From the moment fans Harry Potter first enter the magical world created by J.K. Rowling, they are thrust into a one of the most unique worlds in fiction. Throughout Harry’s time at Hogwarts, he is introduced to numerous spells and magical creatures, many of which become essential to his fight against Voldemort.
But the Wizard World hides a lot of secrets, and some characters have magical talents or abilities that others can never hope to reach. Sometimes, these fascinating skills come at a cost, but the reader is always enchanted by the added details and abilities they come across.
10 Albus Dumbledore Can Speak Various Magical Languages
The eccentric headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore may look like a kindly old man, but in reality, he’s incredibly powerful and cunning. Alongside the arsenal of spells he can cast, he is knowledgeable in more obscure fields of magic like alchemy.
He can also speak Mermish, as well as Gobbledegook – the language of the goblins. Even more remarkable, he’s shown to be capable of recognizing, understanding, and even speaking some Parseltongue, something which is very difficult for those not naturally gifted with the skill.
9 Sybill Trelawney Inherits Prophetic Abilities From Ancestor Cassandra
Harry Potter’s life may be guided by his cunning headmaster, but his fate is set in motion by a prophecy spoken by Sybill Trelawney. During an interview for the post of Divination teacher, Sybill falls into a trance in front of Albus Dumbledore and prophecies the birth of the ‘one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord.’ Her words, overheard by Severus Snape, prove to be the death sentence for James and Lily Potter, as they are later killed while Lord Voldemort attempts to preemptively destroy the threat.
8 The Marauders Learn How To Be Animagi For Remus Lupin's Sake
Before James Potter was a father, he was a Marauder at Hogwarts and a good friend of Remus Lupin. After finding out Remus is a werewolf, James, Sirius Black, and their then-friend Peter Pettigrew all learn how to be animagi. It's not an easy process, but they are determined as this would let them keep their friend company on full moon nights.
James’ form is that of a stag, while Sirius transforms into a grim and Peter into a rat. Other known animagi in Harry Potter include Minerva McGonagall – whose form is that of a cat – and Rita Skeeter, who can turn into a beetle.
7 Nymphadora Tonks And Her Son Teddy Are Metamorphmagi
The daughter of Andromeda Black and the Muggleborn Ted Tonks, Nymphadora is a Metamorphmagus, capable of changing her physical appearance at will. Tonks is notable for having gotten into trouble at Hogwarts after using the forms of her teachers.
An enthusiastic and friendly person, she often uses her skills for the amusement of others, changing her facial features to mimic animals. At the same time, her abilities are of incredible use to the Order of the Phoenix, and she works as a covert agent for them inside the Ministry. After she marries Remus Lupin, she has a son, Teddy, who inherits her abilities.
6 Severus Snape Is A Skilled Legilimens And Occlumens
One of the most complex characters in Harry Potter, Severus Snape is the terrifying Potions teacher and head of House Slytherin. Beyond his passion for the subtle arts of potions-making, he is also a highly skilled Legilimens and Occlumens.
Legilimency is the art of invading someone’s mind and interpreting the findings, something Muggles have incorrectly dubbed ‘mind-reading’. Occlumency is the only way to protect oneself against a Legilimens. As Voldemort also uses Legilimency extensively, Snape is tasked by Albus Dumbledore to teach Harry Potter Occlumency but his poor relationship with Harry makes the lessons a failure.
5 Credence Barebone Becomes An Obscurial Because Of His Abusive Upbringing
With the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, more and more details are added to the Wizarding World. One of the main characters in the Fantastic Beasts movies, Credence Barebone is an Obscurial. As a result of his abusive upbringing at the hands of the No-Maj Mary Lou Barebone, his magic is suppressed and twisted, developing a parasitical force known as an Obscurus.
Credence is later consumed by his own out-of-control power and goes on a rampage through New York, though he miraculously survives. Harry Potter fans also speculate that Ariana Dumbledore may have been an Obscurial too, and it is this uncontrollable power that led to the death of her mother Kendra.
4 Queenie Goldstein Uses An Unusual Form Of Legilimency
The Legilimency Snape and Voldemort practice is a very organized and complicated art. In Fantastic Beasts, Queenie Goldstein proves to be a very particular kind of Legilimens. Instead of being trained in the skill, she seems capable of naturally perceiving the minds of others. She even manages to sense her sister’s distress from a great distance when Tina Goldstein is under threat of being executed.
Interestingly enough, she comments that people are easiest to read when they’re hurting, which explains why Occlumency relies on the concept of controlling one’s emotions. But Queenie herself isn’t always emotionally stable and her erratic feelings lead her to be overwhelmed by her powers. This turns out to be devastating and may have influenced her into joining Gellert Grindelwald’s cause.
3 Lord Voldemort’s Snake Nagini Is A Woman Carrying The Maledictus Curse
A shocking development in the Fantastic Beasts movies involves the return of the Dark Lord’s snake, Nagini. She is revealed to be a Maledictus, a woman under a horrific blood curse. Because of her curse, Nagini is able to turn into a massive snake, but will eventually become unable to turn back.
Her first appearance in Fantastic Beasts displays her transformation from snake to woman at the Circus Arcanus. The Crimes of Grindelwald ends with her on the heroes' side, but by the time Lord Voldemort meets Nagini in the Harry Potter movies, her condition has become irreversible. She is already permanently a snake.
2 Lord Voldemort And The Gaunts Are Parselmouths
Lord Voldemort is fond of Nagini and even turns her into his Horcrux. That is in no small part because of his overall affinity for snakes. As the heir of Slytherin, he can speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes. Voldemort’s relatives on his mother’s side, the Gaunts, also possessed the ability, with Morfin Gaunt speaking almost exclusively in Parseltongue.
Considering the fact that Nagini was originally human, her bond with Voldemort must have been related to finally finding someone who could understand her after years of being unable to communicate properly. Interestingly enough, being a Parseltongue doesn’t necessarily mean a wizard has to be kind with the creatures, as Morfin is often cruel with snakes, kills them, and nails them to the door of the Gaunt shack.
1 Harry Potter Is Lord Voldemort's Living Horcrux
The protagonist of the series, Harry Potter isn’t born with a particular magical ability. If he is the Chosen One, it’s because Voldemort chooses him as his equal. He survives the attempt on his life due to his mother’s sacrifice, and in the process becomes a living Horcrux. As the vessel of the Dark Lord’s soul, Harry is able to speak Parseltongue and has an unfortunate connection to the Dark Lord’s mind.
It's also the Horcrux that keeps Harry from dying after being hit by Lord Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra, as the spell destroys that part of Voldemort’s soul instead. After the destruction of the Horcrux, Harry believes he has lost the ability to use Parseltongue, but Harry Potter and the Cursed Child reveals this isn’t the case, and he can in fact still speak it.