Filius F Flitwick

> Speaking of eccentrics, you'll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People often underestimate him, because he's really tiny (we think he's part elf, but we've never been rude enough to ask) and he's got a squeaky voice, but he's the best and most knowledgeable Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw with a problem, and if you're in a real state he'll get out these delicious little cupcakes he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact, it's worth pretending you're in a real state just to see them jive.
>
> Description of Professor Flitwick, Pottermore

**Professor Filius Flitwick** (b. 17 October 1958 or earlier) was a part-goblin wizard who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into Ravenclaw House, being an intelligent young man and a model student. Some time after his graduation, Flitwick returned to Hogwarts and became the Charms Master, as well as the Head of Ravenclaw House.

## Filius Flitwick

### Occupation

* Charms Master at Hogwarts (pre 1975-?)
* Head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts (pre 1984-?)
* Conductor of the Frog Choir at Hogwarts (pre 1987-?)

## Physical description

### Gender

Male

During the First and Second Wizarding Wars, Flitwick opposed Lord Voldemort. In 1995, he also opposed Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, and, in 1997, fought at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, after which he attended the funeral of Albus Dumbledore. He also protected the students from the Carrows in the 1997-1998 school year. On 2 May 1998, he partook in the Battle of Hogwarts and defeated many Death Eaters.
He survived the war and continued to teach Charms at Hogwarts to future generations of students.

## Biography

### Early life

Filius Flitwick was born somewhere in the British Isles into a wizarding family with the distant descent of a goblin, which accounted for his short stature. He was prejudged and foredoomed from an early age because of his ancestral connection to a different breed of being that was both regarded and treated as second-class citizens by much of the wizarding community.

### Hogwarts years

> Dumbeldore and Flitwick, those model students...
>
> A brief description of Flitwick's time at Hogwarts, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By the time young Filius began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he was already used to being judged by strangers.
Brave in the face of adversity, however, whilst Flitwick once admitted to having been subjected to scrutiny from those around him from the minute he set his foot inside the castle, the future professor carried his burden remarkably well: Wise beyond his years and rather thick-skinned, he eventually came to regard those who judged him as ignorant rather than malevolent, reasoning that most people simply want those around them to be simple so that they would be easier to understand, as opposed to simply acknowledge the fact that people are complex. In this, he indirectly proved himself to be correct: During his Sorting Ceremony, when the Sorting Hat wavered between putting him in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor before it ultimately chose the former. As the decision took less than five minutes, though, Flitwick was not a true Hatstall.
At some point, he asked the Grey Lady about the whereabouts of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, which was rumoured to grant the wearer wisdom. However, she denied to know this information. To his unknowing that she had already revealed it to a teenage Tom Riddle in the 1940s, It was also mentioned that Flitwick, being a model student with nothing to hide, never entered or used the Room of Hidden Things in the Room of Requirement.
It is likely that he achieved a high graded O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. in Charms. He also may have taken exams in Defence Against the Dark Arts, as he became a Master Duellist sometime after leaving the school.

### Career at Hogwarts Template:C

#### Early years

 File:Harry-potter1-hooch.jpg
Now back at his old school, Professor Flitwick took up the post of Charms Master. His classroom was Classroom 2E, which was located in the Charms corridor, on the third floor of the Training Grounds Tower.

Whilst to some degree still scrutinised for his short stature, he proved a gifted educator whom the students came to greatly respect, even if his teaching style was regarded as more "laid-back" than that of some other teachers at Hogwarts, such as Minerva McGonagall or Severus Snape. He, unlike them, allowed his students to play games during the lessons before the Christmas holidays, but he was not a bad teacher as Fred Weasley commented that he "*couldn't see old Flitwick getting marked down and he usually gets everyone through their exams alright*". He did not hand out many detentions or deduct points often, even for things that other teachers would deduct points for, like lateness.

He also got along rather well with his colleagues, and came to learn that the circumstance of his sorting occurred to Minerva McGonagall as well, which the two professors found amusing. This was because, had the Sorting Hat chosen Gryffindor for Filius and Ravenclaw for Minerva, they may have exchanged positions as Heads of House.

Known for his rich sense of humour, Filius was always fair with his students, even those who are not in Ravenclaw. Due to his heritage and the judgement he sometimes experienced because of it, Flitwick did not discriminate against those of different backgrounds and was inclined to allow people the benefit of the doubt. He also encouraged students to experiment with their own magic and did not generally give detentions for slack work; instead he preferred to give students homework so they could catch up. The only punishment he did give was lines, such as when Seamus Finnigan accidentally knocked him off of his stack of books by letting go of his wand in the air.

#### First Wizarding War and aftermath

 File:Charms class in 1991.jpg
Flitwick lived through the First Wizarding War that raged during the ***1970s***, during which he was teaching at Hogwarts.
In 1971, Flitwick taught charms to: Lily Evans, Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Severus Snape. He also taught many unknown others during this time as well.

#### Protecting the Philosopher's Stone

> Professor Flitwick... took the register, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.
>
> Harry Potter's first Charms lesson, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

 File:Filius teaching.jpg
Professor Flitwick, now in his elderly years, was still teaching at Hogwarts during the 1991–1992 school year. Just before the start of the new school year, Albus Dumbledore trusted him to contribute to the defences of the Philosopher's Stone Chambers. Flitwick, being the Charms Master, enchanted a considerable amount of Winged Keys to fly through the air. At the start of his first lesson of the school year, he took the register and, upon seeing Harry Potter's name on his register, squeaked excitedly and fell off of his stack of books.Professor Flitwick did not allow his first-year class to actually perform any magic until Hallowe'en, and, after some coaching, he gave each of his pupils a feather which they were to levitate using the Levitation Charm; *Wingardium Leviosa*. The class had been anxious to try this since Flitwick used the charm on Neville Longbottom's toad, Trevor. Hermione Granger, who was paired with Ronald Weasley, performed the spell perfectly and Professor Flitwick happily announced her success to the class.
 Also, Flitwick was very impressed when Minerva McGonagall, his long-time friend and fellow colleague, told him that she was giving a Nimbus 2000 to Harry after being chosen to play as the Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

 File:Quidditch spectators COSF.jpg
Professor Flitwick also attended the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. He sat high up in the stands near Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell. He looked extremely shocked and worried when Harry seemingly lost control of his broom, as well as when Snape's cloak caught fire, but applauded merrily when Harry regained control and caught the Snitch.
On Christmas Eve, Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were in charge of decorating the Great Hall. Flitwick used a spell to create golden bubbles to adorn the Christmas trees' branches. He also used live fairies to decorate, which he was rather fond of doing. The hall was noted to look absolutely spectacular. He also attended the Feast on Christmas Day and pulled a cracker with Professor Dumbledore. The Headmaster exchanged his pointed wizard hat for a flowery bonnet and Flitwick read a joke to him, which made him chuckle merrily.

 File:Flitwick at feast.jpg
As the first year exams approached, Professor Flitwick set the first years homework to learn various spells and charms off by heart. When it finally was time for the tests, Flitwick called his students one-by-one into his classroom and asked them to make a pineapple tap-dance across his desk. He presumably also set theoretical papers, which were to be completed in a swelteringly hot classroom. Once the exams were over, Hermione Granger visited Flitwick in the staffroom, saying that she was worried that she got a question wrong in the theory test. He, unable to help himself, told her in confidentiality that she had gotten one hundred and twelve percent. He also attended the End-of-Term Feast during which Gryffindor won the House Cup breaking Slytherin's seven-year winning streak.

#### Re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets

> Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?
>
> Flitwick goading Gilderoy Lockhart about the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

 File:Writing on wall.png
Later on in the year, Mrs Norris, Argus Filch's cat, was found Petrified on the first floor. Professor Flitwick was amongst the crowd of students and teachers who saw her there, hanging from one of the torches. Not long after, Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Gryffindor House Ghost Nearly Headless Nick, were also petrified. Professor Flitwick and the rest of the staff arrived at the scene shortly after the discovery and he, assisted by Professor Aurora Sinistra of the Astronomy department, took Justin to Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing for treatment.

 File:Harry-potter2-teachers in hallway.jpg
Near the end of the year, Professor Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff, were called to the staffroom by Professor McGonagall. McGonagall told them that Slytherin's monster had kidnapped a student and taken them to the Chamber of Secrets. Flitwick immediately let out a squeal. McGonagall told them that the Heir of Slytherin had left another message right under the first, which read *Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.* Flitwick burst into tears at hearing the news. It had, in fact, been Ginny Weasley, one of Flitwick's students, and, when Lockhart entered the room, the whole staff turned against him. While all the teachers told him his comments of knowing what was in the Chamber and so forth, Flitwick piped in and said that he had told that he was quite sure he knew what was inside it.
The next day, Professor Flitwick was to send his Ravenclaws home on the Hogwarts Express. However, Harry Potter had slain the monster, sealed the Chamber and saved Ginny, so Hogwarts remained open. Instead, Flitwick attended the End-of-Term Feast and applauded happily when Rubeus Hagrid returned from Azkaban, being wrongfully sent there on suspicion of the Chamber openings.

Had the Chamber of Secrets not been opened during the year, Professor Flitwick would have had to administer the second year exams. However, at the End-of-Term Feast, Professor Dumbledore cancelled all examinations as a special school treat.

## Physical description

> Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk.
>
> Description, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Flitwick, due to his goblin blood, was particularly short and frequently described as "tiny little Professor Flitwick". He had a shock of white hair in his elderly years and brown when he was younger. Also when he was young, he usually wore black clothes and suits as opposed to the green robes that he wore in his later years.

## Personality and traits

> Thank you so much, Professor! I could have got rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn’t sure whether I had the authority....
>
> Professor Flitwick mocking Dolores Umbridge, showing his sense of humour, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 File:HP1 promo Filius Flitwick.jpg
Flitwick was an emotional fellow, who seemed to have a gentle spirit. During the 1992–1993 school year when Ginevra Weasley was taken into the Chamber of Secrets, he burst into tears, and in 1993's Valentine's Day, when Gilderoy Lockhart called him a "sly old dog", he buried his face in his hands. He was also shown to have a sense of mischief and fun. He sarcastically remarked to Dolores Umbridge that, while he easily had the ability to remove Fred and George's rampaging fireworks, he wasn't sure if he had the *authority*. He also discretely cheered the Weasley Twins' escape from the school, and left a small patch of the twin's Portable Swamp under the window, which Ron believed he had done as a monument to Fred and George. He also covertly sneaked Harry a box of Sugar Mice so as to reward him for speaking out about Voldemort in the *Quibbler* because he couldn't talk about it aloud, murmuring a little 'shush' to Harry afterwards.

> I can’t see old Flitwick getting marked down, he usually gets everyone through their exams all right.
>
> George Weasley praising Flitwick's teaching ability, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 File:Proflitwick.PNG
Flitwick was considerably more tolerant of disobedience than most of his fellow professors, known for rarely handing out detentions and deducting House Points, his more laid-back and forgiving teaching attitude making him particularly liked and respected by the students. This has been shown many times during his Charms lessons: when Ron, due to his broken wand, accidentally cast a spell that hit Flitwick square in the face, Flitwick was not known to punish him as Ron got away with only cursing his broken wand. Neither did he punish Hermione for not showing up in class to learn the Cheering Charm, only warning her that it would appear in the exam.

Additionally, when Neville Longbottom, while fumbling with attempts at casting a Banishing Charm, ended up sending Flitwick sailing across the room; Flitwick accepted this resignedly and let Neville off. Rather than punishing Seamus with detention after he accidentally hit Flitwick with the Water-Making Spell, Flitwick instead had him do lines. He was also shown to be much more generous than the other teachers even in normal occasions, as he allowed his students to play games in class when Christmas was near and did the same during the approach to the Yule Ball in 1994 when he saw their minds were elsewhere. Rather than punish those who slacked in their studies, Flitwick preferred to give homework for students to catch up and he also encouraged them to experiment with magic.

A wise man even at his youth, despite having been discriminated in his early life due to his small stature and goblin ancestry, Flitwick saw those who discriminated him not as hateful but instead ignorant. He was eminently fair and never discriminated anyone regardless of their origin or whether they were of different house and treated all students the same. This is shown by how despite the wrongdoings one of his students, Flitwick was quick to favour and develop a close relationship with his sibling, teaching them several advanced spells and forgiving their misdeeds.

Nevertheless, he commanded respect in spite of his sensitive nature and small stature. When he encountered Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy on the stairs discussing Harry's new Nimbus 2000, Malfoy treated him just like any other teacher with no hint of the sarcasm he used with Remus Lupin.

## Magical abilities and skills

> You may have heard that I was once a Duelling Champion!
>
> Professor Flitwick drawing his wand on misbehaving students, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)

As a former Duelling Champion and as the Hogwarts Professor of Charms, Flitwick was a powerful and formidable wizard. Testaments to his considerable magical skills were his proficiency in the subject he taught, and his later participation in and surviving the Battle of Hogwarts.

* **Intellectual giftedness**: As the Head of Ravenclaw House, Flitwick was a highly shrewd and knowledgeable man. During the preparations for the Battle of Hogwarts, he was the one who realistically pointed out that even the combined efforts of the entire Hogwarts staff was insufficient to keep Voldemort out indefinitely.

> He pointed his wand through the smashed window and started muttering incantations of great complexity. Harry heard a weird rushing noise, as though Flitwick had unleashed the power of the wind into the grounds.
>
> Flitwick casting powerful protective enchantments to protect Hogwarts Castle before the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

* **Charms**: Arguably one of the best and most knowledgeable Charms teachers in the world, he was capable of effectively casting numerous charms and enchantments, ranging from everyday charms to the most advanced Shield Charms. He was also able to conjure a non-corporeal Patronus, which was an incredibly advanced and powerful piece of protective magic as well as concrete evidence of superior magical ability, given the immense difficulty of performing the said charm.
* **Duelling**: An immensely accomplished duellist, Flitwick was rich in both learning and experience where the study and practice of duelling techniques and strategies were concerned. He participated professionally in a number of competitions and championships after his graduation from Hogwarts. Ultimately, he carved out an impressive reputation for himself as a Duelling Champion, earning himself a whole shelf full of trophies to boot. Though he had not duelled in some time, it was later shown that he had retained his considerable skill. Flitwick was able to help fellow Professors McGonagall and Sprout chase Severus Snape out of the castle and emerged and survived the legendary Battle of Hogwarts. During the battle, he had duelled the powerful Yaxley to a draw and even single-handedly defeated the extremely skilled Antonin Dolohov, who had previously defeated Alastor Moody and murdered Remus Lupin, showing his remarkable proficiency in martial magic. Later still, he supplemented the training that Aurors had received before joining the department, showing that he maintained his skill, knowledge and dexterity in professional wizard's duelling even well into his elderly years.
* **Defence Against the Dark Arts**: Flitwick had outstanding defensive abilities against even the greatest Dark magic, having led the extremely powerful defences put around the castle that was only broken by Voldemort himself, a feat which caused the Dark Lord some backlash. Flitwick was also capable of examining Harry Potter's Firebolt for dark charms with the help of Rolanda Hooch in a stripping-down process, showing he was knowledgeable in the field of defensive magic. He was also knowledgeable about how to break complex curses.
* **Dark Arts**: Flitwick was surprisingly adept in and knowledgeable about Dark Magic, in particular dark charms, many of which he taught his Charms students how to perform, including the Knockback Jinx, Full Body-Bind Curse, Leg-Locker Curse and Reductor Curse. He knew how to detect dark charms that broomsticks could be bewitched with in a stripping-down process, and also had knowledge of how to break complex curses on objects, such as the laughing curse. He was also able to perform the Expulso Curse, which he used in an unsuccessful attempt to destory a cursed CD case.
* **Transfiguration**: Flitwick was shown to be highly proficient in the transfiguration branches of Conjuration and Vanishment, creating baubles from his wand to decorate the Christmas trees and being able to swiftly vanish a Portable Swamp.
* **Wandless and non-verbal magic**: Flitwick was also highly skilful in non-verbal magic. In 1996, once every student was inside Hogwarts grounds, he cast a protective barrier on the school gate without saying the incantation. As non-verbal magic is very difficult, this testifies to him being a truly powerful wizard. Furthermore, Flitwick was shown to be able to conjure blue flames without using his wand. This is yet another testament to his formidable magical talents, given that wandless magic was seen to be a feat that only wizards of the highest level (such as Dumbledore and Voldemort) were able to successfully accomplish.
* **Conducting**: Flitwick had become the conductor of the Hogwarts choir by the 1993–1994 school year, and taught the choir how to sing *Something Wicked This Way Comes* and *In Noctem*. He also led the orchestra during the Yule Ball.

## Possessions

 File:ProfFiliusFlitwickWandNN8262.jpg
* **Wand**: Professor Flitwick owned a wand, which was of an unknown length, wand wood and wand core. He presumably obtained it from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley prior to starting his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
* **Office**: While teaching at Hogwarts, Flitwick owned an office on the castle's seventh floor, which is where he stayed and slept during the school terms.
* **Tin**: This tin was kept inside a desk in his office.
* **Duelling trophies**: Flitwick owned various prestigious trophies, earned from his days as a Duelling champion.
* **Spellbooks**: Flitwick owned numerous different spellbooks on various different charms, such as the Spongify spellbook, Incendio spellbook and Carpe Retractum spellbook, which he used heavily whilst teaching.
* **The Book of Charms & Spells**: In the 21st century, Flitwick gave his personal annotated copy of the book to members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force who pursued a Professorship profession to help them improve their casting of charms to address the events of the Calamity.

## Relationships

### Harry Potter

Template:Dialogue a-b-a-c

 File:Harry Potter.jpg
Professor Flitwick was kind to Harry Potter and had a good relationship with him. He was so excited to see Harry's name for the first time on his register that he fell off of his stack of books with a squeak. He allowed Harry and his friends to talk during classes, as well as play games sometimes.

In 1994 he spent the majority of a lesson discussing the "perfect" Summoning Charm Harry used in order to obtain his Firebolt for the first task. In 1998 he helped defend Hogwarts Castle to give time for Harry to find Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, casting *Protego horribilis* on the school grounds. He was among the first ones to run and hug him after he defeated Lord Voldemort.

### Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley

> Oh, well done! Everyone see here, Miss Granger’s done it!
>
> Professor Flitwick congratulating Hermione Granger, one of his best students, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

 File:The-trio-Harry-Potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-potterhead-29266030-365-400.jpg
Flitwick also had a good relationship with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Hermione was a very good student and thus Flitwick liked her. Flitwick was thoroughly impressed when Hermione managed to successfully cast the Levitation Charm, announcing her feat to the class. He was also friendly with Ron Weasley, who was a friend of Hermione and Harry. Ron liked Flitwick's method of teaching, as he usually let them talk during his lessons. Flitwick fought alongside Ron and Hermione at the Battle of Hogwarts and they all survived the battle.

### Ravenclaw students

> Professor Flitwick was knocked out, but… he insisted on going off to look after the Ravenclaws.
>
> Description, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 File:Luna Lovegood profile Deathly Hallows.jpg
Professor Flitwick was very caring and protective of the members of his House, Ravenclaw, as he was Head of Ravenclaw House. In 1997, when Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts Castle by use of a Vanishing Cabinet, Flitwick was knocked out, but left the Hospital Wing in a hurry in order to look after the Ravenclaws, despite still being shaky from his attack. At the end of the year, after Albus Dumbledore's death, Flitwick, as well as Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Rubeus Hagrid, and Horace Slughorn had to decide whether the school should re-open the following year. He could not decide where his students would be safer, at Hogwarts or at their homes, and wanted to leave the decision to the board of governors, which Professor McGonagall was inclined to agree to.

The school did indeed reopen for the 1997–1998 school year, but McGonagall had been replaced as Head by Severus Snape. Alecto and Amycus Carrow, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies professors, treated all of the school's students brutally and horribly, aside from the Slytherins of course. Because of this, Flitwick protected the Ravenclaws, as well as the other students, from the Carrows, as did McGonagall, Sprout and Slughorn. Once Lord Voldemort declared war on the Castle, Flitwick fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and survived, so he likely continued to teach and care for the next generation of Ravenclaws.

### Hogwarts professors

Template:Dialogue a-b-c

 File:Harry Potter Movie Pictures-Professors.jpg
Flitwick seemed to have a good relationship with most of his colleagues at Hogwarts. Some of them were Minerva McGonagall and Pomona Sprout. All three were professors at Hogwarts, while Heads of House. Prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, McGonagall and Flitwick, watched by Sprout and Horace Slughorn, duelled Professor Snape, who had taken hold of the school, ultimately forcing him to flee. Both Sprout and Flitwick exhibited yells of shock at Harry Potter when he unexpectedly arrived at the school, and Sprout and McGonagall fought alongside Flitwick in the Battle of Hogwarts and survived the Second Wizarding War. After the duel between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, the three of them hurried to Harry to congratulate him and celebrate.

After Severus Snape murdered Dumbledore, he and his fellow professors turned on him. He protected Minerva McGonagall from Snape when both of them were duelling, and warned him that he wouldn't commit another murder in Hogwarts. It is likely that he learnt Snape's true loyalty after the Second Wizarding War, and the true reason he murdered Dumbledore, not to mention that he was protecting the students all along, albeit discreetly. Following this, it is assumed that he forgave Snape and even admired his courage.

Flitwick may have also been friendly with, or at least unusually persuasive to, Poppy Pomfrey, the school matron, as the strict nurse very rarely let people out of the Hospital Wing until they made a full recovery, but she let Flitwick out after he was hit by a stunner by Severus Snape, despite still being shaky. This may, however, just be because he was the Charms Master and a professor.

Horace Slughorn, the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, seemed to believe that he was friendly with Professor Flitwick. However, the latter seemed to try to avoid him during a trip to Hogsmeade after he invited him to the Three Broomsticks Inn. Flitwick declined, saying that he had "emergency choir practice" with the Hogwarts choir back at the school.

Professor Flitwick, like all the other professors at the school, disliked the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher of the 1992–1993 school year; Gilderoy Lockhart. Despite Lockhart being a former Ravenclaw, and one of his old students, Flitwick did not have a very good relationship with him, as Gilderoy was always an attention-seeking, vanity-rich troublemaker who never took his studies seriously. On Valentine's Day, Lockhart suggested to the students that they ask Professor Snape to brew them Love Potions and said that Flitwick knew more about Entrancing Enchantments than anyone he knew. Flitwick responded by burying his face in his hands, while Snape looked like he would force-feed poison to the first person to ask him for a love potion. When Lockhart walked into the staff meeting regarding Ginny Weasley's alleged demise in a rather oblivious and cheerful manner, Flitwick was among the staff to look at him with remarkable hatred, and also did not hesitate to send him to the Chamber of Secrets as a means to scare him away.

During the 1995–1996 school year, Dolores Umbridge, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, was made High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. When Umbridge inspected Professor Flitwick's N.E.W.T. Charms Class, he treated her like a guest and was very polite. But when she inspected his rehearsal with the Hogwarts choir, Umbridge measured his height, which he found insulting. When she became Headmistress of the school, Flitwick, along with the rest of the staff and the students, was against her. After Fred and George Weasley released fireworks into the corridors, Umbridge spent an entire day running around putting them out, and Flitwick later said that he could have easily put them all out, but was not sure that he "had the authority" to do so, and then wrapped the conversation up by smilingly slamming the door in her snarling face. The twins also released a Portable Swamp into another one of the corridors, and, once Umbridge had been suspended, Flitwick vanished it in a second, but left a small patch since he considered it to be a good piece of magic.

## Etymology

* *Filius* is Latin for "son", and the *filius philosophorum*, meaning "the philosophers' son" is a symbol in alchemy, sometimes associated with the philosopher's stone.
* The surname *Flitwick* may come from the Charms professor's own advice for wand movement: "swish and flick". Flitwick is also the name of an English town, pronounced "Flittick". To flit is to move quickly from one location to another. A wick is a loosely woven strand of fabric or fibres, often used in a candle or oil lamp.

## Media

Harry Potter Magic Spell - Wingardium LeviosaCharms Class
## Behind the scenes

> I must admit, I was taken aback when I saw the film Flitwick, who looks very much like a goblin/elf (I've never actually asked the film-makers precisely what he is), because the Flitwick in my imagination simply looks like a very small old man.
>
> J. K. Rowling, J. K. Rowling's official site

 File:FiliusFlitwick WB F3 FiliusFlitwickCharacterIllustration Illust 080615 Port.jpg
 File:LEGOFlitwick.jpg
 File:Filius Flitwick 2020 LEGO minifigure.jpeg
* Flitwick is portrayed by British actor Warwick Davis in the Harry Potter film adaptations. He also provided the character's voice in Template:HM.
* Davis also provided the voice of Griphook the goblin in Template:PS, and portrayed him again (both physical form and voice) in Template:DH and *Part 2*. Therefore, Davis is one of the 14 actors to appear in all eight film adaptations.
* Flitwick's goblin ancestry explains not only why the Professor is so small, but also his great wit and intelligence, which were the reasons for his being sorted into Ravenclaw.
* In Template:COS, the Chamber of Secrets speech is given by Flitwick instead of Cuthbert Binns, the History of Magic professor.
* Strangely, despite her hatred of "half-breeds", Dolores Umbridge did not seem to hate Professor Flitwick, as the Weasley twins stated that she gave him a good review. However, this may be due to the fact that his "half-breed" ancestry comes from a distant relative or it could be she simply saw him as a man with dwarfism. In the film, though, Umbridge is seen patronisingly measuring his height.
* The line "Dr Flitwick" appears (crossed out) in a page from an early draft of Template:PS.
* The new look of Flitwick has an item on merchandise, a minifigure by LEGO.
* In a deleted scene from Template:DH, Flitwick battles Nagini in the Marble Staircase during the Battle of Hogwarts.
* Curiously, in the U.S. edition of Template:HBP, no mention is made of Flitwick insisting on going off to look after the Ravenclaws or him having been knocked out, only that he was "hurt."
* J. K. Rowling once stated that Professor Flitwick had a background story that would ultimately be left out of the books due to low relevance to the plot - something she compared to Dean Thomas.
* In Template:GOF, Flitwick sat at the left side of Professor Rubeus Hagrid at the High Table. In this scene, Hagrid, entranced by Madam Maxime, the Headmistress of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, who sat on the other side of the High Table, absent-mindedly speared his fork in what he thought was his steak, but instead accidentally stabbed the back of Flitwick's right hand, causing the Charms professor to yell in pain and insult Hagrid.

### Portrayal in the films

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 File:Flitwick-film.jpg
Flitwick's appearance in the film adaptations is sporadic. His only major scene in Template:PS is during the Charms lesson where he teaches the spell *Wingardium Leviosa*. Flitwick was written out of Template:POA; however, Warwick Davis was offered a small part as the conductor of the Hogwarts chorus appearing as a small man with brown hair and moustache, identified in the credits only as "wizard". Despite Warwick's appearance as a conductor in the film of *Prisoner of Azkaban*, in the video game version of Template:POA Flitwick appears as a teacher, and his physical appearance is as it was for the first two films and first two video games. This same character reappeared in Template:GOF although now identified as Professor Flitwick. Warwick Davis jokingly suggested he crowd surf during the Yule Ball scene. He admits he now knows to never make such jokes again.

 File:Flitwick GOFF promo.png
According to interviews, director Mike Newell liked the look of a younger Flitwick. In Template:OOTP, he is seen in a chorus class in the Great Hall. He is seen again cheering when Fred and George Weasley depart Hogwarts. In the video game adaptation of *Order of the Phoenix*, Filius Flitwick is seen with his new look in his class. Filius, with his post-*Chamber* look, is finally confirmed on-screen in Template:HBP. He also displays a far more prickly demeanour than in *Philosopher's Stone*. Flitwick's physical appearance in the first two films is credited as the teacher and his physical appearance in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* merchandise (The Annual 2009 Poster Sticker Book) also uses the elder Flitwick, although the packaging of the LEGO figure uses the younger Flitwick. Also, Warwick Davis who plays Flitwick believes himself that the two characters (Conductor and Teacher) are different people but perhaps related. However despite Warwick Davis believing this, in Template:HBP, Harry confirms them both to be the same character in a conversation with Flitwick, and in Template:DH, Professor McGonagall calls him "Filius", as does Professor Slughorn in Template:HBP.

Popular in-universe explanations for the change in appearance are that he decided to get a makeover, or that he was involved in a magical accident resulting in his change in appearance. However, without any on-screen or in-print confirmation, the discrepancy remains a mystery and it has caused confusion amongst viewers and a rather large inconsistency.

It has also been noticed that Flitwick's role as from the fourth film, has been used for comic relief, due to his snappy personality and unexpected, comical behaviour (e.g. his contribution to the cheering when the Weasley twins left Hogwarts; the conversation between him, Harry and Luna in the sixth film and his flight from the Viaduct when the giants close in during the Battle of Hogwarts in the second part of the seventh film).

## Appearances

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 File:FlitwickWU.png
 File:PAS Hogwarts Faculty Pack Filius Flitwick.png
* Template:PS Template:1st
* Template:COS

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## Notes and references

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1. ↑ JKR stated that Flitwick has a "dash" of goblin blood.
2. ↑ In order to be a Head of House, that person must have been a member of that House, so Flitwick attended Hogwarts as a Ravenclaw.
3. ↑ Birthday Archive
4. ↑ Template:PM - Filius Flitwick fact file
5. ↑ Flitwick is seen supervising James and Sirius's OWLs, so was at least 17 by 1975.
6. ↑ He cannot have been Muggle-born because he was at Hogwarts during the 1997–1998 school year, but he could not have been pure-blood because of his goblin ancestor.
7. ↑ What Jo says about... Hogwarts, including the Houses of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin & Hufflepuff
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "*Very early draft of Philosopher's Stone (Page 1)*", by J. K. Rowling
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 F.A.Q. Question on J.K.R. Official Site
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Template:PS
11. ↑ In the 20th anniversary editions of Template:PS, it is revealed that Flitwick and Sprout had a long-term relationship, but it ended and they remained friends.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `HBP29`
13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `POAF`
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `GOFF`
15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `OOTPF`
16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `HBPF`
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Template:DH
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Template:PS
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Template:PS
20. ↑ Template:PS
21. ↑ Template:PS
22. ↑ Template:PS
23. ↑ Template:PS
24. ↑ Template:COS
25. ↑ Template:COS
26. ↑ Template:COS
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Template:COS
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Template:DH
29. ↑ Pottermore introductions to Hogwarts Houses#Ravenclaw
30. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `LEGOY1`
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `LEGOY2`
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `HM14`
33. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `WU`
34. ↑ Template:DH
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Template:POA
36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Template:HM
37. ↑ Template:HM
38. ↑ Template:HM
39. ↑ Template:HM
40. ↑ Template:COS
41. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `wu-book`
42. ↑ Twitter
43. ↑ http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Professor\_Flitwick
44. ↑ Harry Potter Lexicon - "*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* - Differences"
45. ↑ F.A.Q. Section on Template:JKRS (archived 16 March 2006). *"Just like Dean Thomas [...], Flitwick has a background that I now realise will never see its way into the books because it is not relevant to the plot."*
46. ↑ Template:GOF Template:See image

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