Leprechauns

Leprechauns are small, sentient magical beings native to Ireland. They are known for their mischievous behavior and their unique ability to create magical fool's gold that vanishes after a short time. In the wizarding world, they are most famously associated with Quidditch, serving as the official mascots for the Irish National Quidditch Team.

Leprechauns are described as looking like “little bearded men in green.” During the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, they carried lanterns that glowed with either green or gold light. They are capable of speech and can be quite argumentative, as demonstrated by their scuffles with the Veela in the Top Box following the World Cup final. Their behavior is generally characterized as mischievous and playful, though they can be shrewd and unforgiving when tricked or cheated, as seen in their dealings with Ludo Bagman.

• Leprechaun Gold: This is their most famous magical product. Leprechauns can conjure large quantities of what appears to be gold Galleons, which they often shower upon crowds at events. However, this gold is non-permanent and will disappear after a few hours. This property is well-known enough that Goblins at Gringotts Wizarding Bank will not accept it as legal tender. Attempting to pass it off as genuine currency is considered a serious deception.
• Magical Formations: Leprechauns can fly or levitate in unison to create complex, moving shapes in the air. At the Quidditch World Cup, they formed a giant, glittering shamrock and later a hand that made a rude gesture towards the Veela. This suggests a high degree of coordinated magical ability.
• Pyrotechnics: During their performance, the Leprechauns massed together to form a “glittering, green-and-gold comet” that soared around the stadium, indicating some skill in creating magical light and firework-like effects.

While native to Ireland, Leprechauns are brought to major international events by their national Quidditch team. Their primary cultural significance in the series is their role as mascots for the Irish National Quidditch Team. They hold a fierce rivalry with the Veela, the mascots for the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team, which can escalate from taunting formations to physical brawls.

Leprechauns feature prominently in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.

• They perform before the match, showering the crowd with Leprechaun Gold. Ron Weasley excitedly collects a large amount, only to be disappointed when it vanishes the next morning. Harry Potter uses his Omnioculars to watch their aerial displays.
• The vanishing nature of their gold becomes a significant subplot. Ludo Bagman, having lost a large bet with a group of Goblins, attempts to pay them with a sack of Leprechaun Gold. The Goblins, who had warned him that they would “not be fooled,” become enraged by this trickery, forcing Bagman to flee and spend the remainder of the Triwizard Tournament desperately trying to clear his debts.

• Leprechauns of the Harry Potter universe are based on the leprechauns of Irish folklore, mythical beings said to be solitary cobblers who hide pots of gold at the end of rainbows.
• In an interview, J.K. Rowling stated that Professor Filius Flitwick has a “distant leprechaun ancestor,” which accounts for his diminutive stature (J.K. Rowling interview). This makes him the only known character in the series with Leprechaun heritage.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Leprechauns are depicted as more imp-like creatures who fly on coin-shaped contraptions to create their aerial displays (film).
• In the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire video game, Leprechauns are collectible items that the player must catch (video game).