"Albus Dumbledore was never proud or vain; he could find something to value in anyone, however

apparently insignificant or wretched, and I believe that his early losses endowed him with great
humanity and sympathy. I shall miss his friendship more than I can say, but my loss is as nothing
compared to the Wizarding world’s. That he was the most inspiring and the best loved of all Hogwarts
headmasters cannot be in question. He died as he lived: working always for the greater good and, to his
last hour, as willing to stretch out a hand to a small boy with dragon pox as he was on the day that I met
him."

—Albus Dumbledore's obituary[src]

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, O.M. (First Class), Grand Sorc., D. Wiz., X.J. (sorc.), S.
of Mag.Q.[19] (c. Summer[1] 1881[3] – 30 June, 1997[3]) was an English half-blood wizard, who was the
Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, later the Transfiguration Professor, and later Headmaster of
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Dumbledore also served as Supreme Mugwump
of the International Confederation of Wizards (?–1995) and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot (?–1995;
1996–1997). He was a half-blood, Muggle-supporting wizard considered to have been the greatest
wizard of modern times, perhaps of all time. The son of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore, and the elder
brother of Aberforth , Aurelius and Ariana. His father died in Azkaban when Dumbledore was young,
while his mother and sister were later accidentally killed. His early losses greatly affected him early on,
even at his death, but, in turn, made him a better person.

While initially unable to directly act against Gellert Grindelwald, due to their past Blood pact, the
Ministry's surveillance of him, his lingering feelings of love toward Grindelwald, and his lingering guilt
over Ariana's death, Dumbledore sent Newt Scamander to New York to release the Thunderbird Frank,
and later sent Newt to Paris to rescue Credence Barebone. After the tragic death of Leta Lestrange in
Paris, Dumbledore became determined to contribute helpful advice to the resistance against
Grindelwald, notably Newt, Theseus, Tina, Jacob, Yusuf, and Nagini in the Global Wizarding War. Initially
unbeknownst to Dumbledore however, Grindelwald intended to use the former's alleged Obscurial
relative, Aurelius Dumbledore, as a weapon against him.

Following the Global Wizarding War, and end of the For the Greater Good revolution, Dumbledore
became most famous for his defeat of Gellert Grindelwald, the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's
blood, and his work on alchemy with Nicolas Flamel.

It was through Dumbledore that resistance to the rise of Lord Voldemort was formed, as it was he who
founded and lead the Order of the Phoenix against Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. Following
Voldemort's sudden return and the start of the Second Wizarding War after the resignation of Cornelius
Fudge, Dumbledore swiftly formed and lead the second Order of the Phoenix. He would also support
Jacob's sibling in the latter's Cursed Vaults quest, as well as later consistently supporting the trio of
Harry, Ron, and Hermione during their first six years at Hogwarts, and they would thus name
Dumbledore's Army after him.
Due to the fact that he had a keen mind and legendary power, Dumbledore became the only wizard that
Voldemort ever feared. He was the wielder and the master of the Elder Wand from 1945 until 1997 and
considered by many as the greatest Hogwarts Headmaster. As he was about to die by a cursed ring,
Dumbledore planned his own death with Severus Snape. Per the plan, Dumbledore was killed by Snape
during the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.

Though he was no longer alive at the time, it was through Dumbledore's manipulations that Lord
Voldemort was ultimately defeated and lasting peace finally restored to the wizarding world.
Dumbledore is the only Headmaster that was laid to rest at Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore's portrait still
remains at Hogwarts. Harry Potter later named his second son Albus Severus Potter after him.

Contents[show]

Biography

Early life (1881–1892)

"You know the secret of my sister’s ill-health, what those Muggles did, what she became. You know how
my poor father sought revenge, and paid the price, died in Azkaban. You know how my mother gave up
her own life to care for Ariana. "

—Dumbledore retells his early years to Harry[src]

Ariana Dumbledore

Albus' younger sister Ariana, years prior to this picture attacked by muggle boys

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was born to Kendra and Percival Dumbledore in the summer[1]
of 1881, in the mainly wizarding village of Mould-on-the-Wold.[4] The early years of Dumbledore's life
were marked by tragedy when his younger sister, Ariana Dumbledore, was attacked by a group of
Muggle boys, who saw her performing magic and were frightened by what they saw.

Ariana was left mentally and emotionally scarred by the event and her magical powers were left
severely altered and would manifest themselves on rare occasions usually in random or destructive
ways. Albus' father, Percival Dumbledore, was heartbroken and set out in search of his own brand of
justice. He located the Muggle boys and attacked them, as they had his daughter. For this, Percival was
sentenced to Azkaban where he later died, choosing the sentence over explaining why he had attacked
the boys as it would have meant Ariana being taken away.
To escape the accusing eyes of the wizarding world, Kendra Dumbledore moved her young family to the
village of Godric's Hollow which, like Mould-on-the-Wold, was a mainly wizarding village. Kendra
rebuffed all her neighbours, with the eventual exception of Bathilda Bagshot, preferring to be left alone:
and Albus learned not to mention his sister or father in public.[20]

Hogwarts years (1892–1899)

"By the end of his first year, he would never again be known as the son of a Muggle-hater, but as
nothing more or less than the most brilliant student ever seen at the school."

—Dumbledore's years as a Hogwarts student[src]

Hogwarts-castle-harry-potter-166431

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Dumbledore began attending Hogwarts in the autumn of 1892 and was Sorted into Gryffindor house.
Dumbledore's first year was met with much whispering about his father's crime. Many of Albus' fellow
students mistakenly believed that, like father like son, Albus too hated Muggles. Some praised his
father's actions, hoping to gain his trust, but they would not find favour with the young Dumbledore this
way. Though later in his young life, under the influence of his love for Gellert Grindelwald, some anti-
Muggle prejudice did develop, but he soon saw the error of his intent.[20]

He befriended a young Elphias Doge on his first day at Hogwarts; Doge was suffering from the aftermath
of Dragon Pox at the time (greenish skin and pockmarks), which discouraged most from approaching
him. Dumbledore, however, demonstrated his uncommon kindness and willingness to look past the
surface and find inner beauty in people. Dumbledore also became very well-connected during his
Hogwarts years, making notable friends such as Nicolas Flamel, Bathilda Bagshot, and Griselda
Marchbanks, who marked him in his N.E.W.T.s for Charms and Transfiguration and later recalled that he
did things with a wand that she had never seen before. He also had several of his papers published
during his studies and exchanged letters with theoretician Adalbert Waffling.[21] Minerva McGonagall
later shared these letters with members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force who pursued a
Professorship profession to help improve their skills in addressing the Calamity.[22]

During his school years, Dumbledore won the Barnabus Finkley Prize for Exceptional Spell-Casting,
became the British Youth Representative to the Wizengamot, and received the Gold Medal for Ground-
Breaking Contribution to the International Alchemical Conference in Cairo.[20]

In his third year, Dumbledore presumably took Study of Ancient Runes and at least one other subject,
which is known not to be Divination.
During his fourth year, Dumbledore "accidentally" set the bed-curtains in his dormitory on fire (although
he admitted that he had never liked them anyway).

Albus was made a prefect during his fifth year and was made Head Boy in his seventh year. He was
considered the most brilliant student to have attended the school.

Tragedy and friendship (1899)

"So that, when my mother died, and I was left the responsibility of a damaged sister and a wayward
brother, I returned to my village in anger and bitterness. Trapped and wasted, I thought! And then, of
course, he came."

—Dumbledore discussing his harsh past[src]

Albus-and-Gellert

Albus with his best friend and lover Gellert Grindelwald in 1899

After graduating from Hogwarts in June 1899, Dumbledore planned to take the traditional "Grand Tour"
of the world with his friend Doge. However, tragedy ensued on the eve of the departure when Kendra
Dumbledore was killed by an outburst of Ariana's uncontrollable magic, leaving Albus the head of his
own broken family and now in charge of his younger siblings. Albus returned to Godric's Hollow full of
bitter resentment at his situation, feeling trapped and wasted, although he refused to let Aberfoth quit
school and insisted he complete his education first before taking care of Ariana. Fortune finally
appeared to shine on Dumbledore, however, when a foreigner arrived at their little village, by the name
of Gellert Grindelwald. A young man around Albus's age, he lived for the next two months with his
great-aunt, the celebrated magical historian and family friend of the Dumbledores, Bathilda Bagshot,
who introduced the two soon after Grindelwald crossed her doorstep. Thrilled to realise that the
newcomer was every bit as brilliant as himself, the two young men took to each other right away and
quickly struck up a close friendship, unified by the revelation of Grindelwald's research into the
existence and whereabouts of the fabled Deathly Hallows. Dumbledore also quickly became fascinated
by Grindelwald's ideas of wizarding domination, obviously considering Grindelwald an unexpected new
chance to show his own brilliance and come out of the local misery. Over the course of the two months
Grindelwald stayed in Godric's Hallow, the two young men’s friendship became romantic, with Albus
ignoring any misgivings he had about Gellert's dark intents by convincing himself the revolution they
were planning to embark on was truly For the Greater Good, and that any harm caused would be repaid
a thousandfold after its conclusion.[20]

When Albus's brother Aberforth, however, disgusted with Albus for his plans and concerned of the fact
that he and Ariana will have to be dragged along for the ride, angrily confronted him over his neglect of
Ariana over the past few weeks, bluntly telling him he couldn't carry out his plans with Grindelwald, as
he would have to take her with him, which brought Albus back to reality despite not wanting to hear the
truth of the words his younger brother shouted at him. Grindelwald, however, furious with Aberforth's
intervention, used the Cruciatus Curse on him in a fit of anger. Moving to defend his brother, a violent
duel erupted between the three teenage boys. Ariana herself tried to intervene in the fight, but couldn't
due to her erratic abilities, and in the ensuing chaos was hit by a stray curse and died. No one knew
whose curse it was that killed her, but Grindelwald fled immediately, as he already had a bad record
back home, leaving the devastated Albus and Aberforth behind. Aberforth resented Albus and they had
a strained relationship, with Aberforth punching Albus and breaking his nose at Ariana's funeral.
Aberforth never knew of the great guilt and regret Albus would feel for the rest of his life about his part
in Ariana's death.[20]

Early career at Hogwarts (?–1925)

Dumbledore: "I had proven, as a very young man, that power was my weakness and temptation. I was
safer at Hogwarts. I think I was a good teacher."

Harry Potter: "You were the best."

— A discussion in limbo regarding power and leadership[src]

Dumbledore teaching DADA

Dumbledore teaching Defence Against The Dark Arts

At some point after Grindelwald's flight, Dumbledore, who had felt drawn towards teaching even as a
student, eventually returned to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, at the time headed by
Professor Phineas Nigellus Black, to do just that. Burdened by the secret knowledge of Grindelwald's
imminent rise to power and wanting to rectify past mistakes, it was natural, perhaps, that he felt drawn
towards the job of Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor, a position in which he could most easily
prepare his charges for the dangers he knew one day would come[23]. Albus, who would henceforth
come to be known to successive generations of students as ‘Professor Dumbledore’, were granted
Classroom 3C located off of the Serpentine Corridor on the third-floor and an office.

In the 1910s, Dumbledore taught Hufflepuff Newton Scamander and Slytherin Leta Lestrange. One of his
lessons involved confronting a Boggart and learning the spell to banish it. When Newt's Boggart turned
into a desk, Dumbledore commented on its unexpected nature and kindly inquired why it took this form:
Newt confessed that his greatest fear was being stuck working in an office. After Newt successfully
dispatched the Boggart, Dumbledore encouraged Leta to take her turn, reassuring her that being afraid
of something wasn't shameful; everyone was afraid of something. The form of Leta's Boggart surprised
both Dumbledore and the entire class: a white sheet containing an undistinguishable, slight form
floating through a dark blue glow. The event badly shook Leta.[23]
NewtRiddikulus

Dumbledore teaching Newt Scamander, Leta Lestrange and other students the Boggart-Banishing Spell

In 1913, one of Leta's experiments with a Jarvey went too far endangering the life of another student.
Newt decided to take the blame and was sentenced to expulsion by Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black.
Dumbledore, however, argued strongly on his behalf and whether Newt's expulsion was enforced or not
is unknown but Dumbledore succeeded in at least allowing Newt to keep his wand.[24]

During his time at Hogwarts, Dumbledore also developed close relationships and friendships with
wizards and witches throughout the world. Among these friends, he counted the French alchemist
Nicolas Flamel and Ilvermorny Charms Professor Eulalie Hicks. He maintained close contact with these
friends in the form of enchanted books they all possessed which allowed them to speak despite the
distance. The British Ministry of Magic, which was already suspicious of Dumbledore because of his past
connexion to Grindelwald, was weary of these relationships, believing that he used these contacts as
spies to allow him to act as an independent authority to theirs, and maintained a close watch on
Dumbledore and his allies. Chief among Dumbledore's rivals within the Ministry was Torquil Travers, the
Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, who never tried to hide his dislike for the
Hogwarts teacher.[23]

Global Wizarding War (1926-1945)

Newt Scamander's visit to New York

In 1926, Dumbledore received word that strange events were occurring in New York, events that had
also caught the attention of the International Confederation of Wizards. These events came as the
European wizarding communities had been suffering a series of attacks conducted by Grindelwald and
his cadre of followers. Dumbledore, suspecting other circumstances that might nevertheless interest his
old friend, wanted to arrange for his plans to be thwarted.

He contacted his old student, Newt Scamander, who had become a Magizoologist in the employment of
the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry of Magic in London
and had been travelling throughout the world, locating and rescuing magical creatures from wizard
hunters who believed that these creatures represented a threat to their secrecy. Dumbledore told Newt
of a Thunderbird that was being held captive in Egypt, knowing he would not stand for such an injustice
and would not only rescue him but also return him to his native Arizona. To accomplish this, Newt would
have to pass through the Muggle customs in New York. Newt's visit to New York resulted not only in the
discovery of Credence Barebone, the most powerful Obscurus ever recorded (the only one to survive
into adulthood), but also in the capture of Grindelwald, who had been disguised as a high-ranking
official at MACUSA by the name of Percival Graves to find the Obscurus. While there, however, Newt got
in trouble when a number of the magical creatures his case escaped and ran loose in areas of the city
inhabited mainly by Non-magical people

TransfigurationToday

Dumbledore mentioned in Trasfiguration Today magazine

For his role in the incident in New York, as well as his reluctance and evasiveness where providing his
superiors at the Ministry details about why he had been in New York in the first place was concerned,
Newt was banned from travelling internationally by the Ministry, a ban they offered to lift if he
confessed that Dumbledore had been the one to send him to New York. Although he realised that
Dumbledore had covertly sent him to New York, Newt remained loyal to his old teacher and refused to
confess his role in the affair. Even in later years, when the rumours were published by Rita Skeeter in a
biography of Newt called Man or Monster? The TRUTH about Newt Scamander, he continued to deny
that Dumbledore was responsible for his trip to New York in the forward of a new edition of Fantastic
Beasts and Where to Find Them.

In the same year Dumbledore became a regular columnist for Transfiguration Today, with the Daily
Prophet quoting him as saying he was "enraptured!" to be writing for the magazine.[16]

Moving against Gellert Grindelwald

Albus with Newt

Dumbledore asking Newt Scamander for help in London, 1927

In 1927, when Grindelwald had escaped, Dumbledore, feeling that he would not be able to fight him,
met with Newt in London to ask him for help. He sent his former student to Paris to find Credence
Barebone, who survived battle in New York, and rescue him from Grindelwald. He also gave Scamander
the address for a 'safe house' where he can go if he needs to hide for a time.

Travers Admonitors

Travers puting Dumbledore into Admonitors during interrogation

The rumours of Newt's potential travel to France reached the British Ministry of Magic, and a delegation
of Aurors, including Newt's brother Theseus Scamander and Torquil Travers, was sent to Hogwarts
Castle to question Dumbledore. Travers demanded from Dumbledore to fight Grindelwald for him, but
Albus refused it, which angered Travers to this point, that he cuffed Dumbledore into Admonitors, and
forbaded him from ever teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again. Dumbledore turned to Theseus,
who was leaving classroom the last, and warned him, that if he ever trusted him, he should not let
Travers send himself at Grindelwald's rally.[23]

Leta talking with Dumbledore

Dumbledore talking with Leta Lestrange about her past

Moments later, in one of classrooms, he met Leta Lestrange, who also was in delegation, but she
separated herself from the group of Aurors. Leta accused Albus that he was the only one who did not
consider her bad in her youth and that he was wrong about this. Dumbledore told her that rumours
about her brother Corvus Lestrange, which supposed to be Credence Barebone, must have been painful
for her, for which angered witch interrupted his statement and added that he could not understand her,
because he did not lose his brother. Dumbledore only replied that years ago he lost his sister, Ariana.
Ending the conversation, Albus advised her to get rid of regret because it was his inseparable companion
since the death of his sister.

Dumbledore Mirror of Erised

Dumbledore standing in front of the Mirror of Erised and seeing Gellert Grindelwald

One night, Dumbledore went to classroom in which Mirror of Erised was stored. As a first, to his joy, he
saw still valued old memory of himself and Grindelwald from the time when their friendship was at its
peak that led them sealing it with the blood pact in a barn, swearing to never fight each other.
Dumbledore also saw Grindelwald himself from the present. Albus was longing for this meeting, and at
the same time being very afraid of it, because he knew that he was the only person who could stop
Grindelwald, and he would face the truth about who is Ariana's killer.

Newt and Dumbledore talking at Hogwarts

Newt giving Dumbledore a blood pact pendant at Hogwarts

After the Battle of the Lestrange family Mausoleum, Dumbledore was waiting for Newt at Hogwarts.
Albus expressed his sadness due Leta's death from Grindelwald's hands, for what magizoologist gave
him, stolen by Newt's Niffler, the pendant of his former teacher's blood pact with Grindelwald so he can
destroy it, henceforth allowing him to finally participate in the war and defeat the Dark wizard once and
for all.
Meeting Tom Riddle

Young voldie

Dumbledore meets Tom Riddle for the first time, 1938

Dumbledore also served in recruiting students for Hogwarts. Most prominent among the students he
recruited was Tom Riddle, whom he found in Wool's Orphanage in 1938.[25] Alone of all the professors
at Hogwarts, Dumbledore was not charmed by the natural charisma and cunning of Tom Riddle. In their
first encounter, Dumbledore became immediately suspicious of his "obvious instincts for cruelty, secrecy
and domination"[25] and resolved to keep a close eye on him during his studies at the school. As
Dumbledore was not so easily taken in by his charming façade, Riddle came to despise and fear him.[25]

At some point after this, Dumbledore partook of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, at which point he
had the unfortunate experience of tasting one flavoured like vomit. Ever since then, he lost his liking for
them.[7]

Professor of Transfiguration

At an unknown point in or before 1943, Dumbledore became the Professor of Transfiguration.

Harry-potter2-movie-screencaps.com-12264

Professor Dumbledore talking with Tom Riddle during the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets, 1943

In 1943, several Muggle-born students were mysteriously petrified by a beast rumoured to have been
released by the Heir of Slytherin from the mythical Chamber of Secrets. Indeed, the final victim of the
beast, Myrtle Warren, was actually killed; this act seemed likely to ensure the permanent closure of the
school, forcing Riddle to go back to the orphanage. While Dumbledore rightly suspected Riddle was
behind the attacks, the aspiring Dark Wizard expertly framed Gryffindor student Rubeus Hagrid as the
perpetrator.

Riddle was able to pass off Hagrid's tamed Acromantula, Aragog, as the beast attacking students,
resulting in Hagrid's expulsion and ensuring that Hogwarts remained open. Dumbledore was never able
to uncover hard evidence implicating Riddle, however, he nonetheless kept a very close watch over
Riddle, preventing him from opening the Chamber of Secrets again during his remaining years at
Hogwarts. He was also able to convince the Headmaster to allow Hagrid to remain at the school as the
groundskeeper-in-training.

Defeat of Gellert Grindelwald

"Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945."
—Info on Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog Card[src]

However, as Dumbledore was educating young wizards and witches, Gellert Grindelwald was still at
large in Europe, building up his army, and had already found one of the Deathly Hallows, the Elder
Wand, which he used to continue terrorising the continent. Initially prevented from opposing
Grindelwald directly because of the Blood pact they once made, even once that was destroyed,
Dumbledore still felt conflicted about going after his old friend, whom, in spite of himself, he still felt a
lingering love for the man Grindelwald had been, or rather, the man he had once convinced himself
Grindelwald was and/or could be. More than anything, however, Dumbledore feared facing
Grindelwald. While secured in his ability to defeat him in battle if it came to it, more than anything,
Dumbledore was afraid Grindelwald could reveal to him that it had in fact been he himself who had cast
the curse that killed Ariana. Having delayed pursuing him as long as he could, however, at the height of
Grindelwald's power, in 1945, Albus could no longer in good conscience turn a blind eye to the many
atrocities of Grindelwald and his followers, and so he finally tracked his old friend down. Upon finding
Grindelwald, Dumbledore engaged him in what would later be widely considered the greatest duel ever
fought between two wizards. Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald and then brought him before the
authorities of the magical world, and Grindelwald was imprisoned in the uppermost cell at Nurmengard,
while Dumbledore kept the Elder Wand for himself.[20] Celebrated worldwide as the hero who put to
rest the Global Wizarding War, and ended Grindelwald's For the Greater Good revolution of wizarding
dominance over Muggles, Dumbledore was awarded the Order of Merlin (First Class), by Leonard
Spencer-Moon's administration.[26]

Aftermath (1946-1969)

Turning down power

Resuming his career following this legendary event, Dumbledore taught several other students over the
years, some of which would become staunchly loyal to him and what he stood for, whereas others
would become enemies, allying themselves with Lord Voldemort in the latter's rise to power. Among
these students were future Order of the Phoenix members Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett, Death
Eaters-to-be Bellatrix Black and Lucius Malfoy, as well as neutral parties, such as the one-day world-
famous Curse-Breaker Patricia Rakepick. During this time, he was offered the position of Minister for
Magic several times, but he turned down the offer every time, remembering how his quest for power
had been his weakness in the past.

Becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts

Around the same time, Dumbledore was appointed Headmaster by the Hogwarts Board of Governors
sometime between March 1965 and March 1971[17], succeeding Armando Dippet in this position. True
though it might be that being entrusted the stewardship of the school in and by itself was an honour and
a privilege, it also meant that he was henceforth expected to shoulder the responsibility of making all
the difficult decisions that came with leadership as well. On such occasions, Dumbledore would step out
in the Clock Tower Courtyard, where he found the quiet night and crisp air helpful in regard to putting
one's troubles in perspective,[27] and developed a habit of pacing around his new office a lot, especially
in times when the security of the castle were were breached.[28][29] On occasions, he would also see
students in his office, be it because of a misdemeanour that had to be addressed, or because one of the
pupils sought redress during conflicts with their peer, such as Bertha Jorkins.[30] At some point
following his appointment, Professor Dumbledore, began to offer to help students with their homework,
whom he would meet every Friday in Classroom E-13.[31]

Lord Voldemort's request

Shortly after Dumbledore became Headmaster, Tom Riddle, now known exclusively as Lord Voldemort,
approached Dumbledore with the same request he had proposed to Armando Dippet before him: to be
allowed to return to Hogwarts as a teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Dumbledore, who knew of
Voldemort's illicit activities since he left Hogwarts, denied his application. This led to Voldemort angrily
cursing the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts, preventing anyone from holding the position for
more than a single school year.

Defence of Remus Lupin

When Dumbledore had learned of the young Remus Lupin had been bitten by the werewolf Fenrir
Greyback and how he was tightly secured by his parents and given informal magical education as they
feared Remus would not be accepted anywhere despite becoming of age to attend Hogwarts,
Dumbledore, being fair, believed that as long as special precautions were taken, there was no reason
why Remus should be deprived of his education. As such, Dumbledore prepared the Shrieking Shack as a
place for Remus' monthly transformation, with the Whomping Willow as the guard. After he had
prepared the Shrieking Shack, he then went to the home of the Lupin Family and despite the efforts of
Lyall Lupin and Hope Howell to stop him, he effortlessly breached their defences and entered their
home unnoticed before proceeding to confront and then play Gobstones with Remus. His preparations
and kindness accepted, Dumbledore successfully ensured that the child would attend Hogwarts. This
would forever earn Dumbledore Remus' gratitude, as many other headmasters would simply forbid the
boy from even setting foot into the school. When Severus Snape found out Remus' secret, Dumbledore
forbade him from repeating it to anyone.

First Wizarding War (1970–1981)

Severus Snape: "Hide them all, then. Keep her — them — safe. Please."

Dumbledore: "And what will you give me in return, Severus?"

Severus Snape: "In — in return? Anything."

— Snape pleading with Dumbledore to protect Lily Potter[src]

HpBpH

Some of the members of the original Order of the Phoenix

After Lord Voldemort started his first rise to power in 1970, Dumbledore founded the Order of the
Phoenix, a secret organisation of witches and wizards willing to risk their lives to fight Voldemort and his
Death Eaters. As the only wizard Voldemort was ever truly afraid of, Dumbledore was the perfect leader
of the organisation and was a significant contributor to the fight against Voldemort.

Later on in the war, Dumbledore was approached by another person who also wanted a job at
Hogwarts: Sybill Trelawney, who applied to become the new professor of Divination, lessons that
Dumbledore disliked and barely considered a part of necessary education for young wizards and
witches. Dumbledore gave her a chance because she was the great-great-granddaughter of the
celebrated Seer Cassandra Trelawney. To his disappointment, when he was interviewing Sybill at the
Hog's Head, he came to the conclusion that she was not a real Seer. However, as Dumbledore was about
to leave, Trelawney fell into a real trance and made a prophecy about the birth of the one that would
have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord, who would be born to those "who have thrice defied him,
born as the seventh month dies".[32] This astonished Dumbledore, but as it turned out, the Death Eater
Severus Snape had overheard most of the prophecy but had been caught in the act of spying and
ejected from the tavern by Aberforth Dumbledore.[25] Dumbledore hired Trelawney in order to protect
her from the Death Eaters.

Defence of Hogwarts

True though it might be that his stewardship of Hogwarts effectively ensured that the Dark Lord and his
followers never strayed too close to the school, Dumbledore was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing
the security of the castle from being breached when one of the students embarked on a foolhardy quest
to find the Cursed Vaults at the school, presumably in order to get his hands on the gold, prophecies and
various other powerful magical artefacts myth would have it had been sealed within them. Not alone in
this endeavour, a mysterious individual going by the initial of R also attempted to reach the vaults,
whose involvement became known to the faculty and even some of the students at the school. As a
result, several curses were unleashed upon Hogwarts.

Among other things, cursed ice began to appear and spread throughout the castle, turning whole rooms
into crystalline prisons, threatening to encase the whole school and severely injuring several students. A
hoard of Boggarts was let loose on Hogwarts, terrorising the students with nightmarish transformation
of their deepest, darkest fears all over the school. A Sleepwalking curse was also triggered, placing
students in a deep sleep: Whereas some began to mindlessly sleepwalk into the Forbidden Forest,
where those whom the staff failed to stop were, due to their condition and inability to defend
themselves, ravaged and devoured by the dangerous creatures within, others, Madam Pomfrey
observed, simply never woke up again. Although Dumbledore and the rest of the staff ultimately
managed to contain the curses, the damage had already been done and he was forced to expel Jacob for
his involvement, and the young man had his removal from the school covered prominently in the Daily
Prophet. Quite possibly hoping to dissuade other students from pursuing the vaults, thus potentially
endangering themselves as well as the school, Dumbledore and the staff denied any knowledge that the
vaults actually existed, doing the same while trying to quiet down the attention around the vaults
roused by the claims of former student Patricia Rakepick.

Fall of the Dark Lord

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Albus Dumbledore in 1981, at age 100, during the trial of Igor Karkaroff

Still, the wizarding war raged beyond the walls of Hogwarts: Shortly before the Potters' deaths,
Dumbledore discovered that James's Cloak of Invisibility was, in fact, one of the Deathly Hallows.
Although Dumbledore had long given up his desire to unite the Hallows and become Master of Death,
he could not resist the thought of studying the Cloak. To that end, he borrowed it from James while
James and Lilly were in hiding. Later, Severus Snape approached Dumbledore, having already told
Voldemort about the Prophecy. Snape was shocked by the fact that Voldemort had concluded that the
prophecy was about Harry Potter, the son of James Potter, and Snape's own loved childhood friend, Lily
Evans. Dumbledore agreed, on the basis that Snape worked as a double agent for the Order.

Dumbledore made arrangements to ensure the safety of the three; he advised them to stay hidden in
their house in Godric's Hollow, which was protected by a Fidelius Charm. However, their Secret-Keeper
(believed by Dumbledore and everyone else to be Sirius Black, but was in truth Peter Pettigrew)
betrayed them, resulting in James and Lily's deaths at Voldemort's hands. However, as Voldemort
attempted to murder Harry the curse backfired due to Lily Potter's love for her son and destroyed his
body. This unfortunate occurrence provided Dumbledore with ownership of two of the Hallows, who
had already confirmed James' old cloak was indeed one of legend.

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Albus Dumbledore delivering Harry Potter with Minerva McGonagall

Presumably well aware that Lord Voldemort wasn't truly vanquished, Dumbledore made sure that Harry
would be kept safe with his family, the Dursleys, despite them not being selected as his guardians in the
event of James and Lily's death, as his spells ensured that Voldemort could not harm Harry there as long
as he could have a home with those with whom he was related by blood. He convinced Snape to help
him protect Harry, although years later Dumbledore secretly planned to allow Voldemort to kill Harry in
the end, which would destroy the piece of Voldemort's soul inside Harry. However, he also hoped to
influence Harry into such a person who would willingly sacrifice his life for the greater good, allowing
him the chance to choose between life and death in the end, guessing correctly the significance of such
an act. Shortly thereafter, Dumbledore gave Snape employment at Hogwarts as the Potions master, and
later defended Snape against the Ministry of Magic, who were rounding up and arresting remaining
Death Eaters. Dumbledore attended many Death Eater trials, including that of the Lestranges and Barty
Crouch, Jr. He was also a witness to Igor Karkaroff's testimony which secured his release from Azkaban
in return for the names of fellow Death Eaters. With Harry safe and certain members of the Order of the
Phoenix and allies of their cause keeping watch over him and reporting back to Dumbledore, continued
his work as the brilliant if eccentric Headmaster of his beloved school.

Between the wars (1981–1995)