Bran the Bloodthirsty

Bran the Bloodthirsty was a historical wizard of considerable infamy, known for his violent and cruel nature. He gained a fearsome reputation for hunting and killing both Muggles and Giants. In the modern wizarding world, he is primarily remembered through his inclusion in the Famous Wizard Card collection packaged with Chocolate Frogs.

Very little is known about the life of Bran the Bloodthirsty, as he is a figure from distant wizarding history. His legacy is one of extreme brutality and a love for the hunt. According to his Famous Wizard Card, Bran lived “many centuries ago” and established himself as a terrifying predator of other sentient beings (video game). It is said that his lair was filled with the bones of the numerous Giants he had slain, a testament to his prowess and cruelty (video game). Despite his villainous nature, his fame—or infamy—was significant enough for him to be immortalized on a Chocolate Frog Card. These cards were still in circulation in the 1990s, when Harry Potter acquired a duplicate of Bran's card on the Hogwarts Express in 1991.

No physical description of Bran the Bloodthirsty exists in the original novels. On his Famous Wizard Card, as depicted in early video games, he is shown as a brutish-looking man with a dark beard, wearing rugged, fur-lined clothing suitable for a hunter (video game). His personality is encapsulated by his epithet, “the Bloodthirsty.” He was evidently a sadistic and violent individual who took immense pleasure in slaughter. His specific targeting of Giants and Muggles suggests a deep-seated hatred and a predatory disposition, viewing them as little more than prey.

While no specific spells or magical feats are documented in the novels, Bran's ability to successfully hunt and kill Giants indicates he was an exceptionally powerful and combat-proficient wizard. Giants are known for their great physical strength and inherent resistance to magic, so overpowering them would have required considerable magical strength and a mastery of potent offensive spells. It is highly probable that he was skilled in the Dark Arts.

• Lair: Bran was said to possess a lair that he filled with the skeletal remains of the many Giants he had killed (video game).

Bran is not known to have had any positive relationships. His interactions with other races were defined by extreme violence. His primary victims were Muggles and Giants, whom he treated as adversaries to be hunted.

• Bran: A name of Celtic origin, particularly Welsh and Irish, meaning “raven.” The name is famously associated with Brân the Blessed, a mythological giant and king of Britain from the Welsh Mabinogion. The connection is ironic, as Bran the Bloodthirsty was a noted hunter of Giants.
• the Bloodthirsty: A descriptive epithet that directly translates to “eager for bloodshed or slaughter,” which accurately reflects his villainous reputation in wizarding history.

Bran the Bloodthirsty is mentioned once in the novels, when Harry Potter is examining his collection of Famous Wizard Cards on his first journey to Hogwarts. “…Harry's pockets were bulging with things Ron had given him – …a pack of Chocolate Frog Cards. Harry was missing Agrippa, Ptolemy and Morgana. He had duplicates of Dumbledore, Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus and Bran the Bloodthirsty.”'' - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone The majority of detailed information about Bran comes from his Famous Wizard Card (Card #22), which was created for the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets video games. The card's text states: “Lived many centuries ago. Famous for hunting Muggles and Giants, whose bones filled his lair. Was very bloodthirsty.” (video game).