Dorcas Meadowes

[Yellow_Rose]

I'm currently writing a fic about Dorcas, and I wanted to know what exactly we do know about her. In OotP, we learn she was is the order, and Voldemort killed her personally. I also did a bit of research and discovered that one of JK's famous wizard cards features a witch called "Dorcas Wellbeloved (1812-1904), a witch famous for founding the Society for Distressed Witches...a charitable organisation which provides assistance to witches who are impoverished, emotionally troubled, or otherwise down". Is it possible that she was perhaps named after her? And what more do we know?

[Tim the Enchanter]

I'm currently writing a fic about Dorcas, and I wanted to know what exactly we do know about her. In OotP, we learn she was is the order, and Voldemort killed her personally. I also did a bit of research and discovered that one of JK's famous wizard cards features a witch called "Dorcas Wellbeloved (1812-1904), a witch famous for founding the Society for Distressed Witches...a charitable organisation which provides assistance to witches who are impoverished, emotionally troubled, or otherwise down". Is it possible that she was perhaps named after her? And what more do we know?

I think what you've supplied is everything we know about Dorcas Meadowes - she's just a name mentioned by Mad Eye when he was showing Harry the Order photograph, if I remember correctly.

That said, she's practically an OC. You can make up any details about her you want, and none of them can be proven wrong.

Tim the Enchanter

[Racing Co]

Tim's right. You can pretty much go anywhere with this character.

As for the name...

It's possible that JKR selected the name Dorcas based on the woman in the New Testament (Acts 9, technically). Dorcas — also called Tabitha — was one of the leading women of the early Christian church and "was always doing good and helping the poor." And she also sewed clothes for the women in need. That seems to describe Dorcas Wellbeloved rather well; perhaps it would also fit Dorcas Meadowes.

[Equinox Chick]

There's a shakespearean Dorcas in The Winter's Tale who is a rather bawdy shepherdess. I'm not sure if this is of any use, but having a slighty earthier Order member rather than the 'noble' types we usually meet (Mundungus and Aberforth excepted) could be interesting.

Carole