Badge of Office

• Type: Magical Device, Insignia of Authority
• Owners: Hogwarts Prefects, Head Boy, and Head Girl
• Maker: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

A Badge of Office is a specially enchanted badge issued to Hogwarts students who are appointed to positions of authority. There are two primary types: the Prefect badge and the Head badge.

• Prefect Badge: This badge is typically made of silver and features a prominent letter 'P'. The design is accented with the colours of the wearer's House. For example, Ron Weasley's Gryffindor Prefect badge was described as being scarlet and gold. Badges are traditionally delivered to newly appointed Prefects via Owl Post just before the start of the school year.
• Head Boy/Head Girl Badge: This badge is similar in appearance to the Prefect badge but is considered more prestigious. It features the Hogwarts crest and is inscribed with the words “Head Boy” or “Head Girl”. Percy Weasley's Head Boy badge was also scarlet and gold, matching his Gryffindor House colours.

While not a magical object in the same vein as a wand or a cauldron, a Badge of Office is imbued with enchantments that signify and grant specific authority to its wearer. Its primary function is to serve as a visible marker of the student's responsibilities and privileges. The main privileges granted by the badge include:

• Disciplinary Authority: The wearer can deduct House Points from students in any House (including their own) for rule-breaking. They can also assign Detention. However, they cannot take points from other Prefects.
• Patrol Duties: Prefects and Head students are required to patrol the corridors of the Hogwarts Express and the castle itself to maintain order.
• Exclusive Access: The badge grants its holder access to restricted areas, most notably the Prefects' Bathroom, a luxurious and large bathroom on the fifth floor of Hogwarts. Access is granted by speaking the correct password to a portrait guarding the entrance.

The tradition of awarding Badges of Office to student leaders at Hogwarts is a long-standing one. In the Trophy Room, badges from previous Head Boys and Head Girls, including Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle, are kept on display, indicating the practice has been in place for many decades, if not centuries. New Prefects are selected from the pool of fifth-year students, with one boy and one girl chosen from each of the four Houses. The Head Boy and Head Girl are chosen from the entire seventh-year student body and are often, but not always, former Prefects.

Badges of Office serve several important functions throughout the series:

• Symbol of Pride and Ambition: For characters like Percy Weasley, receiving a Prefect badge and later a Head Boy badge is a source of immense pride and a validation of his ambition and adherence to rules. His family, particularly Molly Weasley, also sees the appointment as a great honour.
• Source of Conflict and Character Development: In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ron Weasley's and Hermione Granger's appointments as Prefects are a significant point of conflict for Harry Potter, who feels overlooked and jealous. For Ron, receiving the badge is a crucial moment of validation, helping him step out of the shadow of his brothers and his famous best friend.
• Tool for Abuse of Power: Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson use their authority as Slytherin Prefects to bully and antagonise other students, freely deducting House Points from Gryffindors for minor or fabricated infractions.
• Plot Device: The Prefects' Bathroom, a privilege associated with the badge, becomes a key location in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Following a tip from Cedric Diggory, Harry uses the bathroom to submerge the Golden Egg and decipher the clue for the Second Task.

In the film adaptations, the designs for the Prefect and Head Boy/Head Girl badges were created as physical props. These designs often prominently featured the specific House crest and colours, solidifying the visual identity of these symbols of student authority (film).