Filius Flitwick

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

• 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.

• 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).