Pomona Sprout

Professor Pomona Sprout was a witch who worked as the Herbology Professor and Head of Hufflepuff House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A cheerful and steadfast teacher, she was an expert in magical flora and fungi. Professor Sprout played a crucial role during Harry Potter's second year by cultivating the Mandrakes necessary to cure the victims of the Basilisk's petrifying gaze. A loyal member of the Hogwarts staff, she opposed Dolores Umbridge's tyrannical regime and later bravely fought against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Professor Sprout taught Herbology at Hogwarts for many years, becoming Head of Hufflepuff House and a respected member of the faculty. During the 1991-1992 school year, Professor Sprout contributed to the protections guarding the Philosopher's Stone. Her task was a patch of Devil's Snare, which ensnared Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger on their way to confront Professor Quirrell. Her expertise was most vital during the 1992-1993 school year when the Chamber of Secrets was reopened. After students began to be petrified, Professor Sprout was tasked by Albus Dumbledore with growing her Mandrakes to maturity. The Mandrake Restorative Draught, made from the fully grown plants, was the only way to revive the petrified victims, including Hermione Granger and Colin Creevey. She taught her second-year students, including Harry's class, how to handle and repot the infant Mandrakes. In the 1994-1995 school year, she was very supportive of her House's champion, Cedric Diggory, during the Triwizard Tournament. She was fair-minded and kind to Harry, despite the controversy surrounding his entry. During the 1995-1996 school year, Professor Sprout openly resisted the authority of the Ministry-appointed High Inquisitor, Dolores Umbridge. When Harry gave an interview to The Quibbler about Voldemort's return, she awarded Gryffindor twenty points for “passing her a watering can.” She was also among the professors who staunchly supported Dumbledore. Following Dumbledore's death in 1997, Professor Sprout argued fiercely against closing Hogwarts, insisting it was what the late Headmaster would have wanted. In 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Professor Sprout was resolute in her decision to fight. She, along with Neville Longbottom and other students, took to the castle battlements, using dangerous magical plants like Mandrakes and Venomous Tentacula as biological weapons against the invading army of Death Eaters and other dark creatures.

Professor Sprout is described as a “dumpy little witch” with flyaway grey hair that often escaped from beneath her patched, pointed hat. She frequently had a large amount of earth on her clothes and under her fingernails from her work in the Hogwarts greenhouses. True to the traits of her House, Professor Sprout was fair, loyal, and hard-working. She was generally good-natured and cheerful with her students and colleagues. However, she was also brave and would not hesitate to stand up for what was right, as seen in her defiance of Dolores Umbridge and her eagerness to join the Battle of Hogwarts. She was a dedicated teacher who took great pride in her subject and in her students, particularly those who showed an aptitude for Herbology, like Neville Longbottom.

• Expert Herbologist: Professor Sprout's greatest talent was her encyclopedic knowledge and masterful handling of magical plants and fungi. She could cultivate and control even the most dangerous flora, such as Devil's Snare, Mandrakes, and Venomous Tentacula. Her skill was essential to the running of Hogwarts and the safety of its students.
• Duelling: While not known as a duellist, she fought in and survived the Battle of Hogwarts, demonstrating competent defensive and offensive magical ability.

• Wand: The composition of Professor Sprout's wand is unknown.
• Patched Hat: She was rarely seen without her patched, pointed hat.
• Greenhouse Keys: As the Herbology Professor, she held the keys to all the Hogwarts greenhouses on the castle grounds.

• Albus Dumbledore: Professor Sprout was exceptionally loyal to Dumbledore and trusted his judgment implicitly. His death deeply affected her, and she championed his wish to keep Hogwarts open.
• Minerva McGonagall: Sprout had a good working relationship with Professor McGonagall. They often presented a united front, such as when confronting Umbridge or planning the defense of the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts.
• Neville Longbottom: Professor Sprout recognized and nurtured Neville's exceptional talent in Herbology. Her encouragement helped build Neville's confidence, and he eventually succeeded her as the Herbology professor at Hogwarts.
• Hufflepuff Students: As Head of Hufflepuff House, she was fiercely proud and protective of her students. She was particularly proud of Cedric Diggory when he was chosen as the Hogwarts champion.

• Pomona: Her first name is taken from Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. This name is highly appropriate for a professor of Herbology. (Pottermore)
• Sprout: This surname is a direct reference to a young plant shoot, further cementing her connection to the botanical world.

• In the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Professor Sprout was portrayed by actress Miriam Margolyes.
• J.K. Rowling revealed in an interview that Neville Longbottom eventually takes over the position of Herbology Professor at Hogwarts, implying Professor Sprout's retirement from the post. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• Professor Sprout's first name, Pomona, was not mentioned in the original seven novels but was first revealed on J.K. Rowling's official website, which later became part of Pottermore. (Pottermore)