Harry's first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a confusing experience, but you don't need to be equally disorientated - just use our A-Z guide to Harry's world...

A
Albus Dumbledore - headmaster of Hogwarts and the most powerful wizard of the age; not bad for a 150-year-old.

B
Broomstick - a wizard's principal mode of transport. Also essential for Quidditch (qv).
Bertie Bott's - manufacturer of Every Flavour Beans (from toast to grass).

C
Cauldron - essential item for brewing magical potions.

D
Diagon Alley - the Oxford Street of wizardry.
Draco Malfoy - fellow student and Harry's chief foe at Hogwarts.

E
Elixir of Life - a much sought-after potion which makes the drinker immortal.

F
Filch - caretaker at Hogwarts; a man to be avoided, especially when you're out of bounds. Owner of an equally loathed cat, Mrs Norris.

G
Gringotts - a bank for wizards that's run by goblins, and situated in the bowels of the earth.

H
Hagrid - hairy giant who's the keeper of the keys at Hogwarts.
Hermione Granger - girly swot who's one of Harry's friends at Hogwarts.
Hogwarts - the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to which Harry is summoned on his 11th birthday.
Houses - Hogwarts is divided into four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

I
Invisibility Cloak - priceless item of clothing, especially when sneaking around at night.

L
Leaky Cauldron - public house in London, much favoured by magical folks.

M
Ministry of Magic - governing body of all things magical.
Muggles - a derogatory name for non-magic folk.

N
Nearly Headless Nick - one of Hogwarts' ghosts; not as scary as he'd like to think.
Nine and three quarters - need to catch a train to Hogwarts? Head for this platform at King's Cross station.

O
Owl - ideal wizards' pets, useful for sending messages. Harry's is called Hedwig.

P
Philosopher's Stone - a legendary treasure with amazing powers.
Professor McGonagall - Mainstay of Hogwarts, second only to Dumbledore.

Q
Quidditch - a magical sport, played on broomsticks. Harry's broomstick is the Nimbus 2000 model.
Quirrell - stuttering, nervous professor who lives in the shadow of his peers.

R
Ron Weasley - freckled pal of Harry, a fellow newcomer at Hogwarts.

S
Severus Snape - Hogwarts' potions master who has a mysterious hatred of Harry.
Snitch - golden object that must be caught to win a game of Quidditch.
Sorting hat - instrument which places students into houses.

T
Transfiguration - the difficult art of turning one thing into another; class taught by McGonagall.

U
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia Dursley - Harry's loathsome (muggle) step-parents.

V
Voldemort - the dark enemy who tried, and failed, to kill the infant Harry.

W
Wand - essential component for any wannabe wizard. Harry purchases his from Ollivanders.

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