Category:Ghosts

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Creature profile
Ghost
Appearance	pearly-white, slightly transparent
Known specimens	Nearly Headless Nick, Moaning Myrtle, other Hogwarts ghosts
First appearance in canon	The Sorting Hat (PS)

Ghosts are magical creatures classified as 'spirits' by the Ministry of Magic (FBi). They are the imprints of the soul of a dead witch or wizard (HBP21).

Appearance

Ghosts do not have a solid body but are made of a pearly-white, transparent mist that emanates a slight silver glow. Otherwise, they appear in the exact state of their human self at the moment of death. They float along the ground and can pass through walls and other obstacles. Likewise, humans can walk through ghosts, although the experience is not pleasant and resembles stepping into ice-cold water (PS7). In the presence of a large group of ghosts, humans feel a chill (CS8). Ghosts cannot eat, drink, or breathe, facts that they often lament (CS8, GF25).

Afterlife among the living

When wizards die, they can choose to remain in the world they know as a ghost instead of going on into the unknown form of afterlife that awaits them. Ghosts therefore know none of the true secrets of death. Few wizards make that choice. Nearly Headless Nick admits that he did so because he was afraid of death and seems to regret his decision, which places him "neither here nor there" (OP38).

Ghosts see themselves as 'has-beens' and therefore objected to be classified as 'beings' by the Ministry of Magic when the official classification was introduced in 1811. In answer to their complaints, the Spirit Division was added to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures (FBi).

Ghosts usually haunt the place where they died. If they do not comply with this, the Ministry can order them to return there (GF25).

Important ghosts

Hogwarts is the home of many ghosts. Each of the four Houses has their own ghost who supports the House and its students.

Several of the Hogwarts ghosts have supported Harry Potter during his adventures. Most important are Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, Moaning Myrtle, the ghost of a student killed by Tom Marvolo Riddle, and Helena Ravenclaw, the Ravenclaw ghost who told him about Ravenclaw's diadem, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.

The Headless Hunt is a ghost society led by Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore. The society admits only properly beheaded ghosts and engages in sports such as Horseback Head-Juggling, Head Polo and Head Hockey (CS8).