This teacher dislikes Harry intensely and would love to deduct points from Gryffindor house for the slightest reasons to punish Harry. Yet, it is he who protects the teenager from danger.

The teacher of the Dark Arts has changed every year at Hogwarts so far! Professor Quirell, the first, was one of Voldemort's men; Professor Lockhart (played with such gusto by Kenneth Branaugh in Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets) just didn't know the Dark Arts. This year, Professor Lupin steps in to teach the Dark Arts.

A friend of Harry's father, Lupin befriends the son. But the professor has a secret and we won't tell you what it is!

Divination Professor Trelawney simply believes in the death predictions she casts for Harry. In fact, in each class, she spells an eerie death for Harry.

While Harry, Hermoine and Ron find her irritating, front-benchers Parvati Patel (the only Indian we know at Hogwarts!) and Lavender Brown adore her.

Hailed as a dangerous wizard, Sirius Black was detained in the Prison of Azkaban for many years until he escaped. Rugged and good-looking even after all those years in Azkaban, Sirius is one of the evil wizard Lord Voldemort's many victims.

As a youngster, Sirius formed a foursome with James Potter, Lupin and Peter Wormtail. Peter, however, joined Voldemort and betrayed his friends. Sirius is Harry's godfather.

The dreaded you-know-who was once the most evil and powerful wizard and had formed his own army of Death Eaters. Albus Dumbledore led the wizards who openly opposed him.

In his rage to kill his enemies, Voldemort killed Harry's parents. Lily Potter died while shielding her son and, thereby, passed on a very important shield to Harry: love. Because of this, Voldemort's death curse left only a scar on Harry's forehead and rebounded to him, making him a fraction of what he was. Voldemort lived a near-death life for years, surviving on the life-saving unicorn blood which, however, gives the drinker a cursed life.

Once known as Tom Riddle and a student of Hogwarts in Slytherin house, Voldemort wants revenge against Harry Potter.

The guardians of the Prison of Azkaban feed on people's happy thoughts and leave them with only painful ones.

These dark, hooded creatures have never allowed anyone to escape from the Prison of Azkaban, until now (when Sirius Black escapes). The penalty for any disobedience is a kiss. The dementors suck your souls out, leaving you to live a half-life.

The Weasleys are a homely lot. Eldest son Bill works for the wizard bank, Gringotts, and Charles works with dragons in Romania. Percy, the Gryffindor house head boy, now works in the Ministry of Magic. Twins Fred and George (in picture) are constantly trying to invent new goodies and set up their own trick shop. Ginny, the youngest in the family, nurses a silent crush on Harry.

While father Arthur works in the Ministry of Magic, mother Molly, a housewife, keeps an eye on their whereabouts in the family clock: instead of showing the time, this clock shows exactly where members of her family are!

Harry's nightmare on Privet Drive is revived every summer when he has to return to the Dursleys for the holidays. Aunt Petunia (his mother's sister), Uncle Vernon and Dudley make each day worse for Harry.

Uncle Vernon and Dudley cannot bear 'magic' in their drawing room. The very word makes them edgy. The spoilt Dudley is usually busy eating every scrap he can find in the house, but he always has time to bully Harry.