottom \| Remus Lupin \| Minerva McGonagall \| Galatea Merrythought \| Quirinus Quirrell \| Patricia Rakepick \| Aurora Sinistra \| Horace Slughorn \| Severus Snape \| Pomona Sprout \| Swoopstikes \| Sybill Trelawney \| Septima Vector \| Unidentified witch \| Unnamed Potions Professor (16th century) \| Unnamed Potions Professor (2021)
Support Staff	Boil-ridden house-elf \| Rancorous Carpe \| Dobby \| Argus Filch \| Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank \| Rubeus Hagrid \| Rolanda Hooch \| Hankerton Humble \| Kreacher \| Ogg \| Irma Pince \| Pitts \| Poppy Pomfrey \| Apollyon Pringle \| Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus \| Winky

Hogwarts Castle
Locations on the sixth floor
Classroom 6A · Classroom 6B · Corridor · Disused bathroom · East Wing · Empty classroom · Floor 6 Bonus · Glanmore Peakes' Corridor · Horace Slughorn's office · Room of Rewards · Storeroom · Trophy Room · Writing Supplies Room · Staircase between the sixth-floor and seventh-floor corridor
Portraits, statues and other artwork located on the sixth floor
Damara Dodderidge · Edgar Stroulger · Edessa Sakndenberg · Glanmore Peakes · Selina Sapworthy · Skeleton in a top hat · Portrait in storeroom · Temeritus Shanks · Vindictus Viridian · Wendelin the Weird

[DOD-0] J. K. Rowling stated at the Edinburgh Book Festival on 15 August 2004 (source) that all portraits at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are of deceased individuals. Thus, Skandenberg must have died sometime in or before 1992, given her portrait's appearance in the Headmaster's office in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

[1] "World Exclusive Interview with J K Rowling," South West News Service, 8 July 2000 - "Hogwarts just serves Britain and Ireland."

[2] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) DVD (Disc 2 - The Quest of Sir Cadogan)

[3] Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 4, Chapter 16 (The Forest Vault)

[cosdvd-4] 5.0 ^5.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) DVD (Disc 2 - Dumbledore's Office)

[HPLE-5] 6.0 ^6.1 Harry Potter Limited Edition - A Guide to the Graphic Arts Department: Posters, Prints, and Publications from the Harry Potter Films (see this image)

[6] See this image.

[PoAVG-7] 8.0 ^8.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)

[8] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)

[9] "Mirabile visu" at Meriam-Webster.com

[10] Edessa herself had escaped during the Battle of Hogwarts, but the portrait is there.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]