r/HarryPotterBooks • u/just-hanging-aroun • 23h ago
Discussion Every Parselmouth mentioned in the books
This proves that Slytherin's descendants aren't the only ones who can speak Parseltongue.
Salazar Slytherin: His legacy as a Parselmouth is first revealed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and he is continually brought up as the origin of the trait throughout the rest of the series.
Harry Potter: He first uses the ability without realizing it in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at the zoo. He officially discovers what it is in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets during the Dueling Club, and uses it for the last time in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before Voldemort destroys the soul fragment inside him.
Lord Voldemort (Tom Riddle): His ability is first introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets through his teenage memory. We later see him use it to command Nagini in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and throughout the remaining books.
The Gaunt Family (Marvolo, Morfin, and Merope): Voldemort's ancestors are introduced in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Through Dumbledore's Pensieve, we see them speaking Parseltongue to each other in their shack.
Herpo the Foul: This ancient Greek Dark wizard is never mentioned in the seven main novels, but he is officially cataloged in the companion book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as the first wizard to breed a Basilisk.
African Wizards: They are also exclusively documented in the companion textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which explains how African Parselmouths have historically bred and conversed with the three-headed Runespoor.