22 Objects and Symbols from Harry Potter & What They Mean

Plus, cool Potter-themed symbols and emojis to copy and paste

Co-authored by Hector Garcia and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Magical Symbols in Harry Potter

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Copy & Paste Symbols & Emojis

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The Harry Potter series is full of magical symbols with equally magical meanings. Luckily, we’ve compiled them all here for you! Whether you’re looking for Harry Potter symbols for a tattoo or a piece of art you’re making, or you’re just a fan who wants to browse, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here. We’ve even included some fun Potter-themed emojis and symbols for you to copy and paste for text messages or social media captions and bios. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

Popular Harry Potter Symbols

An illustration of various important symbols from the Harry Potter universe.

Some of the most well-known and beloved symbols from Harry Potter include the Deathly Hallows symbol, Harry’s lightning bolt scar, Harry’s glasses, a golden snitch, the Platform 9 ¾ sign, Hermione’s time turner, and the Hogwarts Crest.

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Magical Symbols in Harry Potter

The Deathly Hallows symbol looks like a triangle with a circle inside it and a vertical line going down the middle. The symbol represents three magical objects from the Tale of the Three Brothers: the Invisibility Cloak (triangle), the Resurrection Stone (circle), and the Elder Wand (line). According to the story, if a wizard or witch possesses all three, they’ve mastered death, but the tale itself is actually about accepting mortality and pursuing wisdom.^{[1]
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Research source} As a result, the Deathly Hallows symbol is often associated with these ideas.
One of the most recognizable symbols from the Harry Potter series is Harry’s distinct lightning bolt-shaped scar. Harry got this scar when he miraculously survived Lord Voldemort’s attempt to kill him when he was a baby, so many Potter fans see the lightning bolt as a symbol of resilience and survival.^{[2]
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Harry’s Glasses Another symbol associated with Harry Potter himself is his iconic pair of wire glasses with circular lenses. The glasses themselves don’t necessarily have a specific meaning, but since they’re so closely associated with Harry, they could easily represent his character traits (bravery, loyalty, a strong moral compass, selflessness, etc).
- Harry’s glasses also play an important role in his first meeting with Hermione in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. When Hermione notices Harry’s glasses are broken, she quickly fixes them with the Oculus reparo charm.
In the Harry Potter universe, there’s only one way to get to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year: taking the Hogwarts Express train, which leaves from Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station.^{[3]
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Research source} Since this event marks the beginning of a magical new school year at Hogwarts, many people consider the Platform 9 ¾ sign to be a symbol of adventure and new beginnings.
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The Sorting Hat When placed on a young witch or wizard’s head, the Sorting Hat takes a look into their personality and sorts them into the Hogwarts House that suits them best. Because of this, the Sorting Hat is a powerful symbol of self-discovery, being true to oneself, and finding your true destiny.
- Wanna find out which Hogwarts house you’d be sorted into? Take our Hogwarts House Quiz!
The Golden Snitch is a very tiny golden ball with wings. In the game of Quidditch, the Seeker’s job is to spot the Golden Snitch and catch it before the other team’s Seeker, thereby scoring 150 points and ending the game. With this in mind, many consider the Golden Snitch to be a representation of drive, determination, and persevering until you reach victory.
Since Quidditch plays such an important role in Harry’s life at Hogwarts, his Firebolt definitely deserves a spot on this list. Harry leads the Gryffindor team to several victories while atop his Firebolt broom, thanks (in part) to the broom’s incredible speed and agility. As a result, the Firebolt is often seen as a representation of athleticism and a fiercely competitive spirit.
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione uses this magical necklace to go back in time, so that she can take more Hogwarts classes than would normally fit into her schedule.^{[4]
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Research source} On a more obvious level, the Time Turner symbolically represents time itself, but considering Hermione’s specific use of the object, it can also represent diligence and the pursuit of knowledge.
As all Potter fans know, the wand chooses the wizard—which means each wand is also a symbolic representation of that wizard’s personality! Harry’s wand is made of holly wood with a phoenix feather core, and it’s 11 inches long.^{[5]
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Research source} According to wand lore in the Harry Potter universe, holly wands usually choose wizards who are destined to go on grand or dangerous quests.^{[6]
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Research source} Phoenix feather is the rarest core type, and it offers the greatest range of magic. Phoenix feather wands also tend to be the pickiest when it comes to choosing their owners.^{[7]
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The Elder Wand is one of the three magical objects in The Tale of the Three Brothers, and it’s known to be the most powerful wand in the world. The Elder Wand represents great power and ability, but it also represents the responsibility that comes with wielding great power. With all this in mind, it makes sense that the wand was wielded by one of the most powerful and wise wizards in the series, Albus Dumbledore!^{[8]
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Invisibility Cloak The Invisibility Cloak is also one of the three magical objects from the Tale of the Three Brothers, and as its name suggests, the cloak makes its wearer invisible. In the story, the cloak allows the youngest brother to hide from death for many years and live a long, full life. As a result, the Invisibility Cloak symbolically represents wisdom.^{[9]
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- According to legend, the cloak was passed down from parent to child for generations until it reached Harry himself.
This magical object plays a crucial role in the first installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (known as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK). Created by Nicholas Flamel and Albus Dumbledore, this ruby-red stone has the power to prolong someone’s life for hundreds of years, so it’s no surprise that it represents immortality.^{[10]
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The Mirror of Erised is a magical mirror that shows someone their deepest desire when they stand in front of it. Harry finds the mirror in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and for a few days, he finds himself in danger of becoming totally enchanted by it. However, when Professor Dumbledore finds out about Harry’s nightly visits to the mirror, he tells Harry that he’s moving the mirror for his own safety and leaves Harry with one of his most memorable tidbits of wisdom, “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”^{[11]
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The Marauder’s Map is an enchanted map of Hogwarts Castle that shows the movements of each witch and wizard within its walls. To see the map, one needs to say the words “I solemnly swear I’m up to no good,” and to wipe the map clean afterwards, one needs to say “Mischief managed.” As a result, the Marauder’s Map is a symbol of mischievousness, fun, and adventure.
Felix Felicis (also known as “liquid luck”) is a potion that makes the drinker lucky for a period of time. While under the influence of the potion, a witch or wizard will find that they succeed in all of their endeavors, and things will generally go their way. As a result, a bottle of Felix Felicis symbolizes luck and good fortune.^{[12]
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These funky pink glasses with colorful lenses are a prime example of Luna Lovegood’s unique style. Luna herself is known for being quirky, whimsical, and entirely one of a kind, so these iconic glasses are a perfect representation of these traits.
The Dark Mark design features a skull above a snake curling around itself in a figure eight-like shape. In the Harry Potter universe, the mark is tattooed on the arm of every Death Eater, so it’s seen as a symbolic representation of Lord Voldemort and his followers.
The Hogwarts Crest is a shield split up into four quadrants, representing the school’s four houses. There’s a lion against a red background in the upper left for Gryffindor, a serpent against a green background in the upper right for Slytherin, an eagle against a blue background in the lower right for Ravenclaw, and a badger against a yellow background in the lower left for Hufflepuff. Underneath the shield, there’s a banner with the school's motto, Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus, which means, “Never tickle a sleeping dragon.”
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Gryffindor Crest The Gryffindor Crest features a lion (which is the house’s mascot) against a red and gold background. The lion represents the Gryffindor traits of bravery, strength, and daring, and the colors represent the element of fire.^{[13]
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- Looking for more info on Gryffindors? Check out our article on Gryffindor traits!
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Hufflepuff Crest The Hufflepuff Crest depicts the house mascot of a badger against a yellow and grey backdrop. The badger symbolizes the Hufflepuff qualities of hard work, loyalty, and fairness, and the colors represent the element of earth.^{[14]
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- For more of a deep dive into Hufflepuff House, take a look at our article on Hufflepuff traits.
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Ravenclaw Crest The Ravenclaw Crest includes an illustration of the house’s mascot, an eagle, in front of a blue and bronze background. The eagle symbolizes Ravenclaw’s traits of wisdom, intellect, and creativity, and the colors represent the element of air.^{[15]
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- Take a look at our article on Ravenclaw traits for more information on Ravenclaws!
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Slytherin Crest The Slytherin Crest features the house’s serpent mascot, representing Slytherin’s traits of ambition, cunning, and resourcefulness. The background is green and silver, symbolizing the element of water.^{[16]
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- Check out our article on Slytherin traits if you want to learn more about Slytherins!

Section 2 of 3:

Harry Potter Symbols & Emojis to Copy & Paste

Looking for some cool Harry Potter-themed symbols and emojis to copy and paste? We’ve got you covered! Here are a few of our favorites, perfect for texting, captions for Instagram photos or TikToks, and social media bios.
- 🧙‍♂️ (A wizard)
- 🧙‍♀️(A witch)
- 🦁 (A lion representing Gryffindor)
- 🦡 (A badger representing Hufflepuff)
- 🐍 (A serpent representing Slytherin)
- 🦅 (An eagle representing Ravenclaw)
- ⚡️ (A lightning bolt representing Harry’s scar)
- 🧹 (A broom representing Quidditch brooms)
- 🕯️ (A candle representing the general aesthetic of Hogwarts)
- 🦉 (An owl representing the birds who carry mail)
- 🚂 (A train representing the Hogwarts Express)
- ⚯ (Harry’s glasses)
- ⚯ ͛ (Harry’s glasses and scar)
- ❾¾ (The Platform 9 ¾ sign)
- 𐂂 (A stag representing Harry’s patronus)