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Dugald McPhail was a wizard. A Hufflepuff in his Hogwarts years, he rose to the office of Minister for Magic in the mid-19th century.[1]
Biography
Early life
Dugald McPhail was born on an unknown date, no later than 1847,[2] somewhere in the British Isles. His surname suggests he was from Scotland, or had Scottish ancestry.
In his youth, he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was Sorted into Hufflepuff.[1]
As Minister for Magic
McPhail was appointed Minister for Magic sometime after leaving Hogwarts,[1] seemingly between Evangeline Orpington, in office from 1849 to 1855,[1] and Faris "Spout-Hole" Spavin, in office from 1865 to 1903.[3]
During his time as Minister, McPhail came up with the idea of mimicking the then-new Muggle bus service to provide underage and infirm witches and wizards with a discreet method of transportation, leading to the introduction of the Knight Bus in 1865.[1]
His overall term in office was viewed as "successful" by Gabriel Truman in the 1990s.[1]
Legacy
On 1 September, 1991, Prefect Gabriel Truman welcomed the Hufflepuff first years to Hufflepuff Basement with a short speech in which he mentioned former Minister Dugald McPhail as one of the many notable Hogwarts students who were Sorted, like them, into Hufflepuff.[1]
Behind the scenes
- This character shares his name with the historical figure D(o)ugald McPhail (1840—1941). Born in Iverary, Argyll, Scotland, the real-life McPhail immigrated to KwaZulu-Natal and was one of the original founders of the town of Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal. McPhail served as a Quartermaster for the Buffalo Border Guard during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He later fought for the British in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). He died at the age of 101, in 1941.[4]
Appearances
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Pottermore
- ↑ In order to have been appointed Minister for Magic by 1865, McPhail would have had to be out of Hogwarts and thus at least 17 at that point, placing his earliest birth year in 1847 — although it is unlikely someone that young would become Minister for Magic.
- ↑ Third W.O.M.B.A.T. test (J. K. Rowling Official Site)
- ↑ "Dougald McPhail" on Wikipedia