Wizards, Witches and Beings: P
Paracelsus 
A “secretive wizard” about whom little is known (fw). There is a bust of him in a Hogwarts corridor that Peeves has been known to drop on people’s heads (OP14). Pronounced par-a-SELL-sus. Famous wizard, Chocolate Frog trading card number 1 (PS6, CS/g)
Probably the same person as 
Theophrastus
Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Paracelsus.
Parkin,
Walter & Parkin family 
(circa 1422)
Wizarding butcher whose four sons and three daughters were the original Wigtown Wanderers Quidditch team; Walter would stand on the sidelines with a wand on one hand and a meat cleaver in the other, which intimidated the opposing team (QA7).
Parkinson,
Pansy 
(b. circa 1980)
Slytherin, 1991 - 1998; Prefect.
Pansy is a "hard-faced" Slytherin girl who was very close to
Draco Malfoy. (More...)
A pansy is a kind of violet.
Patil, Mr. and Mrs.
The parents of Padma and Parvati Patil. They appear to be very protective of their girls' safety (HBP).
Patil,
Padma 
(b. circa 1980)
Ravenclaw, 1991 - 1998
Identical twin sister of Parvati and a member
of Dumbledore's Army. (More...)
padma = Sanskrit for "lotus"
[NSOED]
patil = a Hindi term used in central and southern India to refer to the head
of a village [NSOED]
Patil,
Parvati 
(b. circa 1980)
Gryffindor, 1991 - 1998
Identical twin sister of Padma and a member
of Dumbledore's Army. Best friends with Lavender
Brown. (More...)
Parvati = the name of a Hindu goddess, the consort of Shiva [hindunet.org]
patil = a Hindi term used in central and southern India to refer to the head
of a village [NSOED]
Peakes,
Glanmore 
(1677 - 1761)
Famous slayer of the Sea Serpent of Cromer (fw).
Peakes, Jimmy
(b. circa 1983)
Gryffindor,
1994 - 2001; Quidditch team, Beater.
A "short but broad-chested third-year boy;" he is two-thirds Ron's
height. Plays Quidditch "ferociously."
(HBP11)
Peasegood,
Abraham
(1700s)
American wizard who invented the game of Quodpot (QA8).
Peasegood,
Arnold 
Obliviator for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad (GF7) and trained Hit-Wizard (DP). Arnie arrested three goblins at the Chipping Clodbury riot and suffered a minor attack of boils (DP).
"penfriend from a school in Brazil"
Wrote back and forth with Bill Weasley years and years ago, got quite upset when the Weasleys couldn't afford an exchange trip and sent Bill a cursed hat that made his ears shrivel up (GF7).
Pennifold,
Daisy
(circa 1711)
Came up with the idea of bewitching a Quaffle to fall slowly through the air to allow Chasers to keep it in play more easily. This redesigned Quaffle is known as the Pennifold Quaffle (QA6).
Pennyfeather, Miss
Binns called Parvati Patil this. One wonders how he manages to assign grades if he doesn’t even know the students’ names (CS9).
Penrose, Professor Phoebus 
Professor Penrose headed a committee for the Ministry of Magic which produced a report entitled "A Study into Muggle Suspicions About Magic." Professor Penrose contends in that report that "Muggles are more observant than we might like to think." For example, entrants into the Annual International Wizard Gardening Competition's Contorting Cereals competition have been spotted by Muggles, who call them "crop circles." The report also discusses the fact that Muggles have spotted escaped Quaffles (calling them UFOs) as well as the ongoing problem of how to hide the kelpie in Loch Ness (DP).
Professor Penrose's surname may be a reference to the distinguished physicist Roger Penrose.
Pepper, Octavius
Disappeared in the early spring of 1997, as reported by the Daily Prophet. It was implied that the disappearance is connected to an attack by Death Eaters (HBP21).
Perkins
A “stooped, timid-looking old wizard with fluffy white hair” who works with Arthur Weasley at the Ministry (CS4). Perkins lent a couple of tents to Arthur for the Quidditch World Cup. Perkins doesn't camp much any more because of his lumbago (GF7).
Perkins
The name by which Professor Binns mistakenly refers to Harry (OP17). How out of touch must a professor be not to know Harry Potter’s name?
Perks, Sally-Anne
Hogwarts student 1991 -
Sally-Anne seems to have disappeared between Harry's
first year and Harry's
fifth year. Although she was sorted just before him (PS7),
when the names were read off for O.W.L.s,
the list skipped over Miss Perks (OP31).
It is possible that she has left Hogwarts.
Pettigrew, Mrs.
Mother of Peter Pettigrew, who on her supposedly late son's behalf was given the Order of Merlin and her son's finger in a box after he faked his death (PA).
Pettigrew, Peter 
Peter was a friend of James Potter and a member of the Order of the Phoenix in the 1970s, but he betrayed the Order and joined Voldemort's side. (More...)
Peverell
Marvolo Gaunt wore a gold "Peverell" ring with a glyph carved into its black stone. He implied to Bob Ogden that the ring was additional proof that the Gaunts were purebloods and descendents of Salazar Slytherin (HBP10). Gaunt thought the glyph was the Peverell coat of arms, but in fact it was the sign of the Deathly Hallows. Most prominent wizarding families count the Peverells among their ancestors.
Peverell, Antioch, Cadmus & Ignotus
(d. "long before" 1899 -DH20)
Though the extent to which the story is factually accurate is unknown, these are the three brothers in the wizarding fairly tale, “The Tale of Three Brothers.” Legend (and, it seems, fact) holds that they were the original owners of the Deathly Hallows: Antioch of the Elder Wand, Cadmus of the Resurrection Stone, and Ignotus of the Cloak of Invisibility. Their story is not widely known among wizards, but to Hallows seekers ("Questers"), they are revered (DH21).
Though the Elder Wand changed hands through bloody battles, the Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility were handed down through the generations, allowing us to trace at least a piece of the lineage of the Peverells; Cadmus’s Stone was eventually owned by the Gaunts (HBP10), and Ignotus’s cloak by Harry Potter (DH35). Thus, Cadmus was likely a distant ancestor of Voldemort, and Ignotus’s only current remaining heirs, Harry and his children. Ignotus is buried in the Godric's Hollow graveyard (DH16).
Philpott, Arkie
Arkie ran afoul of a Probity Probe at after the goblins tightened security at Gringotts (HBP6).
"photographer for the Daily Prophet"
"Short irritable man" seen taking pictures of Lockhart at Flourish and Blotts; his large black camera emitted purple smoke (CS4). See also Bozo.
Pilliwickle,
Justus
(1862 - 1953)
Celebrated head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (fw67).
"Justus" = is a homonym (sound-alike) for the word "justice."
Pince, Madam Irma 
Hogwarts librarian. (More ...)
Pince=French for "pinch," as in "pince-nez" glasses, an old-fashioned type that stay on by pinching the nose at the bridge.
Pinkstone,
Carlotta
(b. 1922)
Famous for campaigning to lift the Statute of Secrecy, revealing the wizaring world to Muggles. She has been imprisoned multiple times for defying the Statute.
JKR's Wizard of the Month for November 2005.
Pips, Dagbert 
Proprietor of Pumpkins R Us, who complained to a Daily Prophet reporter that a restriction on Hallowe'en celebrations would hit pumpkin-growers particularly hard (DP).
"pips" = fruit seeds.
Pittiman,
Radolphus 
Biographer of Uric the Oddball (FB).
Platt,
Yardley 
(1446 - 1557)
A famous serial goblin-killer (fw/30).
JKR's Wizard of the Month for February 2006 (JKR).
Plumpton,
Roderick
(1889 – 1987)
Seeker for the England National Team and the Tutshill Tornados. Holds British record for fastest capture of Golden Snitch during game: three and a half seconds. This happened in 1921 and the move he used to make the catch is now called the Plumpton Pass. Plumpton maintains the catch was totally intentional and not sheer dumb luck (fw71, QA10).
Plunkett, Josiah
Quidditch referee for the match between the Pride of Portree and the Appleby Arrows during which one Seeker transfigured the other’s head into a cabbage. The excuse given to Plunkett, apparently, was that the cabbage-headed Seeker had cast a Jelly-Fingers curse on the first Seeker during their race for the Snitch, so he deserved to be “cabbaged” (DP3).
Plunkett,
Mirabella
(b. 1839)
Famous for falling in love with a merman in Loch Lomond while on holiday. When her family forbade her to marry him, she transfigured herself into a haddock and was never seen again (fw65).
Podmore, Sir Patrick Delaney; SEE Delaney-Podmore, Sir Patrick.
Podmore,
Sturgis
Square-jawed wizard with thick straw-colored hair. Member of the Order of the Phoenix and part of the Advance Guard that helped Harry escape from number four Privet Drive (OP3). Podmore was on guard duty at entrance of the Department of Mysteries on August 31, 1995 when he was apprehended by the Ministry and sent to Azkaban for six months (OP10).
Poke, Royden
One of the representatives of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at a meeting with the Brotherhood of Goblins in Chipping Clodbury that erupted into a riot. Poke was quoted in the next day's Daily Prophet as saying "Don't ask me what started it. I thought we were getting along fine until I heard the first explosion" (DP).
Pokeby,
Gulliver
(1750-1839)
Author of Why I Didn't Die When The Augurey Cried, and an expert on magical birds. He was the first to identify the meaning of the Augurey song (FB, fw/55).
Poliakoff
Male student from Durmstrang, treated with disdain by Karkaroff despite the fact that he must have been a rather talented wizard to make the Durmstrang short list for the Triwizard Tournament. Karkaroff only paid attention to his star pupil, Viktor Krum (GF16).
Pomfrey, Madam Poppy 
Hogwarts school nurse (More...).
Pontner, Roddy
Wizard who bet on the World Cup with Ludo Bagman (GF7).
Porpington, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy- SEE Nearly Headless Nick.
Porskoff,
Petrova
Famous Chaser from Russia who invented the Porskoff Ploy (QA10).
Potter family
- Albus Severus (b. 2006)
Middle son of Harry and Ginny Potter. - Charlus, husband of Dorea
(Black) Potter.
It is doubtful that Charlus is Harry's grandfather because Jo has told us that "James's parents were elderly, were getting on a little when he was born, which explains the only child, very pampered, had-him-late-in-life-so-he's-an-extra-treasure, as often happens, I think. They were old in wizarding terms, and they died." (TLC) - Dorea (Black) (1920-1977)
Wife of Charlus Potter. - Ginevra "Ginny" (Weasley)
- Harry James (b. 1980)
See: Quick facts about Harry | Profile | Quotes from the books - James "Prongs" (1960-1981)
- James Sirius (b. circa 2005)
Oldest son of Harry and Ginny Potter. - Lily (Evans) (1960-1981)
- Lily Luna (b. 2008)
Youngest daughter of Harry and Ginny Potter.
Potts, Nugent
Quidditch referee in 1894, he was hit in the nose by a stray arrow from the wand of an overly-enthusiastic Appleby Arrows fan (QA7).
Prang, Ernie
Elderly, bespectacled driver of the Knight Bus (PA3).
"Ernie" refers to J.K. Rowling's grandfather, Ernie Rowling.
"prang" = British slang: "wreck, as in an automobile crash."
Prewett, Fabian and Gideon
Brothers of Molly (Prewett) Weasley (JKR, OP9), they were among the "best witches and wizards of the age" who were killed during the Voldemort years (PS4). It took five Death Eaters, including Antonin Dolohov, to kill Fabian and Gideon (OP25). Moody said they died like heroes (OP9).
Prewett, Ignatius
Husband of Lucretia Black and a paternal uncle of Sirius Black (BFT) .
Since Molly and Sirius are "cousins by marriage," Ignatius must be closely related to the father of Molly, Gideon and Fabian Prewett. Ignatius and Lucretia were childless (BFT and my notes).
Prewett, Molly, SEE Weasley, Molly
Molly Weasley's maiden name (JKR).
Named in honour of Rowling's friend Jill Prewett.
Prewett, Muriel? SEE Muriel, Great Auntie
Molly's aunt, referred to as "Great Auntie Muriel." (HBP14, 29, DH4).
As Molly's aunt, Muriel could be either the sister or the sister-in-law of Molly's parents. Even if Muriel is a connection through Molly's father, a Prewett, that doesn't necessarily mean that Muriel's adult surname was Prewett. The only thing that is certain is that Muriel is not a Weasley. Many thanks to Yvonne B. who pointed this out.
Primpernelle, Madam
Witch who produces a line of Beautifying Potions from Diagon Alley (DP).
Prince,
Eileen
Severus Snape's mother, a witch (HBP13). Described as skinny and "simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face" (HBP25). Captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Team (HBP25).
Her husband was Tobias Snape, a Muggle (HBP30). We catch glimpses of Severus's family life in the pensieve scenes, and it appears to have been unhappy and possibly abusive. When Lily askes Severus about his father, he replies “He doesn’t like anything, much.”
Both of Severus's parents seem to have been neglectful. On the playground with Lily and Petunia, Snape is always seen wearing mis-matched clothes that seem to be too large for him (DH33).
Pringle, Apollyon
Caretaker at Hogwarts when Arthur and Molly Weasley attended (1960s), preceding Argus Filch. He punished Arthur (for being caught out at night with Molly) in a way that left permanent scars (GF31).
The name Apollyon appears in the Bible in the book of Revelations as "the angel of the bottomless pit." (Ency. Mythica).
Pritchard,
Graham
Slytherin 1994 - 2001. A student sorted into Slytherin at the start of Harry’s fourth year (GF12).
Prod, D. J.
Warlock living in Didsbury who was excited about the Kwikspell course. In a testimonial for Kwikspell, he wrote, "My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!" (CS8). Probably the same person as the late Demetrius J. Prod.
Prod, Demetrius J.
Died on November 27, "very noisily," after an argument with his wife Elsie over the washing-up (DP).
Prod, Elsie
Widow of Demetrius J. Prod. No mention of her being turned into a yak. Apparently, she got better (DP).
Prongs
James Potter’s nickname among his closest friends.
Proudfoot
Auror stationed at Hogwarts during Harry's sixth year, along with Tonks, Dawlish and Savage (HBP8).
Prudence
Sister of Modesty Rabnott, living in Aberdeen. When Modesty was fined so much that she lost her house, she went to live with Prudence (QA4).
Ptolemy
Famous wizard, face on a Chocolate Frog trading card (PS6).
Pucey, Adrian
Slytherin c.1989 -
1996 or 1990 - 1997; Quidditch team, Chaser (PS11, CS10, OP19).
Since he was on the Slytherin
team during Harry's
first year (PS11),
he was at least a year ahead of Harry; since
he was still there during Harry's
fifth year (OP19),
he's no more than two years ahead of Harry,
assuming he's up to scratch academically.
Puddifoot, Madam
The owner of a small tea shop in Hogsmeade, she is described as a "very stout woman with a shiny black bun" (OP25) who likes to decorate with doilies. Madam Puddifoot's is apparently a popular place to go for a romantic date; Cho took Harry there for Valentine's Day, 1996 (OP25).
Pupp, see Neville Longbottom name meanings
Purkiss, Doris
In the summer of 1995, The Quibbler printed an interview with Doris Purkiss, who claimed that Sirius Black was really Stubby Boardman, and that Stubby had been enjoying a romantic dinner with her the day of the murder of the Potters and therefore had an alibi (OP10).
Pye, Augustus
Trainee Healer on the Dai Llewellyn Ward of St. Mungo's who tried to heal Arthur Weasley's snakebite in December 1995. He was very interested in "complementary medicine" (using Muggle techniques along with the magical approaches). He and Arthur decided to give stitches a try, but something in the wound kept dissolving them, so they didn't work (OP23). Molly was not impressed.
Pyrites, Argus
A servant of Voldemort, quite a dandy wearing white silk gloves.
This character is not canon because he was edited out of the books, but in a very early version of Book 1 he is mentioned as the author of Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science (JKR scrapbook extra).
