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Caretaker was the title and occupation held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by a witch, wizard, or Squib in charge of overseeing the cleanliness and hygiene of Hogwarts Castle. Aside from this, they could patrol the corridors at night to make sure that no students wandered in the late hours.[1][2][3] In the past, they were also in charge of corporal punishment (e.g. caning)[4] until Headmaster Albus Dumbledore banned it. However, the job did still entail helping to oversee punishments, as in 1992, when Ronald Weasley's detention was to help Argus Filch polish the school's trophies without using any magic.[5]

The caretaker of Hogwarts also possessed some disciplinary powers, being able to award and dock house points. In 1987, Argus Filch reluctantly awarded Jacob's sibling ten house points at the behest of the Gryffindor house ghost, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington.[6]

Duties[]

Some duties of the caretaker included:

  • Enforcing hygiene of the school and the students
  • Patrolling corridors for students out of bed after hours or in forbidden areas[2]
  • Handing out corporal punishment (formerly)[7][4]
  • Putting students in detention.[8][5]
  • Doing jobs that the Headmaster required
  • Investigating things such as Dungbombs or mayhem[9][10][11]
  • Being in charge of security for Hogsmeade weekend trips,[12] mail,[10] and people entering and leaving the castle[13]
  • Cleaning up the mayhem caused by Peeves, the Hogwarts poltergeist, who got his name from being the "pet peeve" of every Hogwarts caretaker

Known caretakers[]

Hankerton Humble[]

Hankerton Humble was the first ever caretaker of Hogwarts, appointed directly by the school founders. He often clashed with Peeves.[14]

Rancorous Carpe[]

Rancorous Carpe was a caretaker who was active at Hogwarts in 1876. He was responsible for a disastrous attempt to remove Peeves, the resident Poltergeist, in which he devised an elaborate trap baited with an assortment of weapons he believed would be irresistible to Peeves and a vast enchanted bell jar reinforced by various Containment Charms, which he intended to drop over the poltergeist once he was in place. The trap failed spectacularly, with Peeves confiscating the weapons, resulting in a three-day standoff. Carpe took early retirement for health reasons.[14]

Gladwin Moon[]

Gladwin Moon was the caretaker during the 1890s. He was inadequate at his caretaker duties and was very arrogant and pretentious. He thought he was better than being a Hogwarts caretaker and looked down upon the role.[15]

Apollyon Pringle[]

"Your father and I had been for a night-time stroll. He got caught by Apollyon Pringle - he was the caretaker in those days - your father's still got the marks."
Molly Weasley to her son, Bill.[src]

Apollyon Pringle was the caretaker at Hogwarts from at least 1961 to 1968. During his tenure, corporal punishment was allowed, and Mr Pringle was entitled to cane any student found wandering the corridors at night. At one time, at about four o'clock in the morning, he caught Arthur Weasley strolling about the castle and caned him while Molly Prewett, who had been with Arthur, escaped. It was said by Molly, in the 1994–1995 school year, that Arthur still had the marks inflicted on him.[4] By 1973, Mr Pringle had retired, died, or left the school, and was replaced by Argus Filch and his cat, Mrs Norris.

Argus Filch[]

Filch & mrs

Argus Filch and Mrs Norris

By at least 1973, Argus Filch, a Squib, had replaced Pringle as the caretaker of Hogwarts School. He, along with his cat, Mrs Norris, frequently patrolled the corridors at night and delighted in punishing students; he desired torturous methods for punishments, such as those inflicted by Pringle, but Dumbledore did not grant him such rights. He also waged an endless war with the school's poltergeist, Peeves. He constantly hassled students over the littlest infraction and took delight in the doling out of detention-worthy write-ups.[1] In 1995, when Dolores Umbridge was made Headmistress, Filch was allowed to use corporal punishment on students,[11] though it was revoked at the end of the year. He also continued as caretaker through Severus Snape's tenure as Headmaster, and it is unknown how Filch was treated under the tyranny of the Carrows, given how he was a Squib. Filch remained at the school well after their removal and was still the caretaker by 2008.[16]

Behind the scenes[]

Translations[]

  • Faroese: umsjónarmaður ("supervisor")
  • German: Hausmeister ("caretaker")
  • Greek, Modern: Επιστάτης (superintendent) ("overseer")
  • Hebrew: שרת ("sharat") ("caretaker")
  • Russian: завхоз ("zavkhoz") ("superintendent")
  • Icelandic: húsvörður ("janitor")
  • Spanish: celador ("watchman")

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 8 (The Potions Master)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 9 (The Midnight Duel)
  3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 12 (The Mirror of Erised)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 31 (The Third Task)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7 (Mudbloods And Murmurs)
  6. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Player-determined.)
  7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 8 (The Deathday Party)
  8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 15 (The Forbidden Forest)
  9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 10 (The Marauder's Map)
  10. 10.0 10.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 14 (Percy and Padfoot)
  11. 11.0 11.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 29 (Careers Advice)
  12. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 8 (Flight of the Fat Lady)
  13. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 8 (Snape Victorious)
  14. 14.0 14.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Peeves" at Wizarding World
  15. The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy (see this image)
  16. Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
Hogwarts faculty
Hogwartscrest
Founders Godric Gryffindor · Helga Hufflepuff · Rowena Ravenclaw · Salazar Slytherin
Headteachers Giffard Abbott · Walter Aragon · Phineas Nigellus Black · Elizabeth Burke · Antonia Creaseworthy · Dilys Derwent · Armando Dippet · Albus Dumbledore · Mordicus Egg · Everard · First Headmaster · Niamh Fitzgerald · Dexter Fortescue · Basil Fronsac · Brian Gagwilde · Limebert · Minerva McGonagall · Eupraxia Mole · Edessa Sakndenberg · Brutus Scrimgeour · Phyllida Spore · Severus Snape · Amrose Swott · Quentin Trimble · Dolores Umbridge · Fytherley Undercliffe · Vindictus Viridian · Vulpus · Heliotrope Wilkins · Gimlet-eyed Headmistress · Headmaster (1568) · Headteacher (1792) · Unidentified Headteachers
Deputy Heads Alecto Carrow · Amycus Carrow · Minerva McGonagall · Matilda Weasley
Heads of House Muldoon Cragg · Filius Flitwick · Godric Gryffindor · Gryffindor lady · Gryffindor man (II) · Gryffindor man (III) · Gryffindor man (IV) · Gryffindor Seeker · Helga Hufflepuff · Neville Longbottom · Minerva McGonagall · Valeria Myriadd · Uric Oapley · Podric Piles · Pink-faced Headmaster · Prendergast · Rowena Ravenclaw · Abraham Ronen · Horace Slughorn · Salazar Slytherin · Severus Snape · Pomona Sprout · Tobias Stump
Teaching staff Bartholomew · Bathsheda Babbling · San Bakar · Herbert Beery · Cuthbert Binns · Brindlemore · Charity Burbage · Herodiana Byrne · Camelia · Alecto Carrow · Amycus Carrow · Bartemius Crouch Junior (disguised as Alastor Moody) · Clodagh Dromgoole · Albus Dumbledore · Archibald Eagleton · Eleazar Fig · Firenze · Filius Flitwick · Fortinbras · Mirabel Garlick · Mirabel Garlick's predecessor · Jakub Gorski · Olivia Green · Rubeus Hagrid · Dinah Hecat · Rolanda Hooch · Bai Howin · Arsenius Jigger · Igor Karkaroff's Yule Ball partner · Silvanus Kettleburn · Chiyo Kogawa · Gilderoy Lockhart · Neville Longbottom · Remus Lupin · Elspeth MacGillony · Mazoni · Minerva McGonagall · Galatea Merrythought · Isidora Morganach · Mudiwa Onai · Prendergast · Quirinus Quirrell · Percival Rackham · Patricia Rakepick · Abraham Ronen · Charles Rookwood · Concordia Rowle · Luna Scamander · Satyavati Shah · Aesop Sharp · Arif Sikander · Aurora Sinistra · Horace Slughorn · Severus Snape · Pomona Sprout · Swoopstikes · Sybill Trelawney · Trocar · Dolores Umbridge · Septima Vector · Matilda Weasley · Matilda Weasley's predecessor · Unidentified professor · Charms professor (medieval) · Potions professor (16th century) · Holidaying professor (before 1890s) · DADA professor (1984–1985) · DADA professor (1985–1986) · DADA professor (1986–1987) · DADA professor (1987–1988) · DADA professor (1989–1990) · DADA professor (1990–1991) · Muggle Studies professor (1990s) · Music professor · DADA professor (1998–?) · Potions professor (21st century) · Charms professor (?th century)
Hogwarts house-elves Bilm · Boil-ridden house-elf · Cooky · Cosa · Deek · Dobby · Feenky · Filk · Gimkey ·Krafty · Kreacher · Nonsuch · Pitts · Retch · Ringkull · Rooky · Vekey · Wigby · Winky · Wooby · Unidentified house-elf (I) · Unidentified house-elf (II)
Support staff Phineas Nigellus Black's secretaries · Noreen Blainey · Rancorous Carpe · Argus Filch · Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank · Rubeus Hagrid · Rolanda Hooch · Hankerton Humble · Gladwin Moon · Ogg · Irma Pince · Poppy Pomfrey · Apollyon Pringle · Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus · Agnes Scribner · Wainscott · Carriage driver (1890s) · Gamekeeper (1890s) · Unidentified Healers · Librarian (?th century) · Librarian (21st century)
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