Albus Dumbledore

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series - the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Being benevolent, slightly eccentric, and powerful, he resembles an archetypal good wizard in the style of Merlin or Gandalf. He is often sympathetic to Harry Potter's difficulties, and, as such, occasionally allows the young wizard more leeway than he would with others. He is also the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared.

Early life and career

Comparatively little is revealed about Dumbledore's early history or family. At the time of the series, he is (according to an interview by Rowling) about 150 years old, meaning he entered Hogwarts around 1851, being sorted into Gryffindor House. His brother, Aberforth, who was prosecuted for "practising inappropriate charms on a goat," may be illiterate, and (as confirmed by Rowling) is the bartender at the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. Dumbledore's extraordinary magical talents were apparent from an early age, as later described by the elderly Griselda Marchbanks, Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, who had personally examined the school-age Dumbledore for his NEWT exams in Charms and Transfiguration. Marchbanks recalled that the young Dumbledore had "done things with a wand I'd never seen before."{{HP5}}

Related Topics:
1851 - Sorted - Gryffindor - Aberforth - Illiterate - Hog's Head - Hogsmeade - Griselda Marchbanks - Wizarding Examinations Authority - NEWT - Charms - Transfiguration

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Some time after his graduation from Hogwarts, he returned to the faculty as Professor of Transfiguration, and in this capacity also served in recruiting students for the school. He identified Tom Marvolo Riddle and offered him a place at Hogwarts, glimpsing the true nature of the boy who was to become Lord Voldemort. His keen observations of Riddle's student years led Dumbledore to influence Hogwarts' headmaster, Armando Dippet, not to offer Riddle a faculty position.

Related Topics:
Tom Marvolo Riddle - Lord Voldemort - Armando Dippet

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In 1945 Dumbledore defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald. As J.K. Rowling confirmed, Grindelwald and his followers are meant to be the magical-world analogues of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

Related Topics:
1945 - Grindelwald - Adolf Hitler - Nazi

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Dumbledore also held the posts of Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump in International Conference of Wizards. He was a Grand Sorcerer, and was awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class. He was removed from the aforementioned posts during his conflict with the Ministry of Magic under Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge about the return of Voldemort and subsequent requisite actions; he was reinstated however when the ministry was forced to see their own error.

Related Topics:
Wizengamot - Cornelius Fudge

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