Enchanted Galleons

• Type: Communication Device, Magical Device
• Owners: Members of Dumbledore's Army
• Maker: Hermione Granger

The enchanted Galleons were a set of counterfeit Galleons created by Hermione Granger. To the casual observer, they appeared identical to standard wizarding currency. However, upon closer inspection, the series of numbers around the edge of the coin, which on a real Galleon would indicate the serial number of the Goblin who cast it, were enchanted. These numerals could change to display a message, specifically the date and time for the next meeting of Dumbledore's Army.

The primary function of the enchanted Galleons was to serve as a secret and secure communication system for the members of Dumbledore's Army. The coins were linked by a complex and powerful Protean Charm. When Harry Potter, the leader of the group, altered the numbers on his “master” coin, the numbers on every other coin would instantly change to match his. To alert the owner of a new message, the coin would momentarily grow hot. This ensured that members would check the coin and receive the updated information about the next D.A. meeting time and date without having to rely on more easily intercepted methods like owl post. Hermione Granger revealed that the inspiration for this magical communication method came from Lord Voldemort's Dark Mark, which burns on a Death Eater's arm when their master touches his own. She decided to use their enemies' own magical concepts against them for a good purpose. The use of a Protean Charm for this purpose was considered very advanced magic, far beyond the ordinary O.W.L. standard, and demonstrated Hermione's exceptional magical talent.

The enchanted Galleons were created by Hermione Granger in the autumn of 1995. She distributed one to each student who signed the enchanted parchment at the first meeting of the group in the Hog's Head Inn. The coins were used successfully throughout the 1995-1996 school year to coordinate secret Defence Against the Dark Arts meetings in the Room of Requirement, right under the nose of High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge. The communication system itself was never compromised; the D.A. was eventually betrayed by member Marietta Edgecombe. Even after the D.A. was officially disbanded, some members, like Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood, kept their coins. In 1997, they used them to answer the call to defend Hogwarts against the Death Eaters during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. In 1998, Neville Longbottom used his coin from his hiding place within the Room of Requirement to summon the scattered members of Dumbledore's Army back to the castle for the final confrontation against Lord Voldemort, initiating the Battle of Hogwarts.

The enchanted Galleons were instrumental in the formation and sustained operation of Dumbledore's Army. They represent Hermione Granger's brilliance, resourcefulness, and powerful grasp of complex Charms. The coins served as a tangible symbol of the students' resistance against the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic's misinformation campaign. Their reappearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows highlights the enduring loyalty of the D.A. members and their readiness to fight for Harry Potter and his cause.

In the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, the enchanted Galleons are omitted entirely. The communication and scheduling of D.A. meetings are handled through word of mouth, which simplifies the narrative but removes a significant example of Hermione Granger's advanced magical abilities. (film)