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"Rookwood: a spy. He gave valuable information through the Ministry to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"
— Rookwood's loyalty revealed[src]

Augustus Rookwood was a Dark wizard and a Death Eater loyal to Lord Voldemort. During the First Wizarding War, he was a spy who worked as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. After the height of the first war, he was named by his comrade Igor Karkaroff, Rookwood was arrested and imprisoned in Azkaban.[3]

Rookwood escaped during the 1996 mass break-out and served as a Death Eater once more.[7] He fought in several battles of the Second Wizarding War, including the Battle of the Department of Mysteries[8] after which he was imprisoned again, but escaped in 1997. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Rookwood was defeated by Aberforth Dumbledore.[9] His fate after Voldemort's final defeat is unknown. It is possible that he was imprisoned in Azkaban once again for his various crimes.

Biography[]

First Wizarding War[]

Rookwood worked as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries, but became a Death Eater and spy for Lord Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. He had an information network inside and outside of the Ministry of Magic with a number of well-connected wizards. Whether or not these wizards knew they were being used for information by Rookwood is unknown.

What is known is that Ludo Bagman gave Rookwood information. Bagman was likely ignorant of the fact of Rookwood's real affiliations, since Rookwood dangled the prospect of a Ministry position before him. Bagman's testimony revealed that Augustus Rookwood was friends with his father. He also referred to Rookwood rather affectionately as "Old Rookwood", despite the man being a Death Eater, during his own court case.[3] From that information, it can be deduced that Rookwood was outgoing and perhaps affable during his years as a spy, breaking the mould of so many other Death Eaters to serve as a cover.

In 1981, Rookwood was captured and convicted on testimony from Igor Karkaroff as to his Death Eater activities and imprisoned in Azkaban. This was one of many names that Karkaroff surrendered in order to achieve his own freedom, and the first one to be viable, as the ones before were already caught or killed.[3]

Second Wizarding War[]

Lord Voldemort: "Stand up, Rookwood. You have done well to tell me this. Very well... I have wasted months on fruitless schemes, it seems.... But no matter... We begin again, from now. You have Lord Voldemort's gratitude, Rookwood...."
Rookwood: "My Lord ... yes, My Lord"
Lord Voldemort: "I shall need your help. I shall need all the information you can give me."
Rookwood: "Of course, My Lord, of course... anything..."
Lord Voldemort: "Very well... you may go. Send Avery to me."
— Lord Voldemort to Rookwood[src]
Augustus Rookwood in Azkaban

Augustus Rookwood during his imprisonment in Azkaban

During the Second Wizarding War, Rookwood escaped Azkaban along with nine other Death Eaters in 1996, when the Dementors defected to the recently returned Lord Voldemort. This was Azkaban's largest and most notorious breakout and helped set the stage for the Second Wizarding War.[7]

Rookwood was responsible for getting Voldemort on track with stealing the prophecy which concerned the Dark Lord and Harry Potter, who saw Rookwood in one of his dreams. Obviously, his experience in the Department of Mysteries made him a valuable asset in this function.[10]

Battle of the Department of Mysteries[]

"Harry did not see what happened next: Kingsley swayed across his field of vision, battling with the pockmarked Rookwood, now mask-less; another jet of green light flew over Harry’s head as he launched himself toward Neville"
— Rookwood attempting to kill Kingsley Shacklebolt in the Department of Mysteries[src]
Augustus Rookwood Held Ron Weasley Hostage

Rookwood threatening Ron Weasley in the Death Chamber

After numerous attempts at stealing the prophecy failed, Voldemort lured Harry to the Ministry by sending him visions of his godfather Sirius Black being tortured there. Rookwood was one of the Death Eaters who participated in the ambush of Harry and his five friends, and in the battle which ensued when the teenagers resisted. He was the only one not assigned a partner as the Death Eaters pursued the six D.A. members.[8]

When Order of the Phoenix members arrived he was duelling with Kingsley Shacklebolt without his mask on.[8] It is presumed that Rookwood, along with all the other Death Eaters aside from Bellatrix Lestrange, was captured and imprisoned in Azkaban after the battle.

However, he was again at large the following year, after another Azkaban break-out.[11]

Battle of Hogwarts[]

"ROOKWOOD!"
— Percy Weasley chasing after Rookwood[src]
Death Eaters-Battle of Hogwarts-DHP2

Rookwood with other Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts

Rookwood fought during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998.[11][12] After Fred Weasley was killed in an explosion, Percy Weasley chased after Rookwood as he was attacking some of the other students who had stayed to fight rather than evacuate the school.[11] Later in the battle, he was stunned by Aberforth Dumbledore.[9] It is unknown what happened to him after Voldemort was defeated, but if he survived, it is likely that he was captured and again sent to Azkaban.

Physical appearance[]

Rookwood was described, judging by his mugshot seen in the Daily Prophet, as a tall, pock-marked and grey greasy-haired wizard.[7] As Ludo Bagman described him as "old Rookwood" and given his status as a friend of Bagman's father, he was likely an older man by the time the First Wizarding War ended.[3] As a Death Eater, he bore the Dark Mark on his left inner forearm.

Personality and traits[]

Judging by his mugshot seen in the Daily Prophet, Rookwood seemed bored, contrasting from the other Death Eaters, who were sneering and glaring.[7] He also appeared being outgoing and perhaps affable, being a friend of Ludovic Bagman's father. This is further supported by everyone's surprise when Igor Karkaroff sold him out as a Death Eater.[3] He was also shown to be rather fearful of Lord Voldemort when delivering bad news to him. However, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Rookwood showed his power in combat, as he did not hesitate to attack students who remained in the battlefield.[11] Despite joining Voldemort out of fear, Rookwood was shown to be highly loyal to his master.[10]

Magical abilities and skills[]

  • Dark Arts: Rookwood would have been accomplished with Dark Magic, being a Death Eater. During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, he attempted to kill Kingsley Shacklebolt with the Killing Curse.[8]
  • Duelling: Rookwood had a level of skill in duelling as he fought Kingsley Shacklebolt head on in 1996 during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. It should be noted however that he was defeated by Kingsley during the same duel.[8] He participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, invading the school and attacking students. He was also shown chasing after a group of students, implying that even together they were unable to subdue Rookwood.[11] He was however stunned defeated during the final battle by Aberforth Dumbledore.[9]
  • Magical knowledge: Due to his past employment in the Department of Mysteries, Rookwood came to amass certain important information from the various research there, such as the consequence of an unauthorised person trying to remove a prophecy. He relayed these valuable information to Voldemort.[10] This also indicated good spying skills, as he was convicted only when one of his fellow Death Eaters betrayed him.[3]

Etymology[]

  • Rookwood was named as Algernon Rookwood in the first UK editions of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but his name reverted to Augustus again later on. This mistake was corrected in the U.S. edition of the text.
  • Augustus is Latin for "majestic" or "venerable", derived from the Latin augere, "to increase". It was the title given to the first emperor of Rome and subsequently to make other Roman emperors.
  • Rooks are known to be extremely sociable birds, and also have a kind of caw that sounds like a croak.[13] Rookwood is indicated to be a sociable wizard, and when he was seen speaking to Voldemort, he was hoarse and his tone was described as a croak.
  • In addition to Rooks being known for being highly sociable birds, they belong to the bird family Corvidae which includes Crows, Magpies, Ravens, Jackdaws among others and they are known for being highly intelligent and cunning. This "intelligent and cunning" aspect is fitting as until he was betrayed by a former colleague/Death Eater, no one suspected him to be a Dark wizard and he used this to spy for Voldemort within the Ministry of Magic itself.
  • The surname "Rookwood" may also come from Ambrose Rookwood, one of the conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
  • Rookwood is also a family in the 1834 romance of the same name written by William Harrison Ainsworth. In the novel, the Rookwood family are described quite negatively: No mate ever brook would a Rook of the Rookwood! A merry saying it is, and true. No woman ever stood in a Rookwood's way but she was speedily removed—that's certain.
  • Other possible references from Rookwood are the surname Turpin (Lisa Turpin), from the famous highwayman, and the Hand of Glory that is the subject of a poem within the book.[14]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 7 images related to Augustus Rookwood.

Notes and references[]

  1. In 1981, Rookwood had to be at least of age (17) to be working at the Ministry. As Ludo Bagman says that Rookwood was friends with his father we can assume that he was, most likely, older than 17 at the time that Igor Karkaroff revealed his Death Eater status to the Ministry as he was a well known worker at the Ministry.
  2. The Death Eaters as an organisation were known to violently hate all Muggle-borns and Muggles in general.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve)
  4. The Art and Making of Hogwarts Legacy
  5. 5.0 5.1 Hogwarts Legacy)
  6. J.K. Rowling and the Live Chat, Bloomsbury.com, July 30, 2007
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 25 (The Beetle at Bay)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 35 (Beyond the Veil)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 36 (The Flaw in the Plan)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 26 (Seen and Unforeseen)
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 32 (The Elder Wand)
  12. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - (see this image) - fourth the right of Narcissa Malfoy
  13. "Rook - The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds" from The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
  14. "Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth" from The Project Gutenberg
  15. Spotlight - CV
  16. IMDb favicon Richard Trinder at the Internet Movie Database
Department of Mysteries employees
Unspeakables
Broderick Bode · Saul Croaker · Elton Elderberry · Grim Fawley · Dinah Hecat · Olivia Green · Gareth Greengrass · Eloise Mintumble · Levina Monkstanley · Augustus Rookwood · Regina Rowle · Albert Sallow
Other personnel
Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy · Unidentified intern
Death Eaters
Dark Mark Pottermore
Leader: Lord Voldemort
Death Eaters

Avery II · Alecto Carrow · Amycus Carrow · Crabbe · Bartemius Crouch Junior † · Antonin Dolohov · Gibbon † · Goyle · Gareth Greengrass's brother · Jugson · Barnaby Lee's father · Barnaby Lee's mother · Bellatrix Lestrange † · Rabastan Lestrange · Rodolphus Lestrange · Walden Macnair · Mulciber I · Mulciber II · Nott · Pyrites (possibly) · Augustus Rookwood · Rosier · Evan Rosier † · Thorfinn Rowle · Selwyn · Merula Snyde's father · Merula Snyde's mother · Travers · Wilkes † · Corban Yaxley · Unidentified Death Eaters

Death Eater defectors

Regulus Black † · Igor Karkaroff † · Draco Malfoy · Lucius Malfoy · Peter Pettigrew † · Severus Snape

Death Eater allies

Borgin · Vincent Crabbe · John Dawlish · Delphini · Golgomath · Gregory Goyle · Fenrir Greyback · Mafalda Hopkirk · Narcissa Malfoy (defected) · Ismelda Murk (unofficially, supposedly) · Nagini · Mr Padgett · Mrs Padgett · Pansy Parkinson · Quirinus Quirrell · Albert Runcorn · Stanley Shunpike (Imperiused) · Scabior · Serpent of Slytherin · Pius Thicknesse (Imperiused) · Dolores Umbridge

Other affiliations

British Ministry of Magic (under Voldemort's control) · Daily Prophet (under Voldemort's control) · Dementors · Draco Malfoy's gang · Kreacher (formerly) · Tom Riddle's gang · Gang of Slytherins · Giants (Golgomath's control) · Inferi · Charmed skeletons · Muggle-Born Registration Commission · Theodore Nott (possibly) · Snatchers · Werewolf army · The Unforgivable

Death Eater establishments

Abandoned nuclear power plant · Borgin and Burkes · British Ministry of Magic Headquarters (under Voldemort's control) · The Cave · Chamber of Secrets · Forbidden Forest · Gaunt Shack · Lee family house · Lestrange Vault · Little Hangleton graveyard · Malfoy Manor · Misty Dell · Riddle House · Snatcher Camp · Spinner's End (Severus Snape's house) · The Abandoned Substation · The Ruins · The Quarry

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