Ernie Macmillan

**Ernie Macmillan** was a character in the *Harry Potter book series*.

He was a pure-blood wizard who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Hufflepuff House. He was in Harry Potter's year and he joined Dumbledore's Army.

## Biography

### Early life

Ernie started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of eleven. He was Sorted into Hufflepuff House.

### Chamber of Secrets

In December 1992, Ernie joined a Duelling Club founded by Professor Lockhart. Lockhart put everyone into pairings to have a go at duelling but a few students including Ernie broke the rules and he ended up falling down. Lockhart had to help Ernie get back up. Ernie then saw Harry speaking Parseltongue to save Justin Finch-Fletchley but since the club could not understand what he saying, everyone thought he was encouraging the snake to hurt Justin.

Ernie and the school thought it was proof that Harry was the Heir of Slytherin who had unleashed a Basilisk. He advised Justin, a Muggle-born, to stay in the Hufflepuff common room for safety in case Harry wants Justin to be Petrified.

He and a group of Hufflepuff students were in the Library debating Harry, and Ernie told everyone he thought Harry was a Dark wizard because he spoke Parseltongue. He then deduced further "proof" that Harry was the Heir: Harry and Filch argued and then Mrs Norris was Petrified. Colin Creevey annoyed Harry and then Colin was Petrified. A friend told him that Harry couldn't be bad because he was a nice person, but Ernie proposed that Harry probably survived the Killing Curse when he was younger because he was a Dark wizard and that was why he was targeted.

Unfortunately for Ernie, Harry heard everything and interrupted to ask if he could speak to Justin. Ernie looked scared but asked Harry why and Harry told him that he wanted to tell him what happened. Harry told Ernie that he told the snake not to hurt Justin, but Ernie told him that they saw the snake getting closer to Justin when Harry spoke to it. Ernie told Harry that he was a pure-blood and Harry told him he could care less. He asked why he would want to hurt Muggle-borns and when Ernie stated he hated the Dursleys, Harry left in anger.

Later that day, Ernie found Harry near a Petrified Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He thought it was further proof and that Harry was caught red-handed but Professor McGonagall told Ernie to shut up and take Nearly Headless Nick upstairs using a fan. In February, Ernie continued to think Harry was responsible. He thought that the reason for no further attacks was because Harry was trying to save face.

By April, Ernie had began to behave kinder towards Harry and politely asked him to pass a box of leaping toadstools in Herbology. He later apologised to Harry and they shook hands. Ernie then pointed out that Draco was very happy about what was happening in the school and thought perhaps he could be the Heir of Slytherin but Harry knowing Draco was innocent, told Ernie he wasn't. Ernie and Hannah Abbott later heard Harry and Ron talking about following spiders and appeared confused.

### Prisoner of Azkaban

Ernie began studying Muggle Studies in the third-year at Hogwarts. He later told Ron that he had never missed a lesson.

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ He was Harry Potter's year, and couldn't take the Apparation test because he was too young (*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Chapter 22).
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 11
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 12
4. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Chapter 32
5. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 13
6. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 14
7. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 15
8. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 12