Dumbledore's brother

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 147409

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "fuzz876i" <fuzz876i at y...> 
wrote:
>
> Aberforth Dumbledore is only mentioned briefly in The Goblet of 
Fire.  
> The chapter he is mentioned in is Rita Skeeter's Scoop and then 
only 
> as an example of what bad relatives are like.  Dumbledore and the 
trio 
> are trying to cheer up Hagrid after Rita publishes an unfounde 
expose 
> on Hagrid being half-giant.  "Hagrid look at what I have for 
> relatives!"  Harry said furiously, "look at the Dursley's!"  
> "An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore.  My own brother 
> Aberforth was prosecuted for practicing inappropraite charms on a 
> goat.  It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide?  No, he 
did 
> not!  He held his head high and went about business as usual!  Of 
> course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that might not have 
been 
> bravery......."(The Goblet of Fire, Rita Skeeter's Scoop pg 454 US) 
> Could anyone think that a man that gets into trouble for using 
> anything inappropriate help Harry?  I mean it sounds to me like all 
> Aberforth is good for is trouble, so why bring out as a possible 
> source of help for Harry?  What else does anyone else know about 
him 
> except for this passage on him to help Hagrid get through his 
> troublesome times? If anyone else has info let me know.
> 
> 
> Fuzz876i

zgirnius:
The barman at the Hog's Head smells of goat, and has a vague 
resemblance to someone Harry knows. It has been speculated that he is 
in fact Aberforth. In an interview, Rowling was asked about the 
barman and stated that she was proud of the goat clue. Which would 
seem to confirm this fan theory.

In which case, Aberforth was the man who apprehended Snape as he 
eavesdropped on the Prophecy, and was havign soem dealings with 
Mundungus Fletcher in HBP. Both points suggest he has some 
involvement in the affairs of his brother Albus and the Order.