Padma Patil

"Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw, and they're identical. You'd think they'd be together, wouldn't you?"

- Hermione Granger

Padma Patil was a witch who was in the same year as Harry Potter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the identical twin sister of Parvati Patil. Padma was sorted into Ravenclaw house and became a prefect in her fifth year. She was a member of Dumbledore's Army and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998.

Early Years
Parvati and Padma were both born somewhere between 1979-1980. They were probably raised in a wizarding household as Padma's parents took her and her sister from school when they heard of Dumbledore's death, intimating they were aware of wizarding affairs.

Education at Hogwarts
In 1991, Padma began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sorted into Ravenclaw house and Parvati was sorted into Gryffindor, separating the two. Padma shared a dormitory with Mandy Brocklehurst, Lisa Turpin, Morag MacDougal and Su Li. It is likely that Padma and Parvati both knew Pansy Parkinson before starting their education due to the way Pansy addresses them.

Fourth year


Padma's fourth year at Hogwarts school would play host to the Triwizard Tournament, where students from three schools competed against one another. Normally three finalists are selected from the Goblet of Fire, but this year four students were selected, two from Hogwarts: Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter.

As part of the tournament, a traditional Yule Ball is held by the hosting school, Padma attended the Yule Ball with Ron Weasley, at the urging of Parvati (Harry's date) when Harry begged her to find a date for Ron. Padma, however, was less than enthusiastic at having Ron as a partner, since he refused to dance with her and instead spent the evening stewing in jealousy over Hermione's date with Viktor Krum. Padma wore turquoise dress robes for the occasion. Due to both Harry and Ron showing a lack of interest in the twins, Padma and Parvati both abandoned their dates and danced with some boys from Beauxbatons.

Padma became more interested in Ron Weasley after he became one of the hostages for the second task and spoke with him in the halls several times, intrigued with what had occurred. He assured her that he had his wand hidden, and that he could have taken on the merpeople any time.

Fifth year
In 1995, Padma became a prefect for Ravenclaw along with Anthony Goldstein. Padma's fifth year would have the school undergo the watchful eye of the Ministry through Dolores Umbridge, who would be appointed High Inquisitor as well as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Umbridge refused to teach any of her students practical magic which led to an uproar against her.

Padma attended the Hog's Head for the founding meeting of Dumbledore's Army with her sister, and signed the parchment saying she wouldn't reveal any secrets that the group hold. She then became a member of Dumbledore's Army and participated in many of the meetings held, learning how to cast new spells such as a Patronus. During her fifth year also Padma's rebellious side had really started to show, after becoming a member of Dumbledore's Army, Padma had also with the help of her sister Parvati and Harry Potter started to destroy the speakers that Umbridge had placed around the castle in an attempt to silence her.

Sixth year
In 1996, Padma and Parvati's parents initially wanted their daughters not to return to Hogwarts, though they convinced them to allow it. Despite their parents instinct to now allow the girls to return Padma and Parvati potentially could have been harmed. That year Hogwarts would be under attack from Death Eaters, and Dumbledore's Army was called into arms. However, neither Padma nor Parvati had their coins that signalled this call on them and did not participate in the battle.

But as a result Mr. and Mrs. Patil insisted on bringing their daughters home the day after, due to the battle resulting in Albus Dumbledore's death at the end of the school year. Padma was unable to attend Dumbledore's funeral, having been taken home before breakfast.

Seventh year
"He looked hopefully towards the little group of Ravenclaws, to Padma, Michael, Terry and Cho, but it was Luna who answered, perched on the arm of Ginny's chair."

- Harry seeking help from the Ravenclaws during his search for the diadem in 1998.

In 1998 Hogwarts was under the control of Lord Voldemort and his followers, students where brutally punished and taught different subjects, like how to use dark magic instead of defending against it. Sensing the need for rebellion yet again, like there had been when Hogwarts was under the control of Dolores Umbridge, Padma and her sister Parvati both joined the reconstituted Dumbledore's Army, standing up against Death Eater control of Hogwarts. Unlike before when trouble brewed Padma's parents had not attempted to withdraw her and her sister from school as it had now become compulsory attendance for pure-blood students, which the Patil sisters are likely to be.

In May, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger returned to Hogwarts after taking the year off to destroy Horcruxes. With Harry's return, Dumbledore's Army was stronger than it had ever been. But with this return, the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters came looking for Potter. Hogwarts staff and students refused to simply hand Harry over without a fight, and in return a fight is what they got. Padma participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, fighting alongside her sister and Dean Thomas.

Padma survived the battle and was later seen with Cho Chang, Katie Bell and Leanne. Nothing is known about her life after this.

Physical appearance
"I still can't work out how you two got the two best-looking girls in the year."

- Dean Thomas on Padma and Parvati

Both Padma and her sister were described by Dean Thomas in 1994 as "the two best looking girls in the year". They are both very attractive girls with long black hair and are of Indian descent. Parvati usually wore her hair in a plait and it is likely Padma did also as the two always looked identical and could only be told apart by their uniforms.

Personality and traits
"Don't you look... dashing."

- Padma Patil showing her sense of humour as Ron arrives to the Yule Ball.

Padma seems to be the less outgoing and more studious of the twins. She was sorted into Ravenclaw, a mark of her intelligence. Also, Padma was not yet asked to the Yule Ball by the time she was fixed up with Ron Weasley, despite her physical beauty the boys in her year did not seem to be interested in her, not even Dean Thomas who seems to have attended the ball alone. Padma was also made a prefect, something her sister never achieved, making her appear better trusted for the position by her teachers than her sister. She was also much quieter than her sister Parvati.

Magical abilities and skills

 * Defence against the Dark Arts: Padma participated in Dumbledore´s Army and probably learned some defensive spells there. Later, she took N. E. W. T. classes in this subject and apparently survived the Battle of Hogwarts.
 * Potions: In 1996, Padma and Parvati brewed Babbling Beverage to disturb Dolores Umbridge. Unlike her sister, she took N. E. W. T. classes in this subject, indicating she earned either an Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations O. W. L.

Etymology
The Patils' names and appearance in the films imply that the characters are of Indian descent. Patil is a common Marathi surname in the state of Maharashtra, India. It signifies that at least one of Padma's ancestors was a village head in western India. In Sanskrit, Padma means "lotus," which symbolises divinity and purity, because of its nature and birth in dirty mud water. Rowling initially intended her and her sister to bear forenames beginning with Ma. Their surname on Rowling's class list is also spelled as "Patel", which is another version of the name Patil but from a different region of India (Gujarat).

Behind the scenes

 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and subsequent films, Padma is shown to be in Gryffindor along with Parvati, instead of Ravenclaw, but in the video game Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 she is shown to be a member of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
 * The Patils are not portrayed as identical twins in the films, but rather fraternal twins as the actresses who play them are not sisters in real life.
 * Padma is portrayed by Sharon Sandhu in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. However, she was recast and was portrayed by Afshan Azad in later films.
 * In Pottermore, J.K. Rowling's early names for Padma and Parvati are given with: Madhari Patel and Mati Patel.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
 * LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
 * Pottermore

Notes and references
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