Rodolphus Lestrange

Rodolphus Lestrange was a British dark wizard and one of the most crucial Death Eaters who was imprisoned in Azkaban after Voldemort's disappearance. He was also the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Mohandas Alva

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

Rodolphus Lestrange was born into the famous Pure-blooded family of the Lestranges in Great Britain, in or before 1952. He was the elder brother of Rabastan Lestrange. Rodolphus was an important Death Eater of Lord Voldemort and was married to Bellatrix Lestrange, who was probably the most important of all Death Eaters. Rodolphus Lestrange, Bellatrix Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr were the four Death Eaters sentenced to life at Azkaban prison for torturing the Longbottoms.

However, they were broken out of prison by Lord Voldemort. Rodolphus was once again sent to Azkaban after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries from where he escaped again. He was finally arrested and sent to Azkaban for the third time after the Battle of Hogwarts, but he escaped yet another time and was the one who told Delphi of her true parentage.

Early Life

Rodolphus Lestrange was born in or before 1952 in Great Britain into the Lestrange family, which was a Pure-blooded family. His younger brother was Rabastan Lestrange. Rodolphus Lestrange attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he was eleven years old and was sorted into Slytherin house. He became friends with fellow Slytherin members Evan Rosier, Bellatrix Black, Severus Snape, and Lucius Malfoy. His brother Rabastan was also a Slytherin student.

First Wizarding War 

Rodolphus and his wife Bellatrix were very active during the First Wizarding War and would constantly follow the orders of the Dark Lord. However, after Voldemort’s sudden disappearance, Rodolphus, Bellatrix, Rabastan, and Barty Crouch Jr went to the house of the Aurors Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom and tortured them with the Cruciatus Curse in the expectation of finding more details about the disappearance of the Dark Lord. However, they knew nothing about this, and eventually, they were tortured a lot and lost their sanity due to this. 

Rodolphus was sent to Azkaban along with the other three for this felony. However, Bellatrix claimed that the Dark Lord would return and would one day free them from Azkaban prison, and Rodolphus believed this to be true. 

Between The Wars 

Rodolphus Lestrange stayed in his cell in Azkaban between the two wizarding wars. However, while his wife, Bellatrix Lestrange, and his brother Rabastan Lestrange were still in Azkaban along with him, Barty Crouch Jr had been freed from his cell without the knowledge of the Dementors. It was the dying request of Barty Crouch Jr’s mother to her husband Barty Crouch, who agreed to break him out of prison. 

Rodolphus Lestrange and several other Death Eaters were broken out of prison in the year 1996 after the return of Lord Voldemort. Rodolphus Lestrange, his wife Bellatrix, and Rabastan Lestrange reunited with their master, the Dark Lord, soon after.

Second Wizarding War

Rodolphus Lestrange was very crucial among the Death Eaters during the Second Wizarding War. He was among the Death Eaters who fought the Battle of the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic headquarters. They had come to steal the prophecy made about Harry Potter and the Dark Lord but were outwitted by the members of the Dumbledore’s Army, which included Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna, and later by the Order of the Phoenix. Rodolphus was arrested at the end of this battle and was sent to Azkaban once again. 

He was broken out of Azkaban for the second time, and he was one of the Death Eaters who took part in the Battle of the Seven Potters. He tried to attack Nymphadora Tonks and Ron Weasley but was unsuccessful in the process.

Later, Rodolphus Lestrange took part in the Battle of Hogwarts. His wife, Bellatrix Lestrange, was killed by Molly Weasley, and Lord Voldemort was killed by Harry Potter. Rodolphus survived the war but was imprisoned in Azkaban soon after. 

Later Life

Rodolphus Lestrange is believed to have escaped from Azkaban yet another time around the year 2020. He was the one who tracked down his stepdaughter Delphi and told her about how she was the daughter of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange and that she was conceived in the Malfoy Manor during the Second Wizarding War. However, this was pretty much all that we see Rodolphus Lestrange doing in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and very little is known of him beyond this point. It is very likely that he went into hiding to prevent being imprisoned again.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus

Despite being married to Rodolphus, it is quite clear from Bellatrix Lestrange’s behavior that she was madly in love with Lord Voldemort. Furthermore, she ended up having a child with Lord Voldemort despite being married to Rodolphus Lestrange.

It is believed that Rodolphus and Bellatrix married each other more due to requirements that were set by their Pure-blooded families. Since both the Blacks and the Lestranges were very traditional and only approved of Pure-blooded marriages, and also since both Bellatrix and Rodolphus were very proud of their heritage and rules, they decided to marry each other. Furthermore, they were very highly devoted to the cause of Lord Voldemort, and therefore, it didn’t matter if she loved Voldemort more than him. 

Rodolphus was very accommodating of the relationship between Bellatrix and Voldemort as is evident from his attempt to reunite with their child Delphi and tell her about her parents Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix. Furthermore, he broke out of Azkaban prison just so that she could be made aware of this truth and avenge her father and probably even bring him back.

FAQs

Who is Rodolphus Lestrange to Leta Lestrange?

Rodolphus Lestrange was most likely a distant relative of Leta Lestrange. It is possible that one of Rodolphus Lestrange’s ancestors, possibly his parents or grandparents were cousins to Leta Lestrange or her father Corvus Lestrange. It is also possible that they were not related at all, and their surnames being similar was just a coincidence.

Are Rodolphus and Bellatrix related?

Yes, Rodolphus Lestrange was the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange. He married Bellatrix Black somewhere around the 1970s, and they both joined the ranks of the Death Eaters. They were both very ardent followers of Lord Voldemort, and Bellatrix Lestrange was probably the most important Death Eater of all.

Is Rodolphus Lestrange alive?

Yes, it is very likely that Rodolphus Lestrange is still alive. He is alive in 2020 as he is the one who tells Delphi about Voldemort being her father and also that his wife, Bellatrix, was her mother. Furthermore, since he escaped Azkaban for the third time, it is likely that he would try and go into hiding to prevent being caught. Even if the Aurors from the Ministry eventually caught him after Delphi revealed to Harry about his escape from Azkaban, he would probably be put back in Azkaban and still be alive.

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Harry Potter Quiz

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

2) What is Dumbledore's full name?

3) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

4) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

5) What creature is Aragog?

6) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

7) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

8) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

9) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

10) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

11) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

12) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

13) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

14) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

15) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

16) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

17) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

18) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

19) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

20) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

21) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

22) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

23) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

24) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

25) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

26) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

27) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

28) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

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Mohandas Alva

About Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

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