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Reader Comments: (Page 46)

I realize that it is very late in the game, and my theory probably not get fully developed before "ly Hallows" is released, but I truly believe that I'm onto something very interesting regarding the of our beloved Dumbledore. I'll try to keep this as clear and concise as I can. J.K. has insisted that Dumbledore is indeed . I believe her to be telling the truth, so my theory was thought out with this in mind. Here goes...
What if Dumbledore has been "" for some time now? I began thinking about that possibility after reading this quote from Dumbledore during his conversation with Malfoy in HBP(pg 591),"He cannot you if you are already ." Coupling this statement with the introduction of the "infiri" earlier in the book had my brain buzzing with the potential that existed here. Reading back through, looking for other clues, I stumbled across something that many may have overlooked completely. While at the Weasley's on Christmas Eve, Molly was listening to music from her favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck. J.K. allowed us to see some of the lyrics that were being sung, and after seeing them from a different perspective, I found them to be very intriguing. The first passage I want to point out is on pg 332. Celestina sings, "Oh, my poor heart, where has it gone? It's left me for a spell..." What if Dumbledore's heart had been removed from his body?! It would explain his blackened and looking hand. Without the heart performing it's usual function, there would be no circulation to the extremities. Incidentally, the right hand is furthest from the heart (we never have a look at his feet or legs). The next line is on pg 333. "...and now you've torn it quite apart I'll thank you to give back my heart!" The last verse I want to present was actually the first to be sung, on pg 330. It is as follows, "Oh, come and stir my cauldron, and if you do it right, I'll boil you up some hot strong love to keep you warm tonight." Now, let's consider everything together. What if, as I said earlier, Dumbledore's heart had been removed temporarily, and Snape or even Slughorn had been using a potion to keep him "alive", similar to an infiri. He then couldn't actually be ed by anyone, though for all technicality he is already , as J.K. has insisted. He would be in total control of his own existance, completely undermining anything that Voldermort may want to do. It may also explain why Dumbledore didn't react to the ing curse the same way that others had. It may have strange affects when being used on someone that isn't really alive. I hope I've brought something new to the game for you all to consider.

Posted by Cliff from Rockville,Md. on July 19, 2007 07:09 AM

If Dumbledore could use spells without his wand, why didn't he disarm Draco Malfoy on the tower? Malfoy wouldn't expect it and Dumbledore would quickly in control, unless Dumbledore had a plan...

Posted by Nate Wangemann from Lindon, Utah on July 19, 2007 09:15 AM

I think that JK has said when interviewed/questioned that "you shouldn't expect Dumbledore to do a Gandalf. Let me just put it that way. I'm sorry." Despite their similarities, I imagine JK would prefer for Dumbledore to be recognized in his own right, as his own character and therefore wouldn’t want him to “do a Gandalf”, as this would surely add to the many comparisons people naturally make between these 2 enigmatic wizards.

But what exactly does she mean by this comment?

I expect that JK is well aware of the LOTR saga, but from what I understand Gandalf 's' after his battle with the Balrog and whilst his body lies his spirit ‘Travels outside of time’. He is then resurrected and ‘sent back‘, but only until he has fulfilled his duties; after this he departs for the 'Un lands', which, from what I understand is in another dimension (and I don't think this is an optional departure, more a question of when, rather than if).

So is JK saying that Dumbledore won't "do a Gandalf" and be resurrected/sent back? And if so, is this because a person has to first, in order for resurrection to take place? Or is it because Dumbledore has planned his own return and isn’t going to be sent back by a ‘Higher-being’?

Unfortunately I think that JK later says, "But I see that I need to be a little more explicit and say that Dumbledore is definitely ." This comment is a bit harder to dispute, but perhaps the key words here are “definitely “. JK doesn’t appear to state that he is gone forever or never return, or that he is permanently . I know that the general perception of is that it is permanent, but in the wizarding world who knows? Dumbledore has never appeared to fear , but I think that under the current circumstances, he would be reluctant to leave, especially after following Voldemort for so long and more closely than anyone. I certainly believe that Dumbledore would give up his life, especially in order to ‘save’ Harry; I just don’t think that the end of the HBP was that time. I also wonder whether there is another link between Harry and Dumbledore that goes beyond the relationship of Headmaster and student – I know it’s controversial and must have been discussed numerous times, but dare I say a ‘family tie’ of some sort?

I’ve also recently been doing a bit of research and it appears that the years 1943 - 1945 (approx.) seem to be quite significant. Sometime in 1943 we are led to believe that Tom Riddle learns about Horcruxes from Slughorn, but is Riddle also aided by the Dark Wizard Grindelwald - Perhaps initially or at a later date? (It’s interesting to note that Grindelwald is hardly ever mentioned and as far as I’m aware the name is only brought up briefly in the first book, with reference to the chocolate frog cards). With such a thirst for knowledge and especially for the Dark Arts, who better to contact then a renowned Dark Wizard?

Riddle has always been portrayed as a cool customer, who even his teens, showed little fear and had great confidence in his own abilities. It doesn’t seem farfetched that he could find a way to contact Grindelwald and he was certainly devious and intelligent enough to have kept this a secret (Consider how he managed to fool the majority of people regarding the Chamber of Secrets by framing Hagrid – Incidentally as this was supposed to have occurred around 1943, were the attacks/ that Riddle perpetrated also used as a partial diversion whilst he continued his work on Horcruxes?).

From literally the first moment Dumbledore meets Riddle, he has his concerns and I suspect that a Dark Wizard (such as Grindelwald) would have also recognized or sensed his capacity for darkness and perhaps attempted to nurture Tom Riddle. Grindelwald may have also been intrigued if he had discovered that Riddle was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin (Riddle knew this himself from early on, so it’s possible that Grindelwald also learnt this). Although Riddle was something of a loner and had followers more than friends (A pattern that continued when he became Lord Voldemort) he never really had a father figure and despised the knowledge of his ‘Muggle’ father. Could there have been some kind of relationship between Riddle and Grindelwald that bordered on Father and Son? I’m not saying that there would have been a great deal of love involved (if any) but perhaps more of a begrudging respect in terms of a teacher/pupil relationship(At least whilst it suited them). They would have possibly been very alike, with similar beliefs and perhaps this would have been the first time Riddle could really confide and share his true feelings with another likeminded wizard (Though I imagine that both Riddle and Grindelwald would hope to gain something from the other).

Did Dumbledore suspect that Riddle was being further influenced by another Dark Wizard and did this result in a confrontation with Grindelwald? Did Dumbledore’s defeat of Grindelwald put a premature end to this relationship and did Tom Riddle witness this? Being occupied by what I imagine would be quite a battle; it may be that Dumbledore wasn’t aware that Riddle was either present or had witnessed this event (Perhaps Dumbledore discovered this in the years to come, as a result of his extensive research on Voldemort). This shared knowledge might explain what Dumbledore means when he says “We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom,". It is often said that Dumbledore is the only wizard Voldemort ever feared, but why is this? Granted, Dumbledore is widely respected and credited by many as being the
‘greatest wizard of modern times’, but to a person such as Voldemort, immensely confident of his own superiority, surely any niggling doubts or fears that he may have, must have been triggered by an event of some magnitude. This might also partially explain why he despises and hates Dumbledore (Perhaps in a warped way Riddle expected that he would be the one to finish Grindelwald, when the time was right).

It isn’t until 1945 that Dumbledore is said to have defeated the Dark wizard Grindelwald, so theoretically Riddle and Grindelwald could well have met sometime earlier. Tom Riddle would also have left Hogwarts in 1945 and from what I understand obtains H.H.’s cup, along with S.S.’s locket (both strong horcrux possibilities) in this particular year. If Dumbledore was harboring suspicions of a relationship between Grindelwald and Riddle, or was perhaps following young Voldemorts’s movements, then this may have also contributed to his decision when refusing to give Riddle the DATDA post at Hogwarts some years later (After all Dumbledore is well known to be ing to give people a second chance).

I’m also curious as to why it was Dumbledore who went to meet Riddle at the orphanage. Is it commonplace for this to happen? For example Dumbledore doesn’t go to meet Harry when he is invited to join Hogwarts (And it could be argued that Harry is in a similar position to Riddle and not knowing of the magical protection he was under might have preferred to have been in an orphanage).

Although Dumbledore isn’t headmaster at the point of his meeting Riddle, is it possible that he knows something prior to going to the orphanage? Had Dumbledore been tracing Riddle’s heritage even earlier than we are led to believe? Is there another twist with regards to prophecies?

At this first meeting Riddle, in his excited state, divulges a fair bit of information. It isn’t long though before Riddle realizes that he can’t charm Dumbledore, as he manages to do with the majority of the Hogwarts staff. Did Dumbledore perhaps ‘manoeuvre’ himself into this position so he would be the first to meet Riddle? Perhaps Dumbledore had an idea that he might be able to catch Riddle off guard, before he was able to settle at Hogwarts and grasp the concept of what he was.

I know this has been quite a long piece, but with the new book out shortly I’ve had to get my thoughts down quickly. However, on a last note and just to get back to the issue of Dumbledore’s , I believe it is said that Dumbledore is the ‘only Hogwarts Headmaster to be buried on the school grounds’. Does this strike anyone else as being a little strange, even convenient? Hmmm

Posted by Damien from Plymouth, UK on July 19, 2007 11:15 AM

Rowlings has stated that "Dumbledore is definantly ." So, he's . But I believe that he comunicate some other way. Probably his portrait or the pensieve or a book or something.

Posted by Virginia from Missouri on July 19, 2007 11:39 AM

Virginia, i believe that she said "Dumbledore is " not "Albus Dumbledore is ", i know this may sound a little farfetched but think about it!

Dumbledore is an important piece in the chess game!

Posted by Fabio Moreira from Guarda, Portugal on July 19, 2007 5:09 PM

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