Armando Dippet was the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, and probably even the early 1970s, after which Albus Dumbledore replaced him as the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dippet was the headmaster at the time the Chamber of Secrets was opened by the Heir of Slytherin, Tom Riddle when he was a student at Hogwarts, and Rubeus Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts during Dippet’s tenure. Interestingly, Armando Dippet had a very good opinion of Tom Riddle, holding him in high regard and never suspected him of any wrongdoing. He unknowingly caused the end of the attacks when he claimed that the school would be shut down if the attacks continued.
Armando Dippet’s Early Life
Armando Dippet was born in the year 1637 in October in Great Britain into the Dippet family. He likely attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was believed to be sorted into either Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw in September 1649. His Hogwarts years would have come to an end in 1656. It would take more than 200 years for Professor Dippet to become the Headmaster of Hogwarts eventually. It is not clear what his occupation was after graduation from Hogwarts. His political ambitions or aspirations, if any, are not specific headcanon in the Harry Potter novels. However, he had great repute in the wizarding world, was an important figure among way younger people, and was invited during his elderly years to take over the Headmaster’s Office in Hogwarts.
Dippet Takes Over As Headmaster
It is very likely that Armando Dippet took over the post of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Phineas Nigellus Black in the year 1925, in which case Armando Dippet might have been responsible for sending the students of Hogwarts home in the following year due to the threats made by Gellert Grindelwald. If not, Headmaster Dippet became the Headmaster of Hogwarts somewhere in the early twentieth century after the former headmaster of Hogwarts, Phineus Black died. Later in the Harry Potter books, Dippet’s portrait in the Headmaster’s Office reprimands the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black for not cooperating with Albus Dumbledore when he asks about Arthur Weasley.
Armando Dippet was the predecessor of Albus Dumbledore, although Albus Dumbledore was likely already a Professor at Hogwarts teaching Transfiguration when Armando Dippet joined Hogwarts. Dippet was responsible for several important events, including the expulsion of Rubeus Hagrid and the employment of Horace Slughorn, Minerva McGonagall, and Silvanus Kettleburn. He may also have hired other professors like Herbert Beery and many others who were hired before Dumbledore became Headmaster, as Dippet was Dumbledore’s predecessor.
The opening of the Chamber of Secrets by the Heir of Salazar Slytherin is probably one of the most significant events during the tenure of Armando Dippet. Rubeus Hagrid was given corporal punishment and suspended from Hogwarts indefinitely under suspicion that he was responsible for the death of Myrtle Warren.
However, it was Tom Riddle who was actually responsible for the death of Myrtle because he opened the Chamber of Secrets. It was Riddle’s desire to rid the entire school of Muggle-borns. His schemes came to an end when Dippet, who thinks of him as the brightest student in Hogwarts, told him that the school would have to be shut down if the attacks continued. This would be the first year that Hogwarts would be completely shut down because of an attack. However, Riddle would store his sixteen-year-old self in his diary and await someone else to open it and do his bidding.
Dippet’s Retirement and Later Life
Armando Dippet retired in the late 1960s or the early 1970s when Albus Dumbledore took over as Headmaster of Hogwarts. In his youth, he is said to have had a brown beard with pale skin and brown eyes, but in his later life, he was balding and frail as he was in his old age. Rita Skeeter wrote a biography of him titled Armando Dippet: Master or Moron? It is believed that, like most of her other writings, this must have been filled with falsehoods and facts drawn out of context.
Dippet and the Long Living Wizards and Witches
While the life expectancy of most Muggles is somewhere around 50-80, with only a small percentage of Muggles living up to the age of 100, several wizards and witches lived for way longer. It was very common for some wizards and witches to live for longer than a hundred years, as is evident from the life of Albus Dumbledore himself, who was very healthy and would have lived way longer if it weren’t for the cursed Gaunt ring he accidentally touched. Professor Armando Dippet lived for more than 300 years, which is an interesting case. Even Phyllida Spore, the renowned Herbologist and author, lived for quite a long time.
Another obvious case of a very long life among the magical community is that of Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle Flamel, who lived for more than 600 years. However, their long life could be solely due to the Elixir of Life made from the Philosopher’s Stone.
FAQs
Was Dumbledore the Headmaster when Tom Riddle was at Hogwarts?
No, Dumbledore was not the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Tom Riddle was studying there. Instead, it was Professor Armando Dippet who was the Headmaster of Hogwarts at that time. Professor Dippet was fond of Riddle and believed that he was probably the brightest student at Hogwarts. Unbeknownst to Dippet, Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets and let out the Basilisk, which killed Myrtle Warren, a Muggle-born student.
What happened to Professor Dippet?
Professor Dippet was an important member of the wizarding community. He was the Headmaster of Hogwarts until the early 1970s, after which he retired due to old age. He then stayed at home and eventually died at a very old age of over three hundred.
Who was the Headmaster at Hogwarts during Fantastic Beasts?
Professor Armando Dippet was the Headmaster of Hogwarts during the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie series. The movie series takes place after 1925, the year of Phineus Nigellus Black’s death. Since the last Fantastic Beasts movie is set to take place in 1945, Professor Dippet was likely the Headmaster of Hogwarts throughout the events of this movie series.