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"I think the big one's Thorfinn Rowle."
Ron Weasley identifying Thorfinn Rowle[src]

Thorfinn Rowle was a British Dark wizard and a Death Eater who fought in the Second Wizarding War. He fought at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, where he accidentally killed fellow Death Eater Gibbon, burned Rubeus Hagrid's cabin, and tortured Harry Potter.[2]

On 1 August 1997, he tracked Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger to Tottenham Court Road along with Antonin Dolohov disguised as construction workers, but the two Death Eaters were defeated and their memories were modified by Hermione to cover their escape. After this failure, Rowle was punished severely by Lord Voldemort. He also fought at the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May 1998.[5]

Rowle's fate after the Second Wizarding War and Voldemort's final defeat is uncertain, although it is highly likely he was either killed or defeated during the Battle of Hogwarts, or that he was imprisoned in Azkaban with a life sentence for his crimes.

Biography[]

Second Wizarding War[]

Rowle was one of the Death Eaters of Lord Voldemort who fought in the Second Wizarding War. It is unknown if he had also fought in the First Wizarding War, though the fact that Ronald Weasley recognised him as well as Antonin Dolohov from old wanted posters suggests that he did. It's unknown if he was imprisoned in Azkaban, though if not it's most likely that he was one of the Death Eaters who did not search for Voldemort after his downfall.

Battle of the Astronomy Tower[]

"Beyond them, Harry saw Tonks fighting an enormous blond wizard who was sending curses flying in all directions, so that they ricocheted off the walls around them, cracking stone, shattering the nearest window —"
— Rowle duelling Nymphadora Tonks during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower[src]
Battle2

Thorfinn Rowle at the Astronomy Tower in 1997

Rowle participated in the attack on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1997; he stayed below the Astronomy Tower in the main part of the Castle, and fought defenders by firing curses in all directions.[2] He hit and killed fellow Death Eater Gibbon with a Killing Curse meant for Remus Lupin as Gibbon re-entered the battle.[6] Later, Rowle hit a section of roof with another curse during a duel with Tonks causing rubble to rain down and the barrier to be lifted.[2]

As battle recommenced, Rowle again fired curses everywhere, and after being hit in the face by one of Harry Potter's hexes he began to retreat from the school. During his retreat he somehow managed to make it to the grounds before Harry. He attempted to curse Rubeus Hagrid, but his curses had no effect on Hagrid because of his half-giant blood. Instead, Rowle set Hagrid's hut on fire forcing Hagrid to rescue his dog Fang, who was inside. He was then ordered by Severus Snape, who at the time was operating in his capacity as a double-agent in open support of Voldemort, to leave the grounds and Disapparate away with Alecto and Amycus Carrow.[2]

Luchino Caffe Duel[]

"More, Rowle, or shall we end it and feed you to Nagini? Lord Voldemort is not sure that he will forgive this time... You called me back for this, to tell me that Harry Potter has escaped again? Draco, give Rowle another taste of our displeasure... Do it, or feel my wrath yourself!"
Lord Voldemort punishing Rowle after he failed to capture Harry Potter[src]
Rowle and dolohov

Dolohov and Rowle find the trio in a cafe

He was not identified by name to Harry Potter until they met face to face in the chaos following the attack on the Ministry of Magic in 1997. He and Antonin Dolohov tracked Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger to a café on Tottenham Court Road via the Taboo on Voldemort's name after their escape from the Burrow. A fight broke out, and Rowle was stunned by Harry, who was under his Invisibility Cloak. Afterward, his and Dolohov's memories were modified by Hermione, even though she had not previously performed the enchantment. Ron recognised both him and Dolohov from an old Daily Prophet wanted poster.[5]

Attackrowle

Rowle, being stunned by Harry Potter

Through his connection to Voldemort, Harry witnessed Voldemort ordering Draco Malfoy to torture Rowle soon after this incident and threatened to feed him to Nagini, as punishment for failing to capture Harry and his friends. His partner, Dolohov was also similarly punished. Despite this, both Rowle and Dolohov were spared though other Death Eaters were more careful about signalling Voldemort after that.[5]

Battle of Hogwarts[]

" QUIET! shouted Rowle, and with a flick of his wand Hagrid was silenced."
— Rowle silencing Hagrid being held Hostage during the Battle of Hogwarts[src]
Hagridwraped

Thorfinn Rowle holding Hagrid from behind in the Forbidden Forest, as well as several other Death Eaters

Harry saw Rowle once again when he entered the Forbidden Forest to confront Voldemort; Rowle was in the Death Eater camp dabbing at his bleeding lip, which means that he fought in the Battle of Hogwarts with his fellow Death Eaters. When Rubeus Hagrid began to verbally protest Harry's seeming sacrifice, he non-verbally silenced Hagrid instantly with the Silencing Charm.[3] It is unknown if he later survived the battle, as he may have been killed in the final stage of the battle. If he did survive, he was most likely captured and incarcerated in Azkaban for his crimes.

Physical description[]

"...the huge, blond Death Eater..."
— Description of Thorfinn Rowle[src]

Thorfinn Rowle was an enormous, muscled Death Eater with blond hair.[2] As a Death Eater, he bore the Dark Mark on his left inner forearm, which faded to a mere scar upon Voldemort's death.

Personality and traits[]

"Fang’s in there, yer evil —!"
— Hagrid condemning Rowle's evil personality after having set his hut alight[src]

Rowle was very cruel and extremely reckless, as he cast several Killing Curses indiscriminately during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower,[2] which resulted in the death of fellow Death Eater Gibbon.[6] He didn't hesitate to burn down Rubeus Hagrid's hut while Fang was still inside, whether to distract Hagrid or simply out of sheer cruelty.[2] He also seemed to be highly disrespectful and impatient as shown when he waved away the waitress when she arrived to take his and Dolohov's order, though this may be more due to the fact that she was a Muggle and that they were undercover.[5] He apparently had little regard for his comrades as he did not seem to care about accidentally killing Gibbon, though he may have gotten along with other Death Eaters such as Antonin Dolohov. He showed no reluctance or resentment towards Severus Snape when ordered to flee rather to continue torturing Harry Potter, showing a willingness to take orders from higher ranking comrades.[2] As a Death Eater and a member of the pure-blooded Rowle family, he likely held Muggles, Muggle-borns, and blood traitors with intense scorn and hatred. According to Nymphadora Tonks, Rowle appeared to be prepared to fight to the death during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, resulting in aggressiveness that overwhelmed the Order of the Phoenix.[6]

Magical abilities and skills[]

Rowleee

Rowle battling at the Attack at the Burrow

Etymology[]

Thorfinn is a Norse name, and may refer to Thorfinn the Mighty, an eleventh-century earl of Orkney. In the Orkneyinga Saga, he is described as "unusually tall and strong...a forceful man, greedy for fame and fortune. He did well in battle, for he was both a good tactician and full of courage."[7] It may also link with Thor, the Viking god of thunder, and a mighty warrior of massive physical stature.

Behind the scenes[]

LEGO Rowle

Rowle in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Appearances[]

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 30 images related to Thorfinn Rowle.

Notes and references[]

  1. The Rowles were part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and were thus considered pure-blood, at least in the 1930s. It is unknown if Thorfinn himself was pure-blood.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 28 (Flight of the Prince)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 34 (The Forest Again)
  4. See this interview; “Samantha: Was Snape the only Death Eater who could produce a full Patronus J.K. Rowling: Yes, because a Patronus is used against things that the Death Eaters generally generate, or fight alongside. They would not need Patronuses.”
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 9 (A Place to Hide)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 29 (The Phoenix Lament)
  7. "Thorfinn the Mighty" on Wikipedia
Death Eaters
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Leader: Lord Voldemort
Death Eaters

Avery II · Alecto Carrow · Amycus Carrow · Crabbe · Bartemius Crouch Junior † · Antonin Dolohov · Gibbon † · Goyle · Gareth Greengrass's brother · Jugson · Barnaby Lee's father · Barnaby Lee's mother · Bellatrix Lestrange † · Rabastan Lestrange · Rodolphus Lestrange · Walden Macnair · Mulciber I · Mulciber II · Nott · Pyrites (possibly) · Augustus Rookwood · Rosier · Evan Rosier † · Thorfinn Rowle · Selwyn · Merula Snyde's father · Merula Snyde's mother · Travers · Wilkes † · Corban Yaxley · Unidentified Death Eaters

Death Eater defectors

Regulus Black † · Igor Karkaroff † · Draco Malfoy · Lucius Malfoy · Peter Pettigrew † · Severus Snape

Death Eater allies

Borgin · Vincent Crabbe · John Dawlish · Delphini · Golgomath · Gregory Goyle · Fenrir Greyback · Mafalda Hopkirk · Narcissa Malfoy (defected) · Ismelda Murk (unofficially, supposedly) · Nagini · Mr Padgett · Mrs Padgett · Pansy Parkinson · Quirinus Quirrell · Albert Runcorn · Stanley Shunpike (Imperiused) · Scabior · Serpent of Slytherin · Pius Thicknesse (Imperiused) · Dolores Umbridge

Other affiliations

British Ministry of Magic (under Voldemort's control) · Daily Prophet (under Voldemort's control) · Dementors · Draco Malfoy's gang · Kreacher (formerly) · Tom Riddle's gang · Gang of Slytherins · Giants (Golgomath's control) · Inferi · Charmed skeletons · Muggle-Born Registration Commission · Theodore Nott (possibly) · Snatchers · Werewolf army · The Unforgivable

Death Eater establishments

Abandoned nuclear power plant · Borgin and Burkes · British Ministry of Magic Headquarters (under Voldemort's control) · The Cave · Chamber of Secrets · Forbidden Forest · Gaunt Shack · Lee family house · Lestrange Vault · Little Hangleton graveyard · Malfoy Manor · Misty Dell · Riddle House · Snatcher Camp · Spinner's End (Severus Snape's house) · The Abandoned Substation · The Ruins · The Quarry

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