Magical Bloodstains

• Type: Magical Residue / Historical Imprint
• Owners: Not applicable. Stains are intrinsically linked to the locations where they were formed.
• Maker: Not applicable. These stains are by-products of acts of extreme violence, murder, or the lingering presence of ghosts.

Magical bloodstains appear as patches or splatters of blood that cannot be removed by any known mundane or magical means. Their appearance varies depending on their origin.

• The bloodstain left by the Bloody Baron is described as silvery, consistent with it being the blood of a ghost.
• The stain left by the murder of Myrtle Warren is presumably a normal, reddish bloodstain, though its specific appearance is not described in detail.
• The stain marking the spot of Albus Dumbledore's death is a dark mark on the ground, likely from the impact and subsequent bleeding.

The defining magical property of these stains is their permanence. They are impervious to all attempts at removal, including powerful magical cleaning spells. Nearly Headless Nick states that “gallons of Scouring Charm” had been used on the Bloody Baron's bloodstains to no avail. This suggests that the traumatic or magical nature of the event that created the stain imbues it with an enchantment that makes it indelible. Their “usage” is not active; rather, they serve as permanent, physical reminders of significant and often tragic historical events. They act as memorials and warnings, contributing to the lore and atmosphere of the locations they mark.

Several specific magical bloodstains are known to exist within Hogwarts Castle.

• The Bloody Baron's Bloodstains: After murdering Helena Ravenclaw in an Albanian forest, the Baron, in a fit of remorse, took his own life with the same weapon. As a ghost, he perpetually haunts Hogwarts wearing chains and covered in silvery bloodstains as a mark of his guilt. These stains are present on the castle floors where he passes. Peeves is notably terrified of the Bloody Baron, possibly due to the nature of his spectral form.
• Myrtle Warren's Death Site: In 1943, Myrtle Warren was murdered in a girls' bathroom on the second floor after looking into the eyes of the Basilisk released by Tom Riddle. A permanent bloodstain marks the spot where her body was found. This stain serves as a physical clue for Harry Potter and Ron Weasley when they investigate the Chamber of Secrets, as they realize that was where the first victim died.
• Albus Dumbledore's Death Site: Following his death at the hands of Severus Snape at the top of the Astronomy Tower in 1997, a mark was left on the grounds below where his body fell. While not explicitly called a bloodstain, it is described as a dark mark that could not be removed. It is where his white tomb, Dumbledore's tomb, was later placed, serving as a permanent memorial.

Bloodstains in the series primarily function as powerful symbols and plot devices.

• Atmosphere and Lore: The Bloody Baron's stains contribute to the ancient and sometimes grim history of Hogwarts, reminding students and faculty of a dark chapter in the school's past.
• Plot Device: The stain on the floor of the girls' bathroom is a critical piece of physical evidence. It confirms for Harry Potter and Ron Weasley the location where the Chamber of Secrets was last opened and where its monster claimed its first victim, directly leading them to question Moaning Myrtle.
• Symbol of Memory and Loss: The mark of Dumbledore's death becomes a focal point for mourning and remembrance, eventually becoming the site of his final resting place and a symbol of his sacrifice.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the floor of the girls' bathroom is perpetually flooded with water from faulty plumbing, and no specific bloodstain is shown or mentioned. The location of Myrtle's death is identified by her presence rather than a physical mark on the floor (film).