Prefect's Badge

• Type: Symbol of Office
• Owners: Hogwarts fifth-year students selected as Prefects. Known owners include:
  • Gryffindor: Bill Weasley, Percy Weasley, Remus Lupin, Lily Evans, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger
  • Hufflepuff: Cedric Diggory, Hannah Abbott, Ernie Macmillan
  • Ravenclaw: Penelope Clearwater, Anthony Goldstein, Padma Patil
  • Slytherin: Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson
• Maker: Unknown, presumably manufactured for or by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

A Prefect's Badge is a silver badge that identifies a student as a Prefect. The appearance is described as a large, silver letter 'P' set against a background of the student's Hogwarts house colours. For instance, the Gryffindor badges given to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were on a scarlet and gold background. These badges are distinct from the Head Boy and Head Girl badges, which are described as being identical in design but featuring the letter 'H' instead of 'P'. Percy Weasley is seen polishing his badge on multiple occasions, indicating it is an object of great pride for those who earn it.

While the badge itself is not depicted as having inherent magical properties beyond identification, it grants the wearer significant authority and privileges within Hogwarts.

• Authority: Prefects have the power to enforce school rules. This includes:
  • Docking house points: Prefects can take points from students in any house (except from fellow prefects) for infractions. Percy Weasley frequently threatened to do this, and Draco Malfoy eagerly used this power against his rivals.
  • Assigning Detentions: Prefects are able to assign detentions to other students.
• Responsibilities: The role carries several duties, such as:
  • Patrolling the corridors of the Hogwarts Express and the school itself.
  • Guiding new first-year students from the Great Hall to their respective Common Rooms after the Sorting Ceremony.
  • Overseeing students and maintaining order in the hallways between classes.
• Privileges: The most notable privilege is access to the Prefects' Bathroom.
  • Located on the fifth floor, it is protected by a password (which was “pine fresh” during Harry Potter's fourth year).
  • This luxurious bathroom features a swimming-pool-sized bathtub with numerous taps dispensing different kinds of magical bubble bath, a diving board, and a large mural of a mermaid.

The position of Prefect is a long-standing tradition at Hogwarts. Each year, the Headmaster selects one male and one female student from each house who are entering their fifth year to take on the role. The selection is based on academic achievement, character, and leadership potential. The badges are sent via Owl Post along with the students' booklists and Hogwarts letters before the start of the school year. The appointment of a Prefect is a significant honour for both the student and their family, as demonstrated by Molly Weasley's ecstatic reaction to Ron Weasley's appointment. The selections are not always predictable; Albus Dumbledore chose Ron over Harry Potter for the role, later explaining he felt Harry already had enough responsibility to bear. Upon becoming a Prefect, a student holds the position for the remainder of their time at Hogwarts, unless the badge is revoked for serious misconduct.

The Prefect's Badge serves as a significant symbol and plot device throughout the series.

• Character Development: For Percy Weasley, the badge is a symbol of his ambition and rigid adherence to rules. For Ron Weasley, it represents a moment of personal achievement, boosting his confidence but also burdening him with responsibility that sometimes conflicts with his loyalty to Harry. For Draco Malfoy, the badge is a tool of power, which he uses to bully and intimidate other students, particularly members of Dumbledore's Army.
• Plot Advancement: The privileges associated with the badge are crucial to the plot. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Cedric Diggory instructs Harry to use the Prefects' Bathroom to decipher the clue in the Golden Egg. This leads to a key scene where Harry learns the secret of the Second Task. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ron and Hermione's prefect duties often create a narrative separation from Harry, heightening his sense of isolation.

• The concept of a prefect is drawn directly from the system used in many British public and grammar schools, where senior students are given authority and responsibility over younger students.
• In the film adaptations, the Prefect's Badge is often depicted as a metal shield bearing the house crest (e.g., a lion for Gryffindor) with a large 'P' overlaid, which is a slightly different design from the book's description of a letter on a coloured background (film).
• In an interview, J.K. Rowling confirmed Dumbledore's reasoning for not choosing Harry as a Prefect, stating that he did not wish to place that particular burden of power on Harry. Dumbledore voices this same sentiment to Harry at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.