15 underappreciated ladies of Harry Potter

Olympe Maxime

Olympe Maxime is the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. She is a half-giantess who denies her heritage for fear of prejudice, as giants are very much feared. In her splendor, she prefers to travel with her students in an elaborate, flying carriage. Madame Maxime takes great offense whenever her size is brought up, claiming she’s just “big-boned.” Even Hagrid’s mention of it makes her defensive, despite being half-giant himself. Regardless, Madame Maxime does go with Hagrid to appeal to the giants to help Dumbledore in the war effort.

This character is fascinating. We know very little about her, but it’s clear that she is authoritative and powerful. She seems very similar to Minerva McGonagall: intensely strict, but ultimately soft-hearted when it comes to her students.

There is something to be said for the shame Olympe Maxime feels in being a half-giantess. J.K. Rowling demonizes fat people in the Potter-verse regularly, and is very clear about what kind of woman is the right kind of woman. Madame Maxime is huge, and she runs a school that boasts several half-veela students. Her insecurities call to mind the extreme body shaming that occurs daily in our Muggle culture. She, like many people, uses euphemisms and excuses to avoid talking about herself in any meaningful way, despite knowing what people must think of her.

It would be really interesting to get a more in-depth look at Olympe Maxime and her backstory. Do the French have fewer concerns about half-giants in their schools? How did she become headmistress of Beauxbatons? The possibilities in her story are endless, and she represents an important faction of women who are unfairly judged all the time just for being bigger, taller, and more imposing than the average.