Harry Potter

Harry Potter is in his third year at Hogwarts. Over the course of the year, he learns that Sirius Black (an alleged dark wizard who betrayed the Potters to Voldemort and killed thirteen people with one curse) is after him. Harry also begins seeing The Grim, a supposed omen of death, everywhere. At the end of the year, Harry discovers that Sirius Black is innocent and was framed by another of the Potter’s friends, Peter Pettigrew. Harry is unable to clear Sirius’ name, but succeeds in helping him go into hiding.

Ronald Weasley

Ronald Weasley is in his third year at Hogwarts and Harry’s best friend. Ron spends the summer in Egypt visiting his brother Bill after his parents win a large sum of money in a drawing. Ron spends much of the year worrying about his old, sickly pet rat, Scabbers, and is devastated when Hermione’s cat appears to have eaten the rat. Sirius Black, in his animagus dog form, breaks Ron’s leg while attempting to attack Scabbers, who is really the animagus Peter Pettigrew in disguise.

Hermione Granger

Hermione Granger is in her third year at Hogwarts and a best friend to Harry and Ron. She uses her birthday money to buy a cat called Crookshanks who becomes a source of contention between Hermione and Ron. Hermione also puts a strain in her relationship with Harry when she reports Harry’s new Firebolt broom to Professor McGonagall, believing it might have been sent to Harry by Sirius Black. She takes on an overloaded course schedule and becomes increasingly burdened by the amount of work she has to complete. At the end of the year, Hermione reveals that she has been using a Time Turner to get to all her classes. Hermione travels back in time with Harry to save Buckbeak from execution and Sirius Black from the dementors’ kiss.

Sirius Black

Sirius Black is a convicted murderer who has spent the last twelve years in the wizard prison Azkaban for killing thirteen people, including Peter Pettigrew, with a single curse. He was also the Potter’s secret keeper–the lone person who knew their whereabouts–when the family went into hiding. Those close to the Potters believed that Black, their best friend, betrayed them to Voldemort. Sirius is an unregistered dog animagus and was also named Harry’s godfather. At the end of the book, Sirius reveals to Harry that he wants to kill Peter Pettigrew – another unregistered animagus who faked his own death and has been masquerading as Ron’s pet rat, Scabbers. Sirius admits that Pettigrew was in fact the Potter’s secret keeper and in league with Lord Voldemort. Before Sirius is able to clear his name, Pettigrew flees in his rat form and dementors capture Sirius. Condemned to have his soul sucked out by a dementor’s kiss, Sirius escapes on the back of the hippogriff Buckbeak and goes into hiding.

Remus Lupin

Remus Lupin is Hogwarts’ new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He teaches he third year students how to battle a number of malevolent and mischievous creatures including boggarts, hinkypunks and kappas. Lupin also gives Harry private lessons to teach him out to perform a Patronus charm and keep dementors at bay. Although he misses many classes due to a mysterious illness, his classes become some of the most popular at school. Harry later learns that Lupin is actually a werewolf. Lupin admits to being friends with James Potter and Sirius Black at school and knowing the creators of the Marauder’s Map. It is later revealed that Lupin was one of the map’s inventors, along with Sirius, James and Peter Pettigrew. When word of Lupin’s condition spreads, Lupin decides to leave Hogwarts.

Peter Pettigrew

Peter Pettigrew was a friend of James, Sirius and Lupin’s at Hogwarts, though he is described as much less competent and influential than his friends. Pettigrew was thought to be dead at the hand of Sirius Black, but Harry discovers that Pettigrew, an unregistered animagus, faked his own murder and went into hiding as the Weasley family’s pet rat, Scabbers. Pettigrew also turns out to be the wizard who betrayed the Potters to Voldemort. Black plans to kill Pettigrew in retribution, but Harry steps in and saves Pettigrew’s life. Harry tries to turn Pettigrew into the authorities to clear Sirius’ name, but Pettigrew escapes at the last minute and flees, presumably to Lord Voldemort.

Rubeus Hagrid

Rubeus Hagrid is the Hogwarts grounds keeper and new Care of Magical Creatures professor. He gets over excited on his first day of teaching and brings in hippogriffs for the third years to handle. Draco Malfoy upsets one temperamental hippogriff named Buckbeak, and gets scratched on the arm. Hagrid is then forced to defend Buckbeak in court when Draco’s father, Lucius, presses charges. Buckbeak is sentenced to death but Hagrid is thrilled when the hippogriff escapes and is able to go into hiding.

Sibyll Trelawney

Sibyll Trelawney is Hogwarts’ reclusive and eccentric divination professor. She is constantly predicting Harry’s death and other unfortunate incidents. While some students believe in her ability to see the future, most (including Hermione and McGonagall) regard her as a fraud. During Harry’s final exam Trelawney enters a trance, and predicts that the Dark Lord’s most faithful servant will soon return to him. Dumbledore considers this a real prediction and notes that this trance marks her second confirmed “real” prediction.

Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts. He believes Harry and Hermione when they report Sirius Black’s innocence and advises them to use the Time Turner to rescue Buckbeak and Sirius.

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall is the transfiguration teacher, head of Gryffindor house and deputy headmistress at Hogwarts. She takes Harry’s Firebolt away from him, believing it may have been hexed by Sirius Black. She eventually returns the broom to Harry after no traces of tampering are found.

Severus Snape

Severus Snape is the Hogwarts potions professor and head of Slytherin house. Snape seems to dislike Lupin, though he routinely delivers a special goblet of potion to Lupin’s office. Harry later discovers that the potion is Wolfsbane, a brew that keeps the werewolf Lupin tame each month when he transfigures into his wolf state. Snape catches Harry sneaking back into the castle after visiting Hogsmeade without permission, but Lupin intercedes and covers for him. Harry learns that Snape was enemies with Lupin, James and Sirius during their school years. Snape shows up in the Shrieking Shack when Black reveals the truth about his innocence, but Harry, Ron and Hermione knock Snape unconscious with the combined power of their disarming spells before he can intervene. Later, Snape convinces the Minister for Magic that Black addled Harry’s brain to make him believe the story about Pettigrew.

Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy is a third year Slytherin student and one of Harry’s greatest foes at Hogwarts. He uses his father’s influence to try to have Hagrid fired and Buckbeak executed.

Lucius Malfoy

Lucius Malfoy is Draco Malfoy’s wealthy and manipulative father. Lucius spearheads the case against Buckbeak, and convinces the court of the hippogriff’s guilt.

Professor Flitwick

Professor Flitwick is the charms teacher and head of Ravenclaw house. Harry overhears Flitwick recalling memories of James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew’s schooldays.

Buckbeak

Buckbeak is one of Hagrid’s hippogriffs. He injures Draco Malfoy at the start of the school term and is sentenced to death for being “rogue.” Minutes before his scheduled execution, Harry and Hermione help Buckbeak escape.

Ginny Weasley

Ginny Weasley is a second year Gryffindor student and the youngest child in the Weasley family.

Percy Weasley

Percy Weasley is a seventh year Gryffindor and the eldest of the Weasley children still attending Hogwarts. He is named the school Head Boy at the start of term and takes his duties very seriously, helping teachers secure the school after Sirius Black’s break in.

Fred Weasley

Fred Weasley is a fifth year Gryffindor, middle Weasley child and twin brother to George. Along with George, Fred gives Harry an enchanted map of Hogwarts called the Marauder’s Map that aids mischief makers. He also plays beater for the Gryffindor quidditch team and helps win the Quidditch cup.

George Weasley

George Weasley is a fifth year Gryffindor, middle Weasley child and twin brother to Fred. Along with Fred, George gives Harry an enchanted map of Hogwarts called the Marauder’s Map that aids mischief makers. He also plays beater for the Gryffindor quidditch team and helps win the Quidditch cup.

Arthur Weasley

Arthur Weasley is the Weasley children’s father and an employee at the Ministry for Magic. He argues with Molly over whether or not to tell Harry that Sirius Black escaped to murder him. Arthur finds out that Harry overheard the conversation with Molly and advises Harry not to go looking for trouble.

Petunia Dursley

Petunia Dursley is Harry’s unpleasant muggle aunt.

Vernon Dursley

Vernon Dursley is Harry’s hot-tempered muggle uncle. He locks Harry school books in the cupboard under the stairs, and forces Harry to pretend he attends the fictional St. Brutus’s Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys rather than Hogwarts.

Marge Dursley

Marge Dursley is Uncle Vernon’s sister who comes to visit Vernon and Petunia over Harry’s summer holidays. She has a great love for dogs and an even greater dislike for Harry. Unaware of Harry’s magical parentage, she begins loudly insulting the Potters over dinner one evening. In the heat of the moment, Harry has an accidental magical outburst and causes Marge to blow up like a balloon. The Ministry of Magic arrives to get her off of the Dursley’s ceiling and alter her memory.

Stan Shunpike

Stan Shunpike is the conductor of the Knight Bus. He informs Harry (who believes to be Neville Longbottom) about Sirius Black’s murderous past and escape from Azkaban.

Ernie Prang

Ernie Prang is the driver of the Knight Bus.

Lily Potter

Lily Potter is Harry’s mother who was killed by Lord Voldemort. Harry can hear her screaming and pleading Voldemort to spare Harry’s life whenever dementors draw near.

James Potter

James Potter is Harry’s father who was killed by Lord Voldemort. It is revealed that he was one of the creators of the Marauder’s Map and also an unregistered stag animagus with the nickname “Prongs.”

Cornelius Fudge

Cornelius Fudge is the Minister for Magic. He meets Harry at The Leaky Cauldron to make sure he is safe from Sirius Black. Later, Fudge is present for the would-be execution of Buckbeak and the recapture of Sirius at Hogwarts.

Oliver Wood

Oliver Wood is a seventh year student who plays keeper and captains the Gryffindor quidditch team. He is ecstatic to finally lead his team to victory when Gryffindor wins the school Quidditch cup.

Cho Chang

Cho Chang is a fourth year Ravenclaw girl who Harry finds pretty. She plays against Harry as seeker on the Ravenclaw quidditch team, but Harry beats her to the Snitch and wins the match for Gryffindor.

Cedric Diggory

Cedric Diggory is a sixth year Hufflepuff student. He plays seeker for the Hufflepuff quidditch team, and catches the snitch when Harry falls off his broom after dementors swarm the quidditch pitch in the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff match.

Neville Longbottom

Neville Longbottom is a third year Gryffindor who shares a dormitory with Harry and Ron. He is forgetful and leaves the passwords to Gryffindor tower written on scraps of paper which Sirius Black uses to get inside. Professor McGonagall bans Neville from future Hogsmeade visits as punishment for his carelessness.

Scabbers

Scabbers is Ron’s pet rat who turns out to be Peter Pettigrew in his animagus form.

Crookshanks

Crookshanks is Hermione’s pet cat who is always chasing Scabbers. When Scabbers disappears, Ron blames Crookshanks for eating him until it turns out that Scabbers had faked his own death.

Hedwig

Hedwig is Harry’s pet snowy owl and only source of companionship during his summer at the Dursley’s.

Errol

Errol is the Weasley family’s owl.

Argus Filch

Argus Filch is the caretaker of Hogwarts.

Mrs. Norris

Mrs. Norris is Filch’s sneaky cat.

Fang

Fang is Hagrid’s pet dog.

Penelope Clearwater

Penelope Clearwater is a seventh year Ravenclaw prefect and Percy Weasley’s girlfriend.

Gregory Goyle

Gregory Goyle is a large but stupid third year Slytherin and one of Draco Mafoy’s cronies.

Vincent Crabbe

Vincent Crabbe is a large and dumb third year Slytherin and one of Draco Malfoy’s cronies.

The Fat Lady

The Fat Lady is the portrait who guards the entrance to Gryffindor tower. She takes a leave of absence from her position when Sirius Black uses a knife to slash her portrait after she refuses him entry.

Sir Cadogan

Sir Cadogan is a painting of a Knight who serves as the temporary guardian of the entrance of Gryffindor Tower when the Fat Lady takes time off to recover from the Sirius Black attack. He chooses difficult-to-remember passwords which change constantly.

Madame Rosmerta

Madame Rosmerta is the bar maid at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade and isn’t happy about the dementors routinely sent to patrol the streets for Sirius Black. She recalls when James Potter and Sirius Black were best friends at Hogwarts.

Peeves

Peeves is a troublemaking poltergeist who lives in Hogwarts.

Ripper

Ripper is Aunt Marge’s favorite dog who she brings with her on her visit to Privet Drive.

Madame Marsh

Madame Marsh is one of Harry’s fellow passengers on the Knight Bus.

Florean Fortescue

Florean Fortescue is the proprietor of Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor in Diagon Alley. He brings Harry free sundaes and helps him with an essay on medieval witch hunting.

Silvanus Kettleburn

Silvanus Kettleburn was Hogwarts’ Care of Magical Creatures professor before Hagrid took over the post. He retires before Harry’s third year.

Davey Gudgeon

Davey Gudgeon was a student at Hogwarts with Lupin and Harry’s father. According to Lupin, Gudgeon almost lost an eye trying to get close to the Whomping Willow.

Derek

Derek is a first-year student who stays at school over the Christmas holidays. Derek blushes at being personally addressed by Dumbledore at the Christmas feast.

Septima Vector

Septima Vector is the Hogwarts arithmancy professor.

Roger Davies

Roger Davies is a fourth year student and captain of the Ravenclaw quidditch team. He also plays chaser for the team.

Warrington

Warrington is a chaser on the Slytherin quidditch team.

Montague

Montague is a chaser on the Slytherin quidditch team.

Derrick

Derrick is a beater on the Slytherin quidditch team.

Bole

Bole is a beater on the Slytherin quidditch team.

Macnair

Macnair is the executioner sent by the Ministry of Magic to behead Buckbeak.