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Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery & Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells. |
- Hermione: "These birds... they can't be here just for decoration."
- Harry: "They're not birds! They're keys! Winged keys."
- — Hermione Granger and Harry Potter when they entered the chamber of winged keys[src]
The Winged Keys,[2] also known as Flying Keys,[3] were keys that were enchanted to fly by Professor Filius Flitwick to guard the Philosopher's Stone.[1]
History[]
Guarding the Philosopher's Stone[]
A flock of fluttering winged keys
The keys were placed in a massive "flock" within the third chamber of the Underground Chambers, and only one of them would allow entry into the fourth chamber through a locked door that was made impervious to Unlocking Charms. The chamber also contained brooms, which could be used to retrieve the correct key, though the keys would scatter chaotically as soon as the brooms were used to lift-off.[1]
On 4 June 1992, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger had to overcome a series of obstacles in order to pass through the Chambers and follow whom they thought was Severus Snape (actually Quirinus Quirrell), whom they believed intended to hand the Philosopher's Stone over to Lord Voldemort, and prevent him from successfully acquiring the stone to achieve immortality.[1]
The trio trying to catch the right key on broomsticks
The trio successfully got to the chamber filled with the winged keys, which at first appeared to be birds. As they discovered that Alohomora did not work on the locked door at the end of the room, they also realised the keys were not, in fact, birds. Hermione cleverly deduced that the key that would open the locked door must be an old one to match the old lock on the door, and the only old-fashioned key was a silver one with bright blue wings, with a wing broken, as it had just been used by Quirrell.[1]
As soon as Harry, Ron and Hermione took off on the nearby brooms to catch the "old key," the rest of the keys started zooming and darting all over the place.[1]
Small Locked Tower[]
A Winged Key was used to unlock the Small Locked Tower, where the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance were. By 2009, it had either replaced or been transformed from the original Key of Admittance. It became the way to access the plain wooden door of the tower.[4]
During the 2008–2009 school year, Ivy Warrington and her best friends had to catch the Winged Key themselves in order to open the door and check the Book of Admittance for personal reasons.[4]
The Calamity[]
During the Calamity of the 21st century, Winged Keys became Foundables which had to be dealt with and returned to their original location by volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force.[5]
Behind the scenes[]
Concept art of the Winged Keys from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone:
- Only Harry used a broomstick to catch the key, whereas in the novel, each one of the Trio seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air to catch the winged key.
- Most of the keys swarm and attack Harry as soon as he touches the broom, which does not happen in the book.
- The Winged Keys trading card from the Harry Potter Trading Card Game is oddly classified as a "Transfiguration" card rather than a "Charms" card.
- In the Kindle edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition, they fly around at the top of a page in the chapter Through the Trapdoor.
Differences[]
| Media | Scene |
|---|---|
| Book | Harry, Ron and Hermione catch the key. |
| Film | Harry catches the key. |
| Film (Disc 2 game) | "You must search and click on the right winged key." |
| PC/Mac game | Same as film. |
| PS1 game | Same as film. However, the wrong keys shine red and the right key shine blue and its wing is not broken. |
| Pottermore | "You must search and click on the right winged key." |
| GBC game | Same as film. |
| GBA game | N/A |
| LEGO Years 1-4 (desktop) | Same as film, except for the fact that Harry shoot spells at the key. |
| LEGO Years 1-4 (handheld) | Harry finds the hideout of the key, then same as film. |
| PS2/Xbox/GameCube game | Same as film. |
| Magic Awakened | N/A |
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)
- Pottermore
- Harry Potter (website)
- Harry Potter: A History of Magic
- Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic
- Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay
- LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter
- Harry Potter for Kinect
- Harry Potter Trading Card Game
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
- ↑ Pottermore - Book 1, Chapter 16, Moment 1 (Archived here on the Pottermore Wiki) (Archived here on YouTube)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) - PS1 version
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, Year 1, Main Story, Chapter V: Ivy's Doppelgänger
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite