Assignment: This assignment said to compile images to represent each letter of the alphabet within a chosen subject area or theme. Create a collage. Here is the link to the original assignment if you want to check it out for yourself: http://assignments.ds106.us/assignments/a-z-photo-collage/

I have been working on this since August and it is finally done! I decided my theme would be Harry Potter and taking that further, I decided that since it was Harry Potter, I would make the pictures move (since that’s what they do in the movies and books). I ran into a couple of problems while making it, so instead of a collage, I remixed the assignment and made 26 individual GIFS  and below each of them I provided an explanation of what each one is. If for some reason, the gif is not playing, click on the picture and it will load. 

A – Albus Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore is possibly one of the most mysterious and most loved characters. He serves as the Hogwarts Head Master and looks after Harry carefully. As part of his back story  it is revealed that he is one of the leaders of the Order of the Pheonix, a group designed to battle and attempt to stop the series antagonist, Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore was killed by Severus Snape in the later part of the series.

Sirius Black is Harry Godfather. Sirius Black, nicknamed Padfoot, is the last heir to the House of Black, a once notable pure-blood Wizarding family. He is the brother of Regulus Arcturus Black and a cousin of Bellatrix Lestrange. Sirius is framed and arrested for the murder of 12 muggles and Peter Pettigrew and sent to Azkaban prison. After his escape he takes on the care of Harry and dies later in the series after being struck by a curse from Bellatrix.

C- Cho Chang

Cho Chang was a popular students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was sorted into the Ravenclaw House and served as the seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. During her fifth year at Hogwarts she began dating Cedric Diggory, who was killed during the Tri – Wizard tournament, leaving Cho devastated. During her sixth year at Hogwarts, she joined Dumbledore’s Army and under some mistletoe after a D.A. meeting, initiated a kiss with Harry whom she soon began dating. After many arguments and lack of discussions involving Cedric’s death, Cho and Harry broke up, not even speaking her last year at Hogwarts.

D – Dobby – The House Elf

Dobby the House elf is who I chose to represent D. Dobby is quite possibly my favorite character because of his unintended humor.  Dobby was a house elf who served the Malfoys, dark wizards who treated him cruelly. Dobby was freed after Harry tricked Mr. Malfoy and Dobby went on to work in the kitchens at Hogwarts. Dobby soon became the companion to Harry, Ron, and Hermione and while helping them escape from the Death Eaters, he was wounded by Bellatrix Lastrange. Dobby died a few days later and was buried by Harry in the garden’s of Shell Cottage (a safe house for wizards). After burying him, Harry carved a rock to mark Dobby’s grave saying: “Here lies Dobby, a free elf.”

E – Expelliarmus

For E, I chose a spell, Expelliarmus, which is a disarming curse used by wizards in battle to give them the upper hand while the opposing wizard is disarmed. In the GIF i have made, Snape is using the curse against Harry during a defense against the Dark Arts class.

F- Fred Weasley

F is for Fred Weasley. Fred was the identical twin brother to George and 1 of 7 Weasley kids. Fred served as a beater for the Gryfindor Quiddditch team and he and his brother were incredible pranksters, they even opened up their own Joke Shop in Diagon Alley. While defending Hogwarts in an attack during the Second Wizarding War, Fred was killed during an explosion.

G – Gringotts

Gringotts is the wizarding bank in Diagon alley where all of hte BRitish Witches and Wizards store there money and valuables. The centuries-old bank is run by goblins, and they alone know the secrets of the twisting underground passages and the enchantments (and creatures) in place to defend against intruders.

H – Hogwarts

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry is where everything about the Harry Potter world takes place. Hogwarts is built in a forested area, directly next to a fairly large lake, in the highlands of Scotland. The main entrance to Hogwarts is a set of huge oak doors which face more or less toward the west. British wizarding students arrive at the castle via a train called the Hogwarts express.

I – Invisibility Cloak 

An Invisibility Cloak is a cloak of silvery grey material that, when worn, makes the covered parts of the wearer invisible. The weave is so fine that an Invisibility Cloak is “strange to the touch, like water woven into material”Invisibility Cloaks are rare and valuable. Invisibility cloaks are rare and valuable and Harry inherited one from his father, James Potter which was given to him anonymously by Dumbledore his first year at Hogwarts. Harry kept the invisibility cloak throughout the course of the series.

J – J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is not a character in the series, but without her, the series would not exist. Rowling is the writer of the 7 books of the Harry Potter series, 3 accompanying books, and her newest work, The Casual Vacancy. Her work with Harry Potter made her famous and fans a patiently awaiting a new series from her.

K – Killing Curse

The Killing Curse causes instant death in a flash of green light, usually leaving no sign of physical damage or of the cause of death that would be detectable to a Muggle autopsy. Harry is the only person to have ever survived the Killing Curse, and it is one of the few unforgivable curses. In this picture, Bellatrix Lastrange is using the killing curse to kill Harry Godfather, Sirius Black.

L – Neville Longbottom

Neville is a staunch friend of Harry Potter’s, and a true Gryffindor. It was Neville who protected the weak and led the resistance at Hogwarts while Harry, Ron and Hermione were hunting Horcruxes (pieces of Lord Voldemort’s soul). He remembered how Harry’s dogged assertiveness gave others hope and encouraged the same thing amongst the beleaguered students. In the final battle at Hogwarts, it is Neville who utterly defied Voldemort, he drew Gryffindor’s sword from the hat, and slew Nagini – the last Horcrux.

M – Draco Malfoy

Draco Malfoy is the son and only child of  Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and was a student at Hogwarts in the same year as Harry Potter. He is a rival of Harry, actively trying to undermine him in any way he can. Draco began to work for the Death Eaters at an early age, but he was somewhat of a whiner, so Lord Voldemort did not care for him. Over the years, he and Harry gained a mutual respect for one another, but they never actually became friends.

N – Nagini

Nagini was a large Boa who spent his days in the care of Lord Voldemort. He served as a pet to the Dark Lord but also as a Horcrux after Voldemort split his soul.

O – OWL

When arriving at Hogwarts, students are allowed to bring one companion, a rat, an owl, or a cat. Harry, chose Hedwig, an owl. Hedwig served as Harry’s companion but also as his messenger taking letters various places after he had written them.

P – Potter, Harry

Harry Potter is infamous in the wizarding world. During the first Wizarding War, his parents were killed in their home, but Harry was the only person to survive. He was rescued by Hagrid, but was given to his aunt and uncle, The Dursley’s to be raised as a normal British boy. When Harry arrives in the wizarding war, he is quickly taken under the wing of the Weasley’s where he finds the most comfort. Harry fights in the Second Wizarding War trying to defeat Voldemort. After leaving Hogwarts, Harry marries Ginny Weasley.

Q – Quidditch

Quidditch, “the sport of warlocks,” is the premier sport of the wizarding world. Everyone follows Quidditch. Quidditch is a fast, dangerous, exciting game in which two teams flying on broomsticks compete for points scored by throwing a ball–the Quaffle–through hoops on either end of a large grassy pitch. In this picture, Harry and Malfoy are battling to catch the golden snitch to win the game.

R – Ron Weasley

Ron is Harry’s best friend. In this picture Harry and Ron meet for the first time and Harry shows Ron his lightning bolt scar. Ron has a terrible fear of spiders and get queezy if one comes around. Ron stands by Harry for most of the series, until he believes Harry, and Ron’s girlfreind, Hermionie are sneaking around behind his back. Ron later changes his mind when he hears breaking news about the wizarding war. After leaving Hogwarts, Ron marries Hermionie.

S – Severus Snape

Snape is built up to be the primary antagonist of the series until the final chapters. He is the potions instructor at Hogwarts and we later find out that he is Dumbledore’s most loyal companion and the one who looks after Harry the most. In this scene, Snape is revealing the grim task that Dumbledore had given to him and details his affection for Harry’s mom and for Harry. HE tells Harry that he has his mother’s eyes and Harry learns that Snape is one of the bravest people at the castle.

T- Sybill Trelawney

Trelawney was a professor of Divination at Hogwarts. She made many prophesies about Lord Voldemort’s return and his aim to kill Harry.

U – Dolores Umbridge

By order of the Ministry, she was installed as Defense against the Dark Arts Professor, and then later as Hogwarts Headmistress after she filed a bogus charge and had Dumbledore removed.  In all of these positions at Hogwarts she had enormous power over the students, teachers, and the curriculum, which she wielded despotically.Her time at Hogwarts was characterized by cruelty and abusive punishments against students, and because of her interfering and condescending ways she was generally hated by most students and teachers alike.

V – Voldemort

Tom Riddle, later known as Voldemort, was an orphan wizard taken in under the care of Dumbledore. His time at Hogwarts led him to be known as the most talented student to ever attend the school and he was seemingly polite and handsome. Tom however, sought power and used his knowledge from the school to become the greatest dark wizard to ever walk. He embraced the Dark arts and spawned 2 great wizarding Wars; the first killing hundreds, including Harry’s parents, and the second in an attempt to end Hogwarts and kill Harry. Voldemort was wounded after a long battle at the castle. He died with the destruction of the last part of his soul, which was trapped inside the horcrux of his pet snake Nagini.

W -Wand

A wand is a tool used by wizards and witches. It serves as a weapon of protection and allows them to cast spells as needed. Each student must have a wand before arriving at Hogwarts. Students would go to Olivanders on Diagon Alley and let the wand choose them. Harry’s wand, was the brother wand to Lord Voldemort’s.

X – Xenophilius Lovegood

Xenophilius is Luna’s father and editor of the Quibbler magazine. His wife died when their only child was nine years old, and he raised his daughter by himself. He is likely the source of his daughter’s eccentric beliefs, although he is often correct in his assumptions. He believed in the existence of the Deathly Hallows and supported Harry in The Quibbler when few others would.

Y – Yaxley 

Yaxley was a wizard and death eater who worked for the ministry of magic. He fought in the first wizarding war and after Voldemort took over the ministry of magic, he was promoted to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He fought few battles in the second wizarding war and his fate after the battle of Hogwarts is uncertain.

Z -Zabini

Blaise Zabini was a student at Hogwarts, He was sorted into the Slytherin House and quickly befriended Malfoy and his followers.

There are so many things in the World of Harry Potter to explore, it was hard for me to choose which scenes to use. I am very please with how this turned out. Most of the GIFs you see, I made (either in Photoshop or by using the free program gifsoup.com). I got all of the images and clips via creative commons and any gifs I did not make, came from here as well. This project was very ambitious and took me forever to complete, it seemed like, but now it is done, and I am very happy with how it turned out.