The Pink Umbrella

• Type: Magical Wand Concealment Device
• Owners: Rubeus Hagrid
• Maker: The umbrella itself is of unknown make. It serves as a housing for the fragments of Hagrid's Wand.

The pink umbrella is a large, seemingly ordinary, yet slightly battered umbrella. It is described in the books as being “large” and “flowery.” It is one of Rubeus Hagrid's most constant and recognizable possessions, which he almost always carries with him.

The umbrella's primary magical function is to act as a disguised vessel for the broken pieces of Hagrid's original wand. After his wand was snapped by the Ministry of Magic, the pieces were secretly embedded within the umbrella, allowing Hagrid to continue performing magic despite being officially forbidden to do so. When Hagrid uses the umbrella to cast spells, the results are often unpredictable and not as refined as those from an intact wand. The magic can be overly powerful or slightly misdirected, such as when he intended to turn Dudley Dursley into a pig but only managed to give him a pig's tail. Known uses include:

• Creating Fire: Hagrid tapped the umbrella on the fireplace to start a roaring fire in the Hut-on-the-Rock.
• Transfiguration: He attempted to turn Dudley Dursley into a pig, resulting in a curly, pig-like tail.
• Magical Propulsion: He used it to speed the boat away from the Hut-on-the-Rock after rescuing Harry Potter.
• Engorgement Charm: He used it to make his pumpkins grow to an enormous size for the Hogwarts Halloween feast.
• Water-Summoning/Extinguishing Spell: He used a jet of water from the umbrella's tip to help extinguish the fire on his hut during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.

In 1943, during his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Rubeus Hagrid was unjustly expelled after being framed by Tom Riddle for opening the Chamber of Secrets and causing the death of a student. As part of his punishment, the Ministry of Magic snapped his oak wand (sixteen inches, rather bendy) and forbade him from using magic. However, Albus Dumbledore, who was the Transfiguration Professor at the time and believed in Hagrid's innocence, likely arranged for the fragments of the wand to be concealed within the pink umbrella. This allowed Hagrid to retain his magical abilities, albeit in a discreet and less precise form. Hagrid carried and used this umbrella for over fifty years, from his time as Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts through his tenure as the Professor for Care of Magical Creatures.

The pink umbrella is an iconic object that is intrinsically linked to Hagrid's character. It serves as an early and important symbol of the magical world for Harry Potter, being one of the first objects he witnesses being used to perform an intentional spell. The umbrella represents Albus Dumbledore's profound trust in Hagrid and his quiet defiance against what he knew was an unjust ruling from the Ministry of Magic. Furthermore, it highlights the prejudice and injustice Hagrid faced, forcing him to hide his true nature behind a mundane and slightly comical object.

• The long-held fan theory that the umbrella contained the pieces of Hagrid's broken wand was officially confirmed on the Pottermore website (Pottermore).
• In the film adaptations, the pink umbrella is visually represented much as it is described in the books and is used by Hagrid to perform the same key pieces of magic, such as giving Dudley Dursley a tail and lighting the fire in the hut (film).