Dolores Umbridge wanted to keep her family under wraps
She might have proudly worn Slytherin’s locket and claimed she was part of the ‘Selwyn’ family, but Dolores Umbridge was a liar. In fact, her family history was something she desperately tried to hide. Despite her claims, she was not a pure-blood but a half-blood – the daughter of Orford Umbridge, a wizard, and Ellen Cracknell, a Muggle. Did we also mention her brother was a Squib?
Rotten to the core, from being embarrassed that her father worked in the Department of Magical Maintenance at the Ministry to blaming her mother for her brother being a Squib – the only thing Umbridge felt for her family was shame. She and her father drove her mother to flee back to the Muggle world, taking her brother with her, never to be seen again.
Petunia Dursley harboured magical ambitions
Don’t get us wrong, Petunia Dursley passionately hated everything magical but where did that hatred stem from? Well, before she was calling her sister as a ‘freak’, Petunia had wished to become a witch too – even writing to Dumbledore to beg him to allow her a place at Hogwarts. Despite his kind explanation about her lack of magical ability, the rejection ate away at Petunia. It festered and became a twisted hatred, destroying the relationship she had with her sister and pushed her into the arms of the most mundane of all men, Vernon Dursley.
Albus Dumbledore wouldn’t want you to know about his dangerous brush with power
One of the most important figureheads for good in the battle against evil, even Albus Dumbledore nearly gave into the thrall of power and corruption. Thanks to his friendship with a certain Dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, Dumbledore had been swept up in dreams of the ‘Greater Good’. Although, their vision was most definitely not good and more an unhealthy obsession with the Deathly Hallows. An obsession with tragic consequences and a chapter in Dumbledore’s life that he wished had remained closed.
However, you can uncover more of Dumbledore’s secrets right here.
Minerva McGonagall kept her broken heart close to her chest
We’re sure the firm but fair professor would rather have kept the time that she was once engaged for a day to herself. After all, it doesn’t really match her plain-speaking persona. Nevertheless, as the Harry Potter stories proved time and time again, there’s no force quite like love. In her younger years, Minerva experienced this when she fell for the clever, funny and not forgetting, handsome son of a local farmer, Dougal McGregor. After being thrilled to accept his proposal, she realised that their dreams were too different and to be with him would mean locking away her ambitions and making herself smaller. While ultimately the right thing for her, calling off her relationship must have been devastating.
Lockhart would not want you to pay attention to his family
Okay, this is more to do with the fact that Lockhart would not be able to stand any of our attention being on someone other than him rather than this being one of his worst secrets (that would be his misuse of Memory Charms). Anyway, something you might not have known about Lockhart is that he had two older, Squib sisters. As the only magical child in family, he was the unashamed favourite of his witch mother. That inflated ego accompanied him to Hogwarts and beyond.
Hermione would not be thrilled if her teachers knew about her ruthless streak
To many, Hermione Granger was the rule abiding, model Hogwarts pupil – an example of brilliance. Yet, just below the surface lay a ruthlessness to her genius. You see, Hermione followed the rules… if they made sense. A great believer in fairness and justice, she sometimes adhered to her own moral code. Woe betide anyone who got on the wrong side of her. Like Rita Skeeter – we doubt she would ever want to see a beetle – or a jar – again. Or Marietta Edgecombe – purple pustules spelling SNEAK is quite the look. Or Malfoy’s face – he should have kept his nasty opinions to himself. While we don’t condone all of Hermione’s actions… we can’t help but admire them.
Harry would not want you to know his secret fear
Harry looked pure evil in the eye and didn’t falter. He proved his bravery and strength time and time again. He saved the wizarding world from the tyranny of Voldemort… but did you know the Chosen One was afraid of pigeons?
We know we shouldn’t laugh but…
