Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery & Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells & Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. |
- "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
- — The lady advertising the trolley[src]
The Trolley Witch (b. before 1830) was an elderly witch who was one of the two known crew members aboard the Hogwarts Express on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.[5][8] She came around during the middle of the journey, pushing the "Honeydukes Express" cart, with lots of confectionery goods to purchase. She also oversaw the Buffet Car during the voyage.[9]
Biography[]
- "Anything sweet for you, dear?"
- — The Trolley Witch to Harry Potter[src]
She was hired around 1830 by Ottaline Gambol. She claimed to have made around six million Pumpkin Pasties and revealed to Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy that she secretly made them into mini grenades. She then threw one to prove it. She also claimed to have done something to Chocolate Frog Cards too. She stated that people bought her food but never really noticed her and that she couldn't recall the last time someone asked her name, something which she herself had even forgotten.[2]
During the holidays between the 1985–1986 school year and the 1986–1987 school year, Albus Dumbledore asked Jacob's sibling to help the Trolley Witch, so they went to Honeydukes to purchase all the sweets she would need to stock the cart that year. After quizzing Jacob's sibling on different sweets, she asked Jacob's sibling for input on which sweet she should add to her trolley that year, as she added a new sweet every year. Afterwards, she coached Jacob's sibling on how to hand out sweets to the first years and reminded them to answer all the questions the students had. Afterwards, she congratulated Jacob's sibling on a job well done.[1]
In 1991, she sold many sweets to Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley aboard the Hogwarts Express, as they travelled on the train for the first time to Hogwarts.[5]
In 1993, she provided Cauldron Cakes to Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. When they tried and failed to wake Professor Remus Lupin, noting that he looked like he could do with food, she kindly noted that she would be up front with the conductor if Lupin were to wake.[8]
In 1997, she attended Albus Dumbledore's funeral.[7]
In 2019, she was whisked away by the Calamity shortly prior to the Hogwarts Express's scheduled departure on 1 September. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall quickly solicited the assistance of a reputable member of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force that Hermione Granger had recommended, who successfully returned her in time for the new school year.[10]
In 2020, she apprehended Albus and Scorpius when they tried to get off the Hogwarts Express, stating that others such as Sirius Black and his cronies, and Fred and George Weasley had tried before but failed. She told them that the train does not take too kindly to students trying to get off it before it reaches its destination, and Transfigured her hands into spikes to scare them. She then asked them to go back to their seats. When the two nevertheless escaped, she was highly embarrassed.[2]
Personality and traits[]
- "Don't worry, dear. If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."
- — The witch's kind demeanour[src]
The witch was elderly and slightly hunchback. She was however, a solemn but kind person, treating and serving all the passengers of the Hogwarts Express equally and kindly.[5] However, she would become upset when students would try to get off the train and would turn more sinister, Transfiguring her hands into claws to scare them, in order for them to sit back in their seats, showing she was fiercely devoted to upholding the rules of the train.[2]
Magical abilities and skills[]
- Transfiguration: She was able to Transfigure her hands into spikes to scare Hogwarts students who tried to leave the train.[2]
- Charms: She was able to conjure a non-corporeal Patronus.[6]
- Baking: She made all the pumpkin pasties needed to fill the trolley every year, and had claimed to have made six million of them by the 2020s[2]
Behind the scenes[]
- The Trolley Witch was portrayed in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by Jean Southern, while in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, she was portrayed by the late Margery Mason. It may be possible, however, that in the film, the two trolley witches are entirely separate individuals.
- In the level "News From Azkaban" in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, some students are standing in front of carriage doors on the train, and one must levitate sweets from the trolley to the students' hands, for the doors to open.[6]
- Because of the Trolley Witch's behaviour in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, some have believed her to be some sort of magical incarnation or an illusion of the Hogwarts Express itself rather than being an actual living witch.
- Aged around 161 at the time of her first appearance and 190 in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, she seemed to be an unusually old witch.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (GBC version only)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (GBA version only)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
- Pottermore
- Wizarding World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter
- Harry Potter Trading Card Game
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Shadow only)
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 2, "New Arrivals" Achievement
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Act One, Scene Eleven
- ↑ "World Exclusive Interview with J K Rowling," South West News Service, 8 July 2000 - "Hogwarts just serves Britain and Ireland."
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) - Chapter 5 (The Triwizard Tournament)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 6 (The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 30 (The White Tomb)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 5 (The Dementor)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) - GBA version
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite "Brilliant Event: Back to Hogwarts"