Gideon and Fabian Prewett

Gideon and Fabian Prewett were pure-blood wizards, the brothers of Molly Weasley, and original members of the Order of the Phoenix during the First Wizarding War. Remembered as heroes who fought valiantly against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, their deaths had a profound and lasting impact on the Weasley family. Though they were killed before the events of the main story, their legacy is honored through the memories of those who knew them and through the symbolic inheritance of their possessions.

As dedicated opponents of Lord Voldemort, Gideon and Fabian Prewett joined the original Order of the Phoenix, an elite group of witches and wizards led by Albus Dumbledore. Their membership is confirmed by a magical photograph of the original Order, which Alastor Moody showed to Harry Potter. The Prewett family was listed among the “Sacred Twenty-Eight,” a group of truly pure-blood families, but Gideon and Fabian rejected these pure-blood supremacist ideals by joining the fight against Voldemort (Pottermore). Their bravery was legendary. According to Alastor Moody, Gideon and Fabian were ambushed by a group of five Death Eaters, including the notorious Antonin Dolohov. Despite being outnumbered, they fought with such ferocity that Moody remarked they “died like heroes.” Their deaths were a significant loss for the Order of the Phoenix and a deep personal tragedy for their sister, Molly.

The novels provide no detailed description of the Prewetts' physical appearance, though they are seen smiling in the photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix. As they were the brothers of Molly Weasley, it is highly probable they shared the characteristic red hair of the Prewett family. Their personalities are primarily defined by their actions. They were exceptionally brave, loyal, and powerful wizards, willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good. The fact that it took five Death Eaters to kill them is a testament to their skill and courage. Molly Weasley's comment that Fabian “wasn't very careful with his possessions” when she gave Harry Potter his watch suggests Fabian may have had a somewhat reckless or adventurous nature.

• Dueling: Gideon and Fabian were formidable duelists. Their ability to hold their own against five Death Eaters, one of whom was the powerful Antonin Dolohov, places them among the most skilled fighters in the Order of the Phoenix.
• General Magical Aptitude: As members of the Order, they would have possessed a broad range of advanced magical skills necessary for combating Dark Magic and operating covertly.

• Fabian Prewett's Watch: A gold watch that was slightly dented. It was a Prewett family tradition to give a wizard a watch upon coming of age. After Fabian's death, Molly Weasley kept it and later gifted it to Harry Potter for his seventeenth birthday. This act symbolized Harry's acceptance as a de facto member of the Weasley family and marked his own coming of age in the shadow of war.

• Family: They were the beloved brothers of Molly Weasley and brothers-in-law to Arthur Weasley. They were also the maternal uncles to Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley, though all of their nieces and nephews were born after their deaths, with the possible exception of Bill and Charlie.
• Allies: Their comrades in the Order of the Phoenix included Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, James Potter, Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew (before his betrayal).
• Enemies: Their primary enemies were Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Antonin Dolohov is the only one of their five killers who is named in the books.

• Gideon: A Hebrew name meaning “feller” or “hewer.” In the Old Testament, Gideon was a military leader and judge who led a vastly outnumbered army of Israelites to victory, a fitting parallel to a member of the Order of the Phoenix fighting against superior numbers.
• Fabian: Derived from the Roman clan name Fabius. The name is famously associated with the Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus, whose “Fabian strategy” involved winning a war through attrition and harassment rather than direct, pitched battles.
• Prewett: An English surname of French origin, likely derived from the words prou or preu, meaning “valiant” or “brave.”

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Gideon and Fabian Prewett are shown in the photograph of the original Order and are depicted with the red hair characteristic of their family (film).
• J.K. Rowling clarified on her former website that, despite their similar names and being mentioned together, Gideon and Fabian were brothers but not twins (J.K. Rowling interview).
• The Prewett family is listed as one of the “Sacred Twenty-Eight” pure-blood families in a list published on the Pottermore (now Wizarding World) website (Pottermore).