Florean Fortescue

Florean Fortescue was a kind and knowledgeable wizard who owned and operated Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley. He briefly befriended Harry Potter during the summer of 1993, offering him free ice cream and assistance with his Hogwarts homework. Fortescue was later abducted and murdered by Voldemort's Death Eaters during the early stages of the Second Wizarding War, a casualty of the Dark Lord's rise to power.

Florean Fortescue was the proprietor of his popular ice cream parlour in Diagon Alley. During the summer of 1993, following the incident with Marge Dursley, Harry Potter took up residence at the Leaky Cauldron and spent his days exploring the alley. Harry frequently completed his summer homework at one of the outdoor tables of the parlour. Noticing this, Fortescue took an interest in him. A knowledgeable historian, particularly on the subject of medieval witch-burnings, Fortescue generously helped Harry with his essay for History of Magic. In addition to his academic assistance, he provided Harry with a free ice cream sundae every half hour, refusing to accept any payment. By the summer of 1996, with Voldemort's return made public, the magical community lived in fear. Diagon Alley became a much darker place, and several shopkeepers fell victim to the Death Eaters. Bill Weasley reported to Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger that Fortescue had been “dragged off” and his shop was boarded up. His fate remained uncertain until 1997, when Harry, while hunting for Horcruxes, speculated that Fortescue might have been kidnapped for information about the Diadem of Ravenclaw, given his historical expertise. However, it was later confirmed by Bill Weasley that Florean Fortescue had been murdered.

The novels do not provide a physical description of Florean Fortescue. He was portrayed as an exceptionally kind, generous, and affable man. His willingness to help Harry Potter with his schoolwork, coupled with his insistence on giving Harry free ice cream, demonstrated a warm and benevolent nature. He was also an intelligent and learned individual, possessing a deep knowledge of wizarding history.

• Historical Knowledge: Fortescue was an expert in wizarding history, particularly concerning the medieval period and witch-hunts. He knew, for instance, that many accused witches and wizards used a simple Flame-Freezing Charm to escape harm and merely feigned agony while being “burned.”
• Business Management: He successfully ran a popular and seemingly prosperous business in the heart of London's magical district for many years, which suggests he was a competent manager and likely a skilled wizard in his own right.

• Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour: His shop in Diagon Alley, which was a bright and cheerful place with outdoor seating, popular with the wizarding community.
• Wand: As a qualified wizard, he would have owned a wand, though its specifications are unknown.

• Harry Potter: Fortescue developed a brief but warm, mentor-like relationship with Harry during the summer of 1993. His kindness made a lasting impression on Harry, who later remembered him fondly and was saddened to learn of his murder.
• Wizarding Community: As a long-time shop owner in Diagon Alley, he was a known figure in the community. His abduction was noted by people like Bill Weasley as a sign of the escalating terror.

• Florean: This name is likely derived from the Latin Florianus, meaning “flowering” or “flourishing.” This could allude to the sweet, pleasant nature of his ice cream business and his cheerful personality.
• Fortescue: An Anglo-Norman surname originating from the Old French fort écu, meaning “strong shield.” This name is deeply ironic, as Fortescue was ultimately unable to shield himself from the Death Eaters. Hogwarts once had a Headmaster named Dexter Fortescue, who may have been an ancestor.

J.K. Rowling has stated that she originally intended for Florean Fortescue to have a much more significant role in the plot. He was meant to be a conduit for clues related to the Deathly Hallows, specifically the Elder Wand and the Diadem of Ravenclaw, using his historical expertise. This plotline involved him being a descendant of Dexter Fortescue, a former Hogwarts Headmaster whose portrait hangs in the Headmaster's office. (Pottermore) However, Rowling found that the information could be conveyed more naturally through other characters like Phineas Nigellus Black and the Grey Lady. As she edited Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she found his role to be extraneous and “felt he was a bit of a red herring.” Because his plot function was removed, she had him kidnapped and murdered for what seemed to be no reason. Rowling expressed regret over his “unjust” death, stating that he was a victim of her changing plot plans. (Pottermore)