======Lucius Malfoy======
=====Introduction=====
Lucius Malfoy was a [[Pure-blood]] wizard, the patriarch of the wealthy and influential Malfoy family, and a prominent [[Death Eater]]. He served [[Lord Voldemort]] during both the First and Second Wizarding Wars. Known for his arrogance, prejudice against Muggles and Muggle-borns, and his use of wealth to exert political influence at the [[Ministry of Magic]] and [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], Lucius's primary motivation eventually shifted from serving the [[Dark Lord]] to ensuring the survival of his wife, [[Narcissa Malfoy]], and their son, [[Draco Malfoy]].
=====Biography=====
Lucius was born into an ancient and wealthy pure-blood family, instilling in him a strong belief in blood purity and a disdain for those he considered inferior. He attended [[Hogwarts]], where he was sorted into [[Slytherin]] house and was made a Prefect.
During the First Wizarding War, Lucius served as a [[Death Eater]]. After [[Lord Voldemort]]'s first downfall, he successfully avoided imprisonment in [[Azkaban]] by claiming he had acted under the influence of the [[Imperius Curse]], a lie that allowed him to maintain his position in high society.
In the years following, Lucius used his influence and donations to maintain strong ties with the [[Ministry of Magic]], particularly with the Minister for Magic, [[Cornelius Fudge]]. As a member of the [[Hogwarts]] Board of Governors, he was instrumental in the temporary suspension of [[Albus Dumbledore]] in 1993. During this time, in an attempt to discredit [[Arthur Weasley]] and purge [[Hogwarts]] of Muggle-born students, he secretly planted [[Tom Riddle's Diary]] on [[Ginny Weasley]]. This act inadvertently led to the destruction of one of Voldemort's [[Horcrux]]es and the loss of his family's [[House-elf]], [[Dobby]], who was freed by [[Harry Potter]].
With Voldemort's return in 1995, Lucius resumed his role as a [[Death Eater]], present at the [[Dark Lord]]'s rebirth in the [[Little Hangleton]] graveyard. In 1996, he led a group of [[Death Eater]]s in an attempt to retrieve a [[Prophecy]] concerning Harry and Voldemort from the [[Department of Mysteries]]. The mission was a failure; Lucius and his comrades were defeated by members of the [[Order of the Phoenix]] and subsequently imprisoned in [[Azkaban]].
Lucius was broken out of prison a year later by Voldemort, but his failure had cost him his high standing. He and his family were treated with contempt by the [[Dark Lord]], who used their home, [[Malfoy Manor]], as a headquarters and even took Lucius's wand. During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], Lucius and Narcissa showed no loyalty to the [[Death Eater]] cause, instead searching frantically for their son, Draco. Because [[Narcissa Malfoy]] lied to Voldemort about Harry's death, the Malfoys were able to avoid imprisonment after the war's end.
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
Lucius Malfoy is described as a tall man with a pale, pointed face, cold grey eyes, and long, white-blond hair. He typically dressed in expensive, dark robes and carried a distinctive snake-headed walking cane that concealed his wand.
His personality was marked by arrogance, cunning, and a deep-seated prejudice. He believed fervently in [[Pure-blood]] superiority and viewed wealth and ancestry as the ultimate measures of worth. Lucius was a manipulative individual, skilled at using bribery and intimidation to achieve his goals. However, beneath his haughty exterior lay a cowardly nature, especially when faced with a power greater than his own, such as that of a furious [[Lord Voldemort]]. His most significant redeeming quality was his genuine love for his family, which ultimately superseded his loyalty to the [[Death Eater]] cause.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
  * **[[Dark Arts]]:** As a [[Death Eater]], Lucius was proficient in the [[Dark Arts]] and was willing to use the [[Unforgivable Curses]].
  * **Duelling:** He was a capable duellist, as seen during the [[Battle of the Department of Mysteries]], though he was ultimately defeated and captured.
  * **Political Influence:** Lucius's greatest skill was not his magical power, but his ability to wield his family's wealth and name to manipulate the political landscape of the wizarding world.
  * **[[Transfiguration]]:** He was seen to conjure a snake from his wand during his confrontation with [[Harry Potter]] in the [[Second-Floor Girls' Lavatory]] (film).
=====Possessions=====
  * **Wand:** Elm, with a [[Dragon Heartstring]] core, 18" long. It was housed within his snake-headed walking cane until it was forcibly taken by [[Lord Voldemort]].
  * **Snake-Headed Walking Cane:** An ornate cane that served as a status symbol and a holster for his wand.
  * **[[Malfoy Manor]]:** The grand ancestral home of the Malfoy family.
  * **[[Dobby]]:** The Malfoy family's [[House-elf]], who was treated with great cruelty by Lucius until he was tricked into freeing him.
  * **Collection of Dark Artefacts:** Lucius owned numerous dangerous and illegal Dark objects, which he kept hidden in a secret chamber beneath his drawing-room floor. He sold many of them to [[Borgin and Burkes]] to avoid Ministry raids, including the [[Tom Riddle's Diary|diary]] he later gave to [[Ginny Weasley]].
=====Relationships=====
  * **[[Draco Malfoy]]:** Lucius placed immense pressure on his only son to uphold the family's pure-blood ideals and succeed. While he was often harsh, his actions in the final stages of the Second Wizarding War were driven entirely by his love for Draco and a desire to protect him.
  * **[[Narcissa Malfoy]]:** His wife. Lucius and Narcissa appeared to share a strong and loyal bond, united in their social ambitions and, more importantly, their devotion to their son's welfare.
  * **[[Lord Voldemort]]:** Lucius served Voldemort out of a belief in his cause and a lust for power, but also out of fear. His loyalty crumbled when his master's actions directly endangered his family, leading to his fall from favour within the [[Death Eater]] ranks.
  * **[[Harry Potter]]:** Lucius viewed Harry as a significant threat to his family's status and the pure-blood world order. He held a deep animosity toward Harry for being [[Dumbledore]]'s protégé and for repeatedly thwarting his plans, most notably by freeing [[Dobby]].
  * **[[Albus Dumbledore]]:** As a powerful supporter of blood purity and the [[Dark Arts]], Lucius was a natural political enemy of Dumbledore. He actively worked to undermine Dumbledore's authority at [[Hogwarts]].
  * **[[Arthur Weasley]]:** Lucius despised Arthur for his pro-Muggle stance and perceived status as a "blood traitor." Their mutual loathing famously erupted into a physical fight in [[Flourish and Blotts]].
=====Etymology=====
  * **Lucius:** This name is derived from the Latin word //lux//, meaning "light." This is deeply ironic given Lucius's dark allegiance and nature. It can also be associated with Lucifer, the "light-bringer," a fallen angel whose pride and arrogance mirror Lucius's own.
  * **Malfoy:** J.K. Rowling has stated this name comes from the Old French phrase //mal foi//, which translates to "bad faith." This perfectly encapsulates his deceitful, treacherous, and untrustworthy character.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations of the *Harry Potter* series, Lucius Malfoy was portrayed by actor Jason Isaacs. (film)
  * Jason Isaacs was responsible for suggesting that Lucius's wand be concealed within his cane. He also initially auditioned for the role of [[Gilderoy Lockhart]]. (film)
  * According to J.K. Rowling, the Malfoy family, including Lucius, avoided imprisonment in [[Azkaban]] after the [[Battle of Hogwarts]] by providing the [[Ministry of Magic]] with valuable information about other fleeing [[Death Eater]]s, aided by Narcissa's crucial lie to Voldemort that saved [[Harry Potter]]. (Pottermore)