- "Pointing the wand away from myself into the deadly folds of the creature, summoning the memory of the day I had been voted President of the local Gobstones Club, I performed the Patronus Charm... I looked up to see that deathly shadow being thrown into the air upon the horns of my Patronus."
- — Flavius Belby's account of his Patronus Charm[src]
Flavius Belby (1715 - 1791) was the only known wizard to survive a Lethifold attack.[2] Through his quick thinking and bravery, he discovered the one way to successfully drive off a Lethifold in Papua New Guinea in 1782,[2] and was subsequently immortalised on a Chocolate Frog Card.[1]
Biography
Early life
Flavius was born in 1715.[1] At some point in his life, he was elected the President of his local local Gobstones club, a moment that he would always remember as a very happy memory.[2]
Lethifold attack
In 1782, aged 66 or 67, Belby was on holiday in Papua New Guinea. One night, when he was lying awake on his bed, a Lethifold entered his bedroom, sliding through the little space underneath the door. Belby was awake (which is unusual for a Lethifold attack), and as such, had an opportunity to defend himself. As the creature attempted to smother him, he grabbed his wand and attempted against the beast, but neither the Stunning Spell nor the Impediment Jinx had any effects on it. Belby struggled but the creature continued strangling him. Incapable of breathing, Belby was next to unconsciousness when, using his last ounce of strength, he recalled the memory of the day that he was elected president of his local Gobstones Club, and produced a corporeal Patronus that drove the creature off.[2]
Belby would later write about this near-death experience:[2]
- "To my horror, the shadow began to creep up the bed, and I felt its slight weight upon me. It resembled nothing so much as a rippling black cape, the edges fluttering slightly as it slithered up the bed towards me. Paralysed with fear, I felt its clammy touch upon my chin...Desperately I mustered up my last reserve of energy. Pointing the wand away from myself into the deadly folds of the creature, summoning the memory of the day I had been voted President of the local Gobstones Club, I performed the Patronus Charm. Almost at once I felt fresh air upon my face. I looked up to see that deathly shadow being thrown into the air upon the horns of my Patronus. It flew across the room and slithered swiftly out of sight."
- — Belby's account of the Lethifold Attack[src]
Belby died less than a decade later, in 1791, but the attack and his miraculous survival was remembered for centuries after.[2]
Legacy
Belby's account of the attack was recorded in the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them under the entry "Dealing with the Lethifold".[2]
For being the only known wizard to survive a Lethifold attack though a combination of not being completely asleep and the use of a Patronus Charm, he appeared on a Chocolate Frog Card.[1]
Magical skills and abilities
- Charms: Belby was exceptionally skilled in charms to the point where he was able to cast a corporeal Patronus Charm, which is immensely advanced magic on its own, but even more impressively, he was able to cast it flawlessly while being attacked and suffocated under a Lethifold, and succeeded in becoming the first person to survive an attack from one.[2]
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Belby was able to successfully and resourcefully cast some defensive spells, such as the Stunning Spell and the Impediment Jinx, along with his mastery of the Patronus Charm, meaning he was evidently competent with defensive magic.[2]
Etymology
"Flavius" is a Roman family name which meant "golden" or "yellow-haired" from Latin flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian.
Behind the scenes
- He may be some relation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry student Marcus Belby of Ravenclaw house and his uncle, the potioneer Damocles Belby, best known for inventing the Wolfsbane Potion. But so far, this is unconfirmed.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (First appearance) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (Appears on a Famous Wizard Card)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
