8

Did Voldemort use Fiendfyre against Dumbledore during their duel at the end of Order of the Phoenix in the Ministry of Magic? Here's the specific passage I'm wondering about:

A long thin flame flew from the tip [of Dumbledore's wand]; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold on Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore.

Voldemort vanished; the snake reared from the floor, ready to strike –

There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood.

‘Look out!’ Harry yelled.

But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore from Voldemort’s wand and the snake struck –

Order of the Phoenix - pages 718-719 - chapter 36, The Only One He Ever Feared

Crabbe set the Room of Requirement on fire using Fiendfyre and ended up dying as a result because he didn't know how to control the fire. Two wizards as powerful as Dumbledore and Voldemort would be able to control Fiendfyre well enough to use it in a duel, I believe. However, we only see a snake form from whatever type of fire Dumbledore conjured, and not multiple creatures like how Fiendfyre presented in the Room of Requirement. But again, that could go back to Crabbe not knowing how to control it. Is the fire used in Dumbledore and Voldemort's Ministry of Magic duel Fiendfyre, or is it some other kind of magical fire?

Improve this question
4
  • Can't find any canon or JKR info on this. Someone needs to contact JKR to answer this one :)
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Commented Apr 17, 2012 at 9:47
  • 4
    I read that as some sort of transmutation into a physical snake, not a snake made of fire.
    – Izkata
    Commented Apr 17, 2012 at 12:06
  • 2
    @Izkata That's how I read it too, though I know the movie shows him creating a fiery snake. IMO if JKR was intending for it to be Fiendfyre it would be less ambiguous.
    – NominSim
    Commented Apr 17, 2012 at 13:02
  • I bet JKR hadn't come up with the fiend fire concept before writing book seven
    – Jon Fournier
    Commented Apr 17, 2012 at 14:58

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7

From the harry potter wikia:

Fiendfyre is a type of fire made from Dark Magic.

The spell originated from Dumbledore, who is admittedly a powerful wizard, he is not a Dark Magic user. Also I don't think that you could change the type of spell you are redirecting (from spell to curse).

Even so, Fiendfyre is living fire, and thus the form of a rope doesn't fit with the normal shape of the curse. Only when V turns it against Dumbledore does it even look like it might be Fiendfyre.

Improve this answer
2
  • I like your point about Dumbledore not being a Dark Wizard. :)
    – Slytherincess
    Commented Apr 26, 2012 at 16:59
  • 3
    Can you provide a canon source that Fiendfyre involves Dark Magic?
    – ibid
    Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 1:47

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.