Theodore Nott Character Bio

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Theodore Nott (b.1979/1980) is a pureblood Slytherin, born to a Death Eater father. He is a minor character but is close friends with Draco Malfoy, with their friendship already established before they joined Hogwarts.

Theodore is not mentioned much in the books, but has a fairly turbulent upbringing, with his mother dying while Theodore was still young and his father being arrested for his activities as a Death Eater. Despite this, we don’t see Theodore openly fighting for Voldemort’s side, although he may have gone on to become a Death Eater had Voldemort not been defeated.

Nott makes an appearance after the series ends, in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He duels Harry Potter and is arrested for producing illegal Time-Turners.

Like many other fans, I am mildly curious about Theodore Nott. While he does some questionable things (especially later in life), he’s not the most obviously violent Slytherin. However, he’s got a pretty disgusting attitude towards Muggleborns. I feel that he’s one of those ‘love-to-hate’ characters, but I’d like to know more about him.

Theodore Nott Quick Facts

Full Name Theodore Nott
Birth Date September 1st, 1979 – April 21st, 1980
Birth Place Unknown
Nick Name None
Death Date [if applicable] N/A
Age When Series Starts 11
Zodiac Sign Unknown
Siblings None
Children None
Partner / Spouse None
Most Memorable Moment Creating a time-turner for Lucius Malfoy (in The Cursed Child)
Magical Heritage Pureblood
Species Human
Special Abilities The ability to create time-turners (in later life)
Hogwarts House Slytherin
Wand Unknown
Patronus Unknown
Actors Who Played Bronson Webb (as ‘Slytherin Boy’)
Last Updated May 2022

Theodore Nott Birthplace

It is not known where Theodore Nott was born. Presumably, he was born somewhere in Britain (as most Hogwarts students are).

Theodore Nott Parents

According to JK Rowling’s former website, Theodore’s mother was elderly, and she died when he was still a child, so he was mostly raised by his father. (1) This had an impact on Theodore. He spent a lot of time alone as a child and so became a ‘clever loner,’ seeing no need to join any gangs or groups.

Mr.Nott was a Death Eater, with links to Lucius Malfoy. He was present during the battle at the Ministry at the end of Order of the Phoenix and is badly injured there. (2)

Theodore Nott Physical Traits

Theodore is described as being ‘stringy’, suggesting he is tall and thin. He is also described as ‘rabbity’ on J.K Rowling’s official website. (3)

Theodore Nott Early Life

Not much is mentioned in the books about Theodore’s early life. However, J.K Rowling has mentioned Nott a few times outside of the books. For example, she wrote a deleted scene in which Malfoy and Nott have a conversation in Malfoy’s garden about how Harry Potter survived as a baby. Rowling liked this scene so much that she tried to include it in both Chamber of Secrets and Goblet of Fire. (4) I, and many other Potter fans, would have loved to see this included in the books too.

Theodore arrives at school with a group of friends already, including Malfoy. (5)

Theodore Nott Hogwarts Years

We don’t get to see every year of Theodore’s journey through Hogwarts, but we do see glimpses of him from time to time, mostly with Malfoy.

Year 1

Theodore joins Hogwarts at the same time as Harry Potter. He is sorted into Slytherin.

Year 5

We next see Theodore in his fifth year. During a Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Hagrid introduces the class to Thestrals, magical horses who can only be seen by someone who has witnessed death. Harry, Luna, Neville, and Theodore are the only members of the class who can see the Thestrals. Theodore may have witnessed his mother’s death, but this has not been confirmed. (6)

Harry outs Theodore’s father as a death eater in his tell-all interview with The Quibbler magazine. Hermione points out Theodore to Harry in the library just after the interview comes out. (7)

Being (at the time of the book release) a rabid teenage Potter fan, I obviously wanted more of all the characters, but Nott is one of those that I wish had appeared in earlier books too, as I found him to be really intriguing.

Year 6

We see a little more of Theodore in his sixth year. Professor Slughorn asks after Theodore’s father and is displeased to find that Mr.Nott was in Azkaban for his activities as a Death Eater. Slughorn does not invite Theodore to join ‘the Slug Club.’ (8)

Theodore progresses to N.E.W.T level in Potions. He laughs at Hermione when she announces herself as a Muggleborn, suggesting that he inherited his father’s views on the importance of keeping the wizarding bloodline ‘pure.’ (9) (This was also my first moment of visceral dislike towards him.)

Year 7

Theodore attended his last year at Hogwarts. The school became a harsh environment for half-bloods, but Theodore was probably comfortable at Hogwarts, thanks to his pure-blood Slytherin status.

We don’t see Theodore during the Final Battle of Hogwarts, so it’s not known if he joined the fight or evacuated with the other students. I’m guessing by the fact that he isn’t mentioned that he wasn’t present for Voldemort’s defeat.

Overall, I think Theodore is a good addition to the Potter series. He serves his purpose as a friend of Malfoy, and he adds some complexity to the Slytherin gang by not being outwardly violent or aggressive toward Harry (at least not during his school years).

Theodore Nott After Hogwarts Years

We don’t know what happened to Theodore directly after Hogwarts, nor do we find out if he went on to have a family of his own. However, he is mentioned in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Later, in 2020, Harry (at the time, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement) and Theodore have a duel, during which Theodore is defeated. Harry arrests him for illegally possessing a Time-Turner.

We find out that Nott created two Time-Turners, both for Lucius Malfoy, which were used by Harry’s son to travel to the past and by Draco Malfoy to save his son. (10)

Theodore Nott Family

We don’t get to find out if Theodore went on to find a partner or have children himself. On the one hand, he may have wanted to carry on the Nott line. On the other hand, we know he was a loner, so he may not have felt the need to start a family.

Whether this all counts as canon, of course, is up for debate. I swing between the two sides, but some of the events of Cursed Child are so ‘out there’ that I tend to ignore it. Still, it’s nice to see a little glimpse of Nott (even if he’s still a jerk as an adult).

Theodore Nott Magical Abilities and Special Skills

We don’t know about any special skills Theodore has during his school years. However, the fact that he can create a Time-Turner suggests he had excellent magical skills.

Theodore Nott Wand

Nothing is known about Theodore’s wand. He probably purchased it from Ollivander, as most Hogwarts students do.

Theodore Nott Trivia and Fun Facts

Here are just a few things you may not know about Theodore Nott:

  • J.K Rowling hinted that she knew more about Theodore than is presented in the books. Perhaps we will find out more about him in the future.
  • The actor Bronson Webb played ‘Slytherin Boy’ in Prisoner of Azkaban, and many fans feel that this character was meant to be Theodore Nott.
  • Theodore was also skilled at Potions. He would have had to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ in his O.W.L. exams to progress onto N.E.W.T. level Potions.
  • Theodore expresses distaste at Hermione’s Muggle-born status, suggesting that he is interested in keeping the wizarding bloodline ‘pure.’
  • Theodore’s name is derived from the Greek ‘Theodros’, which means ‘God’s gift’. This may suggest that Theodore’s arrival was a surprise to his mother, who was older when she fell pregnant with him.

Theodore Nott Appearances in Books

  • Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone
  • Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Theodore Nott Appearances in Films

  • Movie 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (as ‘Slytherin Boy’)

Theodore Nott Quotes

Hermione: ‘Theodore Nott?’

Harry: ‘In custody.’

– Harry Potter and the Cursed Child(11)

‘I wouldn’t bank on an invitation. He asked me about Nott’s father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he’d been caught at the Ministry, he didn’t look happy, and Nott didn’t get an invitation, did he?’ – Blaise Zabini, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (12)

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions about Theodore Nott:

Question: Is Theodore Nott a Death Eater?

Answer: No. It seems that most Death Eaters have to be fully qualified wizards before joining (with the exception of Draco Malfoy). This means that Theodore would have had to finish his education and ‘come of age’ before signing up, which he didn’t get a chance to do before Voldemort was defeated by Harry Potter.
There is a possibility that Nott would have joined the ranks of Death Eater, taking after his father.
If I had to guess, I’d say Theodore would have become a Death Eater, given enough time. It seems inevitable given his family history.

Question: Why did Theodore Nott Make a Time Turner?

Answer: It’s not known why Theodore made a Time-Turner. Possibly, he wanted to go back in time and undo the demise of Voldemort. However, he may have wanted to go back for a more personal reason.

Question: How did Theodore’s Mother Die?

Answer: We don’t know this for sure, either. She was an older mother, so she may have died of natural causes. Theodore can see Thestrals, which means he has witnessed death. It could be that he was present for his mother’s passing.

Question: What Happened to Theodore’s Father?

Answer: Theodore’s father is imprisoned after the events of Order of the Phoenix. However, there was an outbreak of Death Eaters later in the books, so he may have walked free.

Research Citations

  1. J.K Rowling Official Website, Web Archive
  2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ch.35: Beyond the Veil
  3. J.K Rowling Official Website, Web Archive
  4. J.K Rowling Official Website, Web Archive
  5. Draco Malfoy, by J.K Rowling – Wizarding World
  6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ch.21: The Eye of the Snake
  7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ch.26: Seen and Unforeseen
  8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Ch.7: The Slug Club
  9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Ch.9: The Half-Blood Prince
  10. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
  11. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany

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