Justin Finch-Fletchley

**Justin Finch-Fletchley** is a character in the *Harry Potter book series*. Justin is a Muggle-born wizard who is part of Dumbledore's Army. He attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Harry Potter's year. He is in Hufflepuff house. He is Petrified by the Basilisk in his second year at Hogwarts.

## Biography

### Early life

Justin Finch-Fletchley was a Muggle-born who was supposed to attend Eton. When he found out he was in fact a wizard at the age of eleven, his Mrs Finch-Fletchley mother was upset because Eton is such a prestigious school, but he cheered her up by giving her Gilderoy Lockhart's books and she saw how useful it would be to have a wizard in the family.

In September 1991, Justin started attending Hogwarts and was sorted into Hufflepuff house during the Sorting ceremony.

#### Chamber of Secrets

In his second year, Justin spoke to Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger for the first time, telling them how he was supposed to go to Eton, and that he and his mother were a fan of Lockhart.

Later in the year, Justin was very upset by the warning that the Chamber of Secrets was opened and thought that Harry was the Heir of Slytherin. When he saw Harry in a corridor, he suddenly turned to go another way. Harry thought it was strange at first but later learned that the school thought he was the Heir because he was at the scene where Mrs Norris was Petrified.

Justin attended a Duelling Club held by Professor Lockhart, and he and Neville Longbottom were put in a pairing to duel together. Like everyone else, they used unfriendlier spells which caused chaos. Lockhart wanted Justin and Neville to duel in front of the club on stage but Professor Snape thought Neville was not competent enough. Harry and Draco duelled instead, but Draco used the spell "Serpensortia" and unleashed a snake in the Great Hall. The snake targeted Justin and when it slithered toward him, Harry spoke Parseltongue to save him.

However, nobody could understand what Harry was saying so it looked like he was encouraging the snake to attack Justin. With the language also being related to the Dark Arts, Justin and the school thought it was proof that Harry was the Heir of Slytherin. Justin was very upset and asked Harry what he thought he playing at before he stormed off.

Justin's friend, Ernie Macmillan advised him to stay in the Hufflepuff common room  where it was safer because they worried he was Harry's new target. However, he did leave the common room only to cross the Serpent of Slytherin in a corridor. He viewed it through the transparent body of an already Peteified Nearly Headless Nick which instanteously Petrified him. Their bodies were found by Harry. A crowd of people soon gathered around the scene until Professor McGonagall sent them to their lessons. Ernie saw Harry at the scene and shouted that he had been "caught in the act".

Justin was taken to the Hospital Wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra. In May, he was revived by a Mandrake Restorative Draught after the Basilisk was killed by Harry. He joined the celebrations in the Great Hall that evening. He shook Harry's hand and apologised for thinking he was responsible.

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 6
2. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 7
3. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 9
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 11
5. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 18