Barnabas Deverill

Barnabas Deverill was a notorious and cruel 18th-century warlock who, for a time, was the master of the Elder Wand. His story is part of the Elder Wand's bloody history, serving as an example of the violent fate that befell many of its owners. He is primarily known for his fearsome reputation and his eventual murder at the hands of the warlock Loxias.

Little is known about the life of Barnabas Deverill beyond his ownership of the Elder Wand during the eighteenth century. After acquiring the wand through unknown means, he used its immense power to establish a “fearsome reputation” for himself. His reign as master of the wand ended when he was killed by another nefarious wizard, Loxias, who took the Elder Wand from him. Loxias would later boast of having “finished” Deverill.

The canon provides no physical description of Barnabas Deverill. His personality is depicted as malevolent and cruel. He is described in The Tales of Beedle the Bard as a warlock with a “repulsive reputation,” indicating that his use of the Elder Wand was for dark and sinister purposes. His story reinforces the Elder Wand's association with power-hungry and ruthless wizards.

As a master of the Elder Wand, Deverill was undoubtedly a very powerful wizard. He successfully wielded the wand, which many considered unbeatable, to build his feared reputation. While no specific spells or feats of magic are attributed to him, his ability to control the wand and terrorize the wizarding world of his time points to considerable magical skill, likely in the Dark Arts.

• Elder Wand: Deverill's only known possession was the Elder Wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows. He used this exceptionally powerful wand to achieve his dark ambitions before it was taken from him by Loxias.

The only significant relationship mentioned in the lore is with his killer, Loxias. The relationship was entirely antagonistic, culminating in Deverill's murder for the possession of the Elder Wand. This fits the pattern of the wand's history, where it passed from owner to owner through violence.

• Barnabas: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “son of encouragement” or “son of consolation.” This is deeply ironic given Deverill's cruel and fearsome nature.
• Deverill: An English surname, possibly of Norman French origin and derived from a place name. It is also phonetically similar to the word “devil,” which may be an intentional allusion to his evil character.

Barnabas Deverill is not mentioned in the seven original Harry Potter novels. His story is detailed in the supplementary book The Tales of Beedle the Bard, specifically within Albus Dumbledore's notes on “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” His history, along with that of other owners like Loxias, Emeric the Evil, and Godelot, serves to flesh out the violent provenance of the Elder Wand first alluded to by Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.