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The Mystery of Aberforth

by David Haber

During the interview after the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling said, "There is one member of the Order of the Phoenix that you have not yet met properly, but you will meet them in seven." Is this person Dumbledore's mysterious brother, Aberforth? What do we know about Aberforth, and how is he involved in the story?

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Reader Comments: (Page 25)

I love this discussion, its keeping the blood flowing till the book comes out.
Albus is a thinker, a plotter, a schemer; so therefore one COULD maybe see him pulling some brother swap, but one thing that hasnt been mentioned here:
It isnt in albus dumbeldore's character to ask anyone to for him, or in his place.
I feel that Albus, sensing his own impending doom would
stand in front of that bullet and for what he believed in.
Albus Dumbeldore would not send his own brother to in his stead.
Good leaders lead by example, what kind of example would albus make of himself if he chose to send his brother to for him.

Posted by Landshark from Socorro, NM on June 16, 2007 10:23 PM

I agree, it's unlikely Dumbledore would want a swap. Hasn't JK confirmed Aberforth is the Barman?

Posted by Kylie from Australia on June 17, 2007 10:43 PM

Harry saw the photo about Aberforth before that meeting in Hogsmead. I think he would have recognized him. Also, Hagrid, and other Order memebers have met aberforth.
Harry found him familiar. The barman is Aberforth. If we consider these as facts, then Aberforth is either not disguised, or he is not disguised appropriately. Harry saw him only once on a photo, but other members of the order met him in live, and they would recognize him easily (unless we take it that they NEVER visit Hogsmead. But thats unlikely.)

Posted by Zoltan Major from Hungary on June 21, 2007 01:17 AM

Well i think that Aberforth is a really powerful wizard, who has just been behind the curtain waiting for the time...

Posted by Mika Jokinen from Finland,Kokkola on June 22, 2007 01:50 AM

Remember that Mad eye Moody was the one who called Aberforth a strange bloke, who is mad eye to call someone that? Moody is paranoid and strange in other ways. This can mean that Aberforth is even weirder than Moody or that he's a strange bloke to him, meaning Aberforth is normal like everyone else. Cause Moody thinks he's (Moody) normal and Aberforth is strange beacause hes not paranoid.

Posted by mikael 12 years from Sweden, Stockholm on June 22, 2007 12:37 PM

The whole thing with Aberforth and Albus reminds the one with Sherlock Holmes and his elder brother Microft. Sherlock says that his brother might be able to become even greater detective that him if he weren't so lazy...

Maybe here's the same situation? Albus enjoys the fame of "one of the strongest and wisest wizards alive", and Aberforth stays in the shade.
Maybe Albus isn't the real author of some of his plots, but his brother is?

Posted by Charles from Belarus on June 27, 2007 03:21 AM

Perhaps Aberforth is an idiot savant... Its believable that the brother of Albus Dumbledore is a genius as well, but to some extenuating circumstances has not shared the same public successes (i.e. Headmaster, Wizengamot, etc...) How cool would that be if Aberforth ends up being a more powerful wizard than Albus...

Posted by Sahil from Gainesville, FL on June 27, 2007 6:29 PM

for some reason i already just thought his name was aberforth since the first time i read it maybe i read his name next to bar man somewhere and it just fit when i read it.

Posted by james on June 30, 2007 10:51 AM

You know that Mundungus and Aberforth had a meeting in HBP. I don't have the book in front of me, so I can't tell you exactly what happened, but we know that they exchanged something. It was right before Harry flipped about Mundungus taking his stuff from Sirius' house. Maybe Mundungus took the locket from Kreacher, or in some other way accuired it from Grimauld Place, and was selling it to Aberforth.

I personally think that the memberof the OOTP that we don't know that much is Emmeline Vance, because we seriously don't know that much about her.

Posted by Anisha Hindocha from Apache Junction, AZ on July 2, 2007 11:28 AM

I think it has been mentioned that Jim McManus has been cast as Aberforth for the OotP movie, but upon checking this out on imdb.com his part in the movie is described as "Barman"!

Posted by Felix from Nelson, NZ on July 3, 2007 05:48 AM

In Half-Blood Prince, when Voldemort met with Dumbledore in the Pensieve, Dumbledore knows that Eaters are at the Hog's Head, and he tells Voldemort he knows, and so he said to Dumbledore, " You are as omniscient as ever, Dumbledore." to which he replies "Oh no, merely friendly with the local barmen." of course he is, the barman is his brother.

Posted by Anonymous on July 3, 2007 10:46 AM

Can someone tell me why in french, Aberforth becomes Abelforth (in GoF). R becomes L. Then, in OotP, Grimmauld Place becomes Grimmaurd Place. L becomes R

Grimmaurd has no particular meaning in french. The name should have remained Grimmauld. Is this significant?

Does that mean that Aberforth + Grimmauld = something?

Posted by herve from strasbourg on July 3, 2007 1:20 PM

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