In many ways, Albus Dumbledore is the quintessential wizard. At its root, "wizard" means "wise," and the Hogwarts headmaster is certainly adept at dispensing sage advice and handling sticky situations. His magical powers are unparalleled, and his flowing purple robes, silver beard, and pointy hat complete the picture of wizardry we have all come to expect.
      This image of the wizard is the product of both fiction and history. From Merlin to Dumbledore himself, the delightful products of literary invention include wizards who can turn into cats or owls, produce lavish banquets with a wave of the wand, disappear into thin air, or cast spells to make castles look like cabbages. Their historical ancestors included thousands of very real men and women of medieval and Renaissance Europe who were widely believed to have both special wisdom and magical abilities. The women were known as wise women, cunning women, or white witches; the men were called wise men, cunning men, or wizards.
      Most villages in medieval Europe had at least one professional wizard, who offered his clients an assortment of magical services, including finding lost objects, hidden treasure, or missing persons; detecting criminals; curing illnesses; telling fortunes; casting and breaking spells; making amulets and charms to ward off both natural and supernatural harm; and concocting potions. Belief in magic was widespread, and the wizard was generally both respected and feared by the community he served. As late as the seventeenth century, a wizard's identification of a thief (usually made by asking the victim about potential suspects and then practicing some form of divination) was taken seriously, sometimes providing the basis for legal arrests.
      A villager might seek out a wizard's magical assistance for almost any purpose--to win at cards or dice, protect a house from rodents, make children sleep through the night, or avoid arrest for unpaid debts. As the local wise man, a wizard might also be asked to offer advice on matters of the heart or help decide between two courses of action. In response to a request, he--or his female counterpart--might read the future in a crystal ball, fashion a protective amulet, brew a potion, or instruct the client to gather a certain herb while uttering an incantation. In return, he would receive a small fee or donation.
      Most patrons were poor, and so were most wizards and wise women. But members of the upper classes did not hesitate to consult them when the occasion warranted it, and a wizard who developed a reputation among aristocrats could make an excellent living. Many wealthy women sought out love potions to win the husband they desired or regain the affections of a wayward spouse. Men engaged in politics were sometimes said to turn to a wizard for help, whether to gain the favour of a king, carry out a rebellious plot, or ensure success in a delicate diplomatic mission.
      Because the services they provided were in such demand, village wizards were relatively safe from the legal prosecution that was applied to all forms of magical practice at one time or another. In England, three Witchcraft Acts passed between 1542 and 1604 made it a felony to tell fortunes, make healing charms or love potions, or divine for treasure or stolen property. However, the number of people prosecuted for such crimes was quite small compared to the number who stood trial for engaging in malevolent forms of magic such as consorting with the Devil or conjuring evil spirits. For the most part, village wizards were protected by their customers. Nonetheless, they were vulnerable to the whims of dissatisfied patrons, who might report them to the authorities or accuse them of witchcraft.
      During the sixteenth century, the word "wizard" began to take on new meanings. The term was applied not only to village wise men, but to magicians who practiced alchemy and summoned demons, court astrologers, and conjurers who performed magic tricks as entertainment. Eventually, it came to refer to practitioners of any kind of magic and became the favourite term of storytellers, who endowed their characters with magical powers more spectacular then any historical wizard had even imagined.