There shouldn’t be a person on this earth who hasn’t heard of the famous children’s series Harry Potter. This book series would kick off an immensely-successful franchise known all over the world, and it is certainly a favorite to most. Featuring the tales of a young boy who realizes he holds an important position in the magical world, we follow Harry Potter through his journeys at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each novel and movie was filled with a tale of heroism, mystery, and adventure; all things that make a fantasy tale like this excitable.
Perhaps one of the greatest selling points for this franchise was the relatable and lovable characters. When you followed their stories, you really felt for them and worried about what would happen next. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school, was one of the most iconic characters to ever come out of this series, and with good reason. He was everything from caring and warm to mysterious and sometimes, even a little suspicious. Watching the main characters grow up alongside such a wonderful mentor made every reader feel attached, so you can only imagine the pain that ensued when Albus met his tragic end. Even though Dumbledore may be gone now, it doesn’t mean that his legacy is as well. Characters that show up long after the events in the original series ended still seem to remember his name, and now we’re also getting books and movies that serve as a prequel to the tale. If you’re looking to learn more about Albus, here are 25 exciting facts about his person!
25 He Is Depicted As The Grim Reaper In The Tale Of The Peverell Brothers
Even if you’re a muggle, you should know who the Peverell brothers are by now. Depicted in the popular wizard’s tale, “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” they were known as troubled men who tried to utilize the hollows for their own gain.
One fan theorized that each of the brothers depicted was actually presenting a character we’d already seen before. Voldemort was said to be the first one, Snape was the second and, finally, Harry was the last. However, Rowling confirmed that Dumbledore would have been depicted as the Grim Reaper himself.
24 He Did Have A Bit Of Arrogance In His Younger Days
It’s hard to imagine that the kind and loving Dumbledore was ever anything other than modest. However, it has been said that he was a little arrogant in his younger days.
Dumbledore even admits to this in his later years, when he’s clearly learned his lesson. He says that a fatal flaw of his was his lust for power, something that proved to be poorly founded and held its own consequences. Thankfully, he grew up to be a much better person!
23 He'd Been Well Adept At Magic From A Very Young Age
Speaking of Dumbledore’s younger days, it should come as no surprise that he showed a lot of magical promise from a very young age. Even as a student attending Hogwarts, he excelled in his classes and won many different recognition awards.
Out of all the strange things there are to learn about Dumbledore, this is perhaps the most bland. If you’ve been a Potter head for a long time now, you could have already guessed what kind of student the future headmaster would be.
22 His Boggart Appeared As His Sister
When we’re first introduced to Dumbledore, as well as the rest of the Harry Potter world, he seems like a cheerful, yet mysterious, man. No one would have guessed right away that his past was so tragic or that he held on to it tightly.
Dumbledore feels responsible for the passing of his sister, Ariana, and his loss still seems to be haunting him well into the series. Unfortunately, this also means that creatures like boggarts can often appear as her deceased body since they can tell exactly what is holding him back.
21 He Was Very Good At Transfiguration
The things a wizard or witch’s body can do is nothing short of amazing. There are plenty of interesting spells and charms that any magical user can use on their physical form for many different purposes, but transfiguration is perhaps one of the coolest.
To be able to accurately break down your body and become something completely different is a well-admired skill. You may think of Minerva, a.k.a Professor McGonagall, and her cat form when you think of this particular skill, but Dumbledore was actually very good at this as well!
20 He Was Also Strangely Good At Occlumency And Legilimency
Throughout the books, and sometimes even the movie, many students would feel as though Dumbledore was looking right through them and reading their mind. This is often one of the key traits about the Hogwarts headmaster and his personality. That’s because he was very good at reading people through magic!
Among the many studies that Dumbledore was good at, Occlumency and Legilimency were some of his finest. Since Dumbledore was known for utilizing magic in a very silent way, it’s very possible that he was figuring out people’s thoughts without them knowing!
19 He lived To Be 115 Years Old
According to Potter chronology, Dumbledore was born in 1881. Already, that should tell you that this man has not only seen a lot, but that he really needed to take a break by the time Voldemort was running around.
For being 115, Dumbledore certainly seemed to age well! Especially if he was ready to battle wicked forces. Unfortunately, there would be no happy retirement for our favorite wizard as he would perish in the place he loved by the betrayal of a dear friend.
18 He Could Turn Invisible At Will
Throughout the series, Harry would often make good use of his father’s invisibility cloak; one of the most iconic objects to make an appearance. You would think that any other wizard would need something to help them turn invisible, but not Dumbledore!
The invisibility cloak was in the possession of Dumbledore before he gave it to Harry. It seems as though he had taken it to understand what exactly made it work and used it on himself!
17 His Passing Was Foreseen In The Third Book/Movie
Dumbledore’s demise was certainly a surprise to many fans; he was so powerful and strong that it seemed almost impossible to take him down. However, there may have been foreshadowing to this closer at the beginning of the series.
During the Christmas dinner scene in the third book, Professor Trelawney is nervous when she finds that there are 13 people already at the table, stating that the first to get up would be the first to perish. While it may have looked as though only 12 people were seated, fans theorized that Peter Pettigrew would have still been in Ron’s pocket, making it 13, when Dumbledore stood up first.
16 His Body Was Buried On Hogwarts Grounds
It would be a little weird to have a school graveyard, but Hogwarts already seems to have quite a few ghosts roaming the halls. Perhaps burying bodies on the campus wouldn’t be that out of the blue if we considered that?
However, no one else except for Dumbledore is buried on the grounds. Dumbledore was not buried in a family plot or anywhere particularly fitting for a wizard, but instead, he was buried in the place that he spent most of his life in until his end: Hogwarts.
15 He Could Speak Mermish, Gobbledegook, And Parseltongue
Alongside being adept to almost all things magical, Dumbledore was also excellent in picking up some of the most iconic languages in the Harry Potter universe. Languages like the Merfolk's Mermish and the Goblin’s Gobbledegook are typically more well known because we actually interact with those beings in the book.
Of course, Parseltongue is perhaps the most iconic of all these languages. Typically, it’s seen as a specific language that’s passed down to Slytherins or Death Eaters, but it seems as though Dumbledore was able to pick it up as well!
14 He Was One Of The Most Powerful Wizards In The World
This isn’t exactly surprising, but Dumbledore was considered one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Being the headmaster at Hogwarts already requires a high-level magic user to be in charge, but Dumbledore seemed to take it up a notch.
Dumbledore was an absolute icon to wizards and witches everywhere. In the series, we see countless people giving him respect with only a few really standing up to him. His power was incredible enough to give him a real reputation.
13 He Was Also Considered A Magical Genius
Alongside being known as one of the greatest and most powerful wizards of all time, Dumbledore was also known for being a genius in the way he used his magic. This is a little obvious, especially if you’ve seen or read about the way he fought.
Dumbledore is clearly an expert in most fields, but that isn’t a skill that’s inherently powerful by itself. You’d also have to be a fast thinker in order to know when to utilize that knowledge at the right time.
12 His Spells Didn't Require A Casting Trigger
When you’re as unique witch or wizard, like Dumbledore is, there always seems to be something attached to the way you use magic. For Dumbledore, one of his most defining attributes was the fact that he could cast spells without actually saying anything.
Typically, using magic comes with some kind of verbal trigger, but Dumbledore never really had to use any of those things, and we see it often. There are very few times that he’ll say anything in order to cast a spell, and typically, that’s only when he’s using very serious or powerful ones.
11 He Was Also Silent When Apparating
Who doesn’t wish that they could Apparate like the magic users in Harry Potter? It’s a very fast and convenient way to travel, after all! While this tends to be the Wizarding World’s most favored form of transportation, it also usually acquires triggers and sounds.
It’s not exactly easy to appear out of nowhere and be quiet about it, let alone silently trigger the movement, but since Dumbledore never uses many magical triggers in the first place, it’s common sense that he would also be very quiet when he enters a room as well.
10 His Taste In Clothing Was Very Odd, But Fun!
The movies always seem to depict Dumbledore as more of a regal fashionista; the long, royal-like wizard gowns are certainly proof of that. However, in the books, Dumbledore was known for having a very odd sense of style. In fact, he once wore a flowered bonnet!
But, just because he was known for having a weird taste in clothing doesn’t mean it wasn’t cool. After all, as a headmaster, it was important for him to encourage the students to be themselves; he should equally be himself as well!
9 He Also Favored Odd Food
If you thought Dumbledore’s fashion sense was weird, you should see his choices for favorite foods. In addition to having a weird personality when it came to his clothing, he equally had a taste in food most wizards wouldn’t even like.
Among his favorites were Acid Pops and Cockroach Clusters, some of his go-to sweets. We can get the sour delights of something like an Acid Pop, but a Cockroach Cluster just seems to be taking it a little too far.
8 He Never Cared Much For Himself, But More For Others
Albus may have been very confident as a young student, but that didn’t mean he’d always remain so sure of himself. After the loss of his sister and friend, he certainly changed in personality.
Dumbledore is seen to have no real fear of passing on, primarily after he loses his sister. However, this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t fear the demise of those he cares about. When it came to close friends and family, we see Dumbledore care very deeply about the harm that can come to them.
7 He Was Extraordinarily Charming
Knowing Dumbledore as a character, you know that he’d never be known as a manipulator. Surely, something so devious doesn’t fit his usual demeanor, but there was a part of him that knew, for the greater good, he would do what needed to be done.
Dumbledore is known for being incredibly charismatic. This is partially what makes him such a great leader and how many people follow him regardless of the danger ahead. He is also very in tune with people’s emotional states and he could certainly control that.
6 He Had An Affinity For Elemental Magic, Attuned Mostly With Fire
Like many of the other things Dumbledore was great at, from a magic-using perspective, he was also exceptional at using the elements. Elemental magic is clearly different from some of the other forms of magic since it comes from nature itself, and while he was good at using all four elements, it was clear he favored fire.
Utilizing fire seems to be a theme in Dumbledore’s life. Just take a look at Fawkes, his phoenix. These fantasy birds are known for their use of fire, so perhaps that was something he took into consideration when getting Fawkes.