The Harry Potter Compendium
The Harry Potter Compendium
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Ignatia Wildsmith (12271320) 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.[1]

Biography[]

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.[src]

Ignatia Wildsmith was born in 1227,[2] 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.[1]

Adulthood[]

File:Ignatia WildsmithGBC.png

A younger Ignatia Wildsmith.

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.[2]

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.[2]

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.[1]

Etymology[]

  • "Ignis" is Latin for "fire".

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Pottermore introduction for Ravenclaws (transcription available here)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (video game)
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