Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank

Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank was a qualified Witch who served as the substitute Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A competent and knowledgeable Magizoologist, she temporarily replaced Rubeus Hagrid on two separate occasions. Her teaching style, which focused on less dangerous creatures and a more traditional curriculum, provided a stark contrast to Hagrid's and was often preferred by a number of students. She was a trusted colleague of Albus Dumbledore.

Professor Grubbly-Plank's background prior to her first appearance is unknown. She was called to Hogwarts to teach whenever Rubeus Hagrid was unable to fulfill his duties.

Professor Grubbly-Plank first took over the Care of Magical Creatures post in January 1995. Rubeus Hagrid had gone into hiding in his hut after an inflammatory article by Rita Skeeter in The Daily Prophet exposed his half-Giant parentage. Grubbly-Plank's lessons were an immediate success with many students, including Draco Malfoy's group of Slytherins, as she brought a docile herd of Unicorns for the fourth-years to study. This was a welcome change for many after Hagrid's often dangerous lessons involving creatures like Blast-Ended Skrewts. During this time, she also demonstrated her expertise in creature-healing by correctly diagnosing Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig, with an injury that required rest and care, rather than a misdelivered letter. She remained at Hogwarts until Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley convinced Hagrid to return to his teaching post.

Grubbly-Plank returned to Hogwarts at the start of the 1995-1996 school year to cover for Hagrid once again. This time, Hagrid was away on a secret mission for the Order of the Phoenix to negotiate with the Giants. During her tenure, her fifth-year class was inspected by the Ministry of Magic's High Inquisitor, Dolores Umbridge. Grubbly-Plank handled the inspection with calm professionalism, refusing to be rattled by Umbridge's probing questions about Hagrid's whereabouts. She taught the class about Bowtruckles and expertly fielded Umbridge's condescending inquiries. Later, she assured Harry Potter that Dumbledore trusted Hagrid with his life, subtly indicating her awareness of the sensitive nature of Hagrid's absence. She once again tended to Hedwig when the owl was injured while carrying a message from Sirius Black. She relinquished her post upon Hagrid's return in the winter.

Professor Grubbly-Plank is described as an elderly witch with grizzled gray hair cut very short and a prominent, jutting chin. She was also a pipe smoker. Her personality was professional, no-nonsense, and highly competent. Unlike Hagrid, she was not prone to emotional outbursts and maintained a calm, authoritative presence in the classroom. While she could be stern, she was also fair and demonstrably kind, particularly when it came to caring for injured creatures. Her traditional and safety-conscious teaching methods made her popular among students who were intimidated by Hagrid's more hazardous lessons. She was loyal to Dumbledore and discreet about sensitive matters concerning the school and its staff.

• Care of Magical Creatures: Grubbly-Plank was an expert in Magizoology. She possessed extensive knowledge of a wide variety of creatures, including Unicorns and Bowtruckles. Her skill extended to veterinary magic, as she was able to quickly diagnose and treat injuries in owls on two separate occasions.
• Teaching: She was an effective and capable teacher. Her lessons were well-structured, informative, and safe, earning her the respect of many of her students.

• Pipe: Professor Grubbly-Plank was often seen smoking a wooden pipe.

• Rubeus Hagrid: She served as his professional substitute. While they had no direct interactions in the novels, the student body's preference for her safer teaching style was a source of great anxiety for Hagrid. However, Grubbly-Plank herself never spoke ill of him and respected Dumbledore's faith in him.
• Albus Dumbledore: As Headmaster, Dumbledore trusted Grubbly-Plank enough to call upon her twice to fill a vital teaching role, once during a time of great institutional crisis.
• Dolores Umbridge: Grubbly-Plank withstood an inspection from Umbridge with considerable poise. She refused to be intimidated and gave away no information about Hagrid's mission, demonstrating her loyalty to Dumbledore's staff.
• Students: She was generally well-liked by students, particularly those like Parvati Patil and the Slytherins, who appreciated her conventional approach. While Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were steadfastly loyal to Hagrid, they could not deny that Grubbly-Plank was a good teacher.

• Wilhelmina: The feminine form of the German name Wilhelm, which is composed of the elements wil (“will” or “desire”) and helm (“helmet” or “protection”). The name can be interpreted as “resolute protector,” which fits her role as a capable guardian of both students and magical creatures.
• Grubbly-Plank: The surname has a sturdy, earthy feel. “Grubbly” suggests “grubby” or getting one's hands dirty, as one would when working with animals and the earth. “Plank” suggests something solid, reliable, and unbending, reflecting her no-nonsense personality.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film), Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank is portrayed by actress Apple Brook. Her role is non-speaking and significantly reduced; she is seen during Dolores Umbridge's opening speech to the staff and during the Care of Magical Creatures inspection. (film)
• Her appearance in the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was completely cut from the film adaptation. (film)