Bones in Magic

• Type: Magical Ingredient, Human Remains, Creature Remains
• Owners: Not applicable (component-based)
• Maker: Not applicable (naturally occurring)

Bones, the skeletal framework of humans and creatures, appear numerous times throughout the Harry Potter series, both as mundane remains and as crucial components in magical processes. They range from the massive skeleton of the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets to the single, pivotal femur of Tom Riddle Sr. used in a dark ritual. The physical appearance is that of typical bone, though their magical significance varies greatly depending on their origin and intended use. They often represent death, ancestry, and the fundamental structure of a living being, themes that are central to many magical applications.

The primary significance of bones in the wizarding world lies in their use as powerful magical ingredients and their susceptibility to magical influence.

• Potion-Making and Rituals: The most significant use of a bone in the series is as a key ingredient in the Rebirthing Potion, a piece of powerful Dark Magic that restored Lord Voldemort to a full body. The potion required “Bone of the father, unknowingly given.” To fulfill this, Peter Pettigrew desecrated the grave of Tom Riddle Sr. in the Little Hangleton graveyard and took a bone from his remains. This act underscores the dark, sacrificial nature of Voldemort's magic, which often involves violating natural and familial bonds.
• Bone-Regrowing Magic: The magical world has remedies for skeletal injuries, most notably the potion Skele-Gro. This concoction forces the painful and slow regrowth of missing or vanished bones. Harry Potter was forced to take it after Professor Gilderoy Lockhart incompetently attempted to mend his broken arm with the spell Brackium Emendo, which instead removed the bones entirely. The successful administration of Skele-Gro by Madam Pomfrey demonstrates the advanced state of magical healing at Hogwarts.
• Creature Skeletons: The skeletons of magical creatures can retain magical properties or be used for practical purposes. After Harry slew the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, its skeleton remained in the chamber. In 1998, the security for the deepest vaults at Gringotts Wizarding Bank included an ancient, blind dragon which was controlled by clankers, and its path was noted to be “littered with the bones of what might have been dragons” (DH26).

Bones feature in several key moments throughout the Harry Potter timeline, often signifying points of transformation, danger, or discovery.

1. c. 1943: The Basilisk is killed by Harry Potter, leaving its massive skeleton to decay in the Chamber of Secrets. Its fangs would later be used to destroy several of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
2. 1992: Harry's arm bones are vanished by Gilderoy Lockhart during a Quidditch match against Slytherin. Madam Pomfrey successfully regrows them overnight using a dose of Skele-Gro.
3. June 24, 1995: The bone of Tom Riddle Sr. is forcibly taken from his grave by Peter Pettigrew in the Little Hangleton graveyard. It becomes a critical component in the potion that restores Lord Voldemort's physical form.
4. December 24, 1997: While visiting the Godric's Hollow graveyard, Hermione Granger speculates that Muggles might have mistaken the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on Ignotus Peverell's tombstone for a strange eye, and that legends of “the bones of saints” being buried there could be a wizarding family's “joke.”
5. May 1, 1998: During the Gringotts break-in, the trio observes the bones of long-dead creatures littering the tunnels leading to the deep vaults, a grim testament to the bank's formidable security.

The use of bones in the narrative often carries deep symbolic weight. Voldemort's use of his father's bone is a pivotal moment in the series, marking his full, terrifying return to power. It also serves as a bitter irony: in his quest for pure-blood supremacy and immortality, he is forced to use the remains of the Muggle father he murdered and despised, physically tethering his new body to his hated heritage. Conversely, the regrowing of Harry's bones highlights his resilience and the existence of restorative, healing magic that stands in contrast to Voldemort's destructive acts. It establishes the competence of healers like Madam Pomfrey while exposing the fraudulent nature of characters like Gilderoy Lockhart. The presence of skeletons in places like the Chamber of Secrets and Gringotts serves to build atmosphere and establish the history and danger of the magical world.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Peter Pettigrew is visually shown using his wand to magically extract a large bone from the coffin of Tom Riddle Sr. beneath the angel of death statue.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry's arm is depicted as a limp, rubbery limb after Gilderoy Lockhart's spell, adding a comedic visual to the otherwise painful injury described in the book.
• The prop bottle designed for Skele-Gro in the films is shaped like a human skeleton, with the potion being dispensed through the mouth of the skull, a design that became iconic.