Professor (Harry Potter)

> Professors have a long and valued history within the wizarding world. We teach across a broad set of specialised subjects and mould young minds. But don't be fooled, while some may underestimate us, Professors are never to be trifled with. Look no further than the ***Battle of Hogwarts*** for your proof.
>
> Minerva McGonagall addressing members of the S.O.S. wanting to pursue a career as a Professor, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

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The title of **Professor**, occasionally known as **Master** in some contexts, was given to members of the wizarding scientific and scholarly community engaged in education and research, taken as a whole. It was, perhaps most notably, used by teachers at wizarding educational institutions such as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and ***Durmstrang Institute***.

It was considered rude by some for students to not address a member of a teaching staff on their school as *professor*, *Madam* or *Sir*, as was the case with Professor Snape. Harry Potter often chose to omit this title when speaking of Snape to others, leading Snape to chastise him. However, the most notable exception to this was Rubeus Hagrid, who was usually referred to by his surname.

The term *Sir* or *Madam* (depending on the gender) was an alternative title to use instead of Professor, on the speaker's preference. While talking to their colleagues, they usually used their first name. Professor Snape, however, preferred to use others' surnames. For example, he called ***Remus Lupin*** "Lupin", and Gilderoy Lockhart "Professor Lockhart" in the Duelling Club in 1992. The exception to this would be Professor McGonagall, whom Professor Snape called "Minerva", but only when he was the Headmaster.

## Powers and rights

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Hogwarts Professors had the power to award and dock house points (to determine the winner of the House Cup), give detention, and write notes for certain areas and activities that were usually off limits. For example, they could grant permission for students access the Restricted Section in the Hogwarts Library or permission to practise on the Quidditch pitch at specific times, even if another team was scheduled.

Professors could put students in detention, but could not expel them without the approval of the Headmaster.

However, they were forbidden from using magical or physical force to assault students (at least under Headmaster Albus Dumbledore). For example, Bartemius Crouch Junior (posing as ***Alastor Moody***) was reprimanded by Professor McGonagall for ***turning*** Draco Malfoy into a ***ferret***, while serving as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor in ***1994***. Professor Dumbledore threatened ***Dolores Umbridge*** for violently shaking ***Marietta Edgecombe*** while she served in the same position in ***1996***.

Occasionally, the limits on physical force had been less severe; Argus Filch was known to possess ***whips*** even before Umbridge's tenure as headmistress, but she reinstated corporal punishment with an ***Approval for Whipping***, and in later years, ***Alecto*** and ***Amycus Carrow*** elected to use the Cruciatus Curse on students to teach them discipline.

## Personal life

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Many Hogwarts professors resided at the school during the school year, though this was not always the case. During the 1980s, Minerva McGonagall owned a cottage in nearby Hogsmeade with ***her husband***, later moving out after his death. In the summer of 1996, Severus Snape returned to his childhood house in ***Spinner's End***.

Those who remained at the school throughout the night seemed to have private quarters that were near or attached to their offices. On at least one occasion, Professor McGonagall could hear the noise of a party in the Gryffindor common room from wherever she was sleeping, indicating the she, as Gryffindor Head of House, may have had quarters within Gryffindor Tower.

Professors typically ate meals with the students in the Great Hall, but this was not required. ***Sybill Trelawney*** often preferred to eat alone in her classroom. When Harry Potter attended his first ***Divination*** class with her in ***1993***, she mentioned that some of the students might not have seen her before.

Each Professor seemed to have at least one "free" period during the school week. Harry Potter's third-year Defence Against the Dark Arts class saw Professor Snape in the ***staffroom*** once. Snape was also available to serve as a substitute teacher when ***Remus Lupin*** was, unbeknownst to the same group of students, ill from the effects of a ***werewolf*** transformation. Harry's fifth-year Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, sent him to Professor McGonagall after he argued with her during a lesson. McGonagall was in her office.

During the second term of each year, a Head of House would hold ***career counselling meetings*** with each of their fifth-year students, advising them on what ***N.E.W.T.***-level classes they should take in preparation for their desired careers.

When a weekend ***Apparition course*** took place at the school, a Head of House would attend and help oversee the participating students from their House.

## Education

> We teachers are rather good at magic, you know.
>
> Minerva McGonagall regarding the impressive magical abilities Hogwarts professors had, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

It is presumed that wizards and witches did not need any form of specific education or training if they wished to become teachers. They should possess knowledge and skill in the subject of their teaching, and preferably hold an O.W.L. and a ***N.E.W.T.*** in the subject. Sometimes a Headmaster/Headmistress would hire someone who had not sat the O.W.L. exams.

 File:Hagrid and Buckbeak.png
Dumbledore chose Rubeus Hagrid as a Care of Magical Creatures Professor in ***1993***, even though Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts during his third year. In ***1996***, Dumbledore hired Firenze, who, as a ***Centaur***, had never attended a human school. On the other hand, he refused to hire Tom Riddle, knowing his ill intents despite his superior qualifications. Of course, this all depended on who was the current Head in question.

At least three years of after-school life experience were necessary. Both Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape were hired when they were twenty-one years old. When Tom Riddle graduated from Hogwarts, he immediately asked then-Headmaster ***Armando Dippet*** if he could teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Dippet considered him to be too young at age eighteen, but invited him to return in a few years and apply again.

After acquiring a post as Professor, teachers might temporarily return to the outside world to continue their practical studies. Quirinus Quirrell left his post as ***Muggle Studies*** instructor for a year-long sabbatical, allegedly to "gain first-hand experience" in Defence Against the Dark Arts so he could better teach it the following year.

When Dumbledore hired Gilderoy Lockhart, Professor McGonagall asked what could be learned from such a vain man. Dumbledore replied that much could be learned even from a bad teacher: what not to do, how not to be.

When the Ministry of Magic took on more tyrannical methods of trying to wrest control of Hogwarts from Dumbledore, they imposed an Educational Decree allowing them to implant a professor into the staff should the Headmaster fail to find a suitable candidate. This led to the installation of ***Dolores Umbridge***, who showed her own inability to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts properly, revealing that the Ministry would prefer to a figurehead to deliver politically authorised theories, rather than a genuine professor with practical qualifications.

According to Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Professors were very talented in magic overall, being able to perform advanced magical feats with little difficulty.

## Known professors

### Hogwarts

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## Appearances

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## Notes and references

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1. ↑ As in the case of Charms Master and Potions Master, as well as in the Template:POA quote: "Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!"
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