Hospitality

• Type: Social Custom, Unwritten Code of Conduct
• Owners: Practised by members of the wizarding community, notably by those who oppose Lord Voldemort.
• Maker: Rooted in ancient wizarding tradition and fundamental principles of morality, trust, and community.

Hospitality in the wizarding world is the custom of providing a warm welcome, shelter, food, and protection to guests. It is not merely a social nicety but a powerful expression of one's moral character, allegiance, and fundamental decency. Genuine hospitality is offered without expectation of reward and often at great personal risk, especially during times of conflict like the Second Wizarding War. This practice serves as a key indicator of goodness, starkly contrasting with the self-serving or coerced hosting seen among the followers of Lord Voldemort. The act of opening one's home signifies trust and creates a bond between host and guest. In the context of the fight against Voldemort, these acts of hospitality formed the backbone of the resistance, providing safe houses and emotional support networks that were crucial for the survival of Harry Potter and his allies.

While not a magical act in itself, the practice of hospitality is a cornerstone of the wizarding society that champions love and trust. Its primary “use” is the strengthening of community and the protection of its members.

• The Weasley family: The most prominent practitioners of hospitality, the Weasleys treat Harry Potter as a member of their own family. Their home, The Burrow, becomes Harry's sanctuary and his first real experience of a loving home. They consistently open their doors to Hermione Granger, other members of the Order of the Phoenix, and the Delacour family.
• Rubeus Hagrid: From Harry's first year, Hagrid's Hut serves as a constant refuge for Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, where they are always offered tea, food, and a listening ear.
• Bill and Fleur: Their home, Shell Cottage, becomes a critical safe house after the escape from Malfoy Manor. They shelter and nurse Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Mr. Ollivander, and the goblin Griphook, an act of immense kindness and bravery.
• The Order of the Phoenix: The organization utilized Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place as its headquarters. This represented a form of institutional hospitality, providing a protected residence for members engaged in the war effort.
• Horace Slughorn: Slughorn practices a conditional and self-serving form of hospitality. His exclusive “Slug Club” parties are a means to collect and cultivate influential students, a stark contrast to the selfless hospitality offered by the Weasleys.

The concept of hospitality is ancient, but its importance is most sharply defined by its violations, which are often turning points in the narrative and markers of profound evil.

• The Malfoy family: During the Second Wizarding War, the Malfoys are forced to host Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Malfoy Manor is transformed from a family home into a headquarters and a prison. This perversion of hospitality shows the hosts living in fear of their “guest,” stripping the concept of its warmth and safety.
• Peter Pettigrew: Pettigrew's betrayal of James and Lily Potter is a fundamental violation of the trust and shelter they offered him as a friend, leading directly to their murders.
• Tom Riddle: As a young man, Voldemort exploited the hospitality of Hepzibah Smith. After she trustingly showed him the Hufflepuff's Cup and Slytherin's Locket, he murdered her and stole them to create his Horcruxes.
• Xenophilius Lovegood: In a desperate attempt to save his daughter Luna Lovegood, Xenophilius invites Harry, Ron, and Hermione into his home under the guise of providing information, but attempts to betray them to the Ministry of Magic. This act demonstrates the terrible pressures that can cause good people to violate the sacred custom.

Hospitality is a central theme that delineates the moral landscape of the *Harry Potter* series. The characters and families who offer it freely—primarily the Weasleys—represent the forces of love, loyalty, and community that ultimately triumph over Voldemort's ideology of power and division. The provision of safe havens like The Burrow and Shell Cottage is not just a plot device; it is the physical manifestation of the love and support that give Harry Potter the strength to continue his fight. Conversely, the violation of hospitality is a defining trait of the series' antagonists. Voldemort's parasitic relationship with his followers, particularly the Malfoys, illustrates his inability to understand or respect the bonds of community. Ultimately, the story posits that true strength comes not from domination, but from the network of love and trust built through genuine human connection, of which hospitality is a primary expression.

The theme of hospitality in the *Harry Potter* series draws on deep-seated traditions in folklore and mythology. The concept is reminiscent of “guest-right” (known as xenia in ancient Greece), a sacred obligation where hosts were expected to protect their guests, and guests were expected to respect their hosts. Violating this right was considered a grave offense that often invited divine punishment. J.K. Rowling uses this ancient trope to build her world's moral framework, aligning goodness with the protectors of guests and evil with those who abuse them.