======Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington======
=====Introduction=====
Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, more commonly known as **Nearly Headless Nick**, is the resident [[ghost]] of [[Gryffindor Tower]] at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. He serves as a friendly, if somewhat dramatic, figure for [[Gryffindor]] students, particularly [[Harry Potter]] and his friends. Having lived in the 15th century and died from a botched execution, his semi-decapitated state is a source of both personal melancholy and a recurring plot point. His most significant roles in the series include hosting his 500th Deathday Party, which leads [[Harry]] to discover the [[Basilisk]], and later explaining the nature of [[ghosts]] and death to a grieving [[Harry]] after the loss of his godfather, [[Sirius Black]].
=====Biography=====
Sir Nicholas was a [[wizard]] from the 15th century. In life, he was associated with the royal court. On the evening of 30 October 1492, he encountered a lady-in-waiting named Lady Grieve, and in an attempt to magically straighten her crooked teeth, he accidentally caused her to grow a tusk. For this magical mishap, he was stripped of his [[wand]] and sentenced to death (J.K. Rowling).
His execution took place on 31 October 1492. The executioner used a blunt axe, and after forty-five hacks, Sir Nicholas's head was still not fully severed, leaving it attached by a half-inch of skin and sinew. Fearing death, he chose to remain on earth as a [[ghost]], becoming an "imprint" of his living self.
As the resident [[ghost]] of [[Gryffindor]], Sir Nicholas spent the next five centuries at [[Hogwarts]].
  * In 1991, he attended the [[Start-of-Term Feast]] and welcomed new students, including [[Harry Potter]], to [[Gryffindor]] House.
  * In 1992, he celebrated his 500th Deathday with a large party in one of the school's dungeons. He invited hundreds of [[ghosts]] from around Britain. [[Harry]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] attended, and it was on their way from this party that they first heard the [[Basilisk]] moving through the castle walls. Later that year, Nick himself became a victim of the [[Basilisk]], whose direct gaze would kill but whose indirect gaze would cause [[Petrification]]. As a [[ghost]], Nick could not die again, but he was left [[Petrification|Petrified]]—immobile, pearly-white, and smoking—until he was revived by a [[Mandrake]] Restorative Draught.
  * In 1996, following the death of [[Sirius Black]], a distraught [[Harry]] sought out Nick, hoping [[Sirius]] might return as a [[ghost]]. Nick provided a somber and compassionate explanation, stating that very few [[wizards]] choose to return, usually out of fear or because of unfinished business. He assured [[Harry]] that a brave man like [[Sirius]] would have "gone on."
  * In 1998, during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], [[Harry]] asked Nick for the location of [[The Grey Lady|Helena Ravenclaw]], the [[ghost]] of [[Ravenclaw]] House, as he needed to find [[Ravenclaw's Diadem]]. Though initially hesitant to help a [[Gryffindor]] find a [[Ravenclaw]] relic, he ultimately pointed [[Harry]] in the right direction.
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
As a [[ghost]], Sir Nicholas is pearly-white and transparent. He typically dresses in the fashion of his time, wearing a doublet, breeches, and a distinctive ruff around his neck which helps to hide his gruesome injury. He is also known to wear a plumed hat. His most notable feature is his head, which lolls precariously on his left shoulder, connected by a small strip of flesh. He can pull his head away from his neck to demonstrate his "nearly headless" state to shocked onlookers.
Nick is generally a cheerful, affable, and welcoming [[ghost]]. He is proud of his association with [[Gryffindor]] and is always willing to help students from his House. However, he can be rather pompous and theatrical, insisting on being called "Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington." He is extremely sensitive about his condition, as his inability to fully detach his head prevents him from joining the prestigious Headless Hunt, a group of fully decapitated [[ghosts]]. This is a major source of sorrow and embarrassment for him. Despite his flamboyance, he possesses a deep well of empathy, which he shows when comforting [[Harry Potter]] about the finality of death.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
As a [[ghost]], Sir Nicholas possesses the standard abilities of a spectral being. He can float, fly, and pass through solid objects like walls and tables. He cannot physically touch or move solid objects. He is immune to physical harm and cannot die again, but powerful [[Dark Magic]] can still affect him, as demonstrated when he was [[Petrification|Petrified]] by the [[Basilisk]]. In life, he was a [[wizard]], though his magical skill was questionable, given the disastrous tooth-fixing [[spell]] that led to his execution (J.K. Rowling).
=====Possessions=====
As a [[ghost]], Sir Nicholas does not have physical possessions. The clothes he wears—his ruff, doublet, and plumed hat—are part of his spiritual form, an imprint of the attire he wore at the time of his death.
=====Relationships=====
  * **[[Harry Potter]]**: Nick was one of the first magical beings [[Harry]] befriended at [[Hogwarts]] and acted as a friendly guide. [[Harry]] showed him kindness by attending his Deathday Party, and Nick, in turn, offered [[Harry]] profound comfort and wisdom regarding the nature of death.
  * **The Headless Hunt**: Nick desperately wishes to be a member of this society of headless [[ghosts]], led by Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore. However, he is consistently rejected because his head is not fully detached, a fact Sir Patrick and the others enjoy reminding him of.
  * **[[The Bloody Baron]]**: Like most [[Hogwarts]] residents, Nick is terrified of the [[Slytherin]] House [[ghost]], [[The Bloody Baron]], and avoids him whenever possible.
  * **[[Peeves]]**: Nick has a difficult relationship with the [[poltergeist]] [[Peeves]], who often mocks him about his "nearly headless" state and causes general mayhem that Nick cannot control.
  * **[[The Grey Lady]]**: Nick knows [[The Grey Lady|Helena Ravenclaw]] and respects her privacy, showing reluctance to bother her on [[Harry]]'s behalf during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
=====Etymology=====
  * **Nicholas**: A traditional English name of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people." Its usage gives the character a classic, slightly aristocratic feel.
  * **de Mimsy-Porpington**: This surname is comically aristocratic and whimsical. "Mimsy" is a word invented by Lewis Carroll for his poem "Jabberwocky," defined as a portmanteau of "flimsy" and "miserable." This perfectly describes Nick's delicate, semi-attached head and his perpetual sorrow over his condition. "Porpington" has no clear meaning but adds to the foppish, high-society sound of the name.
  * **Nearly Headless Nick**: A descriptive and memorable nickname that clearly communicates his defining physical trait and the core of his personal tragedy.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations, Sir Nicholas is portrayed by actor John Cleese in //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]// and //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//. His significant role in //[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]//, where he explains the nature of [[ghosts]] to [[Harry]], was cut from the film.
  * J.K. Rowling wrote "The Ballad of Nearly Headless Nick," a song that detailed his backstory and the events leading to his execution. While it was cut from the final draft of //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//, the author later released its full text on her website (Pottermore).
  * In the //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]// video game, Nick's Deathday Party is a major level where the player must complete several tasks for the party guests (video game).