Bernie Pillsworth

Bernie Pillsworth was a wizard and student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1990s. He is a very minor character, notable only for being one of the first students selected by Professor Horace Slughorn for his exclusive “Slug Club” upon Slughorn's return to Hogwarts. His brief appearance serves to illustrate Slughorn's method of collecting students with influential connections or notable talent.

Bernie Pillsworth's only appearance in the series occurs on 1 September 1996, aboard the Hogwarts Express. While looking for an empty compartment, Harry Potter observed a girl delivering a summons from Professor Slughorn to Blaise Zabini. Shortly after, Harry saw Pillsworth, who looked “scared,” entering Slughorn's compartment, Compartment C, for the informal luncheon meeting. It is unknown why Pillsworth was selected for the Slug Club, as his family background, Hogwarts House, and specific talents are never mentioned. His inclusion implies that Slughorn saw potential in him, either due to a family connection to the Ministry of Magic, a famous relative, or some other perceived advantage. Nothing further is known about his time at Hogwarts or his life after.

No physical description of Bernie Pillsworth is provided in the novel. The only detail regarding his demeanor is that he looked “scared” when he was about to enter Slughorn's compartment on the train. This could suggest he was shy, easily intimidated, or simply overwhelmed by the unexpected invitation from a professor.

As a student at Hogwarts, Bernie presumably possessed the standard magical abilities of a wizard his age. However, no specific skills, talents, or proficiencies are ever mentioned.

Pillsworth's possessions are unknown, though he would have owned a wand and other standard school equipment required for a Hogwarts student.

• Horace Slughorn: Pillsworth was personally invited by Professor Slughorn to join the Slug Club. This indicates Slughorn believed Pillsworth had some quality—be it influential connections, intelligence, or talent—that made him a worthy “collection” piece. The nature of their relationship beyond this initial meeting is unknown.

• Bernie: This is typically a diminutive of Bernard, a name of Germanic origin from Bern-hard, meaning “strong/brave as a bear.” This is somewhat ironic, given that the only description of him is as looking “scared.”
• Pillsworth: A plausible English surname. “Pill” can be a variation of “pil,” an Old English word for a tidal creek or a small, rounded hill. “Worth” is a common Old English suffix for a place name, meaning “enclosure” or “homestead.” The name does not have an obvious magical connotation.

Bernie Pillsworth is a book-only character and does not appear, nor is he mentioned, in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. His role in the novel is purely functional, serving as one of several examples to quickly establish the nature and purpose of the Slug Club and Horace Slughorn's networking methods.