- "Mulciber and Avery's idea of humour is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."
- —Lily Evans regarding Avery's personality traits[src]
Avery was a Dark wizard, possibly the son of Avery, and a Slytherin student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After graduating from Hogwarts, he became a Death Eater.
Avery fought in several battles during the First Wizarding War. Avery didn't search for Lord Voldemort after his downfall, but this was forgiven, after his master's return. During the Second Wizarding War, Avery fought at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries with a group of Death Eaters, attempting to take a prophecy from Harry Potter. After the battle, he was imprisoned in Azkaban, but escaped in 1997. It is possible that he fought at the Battle of Hogwarts, too. After Voldemort's defeat in 1998, he was presumably killed or imprisoned again in Azkaban.
Biography
Hogwarts years
Avery attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1970s and was sorted into Slytherin House.[1] He and his friend Mulciber amused themselves by playing nasty pranks on other students, including Mary Macdonald, on whom Mulciber tried to use Dark Magic on during the 1975-1976 school year.[2]
Avery was also a friend of Severus Snape, something that bothered Lily Evans, who was Snape's best friend at the time. She found Avery's sense of humour to be very sadistic and could not understand how Snape could associate with him.[2] According to Sirius Black, Avery was part of a "gang of Slytherins" who later become Death Eaters and also included Bellatrix Black, her future husband Rodolphus Lestrange, Evan Rosier, Snape, and Wilkes.[1]
First Wizarding War
Sometime during the First Wizarding War, Avery was apprehended by Ministry of Magic officials and stood trial for being a Death Eater. Avery was one of few who "wormed his way out of trouble", according to Sirius Black, since he pleaded the Imperius Curse. He was not sent to Azkaban. He was also one of the Death Eaters who didn't search for his master after his downfall.
It can be assumed Avery assisted in the Quidditch World Cup Riot a year before Lord Voldemort returned, though this is not proven.[3]
Second Wizarding War
Return of the Dark Lord
Avery was the first Death Eater to crack and grovel at Lord Voldemort's feet during his rebirth at the cemetery, saying that he didn't look for Voldemort after his downfall because he believed him to be "finished". He begged Voldemort to forgive everyone. Voldemort responded by using the Cruciatus Curse on him and saying he wanted thirteen years repayment before forgiving the Death Eaters for the lack of belief they had in him.[3]
The prophecy
In 1995, Voldemort was seeking a prophecy that had been made about himself and Harry Potter, a record of which was kept in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. Avery told his master that it would be possible to obtain the prophecy by placing Unspeakable Broderick Bode under the Imperius Curse and having him get it for them. This attempt failed, as prophecies are protected by spells that only allow them to be retrieved by the person about whom they are made. Voldemort punished Avery for this mistake.
Battle of the Department of Mysteries
- "We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary..."
- —Lucius Malfoy gives orders to the group of Death Eaters[src]
Personality and traits
Avery, when he was a student at Hogwarts, was described by Lily Evans as having an "evil sense of humour", indicating that he was a sadist. She also called Avery and Mulciber "Death Eaters" before they became two of them, meaning that they had a passion with Dark Arts and blood purity. Avery was also disloyal, as he didn't search for his master after his downfall. Much like Peter Pettigrew he was characterised as a weak individual, shown when he cowardly begged Voldemort to forgive him and the other Death Eaters who did not search for him. He also seemed to be incompetent, as his suggestion for helping Voldemort obtain the prophecy about himself and Harry Potter failed miserably, and he was among the Death Eaters defeated in battle with the members of Dumbledore's Army (as opposed to other Death Eaters like Dolohov and Lestrange, who easily handled the teenagers). It's unknown if his weak and cowardly characteristics were present during his time at Hogwarts or if they developed later in life, though Lily Evans and Sirius Black didn't seem to regard him with as much disdain as they did towards his friends.
Etymology
Avery is an English surname derived from an Old French version of the name Alfred. The meaning of the name is derived from the Old English words aelf, meaning elf, and raed, meaning counsel.
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Avery may have been the one hit by Ginny with Reducto, as this could have been a mirror of a scene in the book in which a Death Eater (either Lucius, Mulciber, Macnair, or Avery) grabs Ginny's foot and has Pluto blown up in his face by Luna).
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Avery was played by Richard Rosson, but was only credited as "Death Eater".[5] Early screenings of said film are rumoured to have included the part where Voldemort tortures Avery but this is unconfirmed.
- It's likely that he is the son of Tom Riddle's friend with the same surname.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Appears as generic Death Eater)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 27 (Padfoot Returns)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑
Richard Rosson at the Internet Movie Database
