Circe

Circe was a legendary and infamous witch who lived in Ancient Greece. Renowned for her expertise in Transfiguration, particularly for turning lost sailors into pigs, her notoriety earned her a place on a Chocolate Frog Card in the modern wizarding world. For Harry Potter, Circe's card was one of the first introductions to the wider history and famous figures of the magical community.

According to her Chocolate Frog Card, Circe was an Ancient Greek witch who resided on the island of Aeaea. She was known to offer hospitality to sailors who had become lost at sea and found their way to her island. However, after welcoming them, she would use her powerful magic to transform them into pigs. This practice made her one of the most famous, and feared, figures of her era.

The novels do not provide a physical description of Circe. Her personality, as implied by her actions, was duplicitous and cruel. She presented a facade of hospitality and kindness to lure unsuspecting sailors into her home, only to subject them to a terrible magical fate, suggesting a malicious and perhaps misanthropic nature.

• Transfiguration: Circe was an exceptionally powerful and skilled practitioner of Transfiguration. Her signature magical feat was turning human beings into animals, specifically pigs. This form of human-to-animal transformation is known to be a very advanced and difficult branch of magic, marking her as a witch of formidable ability.

No specific magical objects or possessions belonging to Circe are mentioned in the canonical texts. It is unknown what kind of magical focus, such as a wand, she may have used.

Circe's primary known interactions were with the lost sailors she lured to her island of Aeaea. These relationships were predatory, ending with her transforming them into pigs. No other family, friends, or associates are mentioned in the wizarding world's account of her life.

The name and story of Circe are taken directly from Greek mythology. In Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey, Circe is a powerful enchantress and a minor goddess who lives on the island of Aeaea. She is famous for using potions and spells to turn Odysseus's crew into swine. The portrayal of Circe in the Harry Potter universe is a direct homage to this classical figure.

• Circe's Chocolate Frog Card is the second one Harry Potter ever receives, and the first one he keeps. He acquires it on the Hogwarts Express during his first journey to school, after his Albus Dumbledore card leaps away.
• The character of Circe is featured on a Chocolate Frog Card in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video games (video game).
• Circe was also one of the historical witches and wizards profiled on the Famous Wizard Cards feature on the original Pottermore website (Pottermore).