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Percival Graves[6] was an American wizard, Auror, Director of Magical Security and the Head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Percival Graves was born into the wizarding Graves family, a well-regarded and politically influential family of Gondulphus Graves, one of the twelve original Aurors of the Magical Congress of the United States of America and bravely laid down his life in the struggle to root out the violently unprincipled Scourers.[7]

At some point in his adult life, Graves followed in his footsteps of his famous ancestor by joining the Magical Congress of the United States of America as an Auror. He eventually became the Head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, an extremely important position, where he would have overseen the upholding of Wizarding law.[8]

Impersonation by Gellert Grindelwald[]

Credence and Grindelwald in New York

Grindelwald adopting the identity of Percival Graves and befriending Credence Barebone in order to find the Obscurial

At some point prior to 6 December 1926, his identity was assumed by the Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald using Human Transfiguration.[9] It is unknown if he was killed or kept in captivity during this time. Through Grindelwald's excellent impersonation of Graves, he assumed his position in MACUSA with significant power and authority in both MACUSA and the American wizarding community. Grindelwald unleashed the Obscurus of Credence Barebone, which attacked New York City, in an attempt to expose Wizardkind to the No-Maj population. Whilst doing his evil work, he also wrongfully sentenced both Newton Scamander and Porpentina Goldstein to death to cover his tracks and to remove them from his path, although they both escaped. The Obscurial was stopped by Aurors from MACUSA and Grindelwald's impersonation of Graves was finally exposed by Scamander. It is unknown if MACUSA ever managed to find the real Graves, dead or alive.[8]

After the 1920s[]

In the 2010s, the Calamity had a memory of Percival Graves appear in a public area inhabited by Muggles, paired with a Confoundable in the shape of a MACUSA executioner attempting to extract his memories. A Calamity Investigator successfully banished the Confoundable, returning the memory of Graves to its proper place.[10]

Physical description[]

When Gellert Grindelwald transfigured himself into Percival in December 1926, he was described as an early middle-aged, good-looking man, wearing elegant clothes.[11]

Personality and traits[]

As the Director of Magical Security, tasked with the protection of the American wizarding community, Percival Graves was likely highly professional and responsible, with President Picquery trusting him as her right-hand man. While Gellert Grindelwald impersonated Graves, he displayed a prim, serious, and ambitious personality, without arousing anyone's suspicions, implying that this was in line with the real Graves's personality.

Magical abilities and skills[]

  • Auror skills: Given his senior positions within the MACUSA Law Enforcement hierarchy and even the fact he seemed to earn the confidence of President Seraphina Picquery (when Grindelwald was disguised as him), Graves appeared to be an Auror of high ability.

Possessions[]

Percival's wand

Etymology[]

In French, the name Percival means "valley piercer; piercer of the valley; one who attacks through the valley". In Greek, the name means "destroyer" and is related to Perseus, a hero of Greek mythology considered the greatest Greek hero and slayer of monsters before Heracles.

Percival is also the name of one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend and who was the original hero in the quest for the Holy Grail before being replaced in later literature by Galahad (a name and origin he shares with Percy Weasley).

The surname Graves is of both English/Anglo-Saxon and French origin. In Anglo-Saxon terms, it is derived from the baptismal name Reeve (which itself means "representative; herd; monger; maker; hewer; smith; wright") and means "son of Reeve". As an occupational name, it means "manager" or "overseer." In French, the name originates from an old family of the southern region of Languedoc, but could also derive from the Old French word "grave", which meant "gravel." It also refers to a place where dead remains (typically human) are buried, referring to death.

Percival Graves' name is almost identical to that of Richard Perceval Graves, an English biographer, poet, and lecturer best known for his three-volume biography of his uncle Robert Graves, who was responsible for the modern (but false) concept of the Celtic Tree Calendar (on which wandlore is based).

Behind the scenes[]

GravesPOP

Percival Graves as a POP! Vinyl

PercivalGravesLEGOD

Gellert Grindelwald disguised as Graves, as depicted in LEGO Dimensions

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 6 images related to Percival Graves.

Notes and references[]

Magical Congress of the United States of America
MACUSA Logo
Presidents

Josiah Jackson (1693-?) · Charity Wilkinson · Thornton Harkaway (c. 1760) · Able Fleming · Elizabeth McGilliguddy (c. 1777) · Emily Rappaport (c. 1790) · Seraphina Picquery (1920-1928) · Unidentified President (c. 1987) · Samuel G. Quahog (c. 2014)

Aurors

Abraham Potter · Achilles Tolliver · Berthilde Roche · Carlos Lopez · Cas Carneirus · Cormac O'Brien · E. A. Limus · Gondulphus Graves · Helmut Weiss · M. L. Minus · M. P. Carneirus · Mary Jauncey · Mungo MacDuff · Percival Graves · Porpentina Goldstein · Robert Grimsditch · Saranna Wilkinson · Theodard Fontaine · Wilhelm Fischer · Unidentified Aurors

Other positions

Apparition Examiner · Auror Commissioner · Captain of Aurors · Chief Auror · Chief of Staff · Director of Magical Security · Executioner · Federal Identity Commissioner · Federal Wand Permit Officer · Keeper of Treasure and Dragots · Obliviator · Surveillor of Activity

Other employees

Abernathy · Albert Perschky · Aristotle Twelvetrees · Ben Copper · Bernadette · Beryl · E. A. Limus · F. Wakefield · Holly Blackbird · Irene Kneedander · J. Ward · L. O'Sullivan · Magali Crowe · Paloma Proudfoot · Queenie Goldstein · Red · Ruby · Sam · Unidentified executioner (I) · Unidentified executioner (II) · Unidentified guide · Y. Blishen

Departments

Body for Protection of Magical Species · Department of Aurors · Department of No-Maj Misinformation · Department of Unidentifiable Magical Objects · Department for Confiscated Items · Federal Bureau of Covert Vigilance and No-Maj Obliviation · MACUSA Communications Department · · MACUSA Department of Magical Law Enforcement · MACUSA Investigation Department · MACUSA Surveillance Wizarding Resources Department · Magical Cleaning Department · Major Investigation Department · Office for Magic Relations and Education · US Auror Divisions · Wand Permit Department · Wizarding Resources Department

Locations

Death Cell · Great Meeting Chamber · Lobby · No-Maj Fraternisation sub-division · Pentagram Office · Percival Graves' office · Register Office · Typing Pool · Wand Permit Office · Young Wizards Daycare Center

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