A Headmaster or Headmistress (or Highmaster, in Durmstrang Institute) is the chief administrator of a School of Magic. They make all major decisions regarding the safety and the day-to-day functioning of the school, and have the power to override any decision made by any other authoritative facilitator at the school, with the possible exception of the Board of Governors (and during a brief period in 1996, the "High Inquisitor"), in Hogwarts. A Headmaster also controls the protective spells surrounding the school and the ability for certain individuals to enter or exit the grounds at will. The four founders of Hogwarts (Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw) are not considered heads, despite leading the school during their time.
Hogwarts also has a Deputy Headmaster or Deputy Headmistress (depending on gender) that assists the headmaster in his duties. In the event of a headmaster's incapacitation, the deputy headmaster serves as temporary headmaster until the Board of Governors can elect a new, permanent one. There can also be more than one deputy headmaster, as the Carrow siblings served under Severus Snape when Voldemort takes over Hogwarts.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry[]
Headmasters[]
Known Headmasters of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:
- First Headmaster of Hogwarts (early 11th century)
- Phyllida Spore (sometime before 1408)[1]
- Edessa Sakndenberg (sometime before 1503)[2]
- Fytherley Undercliffe (sometime before 1531)[3]
- Vindictus Veridian (sometime before 1703)[4]
- Amrose Swott (sometime before 1724)[3]
- Dilys Derwent (1741-1768)
- Unidentified Professor (1790s)
- Eupraxia Mole (1876)
- Phineas Nigellus Black (sometime in the late 19th century to before 1926)
- Newton Scamander (sometime in the early 20th century)[2]
- Armando Dippet (early 20th century-1956)
- Albus Dumbledore (1956-1997) (Suspended in 1993, later reinstated; assumed to have been sacked in 1996 after escaping a Ministry attempt to arrest him, reinstated later that year)
- Minerva McGonagall (Acting) (1993)
- Dolores Umbridge (1996) (Note: though Umbridge was proclaimed headmistress, she was not acknowledged as such by the headmaster's office, which shut her out for the remainder of the year. In addition, her portrait does not hang in the headmaster's office.)
- Minerva McGonagall (Acting) (1997)
- Severus Snape (1997-1998)
- Minerva McGonagall (1998 to sometime between 2011 and 2017)
Headmasters from an unknown time period[]
- Basil Fronsac[2]
- Brian Gagwilde
- Dexter Fortescue
- Everard
- Heliotrope Wilkins[2]
- Quintin Trimble[5]
- Unidentified Headmaster[2]
- Unidentified Headmistress
- Vulpus[2]
- Limebert[2]
- Walter Aragon[6]
- Unidentified Chessmasters and Headmasters of Hogwarts
Deputy Headmasters[]
Known Deputy Headmasters of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:
- Minerva McGonagall (after 1956-1 September, 1997)
- Alecto Carrow (1 September, 1997-2 May, 1998)
- Amycus Carrow (1 September, 1997-2 May, 1998)
Durmstrang Institute[]
Known Highmasters of Durmstrang Institute:
- Unidentified Professor (1790s)
- Igor Karkaroff (Unknown-1995)
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic[]
Known Headmasters of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic:
- Unidentified Professor (1790s)
- Olympe Maxime (Unknown-Unknown)
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
- 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 Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Pottermore
- LEGO Harry Potter
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) - Chapter 21 (The Pensieve)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film) DVD (Disc 2 - Dumbledore's Office)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter Limited Edition - The Paintings of Hogwarts: Masterpieces from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Sets
- ↑ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- ↑ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- ↑ LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4