Damocles Belby

**Damocles Belby** was a legendary Potions Master and inventor of the Wolfsbane Potion who taught Severus Snape.

## Biography

### Family Lineage

Belby may be related to the namesake of the Belby-Cadwallader test, which is used to measure core sizes.

### First Wizarding War

In the early 1970s Belby became involved with Project Romulus, a collaboration between the Department of Mysteries and Hogwarts School to study the young werewolf Remus Lupin, who did not suffer from a loss of empathy or extreme bloodlust despite his lycanthropy.

Trough this project Belby was given access to the research notes of Gustav Kleinwuchs, who had studied werewolves in Grindelwald's detention camps.

When Severus Snape discovered Project Romulus Belby offered him and Lily Evans a spot on his shortlist for apprentices if their grades were high enough and he agreed to have his memories locked. Damocles was horrified to learn Severus had contracted wolf-fear and even more so when Dumbledore revealed that Rookwood had given it to him on purpose, going so far as to personally stun Rookwood.

Despite Project Romulus being shut down inconclusively Belby still managed to finish the Wolfsbane Potion, but the Department of Mysteries declared it Unspeakable due to the danger of it falling in the wrong hands..

In 1978 he accepted Severus Snape as an apprentice for a 3 year mastery program on the European Mainland.

### Post-War

Damocles Belby survived the First Wizarding War and passed away in the late 1988.

### Book 3 - The Death Eater Menace

When Remus Lupin starts working at Hogwarts as caretaker under the guise of Malachi Sturgeon Dumbledore presents Severus Snape with the formula for the Wolfsbane Potion.

The formula is later stolen by Peter Pettigrew, the grandson of Gustav Kleinwuchs, who plans to give it to Fenrir Greyback. Harry Potter manages to take the formula back from Pettigrew and Dumbledore places a modified Fidelius on the potion so it cannot by extracted from Pettigrew's memories.

### Legacy

Damocles Belby was one of the most preeminent Potions Masters of Western Europe, and by 1976 had won at least three Silver Cauldron Awards. Belby had a massive impact on his student Severus Snape, who idolised him and was able to recognise his handwriting on sight years after his death.

## Personality & Traits

Belby appeared to be a morally upright man, as he was apalled to find out Rookwood had purposefully infected Severus Snape with chronic wolf-fear. He also showed no signs of being as Pure-blood supremacist as he showed no aversion to taking on a Half-blood or Muggleborn apprentice.

## Magical Abilities & Skills

Damocles Belby was a master potioneer who managed to combine the research of Gustav Kleinwuchs and the Unspeakables to create the Wolfsbane Potion.

## Canon Divergence

In Canon Damocles Belby is a background character mainly known for creating the Wolfsbane Potion. Canon-Belby has no connection to Severus Snape outside of both of them being considered Potion Masters.

As Project Romulus does not exist in Canon, Canon-Belby also has no connection to the Department of Mysteries or Remus Lupin (outside of his potion).

## References

Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 88 - Prelude (Harry),

Moody mentions the Belby-Cadwallader test during his explanation of magical cores.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 119 - What's Past is Prologue (Pt 1),

Lupin and Snape's memories of the Shrieking Shack.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 122 - The Hunting of Sirius Black (Pt 1),

Peter mentions that Damocles Belby used his grandfather's research.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 120 - What's Past is Prologue (Pt 2),

Project Romulus is disbanded after Snape is inflicted with wolf-fear.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 120 - What's Past is Prologue (Pt 2),

Dumbledore and Snape talk about Project Romulus.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 94 - Back to School (Pt 1),

Dumbledore presents Snape with the Wolfsbane Potion Formula.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 128 - Redux (Pt 2),

Peter takes the Wolfsbane Formula.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 128 - Redux (Pt 2),

"With that, he ran back to Pettigrew for the Wolfsbane Potion vial, as well as the Belby formula and the note containing the Secret.".
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 136 - The Fall of the House of Potter (Pt 2),

Harry voices his concerns about Pettigrew's temporary ownership of the Wolfsbane Formula.