- "As I told you once before, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished."
- — Dolores Umbridge[src]
Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge was Senior Under-Secretary to Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. In her ambition for power, she climbed her way to Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts, High Inquisitor and Headmistress of Hogwarts.[1] During the height of the Second Wizarding War, Umbridge ran the Muggle-Born Registration Commission while Lord Voldemort was in control of the Ministry, and sadistically prosecuted many innocent people.[2] She is currently incarcerated at Azkaban for her crimes against Muggle-borns.
Biography
Early Life
Little is known of Dolores Umbridge's early life. At age eleven, she purchased her wand at Diagon Alley, most likely at Ollivander's Wand Shop, and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is unknown which house she was sorted in, but it is speculated that she was a Slytherin due to the favoritism she showed to that house during the 1995–1996 school year. She left Hogwarts before 1971 before since she knew nothing about the Marauders.
After her graduation, in her fanatical desire for power, Umbridge quickly rose to influential positions in the Ministry of Magic at a relatively young age, meaning she must have been a skilled, well-respected, and ambitious young witch to achieve such a position of authority.
Career at the Ministry
- "You have no business here, centaur! This is a Ministry matter!"
- — Umbridge tries to use her Ministry position to warn off a Centaur[src]
Dolores Umbridge at Harry Potter's disciplinary hearing.
Due to Umbridge's hatred towards "half-breeds," at some point in her life she drafted a piece of anti-werewolf legislation, which made it nearly impossible for werewolves, such as Remus Lupin, to find work. She also suggested that the merpeople be rounded up and tagged, but it was never put to action.
Senior Under-Secretary
As Senior Under-Secretary to the Minister for Magic in 1995, Umbridge used her power to intimidate Harry Potter during an interrogation before the Wizengamot. Harry was to be punished for inadvertently violating the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery; however, thanks to the efforts of Albus Dumbledore, he was released without punishment.[1]
What Umbridge did not reveal at the time was that she herself had ordered the Dementor attack on Harry and his cousin Dudley Dursley, leaving him no choice but to violate the Decree by casting a Patronus Charm. She claimed such an order was impossible. However, in June the next year, she revealed to a crowd of Hogwarts students she had in fact made that order, believing that it was the most effective way to silence his claims about Voldemort's return.
Working at Hogwarts
During her stay at Hogwarts.
- Dumbledore: "As usual, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that—"
- Umbridge: "Hem-Hem... Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome. [...] The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of a vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this... historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be... prohibited!"
- Dumbledore: "Thank you Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating."
- — Dolores Umbridge interrupts Albus Dumbledore in the 1995 welcoming feast.[src]
In 1995, Professor Dolores Umbridge was placed at Hogwarts as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher by order of the Ministry of Magic, under the terms of Educational Decree Number 22, without Albus Dumbledore's consent. She was supplied by the Ministry mostly as a spy and was not fond of children.[1] She also rudely interrupted Dumbledore's opening feast announcements, which no new teacher had done before.
Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor
Dolores Umbridge inspecting Hogwarts.
- Hermione: "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells."
- Umbridge: "Using spells?! Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom. You'll be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way."
- — Hermione Granger and Dolores Umbridge, their first D.A.D.A lesson.[src]
She taught according to a politically-restricted curriculum which entailed learning strictly the theory of Defence Against the Dark Arts, without any practical applications. She, and the Ministry for that matter, believed that a theoretical knowledge would be more than sufficient to get the students through their examinations and that as long as the students had studied the theory hard enough, there would be no reason why they should not be able to perform the spells. [1]
Most students were concerned and felt they would be left defenceless against the Dark Arts. Some spoke out openly in class, such as Hermione, Ron, Harry, Dean Thomas, and Parvati Patil, but were immediately silenced or punished by Umbridge. For instance, when Harry contradicted the Ministry of Magic's official position that Lord Voldemort was dead, Umbridge punished him with torture. She forced him to write the phrase "I must not tell lies" repeatedly with a special quill that caused those words to be carved into the back of his hand and transfer his blood to the pen to be used as ink, eventually leaving him scarred.[1]
High Inquisitor
- "Having already revolutionized the teaching of Defence Against the Dark Arts, Dolores Umbridge will, as High Inquisitor, have powers to address the seriously falling standards at Hogwarts School."
- — Cornelius Fudge[src]
After working at Hogwarts for a short while and having a discussion with the Minister, Educational Decree Number 23 increased Umbridge's power as she was appointed the first-ever "High Inquisitor of Hogwarts". She used this position to evaluate and harass the teachers at Hogwarts. When Harry formed a group to teach practical Defence Against the Dark Arts, Umbridge abolished all student groups of three or more members, meaning students were not allowed to be seen together in a larger number of three or they would be suspected of rule breaking. This also included Quidditch teams. She permitted them to be reformed if they ask for permission, and only if she deemed them to be allowable, which meant that Dumbledore's Army became an illegal organisation.
High Inquisitor Umbridge inspecting Severus Snape's Potion class.
When Harry gave an interview about Lord Voldemort to The Quibbler, Umbridge then banned possession of the magazine. Umbridge also went on to make ludicrous restrictions such as boys and girls not being allowed to stand within a certain limit of one another.
These actions were sanctioned by the Ministry of Magic in the form of Educational Decrees, but students merely found ways to circumvent them. With her new power, she dismissed Sybill Trelawney as Professor of Divination, however when she attempted to send Trelawney away from the school, she was unable to because Albus Dumbledore still had the power to keep Trelawney on school grounds and chose to do so. Umbridge assured Dumbledore that would not be out of her power for long.
Umbridge was horrified when Dumbledore replaced Trelawney with a centaur named Firenze, and considered him, a mixture of human and horse, a "filthy half-breed" which her strong opinion of centaurs would later get her into trouble. [1]
Headmistress
Umbridge makes front page, Umbridge Made Head of Hogwarts.
- "You know... I really do hate children."
- — Dolores Umbridge[src]
In 1996, Umbridge and many other Slytherins found the D.A. in the Room of Requirement, after they were betrayed by Marietta Edgecombe, when Umbridge threatened to make sure her mother would lose her job at the Ministry. She tried to prosecute Harry for forming the Defence of Dark Arts club, but Dumbledore took the blame and he disappeared from Hogwarts, after a minor scuffle with Aurors and the Minister for Magic himself. She soon after formed the Inquisitorial Squad, which rewarded certain students for reporting on others and sanctioned them to act as enforcement goons. Umbridge replaced him as Headmistress, but found herself in over her head as she became the target of numerous pranks, many of which are orchestrated by Fred and George Weasley. The Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's office also became the Headmistress Office, as the Headmaster's Tower, which apparently realized that she was not the true Head of the school, sealed itself against her.
Fred and George Weasley's fireworks terrified Umbridge.
The teachers, who disliked Umbridge intensely, did as little to help her in her duties as possible. The teachers also lavished favours on Harry in the form of House Points and even sweets, specifically Squeaking Sugar Mice from Professor Flitwick.[1] The only staff member who supported Umbridge whole-heartedly was the caretaker, Argus Filch, who grew to like her methods, as well as being given permission to torture students himself. She later fired Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid, as he was also of mixed race. When attempting to subdue Hagrid with five Ministry of Magic officials, they seriously injured Professor Minerva McGonagall, who was protesting the force used to wrangle Hagrid.[1]
Umbridge interfered with as much as she could while in her various positions at Hogwarts. She tried to prevent Harry Potter from contacting his godfather Sirius Black. She read all incoming and outgoing student mail, and even Hedwig, Harry Potter's owl, was injured. It was hypothetically suggested that Hedwig was attacked by a Thestral, but there is also the more likely possibility that she was manhandled by Umbridge herself or Argus Filch, who gleefully assisted Umbridge in anything she requested of him.[1]
Centaurs drag Dolores Umbridge away upon being called 'filthy half breeds'.
Soon afterwards, Umbridge caught Harry trying to use the Floo Network in her office, and he and his friends and fellow D.A. members Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood were held in her office by Inquisitorial Squad members. When Harry refused to tell her what he had been doing, Umbridge first attempted to dose him with Veritaserum, but Professor Snape told her he had no more. She then claimed that the Cruciatus Curse might "loosen his tongue". Hermione then spoke up, and tricked Umbridge into following her and Harry into the Forbidden Forest in search of an alleged "secret weapon" of the Order of the Phoenix. There, Umbridge was confronted by a herd of centaurs, whom she shamelessly insulted with racial slurs and arrogance. Umbridge then attacked one of the centaurs near her. She was chased and nearly killed by them.[1]
- "You filthy half-breeds! You have been given the right to stay here by Cornelius Fudge!"
- — Dolores Umbridge[src]
Umbridge was ultimately rescued by Dumbledore, although how Dumbledore managed to rescue her from the human-hating centaurs without suffering any injury himself remains a mystery, though it is likely that centaurs had respect for Albus after what they had seen how wicked Umbridge was in comparison.[1]
Umbridge's Suspension
The Daily Prophet announces Umbridge's suspension after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
After Voldemort appeared in the Ministry of Magic and was seen by a number of people, including Cornelius Fudge—Dumbledore was restored as the Headmaster. Umbridge, who had been in the school's Hospital Wing, attempted to leave the castle without anyone noticing. Peeves the Poltergeist discovered her and chased her out, beating her over the head alternatively with a walking stick and a sock full of chalk, leading a crowd of students. Professor Minerva McGonagall expressed regret at not being able to chase Umbridge herself because Peeves had borrowed her walking stick and she was not fully recovered.[1]
Return to the Ministry
Umbridge later returned to the position of Senior Under-Secretary at the Ministry and told the new Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour about Harry's wish to become an Auror (to Harry's anger). She was later seen at Albus Dumbledore's funeral at Hogwarts, though she did not speak.[3]
Muggle-Born Registration Commission
- Alderton: "No, no, I’m half-blood, I tell you! My father was a wizard, he was, look him up, Arkie Alderton, he’s a well known broomstick designer, look him up, I tell you – get your hands off me, get your hands off-"
- Dolores Umbridge: "This is your final warning. If you struggle, you will be subjected to the Dementor's Kiss. Take him away."
- — Dolores Umbridge overseeing a biased trial as head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission[src]
Following Voldemort's takeover of the Ministry of Magic in 1997, Umbridge resumed her post as Under-Secretary and oversaw the registration and persecution of Muggle-born witches and wizards. She conducted trials with sadistic pleasure, subjecting innocent Muggle-borns to the presence of Dementors and sending them to Azkaban for supposedly stealing magic from "real" witches and wizards. She also wrote the prejudiced propaganda booklet Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society.[2] which featured a cover including a rose being strangled by green weeds.
Dolores Umbridge sitting at her desk.
Following Alastor Moody's murder at the hands of Death Eaters in the Battle over Little Whinging, Umbridge took possession of his magical eye. Affixing it to her office door, she was able to terrorize all Ministry employees with the mere concept that she could observe their every move. This, in addition to her manner of causing general misery, would suggest that Umbridge was in league with Voldemort, though it was never explicitly stated until she was seen working with Death Eater Yaxley.[2]
At some point, Umbridge received a locket as a bribe from petty thief Mundungus Fletcher. This locket was, in fact, Salazar Slytherin's locket, the one once owned by Merope Gaunt as well as Hepzibah Smith. Although Umbridge was unaware that the locket was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes (or belonged to him at all), she chose to lie about the meaning of the cloisonné S, stating it was a Selwyn family heirloom, a name which she believed would bolster her pure-blood credentials (the family has dark connections as a Death Eater who responds to Xenophilius Lovegood was named thus, meaning that Dolores chose the name as it commanded a degree of respect among the supporters of Lord Voldemort's regime). She boasted of this supposed connection to Hermione Granger, who was in the guise of Ministry employee Mafalda Hopkirk, during one of Umbridge's blood purity hearings. At that moment, full of rage, Harry Potter attacked both Umbridge and Yaxley. Umbridge was stunned, leaving Harry and Hermione free to snatch the locket from around Umbridge's neck and flee the scene. Hermione created a copy of the locket to leave with Umbridge, so that she did not become suspicious.[2]
It is not clear exactly why Umbridge felt it necessary to emphasize her wizarding ancestry, though in the case of some other wizards this has been because they wished to distract attention from some non-wizarding ancestors. When the locket was in the possession of Harry Potter and companions, it exerted a malign influence on each of them when they wore it. Due to Umbridge's nature, the Horcrux, rather than impart a negative effect on her, actually strengthened her.
Incarceration at Azkaban
After Voldemort's demise and the revolution of the Ministry of Magic by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Umbridge was arrested, tried and sent to Azkaban for her crimes against Muggle-borns.[4]
Physical Appearance
Professor Umbridge teaching.
Dolores Umbridge is described to be a short, squat woman whose overall appearance resembles a rounded toad. She has deep brown eyes and often wears a black velvet bow on top of her mouse-brown colored hair. This combined with her particular somatotype, gives her the impression of a toad perched and waiting to devour a bow that so resembles a fly. Umbridge's stubby fingers were adorned with several gaudy rings.
Umbridge also wears various green tweed outfits, often worn with a pink fuzzy cardigan on top, giving her greater toad-like qualities. The head-to-toe matching pink outfits she occasionally wore could be said to have belonged to someone half her age and in better physical shape. During Harry's hearing regarding underage magic, Umbridge wore the black robes of the Wizengamot with a silver "W" on it. However, since her imprisonment in Azkaban, it is unlikely that she still wears these.
Personality and traits
- Umbridge: "Not with your quill, you're going to be using a rather special one of mine. Now I want you to write, I must not tell lies."
- Harry: "How many times?"
- Umbridge: "Well, lets just say, as long as it takes for the message to - sink in."
- — Dolores Umbridge making Harry use a Blood Quill[src]
Umbridge is nothing short of a sadist. She has a high, girlish voice that has been described as sounding like poisoned honey, it is also said on various occasions that the sweeter her voice the more dangerous it is. She also tends to give her signature fake cough, "Hem-Hem", when she wanted someone's attention, rudely interrupting them. Umbridge is fanatically prejudiced against part-humans, which she calls "half-breeds." It was her prejudice that caused her to pass a series of anti-werewolf legislation, which made it almost illegal for those afflicted with lycanthropy to hold jobs. Her prejudice has led her to incorrectly believe that Centaurs and Merpeople are part-humans, when they are in fact separate species, although this might be simply because she finds the appearance of creatures with part-human appearances to be revolting. However, after the incident with a tribe of centaurs, she has developed a phobia of centaurs. An odd derivative from this prejudice is that, despite her hatred to half-breeds, Umbridge did not seem to hate part-goblin Filius Flitwick, as Fred Weasley stated that she marked him good on his inspection.
She seemed to be loyal to no-one but herself, following the side that gave her the most power, as seen when she was loyal to Fudge over Dumbledore, due to the many powers the Ministry offered her, rather than accepting the truth. In this concept, she is the same as Peter Pettigrew. However, Umbridge was as ruthless in maintaining her power as she was in seeking it. She enjoyed having people under her thumb, and had no trouble disobeying powerful authorities by using any methods available in order to make people obey her. At one point, she said "What Cornelius [Fudge] doesn't know won't hurt him" as she proceeded to perform Unforgivable Curses.
When Fudge was dismissed, Umbridge continued to support the Ministry, and seemed to try to kiss up to the new Minister Rufus Scrimgeour. When the Death Eaters took over, she happily stood by their side and persecuted Muggle-borns to her heart's content. Although she was not a Death Eater, she showed no qualms about indirectly supporting them with her work at the Ministry while it was under Voldemort's control.
Umbridge watches Harry suffering in pain.
- Umbridge: "Yes?"
- Harry: "Nothing"
- Umbridge: "That's right, because you know deep down. You deserve to be punished, don't you Mr. Potter?"
- — Dolores Umbridge after Harry used the Blood Quill[src]
In any case, she seemed to show particular dislike for Harry Potter, as she cruelly punished Harry as a teacher and deemed him as "Undesirable number one" during the Death Eaters' reign. During her year as a professor of Hogwarts, she acted as a polite disciplinarian, insisted the students to greet her loud and clear at the beginning of every class, as well as answer her questions in the same manner. Despite her feigned politeness, the other teachers find her infuriating. Umbridge is also quite rude in physical terms, especially during her time as the High Inquisitor, as seen when she interrupted other classes and Harry's career advices with her questions, comments, and clipboard notes, all the while disregarding personal feelings of others (such as asking why Snape was rejected for the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, or who Neville Longbottom saw die). She was especially insulting to Hagrid, who was a half-giant that she hated, and pretended to speak as though he could not understand English, along with the usage of sign languages, all the while making rude notes and asking others offensive questions about him without bothering to keep her voice down.
Umbridge is also a cool-demeanour sadist who, most of the time, never lets her temper get the better of her, and, as shown when she tortures Harry, as well as other members of Dumbledore's Army, she finds torturing those she feels deserve to be punished highly satisfying. She even created many new rules and regulations in order to increase control and chances to punish students, despite many of them being ridiculous and unfair.
Despite her feigned politeness and calmness at most times, she was capable of an explosive temper when control begins to slip out of her hands, as seen when Fred and George Weasley ignited a rebellion, and the students insisted they have "Umbridge-itis" and causing chaos all over the place, she was screaming all the time. Also, when Marietta Edgecombe had her memories secretly modified by Kingsley Shacklebolt and did not tell the truth about Dumbledore's Army, Umbridge lost her temper and physically shook Marietta very hard, and only stopped when Dumbledore pointed his wand at her. She also had a tantrum when the Gargoyle of the Headmaster's office refused to let her in when she became headmistress.
- "I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I won't stand for is disloyalty."
- — Umbridge arguing with Minerva McGonagall[src]
Umbridge is also a hypocrite, as although she claimed during the Welcoming Feast that she was sure that she and the students would all be very good friends, she admitted later that she actually hated children. Also, despite claiming to be a "tolerant woman", she frequently attempted to silence those she disagreed with.
Relationships
Dolores Umbridge sacking Professor Trelawney and attempting to send her away from Hogwarts Castle.
Hogwarts Residents
Dolores Umbridge is, overall, an unpleasant person to be around. As such, she was highly unpopular to most students and teachers in Hogwarts school. The students who despised her cruelty started a massive rebellion inspired by Fred and George Weasley after they set off a Portable Swamp and fled the school. The teachers and staff, most of whom despised Umbridge's methods, did little to support her, and instead allowed the students to run rampant.
Umbridge was particularly offensive and prejudice towards Hagrid, due to his half-giant blood, and to Professor Trelawney, who Umbridge believed was a fraud. In addition, Umbridge liked to intimidate Snape, despite both of them sharing a dislike of Harry Potter.
Umbridge especially disliked Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, as they kept undermining her attempts to wrest control of Hogwarts. She, like Cornelius Fudge, believed that Dumbledore was trying to overthrow the Ministry of Magic and hence usurp the position of Minister for Magic.
Some of the Slytherin students as well as the caretaker, Argus Filch, happily supported Umbridge during her reign as the High Inquisitor and later Headmistress of Hogwarts; relating to her cruelty and sadism with their own ambitions. In fact, Filch claimed that Umbridge was the best thing to happen to Hogwarts, falling for her ploy to gain his trust by rewarding him with, for example, permission to use torture as a form of punishment. However, Umbridge was fully aware that she could rely only on herself in the more crucial situations, evidenced in her reaction to Draco Malfoy's greedy facial expression upon hearing of Dumbledore's fabled "secret weapon" from an apparently distraught Hermione Granger. Umbridge, believing Hermione's bluff, then took it upon herself to discover this weapon first-hand rather than send one of her Slytherin cronies to do it for her. Lead by Harry and Hermione, Umbridge was lured into a spontaneously planned trap in which Hogwarts' Centaur herd captured her. It was only after Dumbledore returned to the school that the traumatised Umbridge was rescued from the "filthy half-breeds".
After Umbridge's departure, the renewed Potions master Horace Slughorn claimed that he thought of her as an "idiotic woman" and that he never liked her, especially after hearing that she foolishly angered the herd of already riled Centaurs.
Ministry of Magic
As the Senior Undersecretary of the Minister for Magic, Umbridge managed to kiss up to her superiors greatly, such as Ministers Fudge, Scrimgeour, and Thicknesse. Some of her equals also respected her enough. However, some lower-ranking employees tended to talk ill of her behind her back, as seen when she was the head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, when some pamphlet makers complained about her usage of Alastor Moody's magical eye to monitor them.
"Half Breeds" and "Mudbloods"
Umbridge has always had a prejudiced view on those who are part-humans. She uses the derogatory term, "half-breed", and treated them particularly horribly. This extended to creatures that looks like part-humans, but are in fact a separate breed, such as centaurs, merpeople, and werewolves, as she either mistakes them to be human-animal hybrids or simply finds their appearances of being partially human revolting. Regardless of her definition of "half-breeds", she was extremely cruel to them, writing an anti-werewolf legislation so they could barely find employment, and suggesting merpeople to be rounded up and tagged.
In particular, Umbridge was horrible to half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, treating him like a dimwitted and violent troll, and ultimately tried to attack him under the cover of darkness. Umbridge was also horrified at the appointment of the new Divination teacher, the centaur Firenze. Her prejudice eventually led her to foolishly insult and anger a herd of centaurs who her dragged away.
However, despite her hatred towards half-breeds, Umbridge did not seem to hate part-goblin Filius Flitwick, judging by Fred Weasley's statement that she passed him on his inspection. Although, this is most likely a result of Umbridge's lack of knowledge on Flitwick's ancestry.
One year prior to her incarceration in Azkaban, Umbridge's cruel prejudice extended to Muggle-borns, due to her conformity of the ideology of blood purity. She sadistically interrogated them alongside Yaxley, two prime victims being Alderton and Mary Cattermole. She also published a pamphlet stating the dangers of Muggles, and referred to them as "Mudbloods". Her crimes against Muggle-borns led to her arrest and incarceration after Lord Voldemort's final downfall.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter and Dolores Umbridge were never on good terms with one another. In the summer of 1995, Umbridge sent two Dementors after Harry and his cousin Dudley. This was an attempt to silence him from contradicting the Ministry’s official opinion that Lord Voldemort had not returned. In order to save himself and his cousin, Harry was forced to produce a patronus. Harry then received a letter from the Ministry telling him that he would need to attend a hearing. If he was convicted, Harry would not have been able to return to Hogwarts. Umbridge was one of his jurors when he was summoned to the Ministry, and she wanted him to be convicted, but he was acquitted due to the efforts of Albus Dumbledore and Arabella Figg. When Harry went to Hogwarts that same year, he found none other than Dolores Umbridge herself as his new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry often was outspoken in class and would serve detention several times with her during that year. Minerva McGonagall was highly critical of Umbridge's methods, and warned Harry not to cross her because he would get into big trouble at school, and possibly even with the Ministry.
Dolores' punishments were particularly cruel. She forced Harry to write lines with his own blood using a special quill, magically scarring Harry's hand. She banned Harry, Fred, and George from playing Quidditch after they attacked Draco Malfoy (though their bans were all lifted following Umbridge's eventual removal from Hogwarts). Umbridge monitored all incoming and outgoing mail, and Harry’s owl Hedwig was injured on Umbridge’s orders. She made it difficult for Harrry, Ron, and Hermione to visit Hagrid. When Rita Skeeter published an article in The Quibbler about Harry's past experiences with Voldemort during the Triwizard Tournament, Dolores banned Harry from trips to Hogsmeade.
All of this led to the formation of Dumbledore's Army. Harry, with help from Ron and Hermione, taught a group of students different sorts of spells in case they were ever in any danger. They were ultimately betrayed by Marietta Edgecombe, Although later Kingsley Shacklebolt performed a powerful Memory Charm on her so that she could not further implicate Albus Dumbledore and Harry. Harry was saved once again by Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore told them that Harry formed this organization after he told him to. Dumbledore then fled Hogwarts and was on the run from the Ministry for several months.
Umbridge became Headmistress of Hogwarts and was intent on taking over the entire school. After Professor McGonagall was injured trying to protect Hagrid from being arrested on Umbridge’s orders, Harry was caught trying to use Umbridge’s fire to check on Sirius. Umbridge nearly used the Cruciatus Curse in order to get Harry to talk. Hermione intervened and together with Harry, tricked Umbrige into going into the Forest to show her Dumbledore’s weapon. This resulted in Umbridge being attacked by the Centaurs because she had attacked them first due to her hatred of half-breeds.
After the Ministry had finally acknowledged Voldemort’s return to power, Umbridge was removed from Hogwarts. However, Harry was furious to learn later that year that Umbridge was still working for the Ministry of Magic. The following year, Voldemort took over the Ministry. Umbridge showed her respect for Voldemort and the Death Eaters by taking part in the hunt for Harry Potter. She branded Harry as "Undesirable Number 1". In addition, Umbridge was Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. This involved sadistically sentencing innocent Muggle-borns to Azkaban on the false charge of stealing magic. Harry learned that Umbridge had one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes in her possession. Harry broke into the Ministry and saw Umbridge ruthlessly interrogating a poor Muggle-born. Enraged, Harry cursed Umbridge and retrieved the Horcrux.
Death Eaters
Although Umbridge was not a Death Eater, and had no direct contact with Lord Voldemort, she showed that she was fairly in line with their goals. This is due to Umbridge’s callous nature and her prejudiced beliefs, both of which are similar to Death Eater behaviour. She was an antagonist to both Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore, and tried to hinder or thwart them on several occassions. Umbridge seemed to be on friendly terms with Lucius Malfoy, a known Death Eater who had close connections with the Ministry. In addition, Umbridge was seen working alongside Yaxley, another Death Eater, who was part of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission which Umbridge was in charge of. Umbridge’s duties as the head of this commission involved sadistically prosecuting innocent Muggle-borns who were the enemies of the Death Eaters. However, Umbridge was never actually part of Voldemort's ring of Death Eaters, although it appears that with her Mudblood prejudice leaflet, she supports Mudblood segregation. However, it was never indicated that Umbridge was actually joining Voldemort, or if she was aware of the truth of their involvement in the changed attitude at the Ministry in 1998.
Magical abilities and skills
Despite her high ranking position in the Ministry, at first glance Umbridge doesn't appear to be a very powerful witch. She had no knowledge of the brewing process for Veritaserum and due to the fact that she required it, she is unlikely to be a Legilimens. She could eliminate neither the Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs nor the Portable Swamp. She was also unable to remove Marietta Edgecombe's "SNEAK" pimple formation, implying that she may not be very skilled with counterjinxes (although it is very possible that no counterjinx existed for Hermione's spell). Her power, however, is instead focused on offensive and defensive magic, as she is quite proficient in attacking and defending herself.
- Patronus: Umbridge was able to conjure a Patronus even under the influence of Dark Magic, although it was strengthened due to her malice and the locket Horcrux being compatible with each other. It took the form of a long-haired cat.
- Unforgivable Curses: Umbridge was sure of her ability to cast the Cruciatus Curse. It is possible when she attempted to use the Killing Curse on Harry and Hermione when she realised that they tricked her before the centaurs appeared.[5]
Etymology
Dolores is a common Spanish name, although it also occurs as an English name. In Spanish, "dolores" is also the plural form of "dolor", which means pain. In English, the similar sounding word "Dolorous" means causing or expressing grief and suffering. Dolor is the danish name of the Cruciatus Curse.
Jane is a sweet name for a girl, adding a cruel irony to her nomenclature. Because her middle name is "Jane," J.K. Rowling changed Hermione Granger's middle name (which was also Jane) to "Jean" in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"Umbridge", a pun on the English "umbrage" meaning "offence or insult", indicates that Dolores Umbridge is destined to do only harm and cause only unhappiness.
Behind the scenes
Umbridge oversees the Charms O.W.L exam in 1996
- Professor Umbridge is one of the least popular Harry Potter character in the opinions of the main characters, sometimes even surpassing Lord Voldemort. But in Deathly Hallows, Neville Longbottom claimed that Umbridge seems tame compared to Amycus and Alecto Carrow; this is likely because the Carrows were completely unconstrained in their abilities to punish students, and in fact, were probably encouraged to use Dark magic against defiant students. J. K. Rowling herself has noted that Umbridge is "a nasty piece of work.".
- Novelist Stephen King, writing as a book reviewer for the July 11, 2003 Entertainment Weekly, noted the success of any novel due to a great villain, with Umbridge the "greatest make-believe villain to come along since Hannibal Lecter."
- The film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix omits the details that Umbridge was the person who sent the Dementors to attack Harry, nor did it identify the one who was responsible.
- Umbridge may be related to Death Eater Selwyn, as she claimed in Deathly Hallows that she was related to the Selwyn family, though this may have been a lie to "bolster her own pure-blood credentials".
- In the movie adaptation of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix, Dolores Umbridge is portrayed by English actress Imelda Staunton.
- David Heyman has stated that Imelda Staunton will reprise her role as Umbridge in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film adaption.[6]
- The only staff member to ever like Umbridge was Argus Filch, who thought she was the best thing to happen to Hogwarts.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) there is a figure of Umbridge balancing on a rope shouting "I Will Have Order!" repeatedly in the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes Joke Shop .
- According to J. K. Rowling, in early drafts of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Umbridge's first name was Elvira. [7]
- Despite her hatred towards half-breeds, Umbridge did not seem to hate part-goblin Filius Flitwick, as Fred Weasley stated that she marked him good on his inspection. Though this may be due to the fact that the goblin blood comes from a distant ancestor. In the Order of the Phoenix film however she is harassing Flitwick as well by measuring him as if there is a height requirement.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Voice only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (film)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- ↑ J.K. Rowling Web Chat
- ↑ A deleted scene from the film version of Order of the Phoenix, and included on the DVD, shows Umbridge talking herself into taking extreme action against Harry and Hermione after they take her into the forest. She raises her wand, but is intrerrupted by the arrival of the centaurs. Although no spell is uttered by her, the context of her actions -- that she felt she was acting for the greater good -- could suggest she was preparing to cast the Killing Curse.
- ↑ Heyman: Imelda Staunton to Return as Umbridge for Deathly Hallows
- ↑ As part of a special unlockable extra on J.K. Rowling's official website, there is an early draft of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where Rowling describes a character very much like Dolores Umbridge, but who is named Elvira. Rowling has admitted that Elvira was her original name.