Rodolphus Lestrange
From Harry Potter Wiki
| Rodolphus Lestrange | |
|---|---|
| Biographical information | |
| Gender |
Male |
| Family |
|
| Blood Status | |
| Affiliation | |
| Behind the scenes | |
| First appearance | |
| Last appearance | |
Rodolphus Lestrange is a Death Eater, husband of Bellatrix Lestrange, and brother of Rabastan Lestrange. The Lestranges were considered by Lord Voldemort to count among his most faithful and staunchest supporters and participated in both the First and Second Wizarding Wars.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus, along with Rabastan and Barty Crouch Jr., were responsible for the torture of Alice and Frank Longbottom to the point of madness when their son, Neville, was only an infant. Like his wife, Rodolphus was captured and placed in Azkaban prison for this crime after Voldemort's initial downfall in 1981.
He and Bellatrix escaped prison with the revolt of the Dementors in 1996 along with eight other Death Eaters, including his brother. Rodolphus participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries soon afterwards, and was presumably returned to prison in the aftermath, although his wife eluded capture.
By 1997, he was again at large, and participated in the Battle over Little Whinging, pursuing Nymphadora Tonks and Ron Weasley, who was disguised as Harry Potter with Polyjuice Potion, with his wife and other Death Eaters. Tonks injured Rodolphus at some point during the pursuit.
After Voldemort's defeat during the Battle of Hogwarts, Rodolphus was presumably killed or imprisoned.
[edit] Behind the scenes
- Rodolphus is the Latin form of the name 'Rudolf', and may refer to prominent Nazi Rudolf Hess, as the Death Eater ideology has similarities to those of Nazism, according to J.K. Rowling.
- The name 'Lestrange' echoes the French phrase "l'étrange", literally "the strange one". In old French this would in fact have been written "l'estrange", which may allude to English journalist Roger L'Estrange, who was known for opposing religious toleration and for being involved in plots against the government of William and Mary.
- J.K. Rowling has revealed that Bellatrix Lestrange's true love was Voldemort, suggesting that the Lestranges' marriage was not affectionate, at least on the part of Bellatrix, who merely made "a respectable pure-blood marriage", as was expected of her. Rodolphus's feelings are not known.
