Ariana Dumbledore

"It destroyed her, what they did: She was never right again. She wouldn't use magic, but she couldn't get rid of it; it turned inward and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it, and at times she was strange and dangerous. But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless."

- Aberforth Dumbledore on his younger sister Ariana

Ariana Dumbledore was a witch whose magical abilities were rendered unstable and uncontrollable after she was traumatized as a child. This caused her to remain hidden away for most of her life and to accidentally kill her mother during one fit. Ariana died when she was accidentally struck by a curse in a three-way duel between her older brothers Albus and Aberforth and Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. This event would have a profound impact on both her brothers' lives.

Early Life
Ariana was the youngest of three children of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore. At the age of six, she was seen performing magic by a group of Muggle boys. When she was unable to show them how to do the same, they "got a bit carried away trying to stop the little freak doing it", according to Aberforth. The attack left Ariana emotionally scarred and unable to control her magic. Her father sought revenge against the boys and was sentenced to Azkaban for the crime. He refused to reveal the reason for the attack, since Ariana would have been sent to St. Mungo's if her condition was discovered, as it threatened the Statute of Secrecy.

To keep her daughter safe, Kendra moved the family to Godric's Hollow and Ariana was secluded from the outside world. Many people were unaware that the Dumbledores even had a daughter, and those who knew believed her to be a Squib.

Mother's Death
When Ariana was fourteen years old, she had an episode in which her emotions and her magic spun out of control. Her favourite brother Aberforth was not at home to calm her down, and she caused an explosion that caused the death of her mother.

Albus Dumbledore, who had been preparing to go abroad with his friend Elphias Doge, stayed in England in order to attend his mother's funeral and to take over the position of taking care of Ariana - a role he later admitted to resenting. Aberforth wanted to be the one to take care of his sister, but he was not yet finished his education, and his older brother insisted upon him graduating from Hogwarts.

Death
"I resented it, Harry. I was gifted, I was brilliant. I wanted to escape. I wanted to shine. I wanted glory. Do not misunderstand me. I loved them...but I was selfish... So that, when my mother died, and I was left the responsibility of a damaged sister and a wayward brother, I returned to my village in anger and bitterness. Trapped and wasted, I thought! And then of course, he came..."

- Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter while they are both "dead"

At some point after Albus became Ariana's guardian, Gellert Grindelwald came to Godric's Hollow to stay with his aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, having been kicked out of Durmstrang Institute for his experiments with the Dark Arts. Albus and Gellert quickly became friends, as they were both extraordinarily talented and very ambitious. The two formed a plan to take over the wizarding world and make Muggles subservient "for the greater good".

Aberforth confronted them over these plans, pointing out that Ariana was in no state to be dragged along with them as they pursued their plans. Grindelwald became furious, and a three-way duel broke out between him, Albus, and Aberforth. Ariana, aged about 14 at the time, tried to stop it, and was inadvertantly killed; it was never known which of the three wizards was directly responsible for her death.

Post-Mortem
Immediately after Ariana's death, Grindelwald fled the scene, fearing retribution and losing his friendship with Albus permanently. Aberforth never forgave his brother for his part in their sister's death, nor was Albus ever able to forgive himself. In the Mirror of Erised, he would forever see his family whole and intact.

Rita Skeeter wrote a scathing biography of Albus Dumbledore after his death in 1997, and included humiliating false statements about Ariana being a Squib whom the family mistreated.

A portrait of Ariana hangs in Aberforth's room in the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. It conceals a secret passage to the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts Castle. This passage appeared only after the students had begun using the Room of Requirement in their efforts to fight the Hogwarts administration under Headmaster Severus Snape. It was used to transport Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley to Hogwarts in 1998, and later other members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix who answered the call to defend the castle against Lord Voldemort's encroaching army.

Aberforth Dumbledore
"I was her favourite... She liked me best. I could get her to eat when she wouldn't do it for my mother, I could calm her down, when she was in one of her rages, and when she was quiet, she used to help me feed the goats."

- Aberforth on his sister

He was one of her older brothers. Aberforth Dumbledore and Ariana had a very close relashionship after Ariana was driven half-insane after three Muggle boys attacked her. He could control her when she was in one of her rages while her mother couldn't. Aberforth, who was Ariana's favourite, took part responsibility of taking care of her, but he was not present when Ariana lost control of her magic and accidentally killed their mother. Although Aberforth wanted to take over the care of his sister then, Albus Dumbledore did not allow it, as he wanted his younger brother to complete his Hogwarts education. At some point after Albus became Ariana's guardian, Gellert Grindelwald came to Godric's Hollow to stay with his aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, having been kicked out of Durmstrang Institute for his experiments with the Dark Arts. Albus and Gellert quickly became friends, as they were both extraordinarily talented and very ambitious. The two formed a plan to take over the wizarding world and make Muggles subservient "for the greater good". Aberforth confronted them over these plans, pointing out that Ariana was in no state to be dragged along with them as they pursued their plans. Grindelwald became furious, and a three-way duel broke out between him, Albus, and Aberforth. Ariana, aged about 14 at the time, tried to stop it, and was inadvertantly killed; it was never known which of the three wizards was directly responsible for her death. He keeps A portrait of Ariana hangs in Aberforth's room in the Hog's Head Inn. It conceals a secret passage to the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts Castle.

Albus Dumbledore
He was her eldest brother. He did not have such a close relashionship with her when he was younger as his brother, Aberforth Dumbledore did. He was devsted with the rest of his family when Ariana was driven half-insane after three Muggle boys attacked her. Shortly after Percival Dumbledore went and hurt the muggles who made Arian half-insane. Late on, Ariana accidently killed her mother when she was in one of her rages. After this, it was his responsibilty to take care of Aberforth and Ariana. At some point after Albus became Ariana's guardian, Gellert Grindelwald came to Godric's Hollow to stay with his aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, having been kicked out of Durmstrang Institute for his experiments with the Dark Arts. Albus and Gellert quickly became friends, as they were both extraordinarily talented and very ambitious. The two formed a plan to take over the wizarding world and make Muggles subservient "for the greater good". Aberforth confronted them over these plans, pointing out that Ariana was in no state to be dragged along with them as they pursued their plans. Grindelwald became furious, and a three-way duel broke out between him, Albus, and Aberforth. Ariana, aged about 14 at the time, tried to stop it, and was inadvertantly killed; it was never known which of the three wizards was directly responsible for her death. Her death changed Albus forever.

Etymology

 * Ariana is the Italian form of the Greek name Ariadne, which means "most holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was a princess of Crete who helped Theseus slay the Minotaur. The name could also come from the Welsh arian, meaning "silver".