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Perenelle Flamel (pre 1334 – between 1992 and 1996)[3] was a French witch, the wife of famous Philosopher and Alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, who was known for his creation of the Philosopher's Stone. She became known as one of the oldest witches in history though her use of the Elixir of Life, a life extending potion derived from her husband's creation.

Biography[]

She and her husband met at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in their youth.[5] Perenelle and her husband drank the Elixir of Life produced by the stone, and were functionally immortal until the stone was destroyed in 1992.

Perenelle and her husband partly funded the construction of the Palace of Beauxbatons and its grounds with alchemist gold. As a result, a fountain stands in the middle of the castle park named after them, believed to have healing and beautifying properties.[5]

In consultation with Albus Dumbledore, the couple decided to destroy the stone to prevent its use by Lord Voldemort, who had nearly succeeded in stealing the stone for his own purposes within the last year. As they were no longer able to produce the potion, she and Nicolas later died after their current supply ran out. She was at least six hundred and eighty three years old at the time of her death.[2]

Having lived for so long, both Perenelle and her husband were willing to finally embrace death. Albus Dumbledore compared the experience for them to being like "going to bed after a very long day".[4]

Relationships[]

Nicolas Flamel[]

Perenelle Flamel was the wife of Nicolas Flamel. She, along with her husband, drank the Elixir of Life created by the Philosopher's Stone making her functionally immortal. Nicolas and Perenelle lived happily together for over 600 years.[6]

Albus Dumbledore[]

As her husband was close friends with Albus Dumbledore, Perenelle may have been friends with him as well.

Etymology[]

Perenelle is the Old French form on the name Petronilla, a diminutive of the name Petronia, which is the feminine form of Petronius - a Roman family name which is possibly derived from Latin petro, petronis "yokel".

Petro-, of both Latin and Greek origin, is a prefix meaning "of or pertaining to stone."

The name Flamel means in Old French "flame". Such meaning can be associated to Flamel's work as an alchemist.

Behind the scenes[]

  • Like her husband, Perenelle Flamel is a genuine historical figure. They were married in 1368 and, at that time, she had already been married twice and brought that inheritance to their union. This fortune, added to the proceeds from Nicolas's businesses made the couple quite wealthy and they were known as generous benefactors. According to historical record, Perenelle Flamel died in 1397. According to a book written in 1612, she was an alchemist in her own right though there is no known historical record of this.
  • Unlike her husband, Perenelle did not appear in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, aside from a possible mention.

Appearances[]

External links[]

Notes and references[]

  1. Nicolas Flamel's year of birth range gives 1300 as his earliest possible year of birth. As the book did not specify whether Perenelle's 658th birthday was in the same year as or the year after Nicolas's 665th birthday, Perenelle was born either seven or eight years after her husband, making 1307 her earliest possible year of birth.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 13 (Nicolas Flamel) - "Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)." Note the book being quoted is described to be old in 1992, so she and her husband are in fact older.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Rowling stated on her website shortly before the publication of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that Nicolas had died by the start of the book, which makes their date of deaths between 1992 when the stone was destroyed and 1996 which is when the sixth book starts.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 17 (The Man with Two Faces)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Beauxbatons Academy of Magic" at Wizarding World
  6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 13 (Nicolas Flamel)
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