Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Character Analysis

Harry Potter

The protagonist of the novel; a thirteen-year-old wizard who attends Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He lives with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon during the summer. Because the Dursleys are muggles and hate… read analysis of Harry Potter

Ron Weasley

Harry's best friend at Hogwarts. Ron's family is extremely poor and, because they're all wizards, Ron knows little about muggles and how to use muggle technology. This results in his botched telephone conversation with Uncle… read analysis of Ron Weasley

Hermione Granger

Harry and Ron's best friend at Hogwarts. She's muggle-born and is the smartest student in their year. Though she's always loved school and learning, Hermione takes this a step further in her third year when… read analysis of Hermione Granger

Professor Lupin

Harry, Ron, and Hermione first meet Professor Lupin on the Hogwarts Express. He's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and though he's not very old, he's going gray, appears somewhat ill… read analysis of Professor Lupin

Sirius Black

Harry first hears about Black on the muggle news, where they say that he's an escaped convict. Once Harry reenters the magical world, he learns that Sirius Black was one of Voldemort's closest supporters. He… read analysis of Sirius Black

Professor Snape

The potions master and the head of Slytherin House. It's a well-known fact among the student body that Snape desperately wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts job and that Dumbledore refuses to give it… read analysis of Professor Snape

Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew

Scabbers is Ron's rat, but later in the book it is revealed that he is really the wizard Peter Pettigrew who has taken a rat form. The Weasley family adopted Scabbers (the rat) thirteen years… read analysis of Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew

Rubeus Hagrid

The Hogwarts groundskeeper. He's almost twice the size of a normal man and as a third-year Hogwarts student, he was expelled from school for a crime he didn't commit. Because Harry and Ron were able… read analysis of Rubeus Hagrid

Professor Trelawney

The Hogwarts Divination professor. Harry describes her as looking like a "glittering insect," as she wears lots of jewelry and drapes herself in scarves. An eccentric woman, most people at Hogwarts don't take her (or… read analysis of Professor Trelawney

Albus Dumbledore

The headmaster at Hogwarts. He's an old wizard and is supposedly the only wizard that Voldemort ever feared. Harry admires Dumbledore greatly and feels safe with him at school; he reasons that Dumbledore will be… read analysis of Albus Dumbledore

James Potter

Harry's father. Voldemort murdered him and his wife, Lily, twelve years ago. He attended Hogwarts and was friends with Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew, and he and Sirius were the… read analysis of James Potter

Cornelius Fudge

The Minister of Magic. When Harry meets him after running away from the Dursleys, he finds Fudge to be a very different person than he was expecting: Fudge acts fatherly towards Harry and seems concerned… read analysis of Cornelius Fudge

Draco Malfoy

Harry's archenemy at Hogwarts. Malfoy is a Slytherin student in the same year as Harry. He comes from a wealthy family that used to support Voldemort while Voldemort was in power, and his father, Lucius… read analysis of Draco Malfoy

Neville Longbottom

One of Harry's fellow third-year Gryffindors. Neville lives with his grandmother and struggles at school. Though he's very kind, his lack of confidence means that he often messes up when he tries to perform spells… read analysis of Neville Longbottom

Voldemort

The villain of the series; an evil overlord obsessed with blood purity. He doesn't appear in person in this novel, but he was in power until twelve years ago. At that point, Harry's parents, who… read analysis of Voldemort

Professor McGonagall

The Gryffindor Head of House and the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts. She's an exacting teacher and authority figure, though she also cares deeply for her students and their wellbeing. She acts as a voice of… read analysis of Professor McGonagall

Crookshanks

A huge and ugly orange cat that Hermione adopts instead of an owl. He immediately gets on Ron's bad side by trying to attack Scabbers in the magical creatures shop, and he spends the rest… read analysis of Crookshanks

Buckbeak

A hippogriff (a creature that's half-eagle, half-horse) who features prominently in Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Hippogriffs in general are proud creatures who will strike if insulted, and Buckbeak is no exception: when… read analysis of Buckbeak

Uncle Vernon

Harry's uncle; a large, often purple, and always angry man. He adores his son, Dudley, and loathes Harry. He and his wife, Petunia, took in Harry after Harry was orphaned and they abused… read analysis of Uncle Vernon

Aunt Marge

Uncle Vernon's sister. Like him she's large, purple, and mean, and she takes special pleasure in tormenting Harry. She lives in the country and breeds bulldogs, and her expertise in dog breeding gives her… read analysis of Aunt Marge

Percy Weasley

The oldest Weasley child still at Hogwarts; he's a seventh-year and is Head Boy. Percy takes himself and his role very seriously, so he often behaves pompously and occasionally abuses his power by yelling at… read analysis of Percy Weasley

Mr. Weasley

Ron's father. Mr. Weasley works at the Ministry of Magic, where he works with muggle artifacts. His interest in muggle items is a personal one as well. After Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban, Mr. Weasley… read analysis of Mr. Weasley

Mrs. Weasley

Ron's mother; a plump, red-haired witch. She's extremely proud of her sons who do well in school, like Bill and Percy, and seems exasperated by Fred, George, and Ron's lack of desire… read analysis of Mrs. Weasley

Fred Weasley

One of the Weasley twins. As the fourth and fifth Weasley children, Fred and George spend much of their time getting into trouble and teasing people, especially Mrs. Weasley and Percy. When Fred and… read analysis of Fred Weasley

George Weasley

One of the Weasley twins. Fred and George are the fourth and fifth Weasley children and as their three older brothers are well-behaved and successful, the twins take it upon themselves to get into as… read analysis of George Weasley

Oliver Wood

The captain and Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. A seventh-year, Wood has spent the last several years putting together a skilled and competent team and he desperately wants to win the Quidditch Cup during… read analysis of Oliver Wood

Cedric Diggory

A tall and handsome fifth-year in Hufflepuff; he's the new Quidditch captain and Seeker on their team. Girls find him charming, while Fred Weasley insists that Diggory isn't very smart. He does prove himself extremely… read analysis of Cedric Diggory

Filch

The cantankerous caretaker at Hogwarts. He has a cat, Mrs. Norris, who helps him patrol the corridors. He doesn't like students, suspects them all of mischief, and is a fan of horrific corporal punishment that… read analysis of Filch

Lucius Malfoy

Draco Malfoy's father. A powerful, wealthy, and influential wizard who was once in league with Voldemort, he exercises his power in the present by registering a complaint against Buckbeak with the Committee for the… read analysis of Lucius Malfoy

Sir Cadogan

A knight in one of the Hogwarts paintings. After Sirius Black attacks the Fat Lady, he takes over for her and guards the Gryffindor portrait hole. The Gryffindors don't like him as his passwords… read analysis of Sir Cadogan

Aunt Petunia

Harry's aunt and Lily's sister. A muggle, Petunia is terrified of magic and participated fully in Vernon's project of bullying Harry. She's horse-faced and extremely nosy; her favorite pastime is spying on the neighbors. When… read analysis of Aunt Petunia

Lily Potter

Harry's mother; adults who knew her tell Harry often that he has Lily's eyes. Voldemort murdered her twelve years ago but because she sacrificed her life for Harry's, Harry was protected and survived the ordeal… read analysis of Lily Potter

Stan Shunpike

The young man who manages passengers on the Knight Bus. Harry notes that though Stan tries to be professional, he's actually very young. He buys Harry's lie that Harry is actually Neville Longbottom and tells… read analysis of Stan Shunpike

Minor Characters

Neville's Grandmother

An imposing and demanding older lady. Though Neville seems afraid of her, he does find her clothing humorous--when he fights the boggart, he forces the boggart version of Professor Snape into his grandmother's clothes, complete with a moth-eaten bird hat.

Dudley

Harry's non-magical cousin. He's greedy, overweight, and loves nothing more than watching his parents bully Harry. He receives a new television at the beginning of the summer so he doesn't have to walk back and forth between the kitchen and the living room.

The Fat Lady

A large lady in a pink dress whose portrait guards the Gryffindor portrait hole. She takes her job very seriously and refuses to let Sirius Black into the tower without the password.

Parvati Patil

One of Harry's classmates. Along with her best friend, Lavender Brown, she admires Professor Trelawney and takes their Divination classes very seriously.

Vincent Crabbe

One of Draco Malfoy's cronies. Along with Goyle, Crabbe does whatever Malfoy asks him to do and doesn't seem very intelligent.

Gregory Goyle

One of Draco Malfoy's henchmen. He's large and gorilla-like and, in Harry's estimation, exists only to do Malfoy's bidding.

Madam Pomfrey

The Hogwarts nurse. She's skilled at mending all manner of injuries, and she's impressed when she learns that Professor Lupin knows his antidotes.

Lavender Brown

One of Harry's classmates. She loves Divination classes and admires Professor Trelawney.

Peeves

The Hogwarts poltergeist. He thrives on mischief and mayhem and though he torments students and teachers alike, he's never rude to Professor Dumbledore.

Hedwig

Harry's snowy owl. She's extremely intelligent and has an uncanny knack for knowing when and where to show up so that she can carry messages to Harry.

Madam Rosmerta

The owner and bartender at The Three Broomsticks, the local bar in Hogsmeade.

Cho Chang

A pretty fourth-year Ravenclaw who plays Seeker on their Quidditch team.

Lee Jordan

One of Fred and George's friends; he provides Quidditch commentary during matches.

Ginny Weasley

The youngest Weasley child and the only girl. She has a crush on Harry.

Seamus Finnigan

One of Harry's classmates; a third-year Gryffindor student.

Dean Thomas

One of Harry's fellow third-year Gryffindors.

Tom

The wizened owner of the London/Diagon Alley pub the Leaky Cauldron.

Penelope Clearwater

Percy Weasley's girlfriend, a seventh-year in Ravenclaw.

Bill Weasley

The eldest Weasley son. He works in banking in Egypt.

Alicia Spinnet

A Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Angelina Johnson

A Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Katie Bell

A Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Professor Sprout

The Herbology professor.

Colin Creevy

A second-year Gryffindor student who idolizes Harry.

Madam Hooch

The Hogwarts flying instructor. She also referees Quidditch games.

Macnair

The executioner who is supposed to execute Buckbeak.

Ernie Prang

The driver of the Knight Bus. He's old and an erratic driver.

Professor Flitwick

The Charms professor.

Pansy Parkinson

A mean girl in Slytherin.

Errol

The Weasley family's old owl.

Fang

Hagrid's boarhound.

Trevor

Neville's pet toad.

Ripper

Aunt Marge's bad-tempered old bulldog.