Romania

• Type: Country
• Location: Southeastern Europe
• Owner/Residents: Charlie Weasley, various unnamed wizards and witches, staff of the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.
• Key Features: Home to a major dragon reservation, the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary; has a national Quidditch team.

Romania is a country in Southeastern Europe with a notable presence in the wizarding world, primarily due to its connection with dragons. The country is the location of the world-renowned Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, a large government-sanctioned reservation dedicated to the study, breeding, and conservation of various dragon species. This sanctuary attracts magizoologists and dragon-handlers from across the globe, including Charlie Weasley, who made his career there after graduating from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Beyond its significance in dragonology, Romania also has a presence in the sport of Quidditch, fielding a national team that competed in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup. The country is also mentioned in the fraudulent memoirs of Gilderoy Lockhart, who falsely claimed to have had a harrowing encounter with a vampire there, for which he was awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class. This indicates that Romania holds a certain reputation for dark and dangerous creatures in the collective wizarding consciousness, even if Lockhart's specific account was a lie.

Romania plays a key, albeit distant, role in several important events throughout the series, largely through Charlie Weasley's work.

• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Romania is the destination for Norbert, the baby Norwegian Ridgeback illegally hatched by Rubeus Hagrid. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger arrange for a group of Charlie's friends to secretly collect the dragon from the top of the Astronomy Tower and transport it to the safety of the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary.
• In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Romania is the source of the four fully-grown dragons used for the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament. Charlie Weasley is part of the team of dragon-handlers who bring a Hungarian Horntail, a Chinese Fireball, a Swedish Short-Snout, and another Norwegian Ridgeback to Hogwarts.
• The country serves as the long-term residence of Charlie Weasley, establishing his character as an adventurous individual dedicated to the study of dangerous magical creatures, in contrast to his brothers who took up posts at the Ministry of Magic or Gringotts.

• Romanian Dragon Sanctuary: The most significant wizarding location within Romania mentioned in the books. It is a vast nature reserve where dragons of many breeds live and are studied in their natural habitat. The sanctuary is heavily protected to keep its existence a secret from Muggles. It serves as a vital center for the global study and control of the dragon population.

The choice of Romania as a center for dragon activity is likely a thematic nod to the country's association with the historical figure Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for the fictional character of Dracula. Vlad's father was a member of the Order of the Dragon, and Vlad himself was known as “Dracula,” which can be translated as “Son of the Dragon.” In Romanian, “drac” can mean devil, but “draco” means dragon. This historical link provides a rich, folkloric backdrop for J.K. Rowling's decision to place a major dragon sanctuary in the country.