Percival Dumbledore

Percival Dumbledore was a wizard, the husband of Kendra Dumbledore, and the father of Albus, Aberforth, and Ariana Dumbledore. His life was defined by a tragic, vengeful act committed to protect his daughter, which resulted in his lifelong imprisonment in Azkaban. This event and the ensuing secrecy deeply scarred the Dumbledore family and profoundly influenced the lives of his children, particularly Albus. To the wider wizarding world, Percival was known as a virulent Muggle-hater, a reputation he accepted to conceal his daughter's condition and protect her from institutionalization.

Percival lived with his wife, Kendra, and their three young children in the predominantly wizarding village of Mould-on-the-Wold. Their lives were shattered when their daughter, Ariana, was six years old. A group of three Muggle boys witnessed her performing underage magic and, frightened by what they saw, attacked her. The assault left Ariana traumatized to the point that her magic became uncontrollable and she was rendered mentally unstable. Consumed by rage, Percival sought out the Muggle boys and attacked them in retribution. For this crime, he was arrested by the Ministry of Magic and brought before the Wizengamot. At his trial, Percival refused to provide any explanation for his actions. He knew that revealing the truth about Ariana's condition would lead to her being permanently confined to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, a fate he considered worse than prison. By withholding the motive for his attack, Percival was convicted and sentenced to life in Azkaban. He accepted the public perception of him as a proponent of anti-Muggle violence to shield his family's secret. Following his imprisonment, Kendra Dumbledore moved the family to Godric's Hollow to escape the notoriety. Percival Dumbledore died in Azkaban at an unknown date. The full truth of his story was not widely known until Aberforth Dumbledore revealed it to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger decades later.

The novels provide no physical description of Percival Dumbledore. His personality is primarily understood through his actions. He was a fiercely protective and loving father, willing to sacrifice his own freedom and reputation to safeguard his daughter. His decision to remain silent at his trial demonstrates immense self-control and a profound sense of familial duty. However, his attack on the Muggles also reveals a capacity for vengeful violence. Rita Skeeter, in her biography The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, portrayed him as a bigoted and cruel wizard, a narrative that his silence allowed to flourish.

Little is known of Percival's magical prowess. As a qualified wizard who was tried by the Wizengamot, he was presumably proficient in magic. The nature of his attack on the Muggle boys is not specified, but it was severe enough to warrant a life sentence in Azkaban, suggesting powerful and illegal magic may have been used.

No specific possessions of Percival Dumbledore are mentioned in the novels.

• Ariana Dumbledore (Daughter): Percival's relationship with Ariana was the defining one of his life. His love for her was so absolute that he chose a life of imprisonment and public shame over a course of action that might have harmed her further.
• Kendra Dumbledore (Wife): Kendra was complicit in Percival's secret, moving the family to Godric's Hollow to protect Ariana after his incarceration. They shared the immense burden of their family's tragedy.
• Albus Dumbledore (Son): Percival's imprisonment had a lasting impact on Albus, contributing to his secretive nature and the immense guilt he carried throughout his life regarding his family. Albus later understood and respected his father's sacrifice.
• Aberforth Dumbledore (Son): Aberforth, more than Albus, seemed to grasp the raw, protective nature of his father's actions. It was Aberforth who guarded the true story of his father's motivations and ultimately revealed it to defend his family's honor.

The name Percival has roots in Arthurian legend, belonging to one of the three Knights of the Round Table who completed the Quest for the Holy Grail. The character of Sir Percival is often associated with innocence, purity, and a noble journey. This could be an ironic reference to Percival Dumbledore's tragic quest for justice, which, though motivated by a noble love for his daughter, led to his ruin.

• In addition to Percival Dumbledore, the name “Percival” appears in several other contexts within the wider Harry Potter universe.
• Percival Graves was a high-ranking American Auror and the Director of Magical Security for the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA). His identity was stolen and used by Gellert Grindelwald in 1926 (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film).
• The full first name of Percy Weasley is Percival.
• Percival Pratt was a radical goblin from Godric's Hollow who is mentioned in A History of Magic as having led a goblin rebellion in the mid-eighteenth century.