The Ghosts of Hogwarts Castle

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is renowned for its resident ghosts, who are the spectral, pearly-white, and translucent imprints of deceased witches and wizards with a connection to the castle. These entities chose to remain on earth rather than “move on,” often due to a fear of death or because of unresolved earthly business. They are an integral part of life at Hogwarts, interacting with students and staff, attending feasts, and possessing unique histories. Each of the four Hogwarts Houses has its own designated ghost.

As explained by Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, a ghost is a “faint imprint of a departed soul.” They are not truly alive but exist in a state between the living and the dead. Their existence is described as a “poor imitation of life.”

• Abilities and Limitations:
  • They can pass through solid objects, though their passage causes a distinct, icy chill.
  • They can create minor physical disturbances in elements like water and fire.
  • Ghosts cannot consume food or drink in the traditional sense, though they can glide through it, faintly tasting the flavors. This is a source of great frustration for them.
  • They can be affected by certain powerful magic. Nearly Headless Nick was Petrified by the gaze of the Basilisk in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, requiring a Mandrake Restorative Draught to be fanned over him.
  • They do not typically interact with the physical world, but they participated in the defence of the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts, soaring through the ranks of the invading Death Eaters.

Each of the four Hogwarts Houses has a patron ghost who serves as a guide and representative. They appear at the Start-of-Term Feasts and are often sought by students for advice or directions.

• Gryffindor: Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington
  • Commonly known as Nearly Headless Nick, he is the ghost of Gryffindor Tower. He was a wizard of the royal court who was executed on October 31, 1492, by a botched beheading, leaving his head attached by a small sliver of skin and sinew.
  • Nick is generally cheerful and friendly, if somewhat pompous. His greatest ambition is to join the Headless Hunt, but he is consistently denied membership because he is not fully headless. He holds a Deathday Party annually in the dungeons to commemorate the anniversary of his death.
• Slytherin: The Bloody Baron
  • The ghost of Slytherin House is a gaunt, silent figure covered in silver bloodstains. He is the only entity at Hogwarts, other than Albus Dumbledore, who can control Peeves the Poltergeist.
  • In life, he was a nobleman who was in love with Helena Ravenclaw. When she fled with her mother's diadem, her mother, Rowena Ravenclaw, sent the Baron to find her. In a fit of rage at her refusal to return, he stabbed and killed her, and then, in remorse, killed himself with the same dagger. The bloodstains are Helena's, and he carries spectral chains as a sign of his penance.
• Hufflepuff: The Fat Friar
  • The cheerful and forgiving ghost of Hufflepuff, the Fat Friar was a jolly man in life who dedicated his time to the church. He was executed because senior churchmen grew suspicious of his ability to cure the pox by simply poking peasants with a stick and his habit of pulling rabbits out of the communion cup.
  • He is a welcoming presence at Hogwarts, often seen greeting first-year students and advocating for giving second chances, such as his plea on behalf of Peeves.
• Ravenclaw: The Grey Lady
  • A long-haired, beautiful, but sorrowful ghost, the Grey Lady is the resident ghost of Ravenclaw Tower. For centuries, she refused to speak of her past.
  • Her true identity is Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of the Hogwarts founder Rowena Ravenclaw. Jealous of her mother's wisdom and fame, she stole her mother's diadem and fled to Albania. It was she who told Tom Riddle where to find the diadem, allowing him to turn it into a Horcrux. She later revealed its location in the Room of Requirement to Harry Potter in his quest to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes.

• Moaning Myrtle
  • Officially Myrtle Elizabeth Warren (Pottermore), she is the ghost of a Ravenclaw student who haunts the first-floor girls' bathroom. She was killed in 1943 by the Basilisk released from the Chamber of Secrets.
  • She is perpetually miserable, whiny, and takes offence at the slightest provocation, often flooding her bathroom with her spectral tears. She plays a key role in helping Harry Potter discover the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and later assists him during the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament by helping him solve the riddle of the golden egg.
• Professor Binns
  • Cuthbert Binns was the History of Magic professor at Hogwarts. He was so old that he fell asleep in front of the staffroom fire one evening and died. The next morning, his ghost simply rose and went to teach his class, leaving his body behind.
  • He is famously the most boring teacher at Hogwarts, droning on about goblin rebellions and giant wars in a monotonous voice that puts most students to sleep. He is notable for being the only ghost teacher on staff.

While often associated with the ghosts, Peeves is not a ghost but a Poltergeist. Unlike ghosts, who are imprints of the dead, a Poltergeist is a non-human spirit of chaos, an “indestructible spirit of chaos” that can interact with the physical world to cause mischief and mayhem.

• J.K. Rowling originally wrote a song for the ghosts to sing at the Start-of-Term feast in the first book, but it was cut by her editor for pacing. The song explained some of the ghosts' backstories. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the actress Nina Young portrayed the Grey Lady. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, the role was recast with Kelly Macdonald for the character's expanded role. (film)
• The Pottermore website (now Wizarding World) has provided additional backstory details for the Hogwarts ghosts, such as the specifics of the Fat Friar's execution and Moaning Myrtle's full name. (Pottermore)