Great-Aunt Muriel

Great-Aunt Muriel is a centenarian witch, a great-aunt of the Weasley children through Molly Weasley's Prewett family line. Known for her abrasive personality, sharp tongue, and penchant for gossip, she plays a minor but memorable role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She serves as a key source of information about Albus Dumbledore's controversial family history and provides a safe house for members of the Order of the Phoenix during the Second Wizarding War.

Muriel's early life is not detailed, but she was a contemporary of Kendra Dumbledore and lived near the Dumbledore family when they resided in Godric's Hollow. By the time of the Second Wizarding War, Muriel was 107 years old. In August 1997, she attended the wedding of her great-nephew Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour at The Burrow. Despite her critical nature, she lent Fleur a valuable, goblin-made tiara for the ceremony. During the reception, she engaged in a heated conversation with Elphias Doge, eagerly repeating salacious rumors about Albus Dumbledore that she had read in Rita Skeeter's forthcoming biography, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. She claimed that Dumbledore's sister, Ariana Dumbledore, had been a Squib, and that Kendra Dumbledore was a terrifying woman. Her gossip provided Harry Potter, who overheard the conversation while disguised, with his first clues into Dumbledore's troubled past. When the wedding was attacked by Death Eaters following the fall of the Ministry of Magic, Muriel was safely evacuated. In the months that followed, she offered her home as a safe house for several members of the Weasley family, including Fred and George Weasley, who were being hunted by the regime.

At 107 years old, Muriel is described as a tiny, stooped witch with a sharp-featured face and protruding, gimlet-like eyes. At the wedding, she wore a great deal of rouge and a feathery, pink hat. Muriel is characterized by her crotchety, tactless, and brutally honest demeanor. She freely criticizes everyone, making rude remarks about Bill's long hair, Ron's posture, Ginny Weasley's dress, and Hermione Granger's posture and skinny ankles. She is an avid gossip who readily accepts the scandalous claims published by Rita Skeeter. Despite her abrasive nature, she demonstrates a degree of family loyalty, shown by her loan of the tiara and her willingness to provide shelter to her relatives during the war.

Muriel's specific magical abilities are not detailed in the novels. As a witch who lived to be at least 107, she presumably possessed competent magical skills to navigate the wizarding world for over a century. Her home was also sufficiently protected to be used as a safe house by the Order of the Phoenix.

• Goblin-Made Tiara: Muriel owns a beautiful tiara of goblin-wrought silver and moonstones. She reluctantly lent it to Fleur Delacour to wear for her wedding, stating that it was a family heirloom and expressing concern that Fleur might try to keep it.
• House: Muriel owns a house which she offered as a safe house to the Weasley family after the fall of the Ministry of Magic. Its location is unknown, but Fred and George Weasley stayed there for a period during the Second Wizarding War.

• Weasley Family: Muriel is Molly Weasley's great-aunt. While she is deeply critical of the Weasley family, her actions—lending a priceless heirloom and providing a safe house—demonstrate an underlying sense of familial duty and loyalty.
• Dumbledore Family: Muriel knew the Dumbledore family during her youth in Godric's Hollow. She is a primary source of the rumors and gossip surrounding Ariana Dumbledore's illness and death. Her accounts, though biased and influenced by Rita Skeeter, provide Harry Potter with crucial, albeit skewed, pieces of Albus Dumbledore's backstory.
• Elphias Doge: At Bill and Fleur's wedding, Muriel engages in a heated debate with Elphias Doge, a staunch defender of Albus Dumbledore's reputation. Muriel champions the scandalous narrative from Rita Skeeter's book, while Doge attempts to defend his friend's honor, creating a stark contrast between Dumbledore's public and private life.

The name Muriel is a traditional name of Celtic origin, derived from the Irish name Muirgel, meaning “bright sea” or “sea-bright”. It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages.

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Great-Aunt Muriel is portrayed by actress Matyelok Gibbs. Her role is consistent with the novel, where she appears at the wedding and engages in gossip about Albus Dumbledore with Elphias Doge. (film)