Arturo Cephalopos

Arturo Cephalopos is a wizard known for being very well-connected in the magical community. He is a friend of Eldred Worple, a former student of Horace Slughorn. His character serves a minor role, primarily to illustrate the type of influential individuals Slughorn sought to add to his network of contacts through the Slug Club.

Arturo Cephalopos is mentioned once in the 1996-1997 Hogwarts school year. During a conversation with Harry Potter following the funeral of Aragog, Horace Slughorn expressed his disappointment that his former student, Eldred Worple, had not brought Cephalopos to a recent Slug Club gathering. Slughorn had specifically hoped to meet Cephalopos due to his reputation for having excellent connections. It is not known if Slughorn ever succeeded in meeting him. Beyond this brief mention, his life and history are unknown.

There is no description of Arturo Cephalopos's physical appearance in the novels. Likewise, his personality is unknown, though his status as “very well-connected” suggests he is likely a sociable and influential individual within the wizarding world.

As a wizard who captured the interest of Horace Slughorn, it can be presumed that Cephalopos is a competent wizard. His most noted skill, however, is not magical but social: his ability to network and maintain a wide range of influential contacts. No specific magical talents, spells, or other abilities are mentioned.

No possessions belonging to Arturo Cephalopos are described in the novels.

Arturo Cephalopos is known to be a friend of Eldred Worple, the author of Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires. It is through Worple that Horace Slughorn learns of Cephalopos and becomes interested in making his acquaintance to add him to his collection of influential contacts.

• Arturo: The name is the Italian and Spanish form of Arthur. The origin of “Arthur” is debated, possibly deriving from the Roman family name Artorius, or from Welsh arth, meaning “bear.”
• Cephalopos: This surname is a clear reference to a cephalopod (from Greek kephalē “head” and pous “foot”), a class of marine animals that includes the octopus and squid. This is likely a classic example of J.K. Rowling's use of descriptive naming; the many tentacles of a cephalopod serve as a metaphor for someone who is “well-connected,” with their influence reaching out in many different directions.

Arturo Cephalopos is a minor character mentioned only in the novel Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He does not appear, nor is he mentioned, in the film adaptations or any other supplementary materials.