Ignatia Wildsmith

Ignatia Wildsmith (1227—1320) was a wizarding inventor and the creator of Floo Powder. During her childhood, she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and was Sorted into Ravenclaw.

Early life
"Ravenclaw house has an illustrious history. Most of the greatest wizarding inventors and innovators were in our house, including […] Ignatia Wildsmith, the inventor of Floo powder."

- Robert Hilliard.

Ignatia Wildsmith was born in 1227, somewhere in the British Isles.

In her youth, she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from around 1238 to 1245, where she was Sorted into Ravenclaw.

Adulthood
After her graduation from Hogwarts School, Ms. Wildsmith presumably studied further into Herbology, and discovered the magical properties of the Floo plant. From it, she devised a magical powder, Floo Powder, which, when thrown into a fire, could transport wizards from one fireplace to another via a network of fireplaces.

Death and post-mortem
Ms. Wildsmith died in 1320, aged around 93. In her honour, her achievement, the invention of the Floo Powder, was recorded on a Chocolate Frog Card.

On 1 September, 1991, Prefect Robert Hilliard welcomed the Ravenclaw first years to Ravenclaw Tower with a short speech in which he mentioned inventor Ignatia Wildsmith as one of the many notable Hogwarts students who had been Sorted, like them, into Ravenclaw.

Etymology

 * "Ignis" is Latin for "fire".

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Wizard of the Month
 * Pottermore

Notes and references
Ignatia Wildsmith