When Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was first announced, many fans assumed that the titular cursed child was meant to be Albus Severus Potter, as the promotional material for the play talked about how it was his story. J.K. Rowling pushed for the fans to keep the premise of the play a secret for as long as possible, as the story had revelations about the original books that would change the series forever. The biggest revelation in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was that Lord Voldemort had a daughter with Bellatrix Lestrange, who was named Delphini.
Delphini took on the identity of Delphi Diggory in order to manipulate Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy to do her bidding, as she wanted to use a Time-Turner to change history and ensure that her father survived the Battle of Hogwarts. The character of Delphini is polarizing among the Harry Potter fanbase, as there are those who feel that Voldemort's secret love child being a villain who wants to bring him back is an awful plot hook to base a sequel on, while others think that Delphini is a cool character who has more depth than the other villains in the series.
We are here today to learn the secrets of the daughter of Lord Voldemort - from the movie that contradicted the circumstances of her birth to the possibility that Voldemort only wanted a child as an insurance policy.
Here are the 20 Strange Details About Voldemort’s Daughter’s Anatomy!
20. The Movies Contradict Bellatrix's Pregnancy
There is no indication in the original seven Harry Potter books that Bellatrix Lestrange was pregnant. The most feasible time that she could have carried Delphini was throughout Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as she is only seen briefly at the start of the story and doesn't return until The Deathly Hallows.
We don't know if there will ever be a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie starring the original cast, but the events of the sixth movie contradict the possibility of Bellatrix being pregnant, as she shows up for the new scene where the Burrow is attacked and was added to the group who entered Hogwarts through the Vanishing Cabinet. Bellatrix doesn't have any kind of baby bump or any other indication that she might be pregnant during those scenes. The ironic thing is that Helena Bonham Carter was actually pregnant during the filming of Half-Blood Prince and the producers had to cover her up.
19. There Is A Strong Possibility That She Isn't Voldemort's Daughter
It seems that there isn't a Maury Povich in the world of Harry Potter, as we have yet to see any concrete proof that Delphini is, in fact, the daughter of Lord Voldemort. The fact that Delphini can speak Parseltongue is the main piece of evidence in support of her being the child of Voldemort, but there were other descendants of Salazar Slytherin who possessed this ability.
For all we know, Rodolphus Lestrange may have found an illegitimate child of Morfin Gaunt or a granddaughter of Martha Steward from America, as she was also descended from Salazar Slytherin. It's also possible for someone to learn how to speak Parseltongue, as Albus Dumbledore accomplished this feat.
18. She Is Related To Three Of The Marauders (And Owes Her Existence To The Fourth)
The dwindling number of wizarding families in the United Kingdom is partly inspired by the pure-blood bias that many people still hold in the Harry Potter world. It's for this reason that many characters in Harry Potter are distantly related. Delphini is related to three of the Marauders, with the Gaunt and the Potter families being related through Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell, which means that she is related to James Potter.
Bellatrix Lestrange was the cousin of Sirius Black and the sister of Andromeda Tonks, whose daughter married Remus Lupin. Nymphadora and Remus would have a son named Edward, who is Delphini's first-cousin-once-removed. Delphini isn't related to Peter Pettigrew, but she only exists due to the fact that Pettigrew removed his own hand in order to perform the ritual that gave Lord Voldemort his second body.
17. There Is A Link Between Her Name & The Circumstances Of Her Birth
There are several theories surrounding the meaning of Delphini's name, with the leading one involving a reference to Greek mythology. There is a dragon in Greek mythology named Delphyne, who was slain in battle by Apollo at the city of Delphi.
The accounts of Delphyne's description differ from myth to myth, but there are some where she is depicted as being similar to Echidna, the mother of all monsters. In these accounts, it's suggested that Delphyne was the result of a union between a human woman and a serpent, which ties into how Voldemort's body had become serpentlike over the years, to the point that the movies depicted him without a nose.
16. She Was Somehow Able To Copy Her Father's Broomless Flying Ability
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it's revealed that Lord Voldemort had discovered a way to fly without using a broom, even though this broke the established rules of magic. Lord Voldemort would teach his secret method of flight to Severus Snape, which may have been a reward for his part in the destruction of Albus Dumbledore.
Delphini also demonstrates the ability to fly without the use of a broom in The Cursed Child, even though it's never revealed how she discovered how to perform this feat. It's possible that Lord Voldemort taught this secret to other Death Eaters and Rodolphus Lestrange passed it on to Delphini, but the truth has yet to be revealed.
15. We Still Don't Know How She Became So Powerful Since She Never Attended Hogwarts
Delphini's birth was one of the most well-guarded secrets of Voldemort and his servants. She was sent to live with Euphemia Rowle, who only raised her because she was offered gold, though we don't know who paid her. Euphemia Rowle never cared for Delphini and never allowed her to attend Hogwarts, which resulted in Delphini being home-schooled and never being allowed around other children.
It's never explained how Delphini became so powerful, as she was able to perform the three Unforgivable Curses, could fly without a broom, and could even perform wandless spells. Delphini was never given a formal magical education, yet she was stronger than many other witches and wizards saw throughout the series.
14. She Is The Only Person In Wizarding Society Who Is Confirmed To Have A Tattoo
Tattoos are a common sight in the real world, yet they are rarely mentioned in the Harry Potter series, which may have something to do with the fact that they were set throughout the nineties and that wizarding society may have seen them as a Muggle fashion statement, even though there was a tattoo artist in Diagon Alley.
Delphini is the only Harry Potter character who is confirmed to have a tattoo, as she has a large tattoo of an Augurey on her back. The movie version of Sirius Black had numerous tattoos, but these were created by Alfonso Cuarón (the director of Prisoner of Azkaban) and aren't considered canon. You might think that Voldemort's servants had tattoos, but the Dark Mark was more of a brand and its image faded into a scar when Voldemort was vanquished.
13. She May Be The New Master Of The Elder Wand
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows introduced the concept of wand allegiance, which was crucial for defeating Lord Voldemort, as it caused the Elder Wand to backfire instead of striking Harry Potter, who had won the allegiance of the wand when he disarmed Draco Malfoy.
Harry returned the Elder Wand to Dumbledore's tomb, with the intention that the wand's allegiance would be broken when he passed away of natural causes. The problem with Harry's plan is that he was disarmed by Delphini at the end of The Cursed Child. Delphini was then overcome by a group, so it's entirely possible that she is the new master of the Elder Wand.
12. Her Appearance Was A Source Of Contention For Fans
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child received significant backlash from fans who had only had the chance to read the script of the play, which was most of them considering that the play was only held in London for several years. Delphini was one of the few new additions to Harry Potter lore and she may have been the most divisive character of all, due to accusations that she resembles a character out of fan fiction.
The fact that Delphini has such a unique and colorful appearance, combined with the fact that she was the daughter of the main villain and was already an incredibly powerful witch without any sort of training meant that a lot of fans accused her of being a Mary Sue or a stereotypical self-insert fan fiction protagonist. The fact that Delphini's story involves a lot of time travel and creating alternate realities was just more fuel to the fire for the vitriol of many fans.
11. She Has Taken Up The Doctrine Of Her Parents... But She Dresses Like A Muggle
Delphini is the heir to Lord Voldemort and is willing to break time itself in order to bring him back to life, yet her appearance goes against the norms of wizarding society and gives the impression that she is a rebellious teenager. Delphini is seen throughout most of The Cursed Child wearing Muggle clothing and has bright silver and blue hair, which makes her stand out from the crowd. She also has a large tattoo of a bird on her back, which is ultimately what reveals her true identity.
You would think that Delphini would make more of an effort to blend in with wizarding society, considering that she is embarking on a secret mission, yet her appearance goes against the norms of society and is a lot closer to how Nymphadora Tonks (her first cousin) would dress.
10. Her Capacity To Feel Love Was The Opposite Of Voldemort's
J.K. Rowling said that the fact that Voldemort was conceived while his father was under the effects of a love potion was symbolic of his inability to feel love, which is why he never understood love and always underestimated its power throughout his life.
It seems that whatever effect the love potion had on Voldemort's development was not passed on through reproduction, as Delphini was practically the opposite of him in terms of love. Bellatrix almost certainly loved Voldemort (though he likely did not reciprocate these feelings) and Delphini inherited this same mad devotion. Delphini was able to avoid the effects of the love potion that sired her father and she was capable of experiencing love on her own, even if it did manifest in a twisted way.
9. It's Never Explained How She Became Such A Skilled Duellist
The fact that we know almost nothing about Delphini's magical education is one of the most frustrating aspects about the character, as it would deflate some of the criticisms about her being too powerful for a witch who seemingly never had the chance to learn magic at the same level as other characters in the story.
Delphini was able to outduel characters like Harry Potter, who had spent years battling the servants of Voldemort and went on to become an Auror, as well as Hermione Granger, who was one of the most skilled witches of her age. It took a group effort for Delphini to be overpowered, even though we don't know how she could have become so skilled at duelling.
8. Her First Use Of Magic Should Have Revealed Her Presence To The World
The way in which students are accepted into Hogwarts is determined by the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admission. The Quill has the power to detect the birth of magical children, but the Book will only accept the child's name if they exhibit magical powers. We never learn Delphini's true surname in The Cursed Child, which should either be Lestrange or Riddle. She should have been given a name by her parents, as she wasn't sent into Euphemia Rowle's care straight away.
The Quill and Book should have alerted the staff at Hogwarts to the fact that an unknown child bearing the name of two famous criminals had appeared in the world, yet no one seems to have followed up on that information. One possible answer is that Euphemia Rowle gave Delphini her surname when she adopted her, though this was never confirmed within the text.
7. There Is A Mystery Regarding Her Tattoo And The Giants Of The Greek Seas
There is a scene in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child were Hermione mentions that giants have been seen wandering around the seas near Greece with tattoos of wings on their backs. It seems to be too much a coincidence that a tribe of giants happens to start causing trouble around the same time that Delphini appears in the story, especially as they seem to carry the same tattoo on their back.
The fact that the giants come from Greece could be linked to the mythology aspect of Delphini's background and it's possible that they were aware of the prophecy of her arrival. The other possibility is that Delphini had tried to bring giants and werewolves under her control in the same manner that her father had and used them to distract the Ministry while she worked on her plan to retrieve the Time-Turner.
6. The Producers Of The Cursed Child Hid Delphini's Appearance
You may have noticed a distinct lack of images of Delphini in this article and that's because the producers of The Cursed Child have done an amazing job of keeping her appearance a secret. There are only a handful of pictures of Delphini available on the internet and they are of poor quality, which means that no one has been able to successfully snap a picture of her while the play was on.
The issue with all of the secrecy is that there is nothing in Delphini's appearance that would betray her true identity as the daughter of Lord Voldemort. If she was referred to as Delphi Diggory in promotional images (as she is known throughout most of the play) then no one would have been the wiser as to her parentage. Delphini's colorful hair and Muggle clothing would actually defer suspicion that she is linked to the servants of Voldemort.
5. Her Half-Blood Status Proves That Bellatrix Loved Voldemort So Much That She Would Break Her Pure-Blood Fixation For Him
Bellatrix Lestrange was born into the Black family, who supported pure-blood beliefs more strongly than any other family in the Wizarding World. Bellatrix disowned her own sister when it was discovered that she had married a Muggle and gave birth to a half-blood child.
However, Bellatrix's love for Voldemort was so strong that she had no problem siring a half-blood child with him, as Voldemort himself had a Muggle father. The fact that Voldemort was a half-blood should have been common knowledge to his servants, since he talked about his father and the necessity of needing one of his bones for the ritual to restore his body at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It's possible that Bellatrix refused to believe this information and she may have enforced the false belief that Delphini is pure-blood if she had survived the events of The Deathly Hallows.
4. Her Entire Creation Might Be Inspired By The Myth Of Hitler's Secret Heir
The idea of one of the most despised evil wizards of all time keeping the birth of his child a secret might seem farfetched, but it may have been based on a real story. There was a documentary called Hitler's British Girl that suggested that a socialite named Unity Mitford from England had given birth to the child of Adolf Hitler, as she was a huge supporter of the Nazi party and was a close friend of his.
We know for a fact that J.K. Rowling is aware of this story, as she cited Jessica Mitford (Unity's sister) as the most influential writer in her life and even named her daughter after her. It seems likely that the entire premise of The Cursed Child was based on that of the life of the Mitford sisters, with Delphini being the stand-in for the supposed heir of Adolf Hitler, who may still be alive, having lived without the public becoming aware of their true parentage.
3. She Is The Only Remaining Descendant Of Salazar Slytherin (And Might Be The Last One)
Salazar Slytherin was a staunch advocate of pure-blood rights during the creation of Hogwarts and fought hard to keep half-blood/Muggleborn students out of the school. A lot of the problems with the world of Harry Potter are due to people maintaining his beliefs into the modern age.
Delphini is currently the last surviving descendant of Salazar Slytherin, assuming that she is the daughter of Lord Voldemort or one of his relatives. The fact that Delphini ends up in Azkaban at the end of The Cursed Child means that she will likely also be the last descendant of Salazar Slytherin and that his bloodline will end with her.
2. Her Unique Hair Is Likely A Reference To Her Name
Delphini's name likely comes from Delphyne of Greek mythology, but there is also a reference to constellations that need to be considered, as she is also a descendant of the Black family and they all chose the names of stars for their children, such as Sirius and Regulus.
The name Delphini could come from Delphinus, which is a constellation in the northern sky that is said to depict a dolphin. The Delphinus connection explains why Delphini has such a strange hair color, as Alpha Delphini appears to have a blue and white hue when observed in the sky and Delphini has blue and silvery grey hair.
1. It's Possible That Voldemort Birthed An Heir Because He Needed Her Bones
One of the biggest unanswered questions concerning Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is why Voldemort wanted a child to begin with. Voldemort was obsessed with his own mortality and cheating his fate, which meant that he should never have cared about siring an heir, as he wanted to be around forever. The most speculated reason why Voldemort wanted a child is that he needed a backup relative to help him create a new body.
Voldemort is immortal, but it would only take a stray curse to destroy his body and send him back to the pathetic state he was living in before the events of Philosopher's Stone. The ritual that Wormtail used to bring Voldemort back to his original body required the use of a bone from Tom Riddle Snr's grave. Bones will eventually turn to dust, so Voldemort needs a fresh supply of relatives to provide him with the components necessary to perform the ritual needed to bring him back, should his physical body be destroyed once more. It's likely that the only reason Voldemort was willing to sire a child was due to a magical life insurance policy.
---
Are there any other interesting facts about Delphini's body? Let us know in the comments!
Fan art by Elvanlin, Hillyminne, Lilium59, and Jessycadbook.