The Stuffed Vulture

• Type: Component of a magical outfit; Manifestation from the Riddikulus charm
• Owners: The original hat belongs to Augusta Longbottom; the magical manifestation was created by Neville Longbottom.
• Maker: N/A (Magically created)

The stuffed vulture is a large, seemingly taxidermied bird described as being “moth-eaten.” It is perched atop a tall hat, which itself is part of an outlandish outfit belonging to Neville Longbottom's grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. The complete ensemble, as imagined by Neville to counteract a Boggart, consists of the vulture-topped hat, a long green dress, a fox-fur scarf, and a large, crimson handbag. The appearance of this entire outfit on the fearsome figure of Professor Snape is designed to be utterly ridiculous.

The stuffed vulture itself does not possess any inherent magical properties. Its existence is solely the result of the successful casting of the Riddikulus charm on a Boggart. The purpose of the vulture and the accompanying attire is to transform the user's greatest fear into a comical figure. A Boggart is a shape-shifting non-being that takes the form of what a person fears most. The charm to defeat it, Riddikulus, requires the caster to envision the frightening creature in a humorous form. The power that vanquishes a Boggart is laughter. The image of Professor Snape wearing a hat with a large, moth-eaten vulture on it provided the necessary amusement to repel the creature.

The stuffed vulture made its only appearance during a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson in 1993, taught by Professor Remus Lupin. To teach his third-year students how to handle a Boggart, Lupin had each student face it one by one. Neville Longbottom's greatest fear was Professor Snape. Following Lupin's advice to picture Snape in his grandmother's clothes, Neville confronted the Boggart-Snape and cast the Riddikulus charm. The Boggart was instantly forced to transform, appearing in Augusta Longbottom's distinctive clothes, crowned by the hat with the stuffed vulture. The sight caused the entire class, including Lupin, to erupt in laughter, successfully neutralizing the threat.

The appearance of the stuffed vulture is a pivotal moment for Neville Longbottom's character development. It represents one of his first clear and public successes in practical magic, especially in a high-pressure situation. By successfully facing down his greatest fear (even in Boggart form), Neville gains a significant boost in confidence, earning him ten House Points for Gryffindor and the respect of his peers. The event serves as an early indicator of the courage that Neville would later display.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the vulture-topped hat is faithfully recreated and becomes a memorable visual from the Boggart scene. The vulture itself is depicted as large and slightly decrepit, wobbling humorously on Boggart-Snape's head. (film)