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J.K.'s surprising revelation about Dumbledore

by David Haber

Just a little over a year ago, on August 2, 2006, J.K. Rowling made a statement at her reading in New York City, at Radio City Music hall, that was big news and related directly to what we talk about on this web site. Well, tonight she's done it again. This evening, again in New York City, this time at Carnegie Hall, J.K. Rowling dropped a bombshell on the Harry Potter fan community.

> Read the full article

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Reader Comments: (Page 5)

A little voice in the back of my head said "*ping* yeah, that seems right". Kinda like a passing thought that floats from sub to regular conscious and bobs back down again.

I liked that one comment about how a man doesn't fall in love with every other guy he sees or makes friends with. I'm a straight female and though I have a few male friends with whom I connect very well with, I'm not attracted to them sexually.

So I give my non-committal shrug accompanied by a mumbled 'cool'.

Posted by Nes from Toronto, Ontario on October 20, 2007 10:12 PM

I appreciate how JK connects a deep, caring, and gifted character with the identity. I think it is an accurate connection. It is also accurate, from my perspective, that the travails that defined Dumbledore's life came from this unique aspect of himself. It is not a common stereotype that men live introspective lives dedicated to the greater good, but I think it is more common than most presentations of the 'culture' suggest. Thanks to JK for seeing that!

To me this only shows greater insight on her part. Even the way in which she went through the experience of coming out for Albus artistically teaches people more about what it is to be . It is funny to me to see people's reactions and how they mirror the reactions that people often have when they hear about the ity of someone in their own life. This all reveals how JK's art ventures into the mysterious realities of how human lives really work, and just when I thought I couldn't have had a higher opinion of her, she proves to be an even better artist than I thought.

Posted by blake from new orleans on October 20, 2007 10:45 PM

Two thoughts come to my mind as I heard the news--

1) Dumbledore was the one wizard that Voldemort feared(until Harry came of age)--the strongest, smartest, and bravest--so how interesting that the Wizarding world and the Muggle world owed its continued existance to the bravery and wisdom of a elderly man!

2) Since his teaching collegues had worked with him for a long time, surely at least some of them probably knew. Clearly his ity made no difference to these professors, who we also admire, in their continuing loyality and support of Dumbledore.

One more thought--I never thought much about his friendship with Grindelwald---it was hard for me to hear the story since it was something having already happened. I did not feel much more than Dumbledore had had an unfortunate friendship with someone who was not as he seemed. But I recall thinking that Dumbledore felt especially sad when Nicholas Flammel decided that the Sorcerer's stone needed to be destroyed and that he could not go on living. The loss of that friendship would be even more poignant if we imagine a closer relationship.

Posted by Mrs Weasley from Indianapolis IN on October 20, 2007 11:31 PM

I'm glad she didn't make it clear till now. its all part of who Dumbledore is...He knew more than most about everyone he came into contact with (including Tom Riddle) but no one ever knew anything about him. I think most really intelligent and powerful people are like this, not necessarily , but subconsciously withdrawn and secretive, too busy reading others to open themselves up to be read.

Posted by Aberforth from South Africa on October 21, 2007 01:57 AM

Meh, he seems more (I forget the word) not having a preference. As in not liking anyone.

Posted by Pika_power from The, moon on October 21, 2007 03:04 AM

So he never told Harry...So what? Dumbledore's was 150 years old, why on earth would he reveal such a personal thing to his 11-17 year old student?

Posted by Anonymous on October 21, 2007 03:56 AM

We don't get any information that Dumbledore was ever loved by someone romantically, but I was just thinking - Kingsley Shacklebolt once comments on Dumbledore, saying something like:"Well, we have our disagreements... but he has got style!"

This is probably a bit far-fetched, I admit.. But we once learn that Dumbledore liked to wear a bright purple robe or coat, so maybe this can be seen as a hint.

Anyway, it is a relief that most readers agree that J.K. Rowling did a great service to the Rights Movement and that ity should not be excluded from children's literature.

Posted by Siena from Leeds, UK on October 21, 2007 05:59 AM

i was watching the news when i heard this. They didn`t seem to think it was important enough to say, so it simply scrolled across the bottom. my jaw dropped, and i ran to my computer to check beyondhogwarts.com to see if it was true.

I think its amazing, though very surprising. i think we should have been let in on this sooner. I'd like to know if Dumbledore ever had a romantic relationship, and if so, with whom?

this is amazing, and i hope that J.K. release more info on the subject.

Posted by Susannah White from Toronto, ON on October 21, 2007 06:29 AM

Where was the point in declaring him now, now that the series is already over? It would have been meaningful only if there was a proper mention of it in any of the books. Doesn't really matter now that he was , does it?

Posted by Karan Hemani on October 21, 2007 08:55 AM

Of course,when I heard this new information, I was astonished as well. But when I begun to think, I realised that it really fits Rowling's style.

The problems with the opression of the minorities and other people was always an obviously significant point in the Harry Potter books. Rowling always dealt with this important question. Regarding the muggle-borns, the half-bloods and the other magical creatures which turnHP books want to say. (Mainly because Dumbledore is the most respected wizard in Jo`s world.) It was brilliant, and quite "Rowlingful" to assert that the wisest wizard in the harry potter books was a .

Posted by suba from Budapest,Hungary on October 21, 2007 09:43 AM

Suba, what a great new word you've just coined! I seriously suggest we should submit it for inclusion in the Oxford English Dictionary!

'Rowlingful': (adj.) Wonderful, in an especially imaginative or creative way.

Posted by Dave Haber from Los Angeles, CA on October 21, 2007 09:44 AM

Errr, it's so funny that you assume that Lockhart is , given the fact that he charms the las and is despised by all the men. If you mean he is effete, I think you can find thousand of examples of real Lockharts in the real world being perfectly stupid, preposterous, grooming.... s. And, if I am not wrong, Lockhart is, by J.K. Rowling words, the only real character in the books...

Posted by Enrique Olcina from Lorca, Spain on October 21, 2007 09:53 AM

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