THE REVOLUTIONARIES
3rd Year - Option One
Who is the most powerful wizard of all time?
This is a question that has plagued historians throughout the course of history, and though powerful wizards constantly rise and fall, history generally agrees on one name: Albus Dumbledore. Aside from Dumbledore, however, there are two specific names that stand out as notorious yet powerful wizards: Tom Riddle, more commonly known as Lord Voldemort, and Gellert Grindelwald. While it is likely you will encounter these names during studies of the Dark Arts or the defense of them, it is also important to examine these two famous wizards from a historical lens.
The key to defeating Voldemort was love; therefore, it makes sense that Tom Marvolo Riddle was conceived whilst his father was under the effects of a love potion — or in other words, conceived from a loveless relationship. Riddle was raised in a Muggle-run orphanage until attending Hogwarts in 1938. After being sorted into Slytherin, Riddle learned of his heritage and adopted pure-blood supremacist views; perhaps the worst of his actions during Hogwarts was when he opened the Chamber of Secrets and used his ability to control the Basilisk within to kill a muggle-born student, Myrtle Warren.
Image of Tom Riddle
Tom Riddle created his first horcrux at the age of sixteen amid a years-long pursuit of immortality, and in the years following his graduation from Hogwarts, Riddle eventually crafted a total of seven horcruxes, with an unintentional eighth created later in his life. In 1981 after attempting to kill Harry Potter, Riddle was ripped from his body and lived as “a shell, less than the meanest ghost” for fourteen years until attaining a permanent physical body in 1995. Riddle was eventually killed by Harry Potter and his soul, so broken from his horcruxes, remained trapped in Limbo for the rest of eternity.
Image of Gellert Grindelwald
Gellert Grindelwald was considered to be one of the most powerful Dark Wizards of all time, bested only by Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. Grindelwald attended Durmstrang Institute until being expelled for performing dark, twisted, and near-lethal experiments on students. As described in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore by Rita Skeeter, “Grindelwald showed himself quite as precociously brilliant as Dumbledore. Rather than channel his abilities into the attainment of awards and prizes, however, Gellert Grindelwald devoted himself to other pursuits. When Grindelwald was sixteen years old, even Durmstrang felt it could no longer turn a blind eye to his twisted experiments and he was expelled.”
Following his expulsion, Grindelwald formed a relationship with Albus Dumbledore, with whom he made plans to find the Deathly Hallows and create a new wizarding order to dominate muggles. Dumbledore and Grindelwald parted ways after the death of Dumbledore’s sister, and soon after, Grindelwald came to be in possession of the Elder Wand after stealing it from Mykew Gregorovitch. In the following years, Grindelwald and his followers committed violent crimes – and even murders – to achieve his ends, until Grindelwald was defeated by Dumbledore in 1945 in a duel that resulted in his imprisonment in his own fortress, Nurmengard Castle. Grindelwald was eventually killed by Lord Voldemort at the age of about 115 during Voldemort’s pursuit of the Elder Wand.
HOMEWORK:
1) This lesson has provided you insight into Tom Riddle’s early life, however, did not get into details about his involvement in the First and Second Wizarding Wars. Create a timeline of Tom Riddle’s involvement in these wars, being sure to highlight important events such as the creation of horcruxes, the murders of important figures, and the attempts to murder Harry Potter.
2) What caused the fallout between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, and what events led up to the legendary duel between them in 1945?