Magpies

• Type: Omen; Superstition; Non-magical creature
• Owners: N/A
• Maker: N/A (Rooted in folklore)

Magpies are non-magical birds with distinctive black and white plumage and long tails, commonly found in Great Britain and other parts of the world. Within the wizarding world, they are not valued for any inherent magical properties or as pets, but are instead regarded with a degree of superstition. The simple act of seeing a magpie can be interpreted as a significant magical sign, specifically an omen of misfortune.

The primary “magical” property associated with magpies is their symbolic meaning in the field of Divination. The sighting of a magpie is considered by some wizards and witches to be a powerful omen of ill fortune. This belief is treated as a serious matter by practitioners of Divination like Professor Sybill Trelawney, who view such a sighting as a direct warning of impending negative events. The interpretation seems to depend on the simple presence of the bird, which is enough to cause distress for those who subscribe to this superstition.

The belief in magpies as birds of ill omen is an established piece of folklore within the wizarding world by at least the 1990s. Its only documented mention in the original series occurs during the 1993-1994 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where it is cited by the Divination professor as a source of great anxiety.

Magpies are mentioned a single time in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. On the day of the final Quidditch match of the season between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Professor Sybill Trelawney is found in a state of agitation. Professor Filius Flitwick reveals to Harry Potter that her distress is because she had just seen a magpie, which she explicitly calls “a bird of ill omen.” This moment serves primarily to characterize Professor Trelawney, highlighting her constant state of anxiety and her firm belief in common superstitions and textbook omens. It contrasts with her rare but powerful instances of genuine Prophecy, which occur unconsciously and are far more significant than the everyday signs she chooses to focus on.

• The association of magpies with good or bad luck is borrowed directly from real-world Muggle folklore, particularly from the United Kingdom.
• A well-known traditional rhyme, “One for sorrow, Two for joy,” dictates the fortune based on the number of magpies seen. Professor Trelawney's distress over seeing “a magpie” (singular) aligns perfectly with the “sorrow” or ill omen mentioned in the first line of the rhyme.