Emeralds

Emeralds are deep green, precious gemstones, highly valued in the Wizarding World for both their monetary worth and their use in enchanting and decoration. They are most notably associated with Slytherin House, whose house colours are green and silver. The association is so strong that the Slytherin Common Room is described as having a greenish light, reminiscent of its signature gemstone.

Slytherin House Points

• The most prominent and consistent appearance of emeralds is within the four giant House Point Hourglasses located in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.
• The Slytherin hourglass is filled with large, polished emeralds, with each gemstone representing a single point earned by a student of that House.
• These emeralds flow from the top to the bottom of the hourglass as points are awarded and are removed by magic when points are deducted.

As Treasure and Decoration

• Emeralds are a sign of great wealth in the Wizarding World, often found in treasure hoards and enchanted items.
• In the Lestrange Vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Harry Potter observed “great fistfuls of emeralds, diamonds, and sapphires the size of eggs” amongst the other treasures guarded by the Gemino Curse.
• A suit of goblin-made armour belonging to the historical wizard Sir Radomir of Rettica was said to be adorned with the “finest emeralds,” as noted by the Goblin Griphook.

Slytherin's Locket

• Salazar Slytherin's Locket, one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, was a heavy gold locket marked with a serpentine “S” made of “many small, green stones.”
• While not explicitly identified as emeralds in the text, their green colour and the locket's direct connection to Slytherin make it highly probable that these stones were indeed emeralds.

Symbolic Significance

• The colour emerald green holds strong symbolic meaning, most famously in the description of Lily Evans Potter's eyes, a trait she passed on to her son, Harry Potter.
• Harry's “bright green” or “emerald-green” eyes are a constant reminder of his mother's love and sacrifice, a key theme throughout the series.
• This physical trait is central to the motivations of Severus Snape, whose undying love for Lily is encapsulated in his final request to Harry: “Look… at… me.”

• In the film adaptations, the Slytherin House Point Hourglass is visually represented as described in the books, filled with green gemstones that function as point counters. (film)
• The treasure within the Lestrange Vault in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is also shown to include a vast amount of jewels, including emeralds, consistent with the novel's description. (film)