Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, more commonly known as Nearly Headless Nick, was a Wizard who became the resident Ghost of Gryffindor Tower at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Having died from a botched execution in the 15th century, he chose to remain on earth as a spectral imprint. Throughout the series, he serves as a friendly and largely helpful figure to the students of Gryffindor, particularly Harry Potter. His enduring ambition to join the Headless Hunt and his subsequent rejection from the group form a minor but recurring part of his character arc. Nick provides critical comfort and information to Harry at key moments, notably explaining the nature of ghosts after the death of Sirius Black and helping Harry locate the Grey Lady during the search for a Horcrux.

Sir Nicholas was a Wizard from the 15th century and was, during his lifetime, a courtier in the royal court of King Henry VII (Pottermore). He was sorted into Gryffindor house during his time as a student at Hogwarts (Pottermore). His life came to an abrupt end on 31 October 1492, after a magical mishap. While attempting to magically straighten the teeth of a lady-in-waiting named Lady Grieve, he accidentally caused her to grow a tusk. He was subsequently stripped of his wand and sentenced to death (Pottermore). His execution was famously botched. The executioner used a blunt axe, and it took forty-five hacks to finally kill him. Even then, the job was not done properly, as a small amount of skin and sinew was left connecting his head to his neck. This gruesome detail led to his posthumous nickname, “Nearly Headless Nick.” Fearing death, he chose to linger on as a Ghost and returned to Hogwarts, where he took up residence as the Gryffindor house Ghost. In Harry Potter's second year, Nick celebrated his 500th Deathday with a large party in one of the school's dungeons, which he invited Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger to attend. Later that same year, he became a victim of the Basilisk released from the Chamber of Secrets. As he was already dead, he could not be killed again; instead, the creature's gaze Petrified him, turning him into an immobile, smoky black form. He was later restored by the Mandrake Restorative Draught. During Harry's fifth year, following the death of his godfather, Sirius Black, Harry sought out Nick in a desperate hope that Sirius might return as a Ghost. Nick gently explained the reality of the choice to remain, describing it as a pale imitation of life for those who “dread the unknown,” and confirmed that a brave Wizard like Sirius would have “gone on.” In the final book, Nick reluctantly but crucially assisted Harry in locating Helena Ravenclaw, the Grey Lady, which led Harry to find and destroy the Diadem of Ravenclaw, one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.

As a Ghost, Sir Nicholas is pearly-white and semi-transparent. He typically dresses in the fashion of his time, wearing a doublet, a magnificent ruff to hide his neck injury, and tights. His most defining physical feature is his “nearly headless” state; his head is able to loll to one side at a grotesque angle, connected to his shoulders by only a thin strip of skin. He is not above demonstrating this for dramatic or comedic effect. Nick is generally flamboyant, cheerful, and affable. He takes great pride in his association with Gryffindor and is usually welcoming and helpful to its students. However, he is deeply sensitive about his “nearly headless” status, as it is the sole reason for his repeated rejection from the prestigious Headless Hunt, a society of fully decapitated ghosts. This rejection is a source of great sorrow and embarrassment for him. Despite his occasional pomposity, he possesses a deep capacity for empathy, as shown when he compassionately counsels a grieving Harry Potter.

As a Ghost, Sir Nicholas possesses the standard abilities of a spectral being.

• Intangibility: He can pass through solid objects, such as walls and tables.
• Interaction with Environment: Passing through a living being induces a feeling of being doused in ice-cold water. He can also affect his surroundings to a minimal degree, such as causing flames to turn blue when he passes through them.
• Immortality: Being already dead, he cannot be killed. However, powerful magic like the Basilisk's stare can still affect him, causing Petrification. In this state, he required a magical remedy (Mandrake Restorative Draught) to be returned to his normal ghostly form.

During his lifetime, he was a Wizard, though his skills were seemingly imperfect, as demonstrated by the magical dental procedure that led to his execution (Pottermore).

As a Ghost, Sir Nicholas does not have physical possessions. His attire, including his ruff and plumed hat, are part of his spectral form, representing the clothes he wore at or around the time of his death.

• Harry Potter: Nick was consistently friendly and helpful towards Harry. He invited Harry to his Deathday Party, offered crucial advice, and ultimately aided him in his quest against Lord Voldemort.
• The Headless Hunt: Sir Nicholas desperately wants to join this exclusive club for decapitated ghosts, led by Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore. His inability to fully remove his head makes him ineligible, a fact they cruelly remind him of, much to his despair.
• Other Hogwarts Ghosts: He maintains a cordial, if sometimes competitive, relationship with the other house ghosts, such as the Fat Friar and the Grey Lady. He holds a particular dislike for the Slytherin Ghost, the Bloody Baron, whom all the other ghosts seem to fear.
• Gryffindor Students: He acts as a guide and a source of house pride for the students of Gryffindor, often seen floating along the corridors and greeting them.

• Sir: An honorific title for a knight, indicating a degree of nobility and social standing.
• Nicholas: From the Greek Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.”
• de Mimsy-Porpington: A surname with a distinctly whimsical and aristocratic British sound. “Mimsy” is a portmanteau from Lewis Carroll's “Jabberwocky,” combining “flimsy” and “miserable,” which could aptly describe his ghostly condition or his feelings about being nearly headless. “Porpington” adds a touch of pomposity, reflecting his flamboyant personality.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Sir Nicholas is portrayed by actor John Cleese.
• A significant portion of his subplot from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, including the 500th Deathday Party, was cut from the film adaptation. A deleted scene shows his Petrification.
• J.K. Rowling wrote a song, The Ballad of Nearly Headless Nick, which details his story. It was intended for Chamber of Secrets but was ultimately cut. The author later published it on her official website (J.K. Rowling Official Website).
• Further backstory about his life as a courtier for King Henry VII and the specific incident with Lady Grieve's tusk was revealed on the Pottermore website (Pottermore).