Mountain Troll

A Mountain Troll is a subspecies of the magical creature known as a troll. It is a highly dangerous beast known for its immense strength and profound stupidity. The Ministry of Magic gives all trolls a classification of XXXXX, designating them as known wizard killers that are impossible to train or domesticate (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook). They are native to mountainous regions and are one of the most formidable and violent types of troll.

The most detailed description of a Mountain Troll comes from Harry Potter's first encounter. They are massive and imposing creatures with a number of distinct features:

• Size: Approximately twelve feet tall.
• Skin: A dull, granite-grey color.
• Body: A great, lumpy body shaped like a boulder with a small, bald head on top that resembles a coconut.
• Legs and Feet: Short, thick, stumpy legs with flat, horny feet.
• Smell: A notoriously foul odor described as “a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.”
• Weaponry: Often carries a great wooden club which it drags along the ground or brandishes as a weapon.

Mountain trolls possess small, dull eyes and communicate through grunts and roars. Their lack of intelligence is a defining trait; they are easily confused and can be outwitted, as shown when one was perplexed by its own reflection in a mirror.

Abilities

• Immense Strength: Mountain trolls possess prodigious physical strength. The troll in Hogwarts was capable of smashing wooden stalls, porcelain sinks, and pipes with its club, and its very footsteps caused the ground to tremble.
• Durability: They have a high resistance to physical injury. The troll that cornered Hermione Granger was only subdued after its own club was magically dropped directly onto its skull from a height, knocking it unconscious rather than killing it.

Weaknesses

• Extreme Stupidity: This is their primary weakness. Their lack of intelligence makes them predictable and susceptible to trickery and simple magical diversions.
• Vulnerable Spots: A sensitive area appears to be their nostrils. When Harry Potter stuck his wand up the troll's nostril, it roared in pain and was significantly distracted, allowing Ron Weasley to act.
• Magic: While highly resistant to physical attacks, they are not immune to magic. A powerful concussive force, such as one generated by a levitated object, can knock them out. The spell `Wingardium Leviosa` proved to be a highly effective, if indirect, weapon against one.

The Hallowe'en Incident (1991) The most significant appearance of a Mountain Troll occurred on Hallowe'en during Harry Potter's first year. Professor Quirrell, secretly acting on behalf of Lord Voldemort, let a fully grown Mountain Troll into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a diversion while he attempted to steal the Philosopher's Stone. The troll made its way to a girls' bathroom, trapping Hermione Granger. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley rushed to save her. Harry distracted the creature by jumping on its back and shoving his wand up its nose. This gave Ron the opening to successfully cast `Wingardium Leviosa`, levitating the troll's own club and dropping it on its head, rendering it unconscious. This shared, life-threatening experience was the catalyst that cemented the friendship of the trio. Use as Security Guards Despite their danger and stupidity, trolls were sometimes employed for security purposes, likely controlled through powerful enchantments.

• In 1993, following Sirius Black's infiltration of the castle, two Mountain trolls were hired to guard the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower, replacing the Fat Lady for a time.
• It was rumored that Gringotts Wizarding Bank added trolls to its security measures after the break-in of Vault 713.

Mountain trolls are generally regarded as monstrous and unintelligent beasts to be avoided. The term “troll” or “troll brain” is used as a common insult in the wizarding world to denote extreme stupidity, as when Ron Weasley referred to the dim-wittedness of Gregory Goyle. Their employment as security guards is looked down upon by more intelligent magical beings, such as centaurs, who see it as a brutish and unsophisticated practice.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Mountain Troll's appearance is largely faithful to the novel's description, and its defeat is a key early action sequence showcasing the film's visual effects (film).
• In several Harry Potter video games, trolls appear as powerful enemies or bosses. Spells such as the Knockback Jinx (`Flipendo`) are often effective against them (video game).
• The supplementary book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, notes that the Mountain Troll is the largest and most vicious type of troll, and it lists other subspecies such as the Forest Troll and the River Troll (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook).