Healers

A Healer is the wizarding world equivalent of a Muggle doctor or physician. They are highly skilled witches and wizards trained in the magical arts of healing, responsible for diagnosing and treating a wide range of magical ailments, injuries, and curses. The primary institution for Healers in Great Britain is St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London. Healers possess a deep knowledge of Healing Spells, Potions, Herbology, and other magical disciplines relevant to medical care.

The duties of a Healer are extensive and critical to the well-being of the magical community. They treat injuries ranging from common accidents to severe, life-threatening conditions caused by Dark Magic.

• Diagnosis and Treatment: Healers are trained to identify the magical cause of an ailment. This can be straightforward, such as mending a broken bone, or incredibly complex, like identifying the dark curse afflicting Katie Bell from a cursed necklace. Their treatments involve a combination of spells and potions, tailored to the specific injury. For example, Healers at St. Mungo's treated Arthur Weasley's venomous snake bites from Nagini with a combination of stitched-up wounds and regular applications of a blood-replenishing potion.
• Specialised Care: St. Mungo's is divided into wards based on the type of injury, suggesting Healers often specialise. These include departments for “Creature-Induced Injuries,” “Magical Bugs,” “Potion and Plant Poisoning,” “Spell Damage,” and “Long-Term Residence.” Healers in the “Spell Damage” ward, for instance, cared for Gilderoy Lockhart after a backfired Memory Charm and provided long-term care for Frank and Alice Longbottom, who were tortured into insanity by the Cruciatus Curse.
• Emergency Response: Healers are on the front lines during major magical conflicts. After the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, several members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix were treated at St. Mungo's. Minerva McGonagall was also transferred there after being hit with four simultaneous Stunning Spells.
• Patient Confidentiality: Healers are expected to maintain the privacy of their patients. When Rita Skeeter attempted to enter the Dai Llewellyn ward to interview Arthur Weasley, she was promptly ejected by the Healer-in-Charge.

Becoming a Healer is a demanding academic pursuit requiring exceptional skill and intelligence.

• Training: To be accepted into a Healer training program, a student must achieve high marks on their N.E.W.T.s. According to Professor Horace Slughorn, the required subjects typically include Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms. A grade of at least 'Exceeds Expectations' is necessary, with 'Outstanding' being preferred.
• Attire: The uniform for a Healer at St. Mungo's consists of lime-green robes. The emblem of St. Mungo's, a wand and a bone crossed, is embroidered on the chest.

While some Healers may work in private practice or for other institutions, the vast majority are employed by St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. The hospital serves as the central hub for magical healthcare in Great Britain. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry also has a dedicated Hospital Wing run by a matron, Madam Pomfrey, who performs duties analogous to a Healer for the student body. She is shown to be exceptionally competent, capable of regrowing bones, treating gashes from Sectumsempra, and managing a wide variety of magical injuries. However, she is referred to as a “matron” or “nurse” rather than a “Healer.”

• Dilys Derwent: Served as a Healer at St. Mungo's from 1722–1741 before becoming Headmistress of Hogwarts. Her portrait hangs in the Headmaster's office and at St. Mungo's, allowing her to travel between the two to report information.
• Augustus Pye: A Trainee Healer in the Janus Thickey Ward who studied magical plant and brain interactions. He unsuccessfully attempted to treat Broderick Bode with a potted Devil's Snare, mistaking it for a Flitterbloom.
• Hippocrates Smethwyck: The Healer-in-Charge of the Dai Llewellyn ward for serious bites. He was the primary Healer treating Arthur Weasley after his attack by Nagini.
• Miriam Strout: A Healer in the Janus Thickey Ward for permanent spell damage. She was responsible for the care of patients like Gilderoy Lockhart and the Longbottoms. She was suspended after allowing a visitor to give Broderick Bode a pot of Devil's Snare that ultimately killed him.

• The career path for a Healer is further detailed on the Wizarding World website, confirming the N.E.W.T. subjects mentioned by Professor Slughorn in the novels. (Pottermore)
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the Healers' robes are a paler, more mint-green color compared to the vibrant lime-green described in the book. (film)