Of all the mystical and magical apparitions that go, “BOO!” in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, none are quite so mischievous as the prank-loving spirits known as poltergeists.
For anyone who’s familiar with the Harry Potter series, you’ve likely heard the name Peeves. A rather mischievous poltergeist, he made his first introduction within the franchise shortly after Harry initially arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Peeves then remained a rather un-silent presence throughout the rest of both the books and films, bobbing around obnoxiously in the background .
But what exactly was Peeves? A poltergeist, yes. But what is a poltergeist? For, this kind of apparition is much more than simply a ghost. Read on to find out!
Everything You Need to Know About Poltergeists
What is a poltergeist?
Poltergeists are defined as typically destructive, noisy apparitions who are often responsible for physical disturbances like throwing objects from one side of the room to the other.
How is a poltergeist different from a ghost?
In terms of comparing poltergeists to ghosts, the two beings—at least in the wizarding world—differ in a number of ways. This includes:
- Mortality status: Poltergeists are neither living nor dead, whereas ghosts are the spirits of people who have passed on.
- Physical interactions: Ghosts are incorporeal, meaning they can’t touch you or move things about. Poltergeists, on the other hand, are able to throw objects and make quite the ruckus.
- Reasons for being: It’s believed that many ghosts are unable to pass on into the afterlife due to unfinished business in the world of the living. Poltergeists are here just to make mischief.
Poltergeists in modern history
Outside of the wizarding world of Harry Potter, poltergeists are sometimes described as “ghosts” or simply supernatural beings.
In many tales of old—or even a certain 1980s horror film—poltergeists are not represented as having a physical manifestation of their being. This suggests that people who experience a poltergeist usually can’t see them—they can just hear them. Which makes sense, as the etymology of the word “poltergeist” can be traced to the German words “poltern”, which means “to make noise”, and “geist”, meaning “ghost” or “spirit”.
Poltergeists in Harry Potter
In terms of Harry Potter, however, a poltergeist is viewed as something a little different.
Not dead, but not alive
Described as neither dead nor alive, a poltergeist has never truly lived in the way a human or ghost has. Rather, poltergeists have been defined by wizardingworld.com as a “Non-Human Spiritous Apparition”, and are classified as such alongside other strange magical creatures like the Boggart.
The fact that poltergeists have never been alive indicates that they are amortal, meaning they have never lived nor died and are unable to die now.
It’s not entirely known whether or not they can feel pain, but they certainly are incapable of getting injured.
Ghostlike appearances
For the most part, they are typically ghostlike in appearance and behaviour. However, the varied descriptions and experiences with poltergeists reveal just how little is really known about these beings.
Long-term inhabitants
Poltergeists typically inhabit a location for a substantial period of time. Many believe it’s impossible to expel this type of spirit and often experience quite a lot of difficulty in controlling them.
It is said that Peeves has haunted Hogwarts castle for as long as anyone can remember. He is considered “the most notorious and troublesome poltergeist in British history”, according to wizardingworld.com.
