======Dilys Derwent======
=====Introduction=====
[[Dilys Derwent]] was a celebrated [[Healer]] at [[St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries]] and a former [[Headmaster|Headmistress]] of [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. After her death, her consciousness was preserved in a [[Magical Portraits|magical portrait]] that hangs in the [[Headmaster's Office]] at [[Hogwarts]], with a duplicate at [[St Mungo's]]. She plays a key role as a messenger and observer for [[Albus Dumbledore]] during the [[Second Wizarding War]], using her ability to travel between her two portraits.
=====Biography=====
Dilys Derwent worked as a [[Healer]] at [[St Mungo's]] from 1722 to 1741. Following this distinguished career, she became the [[Headmaster|Headmistress]] of [[Hogwarts]], a position she held from 1741 to 1768 (Pottermore).
After her death, her legacy was preserved in at least two [[Magical Portraits|magical portraits]], which allowed her to continue serving both institutions. During the 1995-1996 school year, [[Albus Dumbledore]] dispatched her from her portrait in his office to her other frame at [[St Mungo's]] to observe the condition of [[Arthur Weasley]] after he was attacked by [[Nagini]]. She reported back to [[Dumbledore]] that [[Arthur Weasley|Mr Weasley]] had survived and was being cared for, commenting that he was a "charming man."
Later that year, her portrait reported on the death of [[Broderick Bode]], who had been strangled by a pot of [[Devil's Snare]], and also provided updates on other patients in the long-term ward, such as [[Gilderoy Lockhart]] and the [[Longbottoms|Longbottoms]]. She was known to converse and gossip with the other portraits, particularly [[Phineas Nigellus Black]].
Following [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s death in 1997, her portrait was seen weeping along with the other former Heads of [[Hogwarts]]. When [[Severus Snape]] became [[Headmaster]], he had command over the portraits in the office, and it is presumed that Dilys, like [[Phineas Nigellus Black]], was used to gather information for him during the [[Second Wizarding War]].
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
In her portrait, [[Dilys Derwent]] is depicted with **long, silver ringlets**.
Her personality is professional and dutiful, as shown when she efficiently carries out [[Dumbledore]]'s orders. She is also compassionate, showing concern for [[Arthur Weasley]]'s well-being and describing him fondly. At the same time, she has a penchant for gossip, often visiting [[Phineas Nigellus Black]]'s portrait to exchange news from [[St Mungo's]].
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
  * **Healing Magic:** As a [[Healer]] at [[St Mungo's]] for nineteen years, Dilys was undoubtedly highly skilled in [[Healing Spells|healing magic]] and the treatment of magical ailments and injuries.
  * **Leadership:** Her twenty-seven-year tenure as [[Headmaster|Headmistress]] of [[Hogwarts]] demonstrates considerable administrative and leadership capabilities, as well as a deep understanding of magic and magical education.
  * **Portrait Abilities:** As a [[Magical Portraits|magical portrait]], she can move between her various frames, observe her surroundings, and communicate with living people, making her an effective spy and messenger.
=====Possessions=====
  * **Magical Portrait (Hogwarts):** One of her primary portraits hangs in the [[Headmaster's Office]] at [[Hogwarts]], among the other former Heads of the school.
  * **Magical Portrait (St Mungo's):** A duplicate of her portrait hangs in the public admissions area of [[St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries]], allowing her to travel between the two locations.
=====Relationships=====
  * **Albus Dumbledore:** She was a loyal servant to [[Albus Dumbledore]], following his instructions without question and acting as a trusted source of information.
  * **Phineas Nigellus Black:** She was a contemporary and colleague of [[Phineas Nigellus Black]] in the gallery of former [[Headmaster|Heads]] in the [[Headmaster's Office]]. The two portraits often conversed and shared news.
  * **Arthur Weasley:** She observed [[Arthur Weasley]] during his recovery at [[St Mungo's]] and developed a favourable opinion of him, describing him to [[Dumbledore]] as a "charming man."
=====Etymology=====
  * **Dilys:** A traditional Welsh feminine name meaning "genuine," "sincere," or "perfect." This reflects her reliable and forthright nature as a messenger in her portrait form.
  * **Derwent:** An English surname of Brythonic (Celtic) origin, derived from a river name meaning "valley thick with oaks." It is a common and respectable-sounding British surname.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The specific dates of her tenure as a [[Healer]] (1722-1741) and [[Headmaster|Headmistress]] (1741-1768) are not mentioned in the novels and come from supplementary material released on Pottermore (now Wizarding World).
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, Dilys Derwent was portrayed by actress Caroline Pickles (film).