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*The talking shrunken heads were additional characters for {{POA|FA}}, never appearing in the [[Harry Potter (book series)|Harry Potter books]] nor in previous or subsequent film adaptations. However, it was well-received, in the [[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]] DVD Special Feature: ''Interview with [[J. K. Rowling]] and [[Alfonso Cuarón]], ''J.K. Rowling did endorse the addition. Rowling had said she wished she thought of the idea, and if she had the ability, would shrink her own head temporarily to scare away unwanted visitors and tax collectors, who would likely flee from her in horror.
  
*The talking shrunken heads were additional characters for {{POA|FA}}, never appearing in the [[Harry Potter (book series)|Harry Potter books]] nor in previous or subsequent film adaptations. However, it was well-received, in the [[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]] DVD Special Feature: ''Interview with [[J. K. Rowling]] and [[Alfonso Cuarón]], ''J.K. Rowling did endorse the addition. Rowling had said she wished she thought of the idea, and if she had the ability, would shrink her own head temporarily to scare away unwanted visitors and tax collectors, who would likely flee from her in horror.
 
*The film's addition is presumably why in {{HBP}}, Rowling decided to write that Vincent Crabbe got a shrunken head confiscated by Filch. The same DVD also featured [[Dre Head]] partaking in comical interviews with the cast.
  
*The film's addition is presumably why in {{HBP}}, Rowling decided to write that Vincent Crabbe got a shrunken head confiscated by Filch. The same DVD also featured [[Dre Head]] partaking in comical interviews with the cast.
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*Helena Bonham Carter stated in an interview that Bellatrix had a headshrinking spell, and used it to punish a man who ate a cupcake she had reserved for herself by shrinking his head. However, this was never confirmed as canon, and it may be mentioned in humour by Carter.
 +
*Helena Bonham Carter stated in an interview that Bellatrix had a headshrinking spell, and used it to punish a man who ate a cupcake she had reserved for herself by shrinking his head. However, this was never confirmed as canon, and it may be mentioned in humour by Carter. Assuming it is canon, it is unknown if the resulting shrunken head was of the talking variety, or merely what amounted to an unusual-looking corpse.
  +
*In the case of the talking Shrunken Heads, it is unknown where the mind inhabiting them came from. They may all-new magical constructs, an imprint of the original head's owner comparable to [[Portrait]]s, or a type of undead created through [[Necromancy]].
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==

Revision as of 11:41, 17 August 2017

Shrunken Head: "I say! No underage wizards allowed in today! Shut the damn door!"
Hermione: "So rude."
Ron: "Thick heads."
— Hermione and Ron to the talking Shrunken Heads guarding Three Broomsticks Inn in 1993[src]

A shrunken head is a head that has been shrunk, by removing the head's skull and fat. In the wizarding world, shrunken heads are animated, providing sentience, and having the ability to talk and move.[1] Some may be considered dark objects,[2] while others may be kept by wizards as a mascot, such as Dre Head, in the Knight Bus[1] and a bunch of shrunken heads, at the Three Broomsticks Inn.[3] Shrunken heads may be bought at Knockturn Alley.[4]

History

1992

Harry Potter noticed some shrunken heads on display in a shop window across from Borgin and Burkes, at Knockturn Alley.[4] Among them was Heady, Dre Head's cousin.[5]

1993-1994

Harry Potter encountered Dre Head, an animated shrunken head when travelling on the Knight Bus from Little Whinging to the Leaky Cauldron in London.[1] Later in the school year, during one of the Hogsmeade weekend trips, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were prevented from entering the Three Broomsticks Inn by three shrunken heads.[3]

1995

Grimmauld Place Shrunken Heads

The heads of house-elves mounted on a wall in the Black family home

When Harry Potter was brought to 12 Grimmauld Place, Mrs Weasley assisted him to Ron and Hermione's room upstairs. While they were passing along the dark staircase, Harry saw a row of shrunken heads mounted on plaques on the wall. After a closer look, he noticed that the heads belonged to house-elves. Harry later discovered that beheading old house-elves and mounting their heads on display was something of a tradition in the Black family.[6]

1996

Hermione once mentioned that Vincent Crabbe had a shrunken head which was confiscated by Argus Filch on the pretext of it being a Dark object.[2]

Known shrunken heads

Behind the scenes

Shrunken head at the Knight Bus

The Knight Bus' shrunken head

  • The talking shrunken heads were additional characters for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, never appearing in the Harry Potter books nor in previous or subsequent film adaptations. However, it was well-received, in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD Special Feature: Interview with J. K. Rowling and Alfonso Cuarón, J.K. Rowling did endorse the addition. Rowling had said she wished she thought of the idea, and if she had the ability, would shrink her own head temporarily to scare away unwanted visitors and tax collectors, who would likely flee from her in horror.
  • The film's addition is presumably why in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Rowling decided to write that Vincent Crabbe got a shrunken head confiscated by Filch. The same DVD also featured Dre Head partaking in comical interviews with the cast.
  • Helena Bonham Carter stated in an interview that Bellatrix had a headshrinking spell, and used it to punish a man who ate a cupcake she had reserved for herself by shrinking his head. However, this was never confirmed as canon, and it may be mentioned in humour by Carter. Assuming it is canon, it is unknown if the resulting shrunken head was of the talking variety, or merely what amounted to an unusual-looking corpse.
  • In the case of the talking Shrunken Heads, it is unknown where the mind inhabiting them came from. They may all-new magical constructs, an imprint of the original head's owner comparable to Portraits, or a type of undead created through Necromancy.

Appearances

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Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) - Chapter 3 (The Knight Bus)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 11 (Hermione's Helping Hand)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) - Chapter 11 (I Hope He Finds Me)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)
  5. ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) DVD2 (Special Features) - Head to Shrunken Head
  6. ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4 (Number Twelve Grimmauld Place)
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