Graham Montague

Montague was a Slytherin student at Hogwarts, a contemporary of Harry Potter. He was a key member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, serving as a Chaser and later as its Captain. A member of Dolores Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, Montague is most significant for an incident where he was trapped inside a broken Vanishing Cabinet by Fred Weasley and George Weasley. His subsequent account of the experience provided Draco Malfoy with the crucial knowledge needed to use the cabinet to smuggle Death Eaters into Hogwarts during the Second Wizarding War. His first name, Graham, is never mentioned in the original novels.

Montague's presence is noted primarily during his time on the Slytherin Quidditch team. In Harry Potter's third year, Montague played as a Chaser against Gryffindor and was known for his aggressive and dirty playing style; Harry recalled him once trying to gouge out one of his eyes during a past match. His role became more prominent in his fifth year, when he was made Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. He also became a member of Dolores Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, using his position to bully other students. After attempting to unfairly take house points from Fred Weasley and George Weasley, the twins retaliated by shoving him head-first into a malfunctioning Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor of the castle. Montague vanished completely and was missing for weeks. He eventually reappeared, disoriented and traumatized, wedged inside a toilet on the fourth floor. He later recounted his experience, explaining that he had been trapped in a state of limbo, able to hear sounds from both Hogwarts and, faintly, from Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley, where the cabinet's twin was located. In a desperate act of survival, he managed to Apparate out, despite not having passed his Apparition test. This event, while a mishap for Montague, became a cornerstone of Draco Malfoy's plan in his sixth year. Having overheard Montague's story, Malfoy realised the potential of the Vanishing Cabinets and spent the school year in the Room of Requirement repairing the one at Hogwarts. His success allowed a party of Death Eaters to infiltrate the castle, leading directly to the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the death of Albus Dumbledore.

Montague is described as having a “heavy-jawed face” and a “gorilla-like build.” His personality was aggressive, arrogant, and confrontational. He was a ruthless Quidditch player who did not hesitate to play dirty. As a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, he demonstrated a clear enjoyment of power and authority over other students, aligning himself with Dolores Umbridge's oppressive regime.

• Quidditch: Montague was a skilled Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team and was proficient enough to be named its Captain.
• Apparition: Montague demonstrated a remarkable, if uncontrolled, feat of magical ability when he successfully managed to Apparate to escape the Vanishing Cabinet. This was an act of desperation and raw power, as he had not yet been trained or licensed to perform the spell.

• Wand: The specifics of his wand are unknown.
• Broomstick: As a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, he likely rode one of the Nimbus Two Thousand and One racing brooms that Lucius Malfoy purchased for the team.

• Slytherin Teammates: He played alongside Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle on the Slytherin Quidditch team and shared their general antagonism towards Harry Potter and Gryffindor House.
• Fred and George Weasley: The Weasley twins were his primary antagonists. Their prank of trapping him in the Vanishing Cabinet was a direct response to his bullying and abuse of power as a member of the Inquisitorial Squad.
• Dolores Umbridge: Montague was a loyal member of her Inquisitorial Squad, acting as an enforcer of her rules in exchange for power and privilege.

The surname Montague is most famously associated with William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. The Montagues are one of the two central feuding families in the story. This likely reflects the intense house rivalry, particularly the bitter feud between Slytherin and Gryffindor, which often mirrors the Montague-Capulet conflict in its intensity.

• Montague's first name is never stated in the seven novels. The name Graham originates from the Harry Potter Trading Card Game and was later adopted by other official sources, including the Wizarding World website (Pottermore).
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the entire subplot involving Montague being pushed into the Vanishing Cabinet by the Weasley twins is omitted. Draco Malfoy's discovery of the cabinet's power is instead shown through his own experimentation.
• Montague is portrayed by Scott Fern in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (as an unnamed Slytherin Chaser) and by Bronson Webb in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film).