Wizarding textbooks vary widely in appearance, much like their Muggle counterparts. Many are standard hardback or paperback books containing text and illustrations. However, a significant number possess magical qualities. Illustrations within these books are often enchanted to move, similar to the photographs in the Daily Prophet. Some textbooks have more pronounced and interactive magical properties. The most famous example is The Monster Book of Monsters, a large, fur-covered book with eyes that would snap and bite at anyone attempting to open it improperly. Other books mentioned include The Invisible Book of Invisibility, which is, by its nature, impossible to see, and Secrets of the Darkest Art, a book on Horcruxes that was known to shriek when opened. These characteristics often reflect the nature of the subject they cover.
The primary purpose of a textbook is to serve as a core component of magical education. They are the main source of theoretical knowledge, containing everything from potion recipes and incantations for spells to historical accounts and analyses of magical creatures. At Hogwarts, students receive a list of required textbooks with their acceptance and end-of-year letters. These books are typically purchased from Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley. Students often purchase second-hand copies to save money, a common practice for the Weasley family. These used copies sometimes contain helpful annotations from previous owners, the most notable example being the Half-Blood Prince's copy of Advanced Potion-Making. Beyond simple study, some textbooks can be dangerous in their own right. The Monster Book of Monsters had to be physically subdued, while books on the Dark Arts contain knowledge that is powerful and corrupting.
The history of textbooks is intrinsically linked to the history of magical education. Long-standing, authoritative texts like Bathilda Bagshot's A History of Magic and Miranda Goshawk's The Standard Book of Spells series have been used at Hogwarts for generations, forming the backbone of the curriculum. The selection of textbooks can also be a point of contention and reflect the political climate. During Dolores Umbridge's tenure as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, the Ministry of Magic mandated the use of a purely theoretical textbook, Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard, to prevent students from learning practical defensive magic. This move was a direct response to Albus Dumbledore's warnings about the return of Lord Voldemort. The replacement of a practical curriculum with a theoretical one demonstrates how textbooks can be used as tools of control.
Several specific textbooks play crucial roles in the narrative of the series: