Phoebe Dawson

**Phoebe Dawson** (born 14 September, 1962) was a half-blood witch who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1 September, 1974 to June 1981. She played Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team beginning in her second year of school, when Gryffindor failed to win the Inter-House Quidditch Cup.

In her third year of school, however, Gryffindor defeated Slytherin in a landslide by 530 points in the Quidditch final, in 1977. Phoebe caught the snitch after over 24 hours of play, after stumbling across it in the near-darkness.

## Biography

### Early life

Phoebe Dawson was born on 14 September, 1962, in Salcombe, Devon, England. She was the daughter of Frank Dawson and his wife, Agnes Dawson (née Nettle). Her paternal grandparents were Archie Dawson and Clara Dawson (née Moore). Her father, Frank, was a professional Quidditch player. He played for the Tutshill Tornadoes as Chaser, but retired when Phoebe was two.

#### Hogwarts years

Phoebe Dawson received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1974. Before attending, she likely purchased her wand, which was made of willow and dragon heartstring, from Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley, London. She boarded the Hogwarts Express on 1 September, 1974, and later that night, she was sorted into Gryffindor.

#### Second year

Phoebe tried out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team in the autumn of 1975, at the beginning of her second year of school, hoping to play Seeker. She made the team. At that time, it was captained by Charlie Bell. That year, they failed to win the tournament. When he graduated in 1976, he was replaced by James Potter.

#### Third year

In 1977, in her third year of school, Phoebe caught the snitch in the Inter-House Quidditch Tournament Final. The Gryffindor Quidditch Team, newly captained by James Potter, won the Inter-House Tournament as they beat Slytherin by 530 points, in perhaps the most grueling game ever witnessed by Hogwarts Students in a decade. Phoebe's Gryffindor team members consisted of Sirius Black, the Keeper, Arthur Browne and John Bell, Beaters, as well as Captain James Potter, Geoffrey Fawley and Marlene McKinnon, Chasers. This match was particularly gruelling in part because Regulus Black, the starting Slytherin Seeker, got ill just before the match, and Slytherin Captain Lucinda Talkalot was forced to replace him with his classmate, Ambrose Greeengrass, who had never played a match of Quidditch before in his life. Greengrass had no idea how to look for the Snitch and the Slytherin Keeper, Euan Evermonde, was knocked out by a bludger about thirty minutes into play.

#### Fourth year

The Gryffindor Quidditch team lost to Slytherin in the semi-final, with Regulus Black as Slytherin's new captain.

#### Fifth year

In Phoebe's fifth year of school, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team made a number of changes. James Potter graduated in June 1978, and Geoffrey Fawley was made the new captain going into the 1978-1979 school year. Phoebe switched to playing Chaser, as Fawley had found a third year, Marina Ogilvy, who would be a better Seeker, because Phoebe had grown a bit. Isobel Campbell, a fifth year, joined the team as Gryffindor's third chaser. Additionally, Peter Liddell, a sixth-year, was added to replace Sirius Black, who had also graduated the year before.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team won the Inter-House Quidditch Tournament this year, although this was helped in part by Slytherin's disorganization during this time. Their Seeker and Captain, Regulus Black, never returned to school after Easter 1979, and was reported dead as a result of the war. Evan Rosier took over as Captain but his heart was not really into it. Ambrose Greengrass, to every Slytherin's chagrin, became the starting seeker in Black's place. Phoebe and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team beat them easily in a Quidditch final that lasted almost under an hour.

Phoebe sat her O.W.L.s this year and managed passing grades in all subjects.

#### Sixth year

Arthur Browne took over as Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team for the 1979-1980 school year when Geoffrey Fawley graduated. Ruthie MacCallum, a fourth year, was given Fawley's spot as Chaser. They won the Inter-House Quidditch Cup once more.

#### Seventh year

Phoebe was made Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

## Etymology

Latinized form of the Greek name *Phoibe*, which meant "bright, pure" from Greek *(phoibos)*. In Greek mythology, Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae. In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. A moon of Saturn bears this name (in honour of the Titan).

Dawson is a baptismal name meaning 'the son of David', a very old personal name. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries.