Sweepers[2] were magical cleaning devices, which consisted of a metal body with a large bag attached to the back and a hoover head at the front, as well as several limbs ending in a variety of brushes and dusters. Sweepers moved autonomously on two wheels and could lift their arms from the ground to clean raised surfaces or people. They bore a heavy resemblance to non-magical vacuum cleaners.[1]
The British Ministry of Magic used at least one sweeper to keep the floors of their headquarters in London clean.
History[]
In 1927, a sweeper interrupted a conversation between Newton Scamander and Leta Lestrange in one of the Ministry's corridors, and the pair had to move apart to allow the sweeper to trundle between them, brushing Scamander's lower coat with one of its arms as it passed.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
- The sweeper was originally designed by Adam Brockbank for use in one of the Harry Potter films, but was never used on screen.[2]
- The design team for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald took Brockbank's initial idea and incorporated ideas and salvaged parts from 1950s Hoover vacuums.[2]
- During the design process, a feather duster arm was added based on an idea from Pierre Bohanna, which set decorator Anna Pinnock suggested should create as much dust as the sweeper actually cleans.[2]
- These devices may have been enchanted with a spell to make them clean like vacuums.
Appearances[]
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (First appearance)
- The Archive of Magic: The Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (First identified as Sweeper)