======Filius Flitwick======
=====Introduction=====
Professor Filius Flitwick was a diminutive, part-goblin [[wizard]] who served as the [[Charms]] Master and the Head of [[Ravenclaw]] House at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. Renowned for his expertise in [[Charms]], he was also a former dueling champion in his youth. Flitwick was a kind, fair, and highly respected teacher who remained a steadfast defender of [[Hogwarts]] and its students throughout both the [[First Wizarding War]] and the [[Second Wizarding War]], ultimately fighting bravely in the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
=====Biography=====
Filius Flitwick had goblin ancestry, a fact which accounted for his very small stature (Pottermore). He was an exceptionally clever student at [[Hogwarts]], sorted into [[Ravenclaw]] House, though the [[Sorting Hat]] deliberated for a significant time between [[Ravenclaw]] and [[Gryffindor]]. After his graduation, he became a master of [[Charms]] and was said to be a dueling champion in his younger days.
He eventually returned to [[Hogwarts]] to teach [[Charms]], a position he held for many decades, including during the school years of [[James Potter]], [[Lily Evans]], and [[Severus Snape]]. By the time [[Harry Potter]] began his education, Flitwick was an established and senior member of the staff.
During Harry's years at school, Flitwick was a constant presence. He taught first-years the [[Levitation Charm]], decorated the [[Great Hall]] for Christmas with live fairies, and expressed deep distress when [[Ginny Weasley]] was taken into the [[Chamber of Secrets]]. He taught [[Harry]] the [[Summoning Charm]] in his fourth year. During the rise of [[Lord Voldemort]], Flitwick opposed [[Dolores Umbridge]]'s tyrannical rule and was one of the teachers who helped Fred and George Weasley create a portable swamp in a school corridor.
In the [[Second Wizarding War]], Flitwick remained loyal to [[Albus Dumbledore]]. He was knocked unconscious by [[Severus Snape]] during the [[Battle of the Astronomy Tower]] to allow Snape to reach the top of the tower. Following Dumbledore's death, he attended the funeral and later fought fiercely in the [[Battle of Hogwarts]]. During the battle, he was instrumental in casting powerful protective enchantments over the castle and was seen engaging and defeating multiple [[Death Eaters]], including [[Yaxley]] and [[Antonin Dolohov]].
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
Professor Flitwick is described as a tiny little [[wizard]] who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk in the classroom. He had a shock of white hair and a squeaky voice. Despite his small size, he possessed a great deal of power and courage.
He was generally a good-natured, cheerful, and an emotionally expressive individual. He was known to be a very fair teacher who rarely gave out detentions and awarded points for good spellwork, as he did for [[Hermione Granger]]'s perfect execution of `[[Wingardium Leviosa]]`. He was deeply caring, bursting into tears over the attack on [[Ginny Weasley]]. His bravery was unquestionable, as demonstrated by his enthusiastic participation in the final battle against [[Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eaters]].
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
  * **[[Charms]] Master:** As the [[Charms]] professor at [[Hogwarts]], Flitwick's knowledge and practical application of [[Charms]] were second to none. He could perform incredibly complex and powerful charms, including the formidable protective enchantments he used during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], such as `[[Protego Horribilis]]`.
  * **Expert Duelist:** [[Minerva McGonagall]] noted that Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young. This skill was proven during the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], where he defeated several powerful [[Death Eaters]] in combat.
  * **Non-Verbal Magic:** Flitwick was capable of performing complex magic without an incantation, such as when he non-verbally re-ignited the lights on a Christmas tree.
=====Possessions=====
  * **Wand:** Professor Flitwick possessed a [[wand]], the specific details of which (wood, core, length) are unknown. He used it to perform all his known magic.
=====Relationships=====
Flitwick maintained professional and cordial relationships with his colleagues at [[Hogwarts]], including [[Albus Dumbledore]], [[Minerva McGonagall]], and [[Pomona Sprout]]. He was a respected peer and a loyal member of the staff.
As Head of [[Ravenclaw]], he was responsible for the students in his house, such as [[Cho Chang]], [[Penelope Clearwater]], and [[Luna Lovegood]]. He was well-liked by students from all houses due to his fair and encouraging teaching style. He seemed particularly impressed by students with a natural aptitude for magic, like [[Hermione Granger]].
=====Etymology=====
  * **Filius:** This is Latin for "son," which could perhaps allude to his being a "son of magic" or a "son of goblins."
  * **Flitwick:** This is the name of a market town in Bedfordshire, England. The name itself is likely a portmanteau of "flit," meaning to move lightly and quickly (befitting his small stature), and "wick," a common suffix in English place names, which can also refer to the wick of a candle, associating him with light and magic.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * **Goblin Ancestry:** J.K. Rowling confirmed on Pottermore that Flitwick has "a dash of goblin ancestry" and that he is a human with a goblin ancestor, not a half-goblin (Pottermore).
  * **Film Portrayal:** In the [[Harry Potter]] film series, Flitwick is portrayed by actor Warwick Davis. His appearance changes significantly between the first two films and the rest of the series. In //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]// and //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//, he is depicted as an elderly, white-haired, goblin-like man. From //[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]// onwards, he is shown as a younger-looking man with dark hair and a mustache. The films explain this by suggesting the latter character is the conductor of the school choir and orchestra, who eventually takes over the [[Charms]] post (film).