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Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. |

Albus Dumbledore serving in capacity of special messenger to Tom Riddle
- Snape: "...we'll get the letter, you and me."
- Lily: "Really?"
- Snape: "Definitely."
- Lily: "And will it really come by owl?"
- Snape: "Normally. But you're Muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents."
- — Severus Snape explaining to Lily Evans why her letter wouldn't arrive by owl post[src]
A special messenger was a wizard or witch assigned the post to deliver the acceptance letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to Muggle-born people, explaining that magic truly existed, unless their parents or guardians had a wizard relation.[1]
Special messengers could also be dispatched under special circumstances, even if the student-to-be's parents had a wizard relation; this happened in the case of Remus Lupin, whose parents thought there would not be an opening for him given Remus's affliction of lycanthrophy.[2]
Known messengers
- Albus Dumbledore (to Tom Riddle, 1938;[3] to Remus Lupin, 1971)[2]
- Rubeus Hagrid (to Harry Potter, 1991;[4] to an unidentified Muggle-born Hogwarts student, 2008)[5]
Behind the scenes
- Initially, Harry Potter simply received a normal Hogwarts acceptance letter, as would any wizard-born individual, since even though he was not living with wizards at the time, he was living with his aunt, who was aware of the existence of Hogwarts and the wizarding world. Harry's first letter was, however, sent by Muggle Mail. It was only when it was realised that Harry's letters were most likely being intercepted that Rubeus Hagrid was sent as his special messenger, implying that the messenger is also sent to insist on the soon-to-be student's admittance in case of interception.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Appears in flashback(s))
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Appears in flashback(s))
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Appears in flashback(s))
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Creator: Harry Potter
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Appears in flashback(s))
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
- Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Remus Lupin" at Wizarding World
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 13 (The Secret Riddle)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 4 (The Keeper of the Keys)
- ↑ Harry Potter: Magic Awakened