The Weasley family clock is a unique magical object located in the kitchen of The Burrow. It resembles a tall grandfather clock but does not tell the time. In place of numbers on its face, there are various locations and states of being relevant to the Weasley family. These locations include Home, School, Work, Traveling, Lost, Hospital, and Prison. The clock has nine golden hands, each engraved with the name of a member of the Weasley family: Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley. Most significantly, where the number twelve would typically be, the clock face reads Mortal Peril.
The primary function of the Weasley clock is not to tell time but to indicate the location and general welfare of the nine members of the Weasley family. Each individual's corresponding hand points to the location or state that best describes their current situation. For instance, when the entire family is gathered safely at The Burrow, all nine hands point to Home. When the children are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, their hands point to School. The clock serves as a magical monitoring device, providing Molly Weasley in particular with constant, at-a-glance information about her family's safety. Its most serious function is the “Mortal Peril” indicator, which signifies that a family member is in a life-threatening situation. The clock is a powerful and complex piece of magic, likely imbued with strong protective and familial charms.
The clock is first introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where Harry Potter observes it as one of the many curious and wonderful magical items in the Weasley home. Initially, it represents the charming and unique nature of the Weasley family. As the series progresses and the threat of Lord Voldemort grows, the clock's role shifts from a whimsical curiosity to a serious barometer of the wizarding world's state of danger. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, after Arthur Weasley is attacked by Nagini in the Department of Mysteries, his hand moves to Mortal Peril, causing Molly immense distress and highlighting the clock's grave importance. By Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, during the height of the Second Wizarding War, the clock reflects the pervasive fear gripping the family. Molly reveals to Harry that all nine golden hands are permanently clustered together, pointing to Mortal Peril. The clock, unable to distinguish between the constant danger outside and the relative safety within The Burrow, has become a source of continuous anxiety rather than reassurance. This state symbolizes the family's shared vulnerability and the inescapable nature of the war.