Random Historical References In Harry Potter (20 items)

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  (#2) Nicolas Flamel Was A Real-Life French Scholar

  Nicolas Flamel of the Harry Potter world is actually a real person. In the series, Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone, which grants immortality with the Elixir of Life. According to Pottermore, the real Nicolas Flamel hails from fourteenth century France. Had he survived as he did in the book, he would have been around 665 at the time period in The Philosopher's Stone. 

  Historians can't agree on whether or not he was actually an alchemist, but he had an extensive library with alchemical texts and may have spent time trying to decode a mysterious book filled with alchemical symbols. The Philosopher's Stone also comes from history and is sometimes referred to as "the tincture" and "the powder." Believers in Western Alchemy thought the stone had the power to transform base metals into precious metals like gold and silver and could yield the elixir of life, the key to immortality. 
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  (#5) The Reason You Don't Name Your Kid After A Wolf In Harry Potter

  JK Rowling uses mythological names to foreshadow various events in Harry Potter. If Rowling gave you a mythological wolf-related name, you're eventually turning into a werewolf. Remus Lupin's name is a nod to the myth of Romulus and Remus, a set of twins in Roman mythology who were raised by a she-wolf and allegedly founded Rome.

  Meanwhile, Fenrir Greyback, who bites Lupin and turns him into a werewolf, gets his name from Norse mythology where Fenrir is a giant wolf. Fenrir was known as a malevolent figure who carried out acts of evil, which makes his name fitting for the villainous Greyback.  
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  (#18) Old English Folklore Inspired Dobby's Name

  Dobby's heartwarming loyalty to Harry and his eventual freedom made him a fan favorite for Harry Potter fans, but many do not realize the careful execution behind the beloved house elf's name. Dobby is actually an old English word that refers to an elf from fables. According to old stories, dobbies performed tasks secretly at night.

  In these stories, dobbies were said to disappear when offered clothes or shoes. House elves, of course, gain their freedom when offered clothing from their master. 
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  (#16) Argus Filch Is Totally All-Seeing

  Argus Filch is the enforcer of Hogwarts. He's seen as the wet blanket that swoops in to stop the students from having fun or making mischief, especially when they break Hogwards rules by doing so. He always seems to get kids into more trouble with their teachers and loves handing out write ups for the most minor infractions. 

  Like many Harry Potter characters, Filch's name carries significance. Argus was a Greek god with tons of eyes, meaning he could see a whole lot. In addition, "Filch" means to steal. Filch can be seen both as a stealer of fun in the Harry Potter world and he confiscated the Marauder's Map from James Potter.
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  (#19) A German Literary Movement Inspired The Durmstrang School's Name

  The Durmstrang Institute was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as the Scandinavian school contender in the Triwizard Tournament. Their name, like many names in the Harry Potter universe, was not picked at random, but this Rowling reference was particularly esoteric. The Durmstrang school was named after a little known German literary movement called Sturm and Drang, German for "storm and stress." The 18th Century movement wanted to overthrow rationalism associated with Enlightenment-era thinking and placed value on nature, feeling, and individualism. 

  Is there any relation behind the philosophy of the Sturm and Drang movement and the Durmstrang Institute? Not really. According to Pottermore, the school does have a dark reputation and, historically, turned out many morally questionable witches and wizards. Perhaps it was the sinister connotations of the words "storm" and "stress" themselves that drew Rowling to the name. 
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  (#14) Sirius Black's Dog Transformation Is Written In The Stars

  Sirius Black is kind of an oxymoron considering that Sirius is the brightest star in our galaxy, but the Harry Potter character is still linked to the star in a major way. The real life Sirius is located at the edge of the constellation Canis Major, which is why it's often called the Dog Star. Sirius Black, who is an Animagus, regularly (and illegally) transformed into a Black Dog named Padfoot throughout the series.

  Sirius isn't an outlier in his family. Most of the Black family are named after stars. In fact, Andromeda is named after a whole Galaxy.

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