Warning!
At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. |
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[]
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[]
- Wand: Percival owned a wand, which was of an unknown length, wand wood and wand core.
- Polyjuice flask: Used for holding Polyjuice Potion. However, this is just speculation.
- Collar pins: These were shaped as scorpions and inlaid with green jewels.
- Office: Perceval had his own office at the Magical Congress of the United States of America before his disappearance. It had a desk and chairs with several books, a desktop version of the Magical Exposure Threat Level measurer, a lamp, an ink well and quill on the desk quill on the desk; many magical artefacts on the shelves, a chandelier, and a white door with the MACUSA logo on it.
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[]
- Gellert Grindelwald transfigured as Percival Graves is portrayed in the film inspired by Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Colin Farrell.[12]
- Graves' story is highly similar to that of Alastor Moody during Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, though Moody was ultimately rescued and it is unclear if Graves was already killed. Conversely however, Bartemius Crouch Junior impersonated Moody through using Polyjuice Potion, whereas Grindelwald used Human Transfiguration.
- The 1991 comedy film King Ralph featured another character with the same name, Lord Percival Graves. Lord Graves was portrayed by John Hurt, who also appeared in the Harry Potter film series as Garrick Ollivander.
- It is unknown whether Grindelwald murdered Graves to assume his identity or imprisoned him in an undisclosed location.
Appearances[]
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (First mentioned) (As an assumed identity)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (As an assumed identity)
- Pottermore (As an assumed identity)
- Wizarding World (As an assumed identity)
- LEGO Dimensions (As an assumed identity)
- LEGO Harry Potter (As an assumed identity)
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (First appearance)
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (Mentioned in History of Magic classes)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ According to J.K. Rowling's screenplay, Graves was "early middle-age" during the events of the first Fantastic Beasts film. No one below the age of forty would be considered "middle-aged".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, Scene 116 states that when Grindelwald transforms from being Graves, he "no longer" has "dark" hair and that he was now "blond and blue-eyed", implying his hair and eye colour were different.
- ↑ EW - Fantastic Beasts: First look at Ezra Miller's mysterious character
- ↑ Writing by J. K. Rowling: "The Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA)" at Wizarding World
- ↑ 'Fantastic Beasts' Character Descriptions Revealed
- ↑ Announcement Trailer for “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” to Be Unveiled Worldwide on December 15th
- ↑ Writing by J. K. Rowling: "The Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA)" at Wizarding World
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
- ↑ JKRowling.com - Welcome to my new website!
- ↑ Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (see video)
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay, Scene 5
- ↑ "Colin Farrell Joins ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’" at Blog.peopleschoice.com/
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