The Head of Hogwarts is the chief administrator of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They have the greatest responsibility of managing the every day function of the school, appointing new staff and deciding whether to overrule decisions. However, the Board of Governors can vote to suspend a Headteacher if they are considered unsuitable for the role.
History[]
The two earliest known Heads are Everard and Dilys Derwent who were popular and highly celebrated. Dilys, the Head in the eighteenth century, was previously a Healer for St. Mungo's Hospital. She had a portrait hung up in both the school and St. Mungo's.[1]
Armando Dippet was the Head by the time the Chamber of Secrets was opened by Tom Riddle which resulted in the death of Myrtle Warren. He let himself be fooled into holding Rubeus Hagrid responsible because of his high opinion of Tom. Dippet expelled Hagrid and gave Tom the Special Award for Services to the School.[2]
Albus Dumbledore succeeded Dippet and was Head during the First and Second Wizarding Wars. He was a powerful wizard whose presence kept Voldemort from trying to take over Hogwarts. Dumbledore was sacked on two occasions before getting reappointed. The first was when the Chamber of Secrets was opened for a second time, Lucius Malfoy threatened the Board of Governors to sack him for incompetency. Minerva McGonagall was Acting Head during his absence until the situation was resolved. A few years later, when Cornelius Fudge found out about Dumbledore's Army, Dumbledore was forced to flee the school to avoid arrest.
Dolores Umbridge took over after Dumbledore fled. She was unpopular with both students and staff. Umbridge was very strict and did not teach proper Defence Against the Dark Arts because she didn't think there was a need for practical work. Eventually, she was tricked by Dumbledore's Army when she was taken to Dumbledore's "secret weapon" only to insult and get dragged away by centaurs. Dumbledore was later proven to be telling the truth about Voldemort's return and was reinstated.
When Dumbledore died, McGonagall was Acting Head until Voldemort and the Death Eaters took over the Ministry of Magic and instated Severus Snape as Head. The Death Eaters controlled the school until the Battle of Hogwarts. Snape was fled during the battle, during which he was killed. McGonagall formally succeeded him when the Second Wizarding War ended.
McGonagall was succeeded by an unknown Head.
Known Heads[]
| Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everand | Unknown | A highly celebrated Head of Hogwarts.[1] | |
| Dilys Derwent | 18th century | ||
| Dexter Fortescue | Unknown | Had a portrait at Hogwarts in the Head's office. | |
| Phineas Nigellus Black | 19th century and/or 20th century | Considered the worst Head the school ever had. | |
| Armando Dippet | Before 1942 - between 1965 and 1971 | Head during the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets. | |
| Albus Dumbledore | 1965 to 1971 - June 1997 | Dumbledore was the Head during this time except for two short periods of time. In May 1993, he was briefly sacked by the Board of Governors when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. In April 1996, he fled Hogwarts when Cornelius Fudge ordered his arrest. He was reinstated in June and died a year later. | |
| Dolores Umbridge | April 1996 - June 1996 | Dumbledore was sacked by Cornelius Fudge who blamed him for the founding of Dumbledore's Army, and for making up stories about Voldemort being back from the dead. Umbridge took over for a couple of months but she was very unpopular among both students and staff. Eventually she was tricked by students and carried off by centaurs. | |
| Severus Snape | 1997 - 1998 | Head when the Death Eaters controlled Hogwarts until he died at the Battle of Hogwarts. | |
| Minerva McGonagall | 1998 - between 2008 and 2014 | ||
| Minerva McGonagall's successor | between 2008 and 2014 - ? |
Notes and sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 22
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 17