“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!”
Albus Dumbledore was the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in J.K. Rowling’s genre defining series of Harry Potter.
The old wizard was Harry’s mentor and possibly his closest adult friend.
Here are some facts you probably don’t know about the much beloved character.
28. Starting to Teach
You’d think that before becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore might have taught Defence Against the Dark arts, but you’d be wrong. He taught transfiguration.
27. A Long Life
While we all feel that Dumbledore died too soon he was 115-years-old when he was killed. According to J.K. Rowling’s website, Pottermore, he was born in 1881 and died in 1997.
26. Accolades
Dumbledore was given many awards during his lifetime, including the Order of Merlin First Class. The award is given to witches/wizards who performs an outstanding act of bravery or distinction in magic. He was given the honour for defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald.
Young Dumbledore with Grindelwald, pictured left.
25. Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Wands
Dumbledore had the ability to do magic without the use of a wand. For example, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Dumbledore saves Harry without his wand when Harry falls off his broom in a game of Quidditch. He could also change the colors of the banners in the Great Hall without a wand.
24. Not Like His Old Man
Dumbledore’s father, who’s name was Percival, was sent to Azkaban for attacking boys who had injured Dumbledore’s sister Ariana. His father was never released and spent the remainder of his life in the wizard prison.
Concept art for Azkaban, which in the end wasn’t featured in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
23. Ominous Wand
Dumbledore’s wand had a Thestral core. On her old website J.K. Rowling revealed that the core of the Elder Wand is that of a Thestral, a creature that is invisible to those who have not seen someone die.
22. Resting Place
The grave of Albus Dumbledore is the only one at Hogwarts. Dumbledore wanted to be buried at Hogwarts because it was the only place that he considered to be his real home.
21. Trifecta!
Dumbledore was the first wizard to have possession of all three of Deathly Hallows. He never had all three at once, but he was the first to encounter all of them. He had the Invisibility Cloak after Harry’s parents were killed, the Resurrection Stone when he tracked Voldemort’s ring Horcrux, and the Elder Wand when he defeated Grindelwald.
20. The Best of Enemies
Dumbledore and Grindelwald were friends when they first met. After finishing school at Hogwarts Dumbledore was introduced to Grindelwald by the latter’s great aunt, Bathilda Bagshot. Both were the best wizards of their age and quickly became friends.
19. Murder?
Dumbledore may have killed his own sister, Ariana while dueling with his younger brother, Aberforth and his friend at the time, Grindelwald. The three wizards had an argument, which escalated into a full-scale duel and Ariana was killed in the crossfire.
Aberforth Dumbledore (left).
18. Snake Tongue
Dumbledore could understand Parseltongue. Evidence of this is given in the book of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Dumbledore shows Harry a memory from Bob Ogden, an employee of the Ministry of Magic. In it, Ogden visits the house of the Gaunts, Voldemort’s relatives, all of whom speak in Parseltongue to each other. Dumbledore seems to have understood the conversation the family members had.
17. Small World
Dumbledore’s family was from the town of Godric’s Hallow. The same place as the founder of Gryffindor, Godric Gryffindor, and Harry Potter. There must be something in the water there…
16. Who Needs a Cloak?
Dumbledore was such a powerful wizard that he had no need for an Invisiblity Cloak. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry that he does not need one of those fancy cloaks if he wishes to be invisible. Dumblodore most likely could perform such a powerful Disillusionment Charm that it made him impossible to see.
15. Forewarned
Before Harry was born, there was a prophecy made about the boy who would be able to bring down Lord Voldemort. Professor Trelawney gave Dumbeldore the prophecy at the end of her job interview for a position at Hogwarts. That certainly got her the job!
14. Pride!
Dumbledore was gay. J.K. Rowling made the announcement of the Headmasters sexuality around the time that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie was being filmed. This prompted the writers to have to make alterations to the script.
J. K. Rowling.
13. I’d Rather Not
Dumbledore hated politics. He was apparently offered the job as Minister for Magic multiple times in his life but always turned it down.
12. Fawkesy Patronus
According to J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore website for Harry Potter fans, Dumbledore’s patronus was a Phoenix. This makes sense as Dumbledore keeps a pet phoenix named Fawkes which saves Harry’s life in the Chamber of Secrets.
11. Muggle interests
Also according to Pottermore, Dumbeldore’s hobbies included 10-pin bowling and chamber music. I guess when you’re a great wizard you need a break from all that magic.
10. Handy Scars
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Dumbledore claims that he has a scar on his left knee that is a perfect map of London’s Underground system.
9. Go, Go Gryffindor!
When Dumbledore was a student at Hogwarts he was a member of Gryffindor house, and who can blame him? He was a clever and courageous wizard who was loyal to those he cared about.
8. Dark Creatures
When confronted with a Boggart, a shape shifting creatures that transforms into someone’s worst fear, Dumbledore would see the corpse of his dead sister Ariana. Dark Stuff. And you thought Ron Weasley’s fear of Spiders was bad…
Ariana Dumbledore.
7. Smarty Pants
Besides being an incredibly powerful wizard, Dumbledore was also very smart. He is credited with discovering the twelve uses of dragon’s blood. He also dabbled in alchemy with his friend Nicholas Flamel, who went on to invent the Philosopher’s Stone.
6. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
As previously mentioned in this article, Dumbledore was gay and it is thought that he may have had a crush on his friend Grindelwald. There is no proof that Grindelwald ever reciprocated Albus’ feelings though.
5. The Inventor
Dumbeldore was invented the Deluminator, a device that can turn out lights from a distance. After his death he leaves it to Ron Weasley in his will. The Deluminator helps Ron find Harry and Hermione after he leaves them following an argument in the Deathly Hallows book and movie.
4. Underwater Languages
Dumbledore also spoke the language of Mermish. This is shown in the book of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after the second task when Dumbeldore confers with the leader of the Merpeople about what Harry did to save Ron and Fluer Delacour’s younger sister. Wonder where he learned that!
3. Post-Traumatic Stress
When forced to drink the potion in the cave to get the locket Horcrux in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore begins to weep and say ‘it’s all my fault’ over and over. This is believed to be because the potion made him relive the death of his sister.
2. A Mouthful of Names
His full name was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Which begs the question, who needs three middle names? The best wizard ever, that’s who.
1. Family Man
We all think of Dumbledore as an honest character who would never decisive his friends. Except that he lies to Harry about what he sees in the Mirror of Erised. Dumbledore tells Harry he sees himself with a new pair of socks. In a 2007 interview, Rowling revealed what Dumbledore really saw was, “his family alive, whole and happy.”
