Teachers in the Wizarding World

• Type: Profession, Educational Role
• Location: Primarily Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Other known magical schools include Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute.
• Owner/Residents: The staff of various magical schools; positions are filled at the discretion of a Headmaster or Headmistress, though the Ministry of Magic can interfere, as seen with the appointment of Dolores Umbridge.
• Key Features: Subject-specific expertise, pedagogical authority, responsibility for student education and discipline, and in the case of Hogwarts, often serving as the head of one of the four Houses.

A teacher in the wizarding world is a qualified witch or wizard responsible for educating young magic-users in various disciplines. At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, teachers are referred to as Professors and are led by the Headmaster or Headmistress. Their responsibilities include designing lesson plans, instructing students, assigning and grading homework, and invigilating exams. While they oversee in-class examinations, the most critical exams, the Ordinary Wizarding Levels (O.W.L.s) and Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.T.s), are administered by the Wizarding Examinations Authority. The hiring of teachers at Hogwarts is typically handled directly by the Headmaster. Albus Dumbledore was responsible for hiring Remus Lupin, Sybill Trelawney, and re-hiring Horace Slughorn, among others. Prospective teachers may also apply for positions, as a young Tom Riddle did for the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. Most Hogwarts teachers reside within Hogwarts Castle during the school term, taking their meals with the students in the Great Hall and occupying their own offices and private quarters. They form the core of the school's staff and are fundamental to its operation and the safety of its students. The profession has a long and storied history, dating back to the Founders themselves, who were the school's first teachers. A notable part of teaching history at Hogwarts is the jinx on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, which was believed to have been cursed by Lord Voldemort after he was denied the job a second time by Dumbledore. This resulted in the school being unable to keep a D.A.D.A. teacher for more than one year, a pattern that persisted until Voldemort's final defeat.

Teachers are among the most influential figures in the Harry Potter series, serving as mentors, guides, protectors, and antagonists who shape Harry Potter's development and drive the narrative.

• Mentors and Protectors: Figures like Albus Dumbledore act as Harry's primary mentor, while Minerva McGonagall, though strict, consistently protects Harry and his fellow students. Remus Lupin provided Harry with crucial skills in Defence and acted as a compassionate father figure. Rubeus Hagrid, in his role as Care of Magical Creatures teacher, was a constant source of loyal friendship and support.
• Antagonists and Obstacles: The series features several teachers who serve as antagonists. Severus Snape is a primary and complex antagonist for Harry throughout his school years, though his ultimate allegiance is with the Order of the Phoenix. Other teachers serve as more direct villains, including Quirinus Quirrell, who was possessed by Lord Voldemort; Barty Crouch Jr., who impersonated Alastor Moody to manipulate events; and Dolores Umbridge, who represented the corrupt overreach of the Ministry of Magic. During Voldemort's control of the school, Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow became teachers who openly taught the Dark Arts.
• Plot Drivers: Teachers often control the flow of crucial information and magical items. Professor Slughorn held the key memory about Horcruxes, Professor McGonagall arranged for Harry to receive his first broomstick, and Professor Flitwick taught the witches and wizards of Hogwarts the charms necessary to defend the castle during the Battle of Hogwarts. Their actions, loyalties, and knowledge are central to the progression of the Second Wizarding War.

This section lists the known teaching subjects at Hogwarts and the staff who held these positions during the events of the novels. Core Subjects and Teachers:

• Transfiguration: Minerva McGonagall (formerly taught by Albus Dumbledore)
• Charms: Filius Flitwick
• Potions: Severus Snape, Horace Slughorn
• Defence Against the Dark Arts:
  1. Quirinus Quirrell (1991-1992)
  2. Gilderoy Lockhart (1992-1993)
  3. Remus Lupin (1993-1994)
  4. Barty Crouch Jr. (impersonating Alastor Moody) (1994-1995)
  5. Dolores Umbridge (1995-1996)
  6. Severus Snape (1996-1997)
  7. Amycus Carrow (taught as Dark Arts) (1997-1998)
• Herbology: Pomona Sprout
• History of Magic: Cuthbert Binns
• Astronomy: Aurora Sinistra

Electives and Other Subjects:

• Arithmancy: Septima Vector
• Ancient Runes: The teacher of this subject is unnamed in the novels. (Pottermore gives the name as Bathsheda Babbling).
• Divination: Sybill Trelawney, Firenze
• Care of Magical Creatures: Rubeus Hagrid (preceded by Silvanus Kettleburn; occasionally substituted by Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank)
• Muggle Studies: Charity Burbage, Alecto Carrow (turned into anti-Muggle propaganda)
• Flying Instructor: Rolanda Hooch

Other Staff with Authority:

• Librarian: Irma Pince
• School Nurse: Poppy Pomfrey
• Caretaker: Argus Filch

J.K. Rowling worked as a teacher in both Portugal and Scotland before and during the writing of the early Harry Potter novels. Her direct experience in the education system likely lent authenticity to her portrayal of school life, the classroom environment, and the complex dynamics between students and their teachers. The wide range of teaching styles, from the inspiring (Lupin) to the terrifying (Umbridge, Snape), reflects the varied experiences students can have in a school setting. Many teacher names are also rich with etymological or mythological significance, such as Minerva (Roman goddess of wisdom) and Remus Lupin (connecting to the founders of Rome and wolves).