Harry Potter: The Dumbledore Family Tree Explained (2024)

Warning: Spoilers for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

The story of Albus Dumbledore'sfamily tree is rife with deception, betrayal, and heartbreak in the Harry Potter franchise. From his legendary duel with Grindelwald to his appointment as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Dumbledore is indeed a powerful wizard, making his family history all the more noteworthy. First appearing in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Dumbledore acts as a mentor figure to a young Harry Potter often sending the Boy Who Lived on dangerous quests along with his friends Ron and Hermione.

Throughout the original Harry Potter series, Dumbledore sends the titular wizard and his friends on increasingly perilousadventures to defeat the dark wizard Lord Voldemort and his Death Eater followers. This had led some critics to wonder how Dumbledore gets away with putting others in danger.But as more light has been shed on his family name, the moral complexities of the wizard's life throughout have become increasingly apparent.

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Little was known about Dumbledore's past until the later books in the series were published. For example, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, readers are introduced to Ariana, Dumbledore's sister. With new information about the backstories of multiple characters revealed in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,a more accurate family tree of the Dumbledore bloodline can be constructed. Here's a breakdown of every known member of the Dumbledore family.

Albus Dumbledore

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledorewas the most respected and accomplished wizard of the 20th century. He was also known for being the only wizard that Lord Voldemort feared. His many illustrious titles includeGrand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Not long after graduating from Hogwarts, Albus met a youngGellert Grindelwald who had come to stay with his great-aunt Bathilda Bagshot in Godric Hollow. The two young men quickly grew close, and then fell in love,having bonded over a mutual interest in the Deathly Hallows and the philosophy of wizard superiority over Muggles. Their love was so strong that Dumbledore and Grindelwaldmade a blood pactnever to attack one another. Albus would eventually leave Grindelwald's side in order to defend his family. Though scarred by the death of his sister, Albus would continue to achieve within the wizarding community, such as when he worked with alchemist Nicolas Flamel to create the Sorcerer's Stone.

Aberforth Dumbledore

Aberforth is Dumbledore's brother, often seen tending the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade several times in the Harry Potter series.Aberforthwas a member of the Order of the Phoenix during both Wizarding Wars against Lord Voldemort. He was responsible for smuggling witches and wizards into and out of Hogwarts through a secret tunnel hidden behind a portrait of his sister, Ariana, foundin the Hog's Head. Aberforth had always blamed Albus for the death of their sister, but put his feelings aside to helphis brother fight against Grindelwald and Voldemort.

Credence Barebone/Aurelius Dumbledore

Credence Barebone was a wizard adopted by Mary Lou Barebone, the leader of a No-Maj anti-witchcraft group called the New Salem Philanthropic Society. Credence developed a dark parasitic force known as an Obscurus and became an Obscurial, the wizard host to this entity. He isrevealed at the end of Fantastic Beasts 2 to actually be Aurelius Dumbledore, who was taken in by Gellert Grindelwald after the events of the first two Fantastic Beasts films. During Fantastic Beasts 3, it is revealed that Aurelius is indeed Aberforth's estranged son. By the end of the film, it remains to be seen whether or not Credence is dead.

Related:Harry Potter: Dumbledore Is Responsible For Hogwarts’ Most Bitter Character

Kendra and Percival Dumbledore

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The Ending of THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD Explained

Kendra and Percival were the parents of Albus, Aberforth, and Ariana Dumbledore. One day, when she was just six years old, a group of Muggle boys sawAriana practicing magic.The scared boys attacked Ariana, and Percival cast a magical attack on the boys in retaliation. Percival could not explain why he had attacked the boys because he was worried that Ariana would be sent away for threatening the Statute of Secrecy. Percival was sent to Azkaban prison where he eventually died.Ariana’s mother, Kendra, moved the Dumbledore family to the village of Godric’s Hollow, where she continued to care forher daughter in secret. Rumors began to spread that Ariana was a squib - the non-magical offspring of wizard parents- and that Kendra hid her out of shame. Kendra likely did little to challenge these rumors, since they helped keep Ariana protected. Kendra eventually died as a result of one of Ariana's uncontrollable magical outbursts.

Ariana Dumbledore

Ariana is Albus Dumbledore's deceased sister. In Fantastic Beasts 3, Albus reveals that Ariana was an Obscurial. Her wild fits of magical rage led to many internal family conflicts. Aberforth even confronted Albus about notcaring for Ariana properly, especially ifAlbus was going to run off with his lover, Gellert Grindelwald. When Grindelwald heard about Aberforth's interference in their plans, he attacked Aberforth with the Cruciatus curse. This triggered one of Ariana's magical outbursts which resulted in her death, most likely at the hands of Albus Dumbledore himself. Albus has carried the guilt of his sister's death ever since.

Even after his own death, Albus Dumbledore is still praised for being the most powerful wizard there ever was. New secrets may be revealed about the Dumbledore family as new Fantastic Beasts films come along. Despite tremendous heartbreak due to multiple tragedies, the Dumbledores remain one of the strongest wizarding families in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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