Hogwarts' Headmasters
Black, Phineas Nigellus Black, Phineas Nigellus
Phineas Nigellus is Sirius Black’s great-great-grandfather. He has the honor of being Hogwarts’ least popular Headmaster. He has interlinking portraits in the Hogwarts Head office and a room in Grimmauld Place. Phineas Nigellus is a clever-looking wizard with a pointed beard and wears Slytherin colors. He is one of the more opinionated and obstinate portraits in the office. Phineas Nigellus disapproved of Sirius’s values and the way he lived his life, but that did not stop him from being upset when he found out that the Black line had definitively ended.
Dippet, Armando Dippet, Armando
Armando Dippet was the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Tom Riddle was a student. He was bald but for a few wisps of white hair, wizened and frail-looking. His portrait still hangs in the Head office.
Derwent, Dilys Derwent, Dilys
Dilys Derwent was a former Headmistress at Hogwarts (1741-1768) so she has a portrait in the Head office where she sits in a leather-arm chair. The elderly witch with long silver ringlets was one of the most celebrated Heads. She has an interlinking second portrait at St. Mungo’s where she was a Healer (1722-1741).
Dumbledore, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian
Albus Dumbledore is widely proclaimed to be the greatest wizard in modern times. Exceptionally intelligent, yet remarkably eccentric, his reputation is at times controversial. It is difficult to deny his power, though those who want it certainly try. Dumbledore has a long history with Hogwarts School—first as a student, then as the Transfiguration teacher and later as the Headmaster. He always seems to know what goes on around the castle. Dumbledore was the one who arranged for Tom Riddle to attend Hogwarts; though he suspected there was something off about the boy, he hoped for the best. One of Dumbledore’s few weaknesses is his tendency to trust that the good side of people will win out. Unfortunately, he soon realized that he was wrong about Riddle and made sure to keep a close eye on him. Dumbledore was unable to stop Riddle from opening the Chamber of Secrets and causing the death of a student, but his mistrust kept Riddle from doing anything more at the school after that.
In 1945, Dumbledore defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald. He was offered the job of Minister of Magic several times, but he refused and was made Headmaster of Hogwarts around 1956. Riddle disappeared for years, then reemerged as Lord Voldemort, with only few knowing his original identity. He had asked Dumbledore for a position at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore firmly refused. When it was clear that Voldemort was unmercifully killing and causing destruction, Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix to fight him and his followers. Even after so long, he remained the one person Voldemort feared. That is, until a prophecy was made that one would soon be born who had the power to defeat the Dark Lord. Dumbledore heard this prophecy when he was interviewing Sybill Trelawney for the Divination position. Severus Snape overheard the conversation and reported it to his master, being the good Death Eater that he was. Voldemort decided it was young Harry Potter that the prophecy referred to and set out to kill him. The Potters were members of the Order, and Dumbledore offered to be their Secret Keeper when they went into hiding. Unfortunately, they chose to use one of their friends, who ultimately betrayed them. Snape presumably regretted his involvement and went to Dumbledore for redemption. Apparently trusting him, Dumbledore hired him as the Potions Master at Hogwarts and asked him to become a double agent. After Voldemort’s attempt to murder Harry backfired and caused him to seemingly vanish from the world, the wizarding world rejoiced before returning to peace.
However, Albus Dumbledore did not believe for a second that Voldemort was completely dead. He sent Harry to live with his Muggle relatives and put a magical protection over him. When Harry started school at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had a dilemma on his hands: when to tell Harry about the prophecy? It would take him years to work up the will to do it. Meanwhile, Harry developed a habit of getting himself in trouble. Dumbledore had previously partnered with Nicolas Flamel, who was the only known maker of the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone. Knowing Voldemort would want it in his quest for immortality, Dumbledore decided to protect it inside Hogwarts. It seemed that Harry really was destined to go up against Voldemort, as he did it in his very first year trying to keep the Stone safe. The next year, the Chamber of Secrets was reopened and several students were petrified; the board of governors removed Dumbledore from school with an Order of Suspension. Luckily, since Harry remained loyal to Dumbledore, he was sent help in the form of Fawkes, the phoenix, and the sword of Gryffindor when he went into the Chamber. But even Dumbledore is not powerful enough to protect Harry all the time. During the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry was transported off Hogwarts grounds along with fellow student Cedric Diggory and put at the mercy of Lord Voldemort. Harry survived; Cedric did not. This also led to Voldemort’s return to physical form and power. Dumbledore would spend the next year trying to inform the wizarding world of the danger, but he would constantly be contradicted by the stubborn Ministry of Magic. He also reformed the Order of the Phoenix in preparation of the coming peril. Finally, things came to a head with a battle at the Ministry. Harry and his friends had been lured there by Voldemort, who hoped that he could trick Harry into obtaining the prophecy for him (as he had never heard it in its entirety). Dumbledore went to rescue them and ended up dueling with Voldemort himself. At this point, Dumbledore had no choice but to tell Harry about the prophecy. He admitted that his reasoning was flawed, since it had taken him until the end of Harry’s fifth year to come out with it. Dumbledore had begun to care so much about Harry that he could not bear to deliver the crushing news to one so young. He had tried to shelter Harry for so long, but he realized it was past time for Harry to come into his own. So over the course of the next year, Dumbledore passed to Harry all the information he had on how to defeat Voldemort, explaining that he used Horcruxes to hinder his death. He had already destroyed one earlier that year, reducing his wand arm to a shriveled, black mess. He understood that Harry was the only one who would be able to defeat Voldemort in the end. Still, he tried to help for as long as he could right up until he was murdered (an event that had been in the works all year). He had known Voldemort had ordered a student, Draco Malfoy, to kill him, but Dumbledore did nothing for fear of Draco’s own safety. Dumbledore, weakened from a Horcrux retrieval excursion, was shockingly killed by Snape, whom he had trusted implicitly. Though his love for people may have (to Voldemort’s delight) brought on his death, Dumbledore firmly believed that love, more powerful than any magic, would be what would save Harry in the end.
Everard Everard
Everard was a former Headmaster at Hogwarts and has a portrait in the Head office with a black curtain behind him. He was a sallow-faced wizard with short black bangs. One of Hogwarts most celebrated Heads, Everard also has a linked portrait in the Ministry of Magic. Everard was the one Albus Dumbledore asked to make sure Arthur Weasley was found by the right people when he was injured.
Fortescue Fortescue
Being a former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Fortescue has the honor of having his portrait hang behind the desk in the Head office. The corpulent and red nosed wizard is outraged by the corruption of the current Ministry of Magic.
Black, Phineas Nigellus Black, Phineas Nigellus
Phineas Nigellus is Sirius Black’s great-great-grandfather. He has the honor of being Hogwarts’ least popular Headmaster. He has interlinking portraits in the Hogwarts Head office and a room in Grimmauld Place. Phineas Nigellus is a clever-looking wizard with a pointed beard and wears Slytherin colors. He is one of the more opinionated and obstinate portraits in the office. Phineas Nigellus disapproved of Sirius’s values and the way he lived his life, but that did not stop him from being upset when he found out that the Black line had definitively ended.
Dippet, Armando Dippet, Armando
Armando Dippet was the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Tom Riddle was a student. He was bald but for a few wisps of white hair, wizened and frail-looking. His portrait still hangs in the Head office.
Derwent, Dilys Derwent, Dilys
Dilys Derwent was a former Headmistress at Hogwarts (1741-1768) so she has a portrait in the Head office where she sits in a leather-arm chair. The elderly witch with long silver ringlets was one of the most celebrated Heads. She has an interlinking second portrait at St. Mungo’s where she was a Healer (1722-1741).
Dumbledore, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian
| House: | Gryffindor |
| Age: | 150-180? |
| Died: | June 1997 |
| Appearance: | Tall, thin, and very old. Silver hair that was once auburn and beard are long enough to tuck into his belt. Light, bright and sparkling blues eyes that are behind half-moon spectacles. His nose is very long and crooked. |
| Wand arm: | right |
| Pet(s): | Fawkes (phoenix) |
| Hobbies: | Tenpin bowling Listening to chamber music Eating sweets |
| Heart’s desire: | A pair of thick, woolen socks |
| Titles: | Headmaster of Hogwarts (temporarily suspended in ’93 & ’96) Order of Merlin, First Class Grand Sorcerer Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot (demoted in ’95, reinstated in ’96) Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards (voted out in ’95, reinstated in ’96) |
| Achievement(s): | Discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood Occlumens & Legilimens Chocolate Frog Card |
| Patronus: | Phoenix |
Albus Dumbledore is widely proclaimed to be the greatest wizard in modern times. Exceptionally intelligent, yet remarkably eccentric, his reputation is at times controversial. It is difficult to deny his power, though those who want it certainly try. Dumbledore has a long history with Hogwarts School—first as a student, then as the Transfiguration teacher and later as the Headmaster. He always seems to know what goes on around the castle. Dumbledore was the one who arranged for Tom Riddle to attend Hogwarts; though he suspected there was something off about the boy, he hoped for the best. One of Dumbledore’s few weaknesses is his tendency to trust that the good side of people will win out. Unfortunately, he soon realized that he was wrong about Riddle and made sure to keep a close eye on him. Dumbledore was unable to stop Riddle from opening the Chamber of Secrets and causing the death of a student, but his mistrust kept Riddle from doing anything more at the school after that.
In 1945, Dumbledore defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald. He was offered the job of Minister of Magic several times, but he refused and was made Headmaster of Hogwarts around 1956. Riddle disappeared for years, then reemerged as Lord Voldemort, with only few knowing his original identity. He had asked Dumbledore for a position at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore firmly refused. When it was clear that Voldemort was unmercifully killing and causing destruction, Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix to fight him and his followers. Even after so long, he remained the one person Voldemort feared. That is, until a prophecy was made that one would soon be born who had the power to defeat the Dark Lord. Dumbledore heard this prophecy when he was interviewing Sybill Trelawney for the Divination position. Severus Snape overheard the conversation and reported it to his master, being the good Death Eater that he was. Voldemort decided it was young Harry Potter that the prophecy referred to and set out to kill him. The Potters were members of the Order, and Dumbledore offered to be their Secret Keeper when they went into hiding. Unfortunately, they chose to use one of their friends, who ultimately betrayed them. Snape presumably regretted his involvement and went to Dumbledore for redemption. Apparently trusting him, Dumbledore hired him as the Potions Master at Hogwarts and asked him to become a double agent. After Voldemort’s attempt to murder Harry backfired and caused him to seemingly vanish from the world, the wizarding world rejoiced before returning to peace.
However, Albus Dumbledore did not believe for a second that Voldemort was completely dead. He sent Harry to live with his Muggle relatives and put a magical protection over him. When Harry started school at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had a dilemma on his hands: when to tell Harry about the prophecy? It would take him years to work up the will to do it. Meanwhile, Harry developed a habit of getting himself in trouble. Dumbledore had previously partnered with Nicolas Flamel, who was the only known maker of the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone. Knowing Voldemort would want it in his quest for immortality, Dumbledore decided to protect it inside Hogwarts. It seemed that Harry really was destined to go up against Voldemort, as he did it in his very first year trying to keep the Stone safe. The next year, the Chamber of Secrets was reopened and several students were petrified; the board of governors removed Dumbledore from school with an Order of Suspension. Luckily, since Harry remained loyal to Dumbledore, he was sent help in the form of Fawkes, the phoenix, and the sword of Gryffindor when he went into the Chamber. But even Dumbledore is not powerful enough to protect Harry all the time. During the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry was transported off Hogwarts grounds along with fellow student Cedric Diggory and put at the mercy of Lord Voldemort. Harry survived; Cedric did not. This also led to Voldemort’s return to physical form and power. Dumbledore would spend the next year trying to inform the wizarding world of the danger, but he would constantly be contradicted by the stubborn Ministry of Magic. He also reformed the Order of the Phoenix in preparation of the coming peril. Finally, things came to a head with a battle at the Ministry. Harry and his friends had been lured there by Voldemort, who hoped that he could trick Harry into obtaining the prophecy for him (as he had never heard it in its entirety). Dumbledore went to rescue them and ended up dueling with Voldemort himself. At this point, Dumbledore had no choice but to tell Harry about the prophecy. He admitted that his reasoning was flawed, since it had taken him until the end of Harry’s fifth year to come out with it. Dumbledore had begun to care so much about Harry that he could not bear to deliver the crushing news to one so young. He had tried to shelter Harry for so long, but he realized it was past time for Harry to come into his own. So over the course of the next year, Dumbledore passed to Harry all the information he had on how to defeat Voldemort, explaining that he used Horcruxes to hinder his death. He had already destroyed one earlier that year, reducing his wand arm to a shriveled, black mess. He understood that Harry was the only one who would be able to defeat Voldemort in the end. Still, he tried to help for as long as he could right up until he was murdered (an event that had been in the works all year). He had known Voldemort had ordered a student, Draco Malfoy, to kill him, but Dumbledore did nothing for fear of Draco’s own safety. Dumbledore, weakened from a Horcrux retrieval excursion, was shockingly killed by Snape, whom he had trusted implicitly. Though his love for people may have (to Voldemort’s delight) brought on his death, Dumbledore firmly believed that love, more powerful than any magic, would be what would save Harry in the end.
Everard Everard
Everard was a former Headmaster at Hogwarts and has a portrait in the Head office with a black curtain behind him. He was a sallow-faced wizard with short black bangs. One of Hogwarts most celebrated Heads, Everard also has a linked portrait in the Ministry of Magic. Everard was the one Albus Dumbledore asked to make sure Arthur Weasley was found by the right people when he was injured.
Fortescue Fortescue
Being a former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Fortescue has the honor of having his portrait hang behind the desk in the Head office. The corpulent and red nosed wizard is outraged by the corruption of the current Ministry of Magic.
