Cornelius Agrippa

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa was a celebrated historical wizard featured on a Chocolate Frog Card. Though he is only mentioned briefly in the novels, his presence establishes the depth of the wizarding world's history and its intersection with Muggle history. His Chocolate Frog Card is noted by both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley as being a somewhat rare and desirable collectible.

While Agrippa's full life story is not detailed in the novels, supplementary materials confirm key details. He lived from 1486 to 1535 (Pottermore). He was known to be a writer of significant magical texts, and his work was apparently so controversial or revealing that it led to him being imprisoned by Muggles (Pottermore). This suggests a life of scholarly pursuit that clashed with the non-magical society of his time.

The novels provide no description of Cornelius Agrippa's physical appearance or personality. His image exists within the wizarding world on his Chocolate Frog Card, though it is not described.

Agrippa's specific magical abilities are not documented in the books. However, his renown and inclusion on a Chocolate Frog Card indicate he was a powerful and accomplished wizard. His primary known skill was his writing on the subject of magic, which was evidently profound enough to be considered dangerous by Muggles.

• Chocolate Frog Card: Agrippa is one of the famous witches and wizards featured on the collectible cards found inside packages of Chocolate Frogs. In their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, both Ron Weasley and Harry Potter note that they are missing Agrippa's card from their collections, implying it is less common than others, such as the card for Albus Dumbledore.

As a historical figure, Agrippa has no direct relationships with the main characters of the series. He is mentioned alongside another famous historical wizard, Ptolemy, as a figure whose Chocolate Frog Card is sought after by collectors. This places him in the pantheon of great wizards of the past who are still remembered and celebrated in the modern wizarding world.

The name is taken directly from the real historical figure Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486–1535). The real Agrippa was a German polymath, physician, legal scholar, and occult writer. He is one of the most influential figures in the history of Western esotericism, most famous for his work De occulta philosophia libri tres (Three Books of Occult Philosophy). His life and writings often brought him into conflict with the authorities of his day, which parallels the wizarding version's fate of being imprisoned by Muggles for his magical texts.

• In the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, the conversation where Ron Weasley and Harry Potter mention missing the cards for Agrippa and Ptolemy is omitted.
• Cornelius Agrippa's Chocolate Frog Card is a collectible item in the *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)* and *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)*. The card's description in these games and on the Wizarding World website is the source for his lifespan and his imprisonment by Muggles. (video game), (Pottermore)