Peeves

Peeves is a poltergeist living in Hogwarts, a fictional setting in the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. He's a spirit rather than a physical being, but highly different from the ghosts he's occasionally mistaken for. Peeves is essentially an embodiment of disorder ("an indestructible spirit of chaos" according to a FAQ on Rowling's website), and is constantly causing it, with varying amounts of mischievousness and malice. In appearance he's a small old man dressed in wildly coloured clothing. He's capable of flight and intangibility, like ghosts, but can also affect solid objects and make himself invisible.

Related Topics:
Poltergeist - Hogwarts - Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling - Ghost

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He's usually far more annoying than legitimately dangerous, but acts in a wildly unpredictable manner and should not be given the chance to cause serious harm.

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Peeves does not listen to Hogwarts prefects (to Percy Weasley's great displeasure), teachers or anyone else, with the exception of the fearsome Bloody Baron for some unknown reason. Argus Filch, who is usually left with cleaning up the mess and the damage Peeves causes, is his nemesis and works continuously to try to get Peeves thrown out.

Related Topics:
Prefect - Percy Weasley - Teacher - Bloody Baron - Argus Filch

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A scene with Peeves was filmed for the movie version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but was left on the cutting room floor. He has otherwise not appeared in any of the movie adaptations so far. It is rumored, however, that an extended "director's cut" of the first film, which would restore Peeves' sequence, is in the works for a future video release.

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Peeves is not completely chaotic or without loyalties. During Dolores Umbridge's attempts to take control of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that were met with passive insurrection, he actually showed respect for his fellow troublemakers Fred and George Weasley and took their words ("Give her hell from us, Peeves.") to heart as they fled the school, marking possibly the only time Peeves ever obeyed a student, likely because they had encouraged him.

Related Topics:
Dolores Umbridge - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Fred and George Weasley

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This was immediately followed by his finest hour; his destructive tendencies shifted into overdrive and he went on a rampage, with acts ranging from juggling burning torches over the heads of students, to dumping a bag of tarantulas into the Great Hall during breakfast, and even flooding the entire second floor of Hogwarts by pulling out all the taps in the bathrooms. It appears that Peeves was actually on friendly terms with the strict Professor McGonagall during this time, due to their common enemy; when the poltergeist was attempting to loosen a chandelier from the ceiling, the Head of Gryffindor House was seen to whisper to him, "It unscrews the other way."

Related Topics:
Tarantulas - Professor McGonagall

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When Umbridge attempted to sneak out of Hogwarts, she ran into Peeves before she could make good on her escape. She was immediately chased out of the castle by the poltergeist, who alternated whacking her with a cane and a sock full of chalk. Nobody, not even the staff, made any real attempt to come to her aid, least of all McGonagall, who had apparently lent Peeves the very cane he was using (she needed the assistance of a walking stick after she was attacked by Umbridge and four other Ministry officials when they had attempted to forcibly remove Hagrid from the premises).

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His name is probably derived from "peeved", which means "irritated."

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