By Tyler B. Searle
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Among the plethora of great wizards in the Harry Potter franchise, none are as iconic as Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Richard Harris and Sir Michael Gambon). Sorted into Gryffindor during his time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he eventually got a job as the Transfiguration teacher before taking the position of headmaster. It was said that while Dumbledore was at Hogwarts, it was the safest place in the wizarding world, and he actively took stances against two generations of dark wizards.
Having lived for over a hundred and ten years, Dumbledore accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge and wisdom, which he was always willing to give to those in need if they'd only listen. Dumbledore's favorite method of dispatching wisdom is through many memorable quotes. Both Harris and Gambon's deliveries make these quotes all the more memorable thanks to their phenomenal deliveries, which capture Dumbledore's empathy and ability to connect with others.
10 "It Was Foolish of You to Come Here Tonight, Tom"
'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' (2007)
Due to the paranoia of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), Dumbledore is ousted as headmaster of Hogwarts but escapes imprisonment thanks to the aid of his pet phoenix, Fawkes. He reappears during the Battle at the Department of Mysteries, confronting Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) himself when he attempts to seize a prophecy concerning Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). He addresses Voldemort with his first name before engaging him in an intense magical duel.
This line is the perfect way to summarize the relationship between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Instead of using the name that is so feared among the wizarding world that they treat it as a taboo, Dumbledore calls him Tom, showing that, despite all the power he has accumulated, he is nothing more than a scared man. It serves as a wonderful demonstration of Voldemort's vulnerabilities without his mask of power and control and that Dumbledore's wisdom and age leave him little reason to fear his former student.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
PG-13
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- June 28, 2007
- Director
- David Yates
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Harry Melling , Jason Boyd , Richard Macklin , Kathryn Hunter , Miles Jupp
- Runtime
- 138
- Writers
- Michael Goldenberg , J.K. Rowling
9 "Draco, Years Ago, I Knew a Boy Who Made All the Wrong Choices. Please, Let Me Help You."
'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' (2009)
After traveling to a seaside cave to retrieve one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, Dumbledore is weakened after drinking a potion that forces him to revisit his worst memories. The two return to Hogwarts, where Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) ambushes Dumbledore in the astronomy tower to kill him on Voldemort's orders. Seeing his pain, Dumbledore attempts to reach Draco using the above quote.
The quote is left vague as to who Dumbledore is talking about, but one strong contender could be Dumbledore himself. While Dumbledore always presents himself as cheerful, beneath his warm smile are decades of pain linked to poor choices and past conflicts with close friends. Yet, despite his pain, he always tries to focus on helping others to ensure they don't repeat the same mistakes he and many others did.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
PG
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
- Release Date
- July 15, 2009
- Director
- David Yates
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Michael Gambon , Alan Rickman , Tom Felton
- Runtime
- 153 minutes
- Writers
- Steve Kloves , J.K. Rowling
8 “Of Course, It Is Happening Inside Your Head, Harry, But Why Should That Mean It Is Not Real?”
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' (2011)
While looking through the memories of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), Harry learns that a piece of Voldemort's soul is inside of him, so he willingly lets Voldemort kill him and the piece of his soul. He awakens in an ethereal version of King's Cross Station, where he meets Dumbledore again. At the end of their conversation, Harry asks if this is real or inside his head, prompting Dumbledore to respond with this line.
This quote has a lot of different ways of being interpreted. In the context of the film, Dumbledore assures Harry that this experience is true and that, since he controls his destiny, he can return to life if he wants. In a more meta context, it's a validation for fans that the emotions they experience while watching or reading about the wizarding world make it come alive in their imagination.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
PG-13
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- July 7, 2011
- Director
- David Yates
- Cast
- Ralph Fiennes , Michael Gambon , Alan Rickman , Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- Writers
- Steve Kloves , J.K. Rowling
7 "Do Not Pity the Dead, Harry. Pity the Living and, Above All, Those Who Live Without Love."
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' (2011)
The climactic Battle of Hogwarts saw the largest death toll in the series, as many of Harry's friends died to buy him time to track down the Horcruxes and make Voldemort mortal again. As such, he felt no hesitation to sacrifice himself for them to destroy the sliver of Voldemort's soul living inside of him. As if sensing Harry's turbulent emotions regarding the sacrifices made thus far, Dumbledore gives him this advice as their time together draws to an end.
It is natural to miss those who have passed on, and often, it hurts to think about all the experiences they don't get to participate in anymore. However, it is the living who carry this grief and sorrow with them and have to keep fighting to change the world for the better. Thus, they are the ones more deserving of pity, especially those who don't know love, like the cruel Lord Voldemort, because they will never know the joy of sharing experiences with others for no other reward than to see them happy.
6 "Happiness Can be Found, Even in the Darkest of Times, If One Only Remembers to Turn on the Light."
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004)
During Harry's third year at Hogwarts, security around Hogwarts is heightened due to the escape of supposedly notorious murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). One of the added security measures is the dementors, terrifying dark creatures who spread misery and despair. While addressing the students during the opening feast, Dumbledore attempts to reassure them with one of his vague yet wise sayings.
Powerful in its simplicity, this quote is one of the best to apply to the viewer's everyday lives. With so many terrible things on the news, it can become difficult to see the positive side of life, but there is always a light in the darkness. Sometimes, it needs to be found, and doing so can be long and arduous, but that makes the positivity all the more rewarding.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
PG
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- May 31, 2004
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Richard Griffiths , Pam Ferris , Fiona Shaw , Harry Melling , Adrian Rawlins
- Runtime
- 141
- Writers
- J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
5 ”While We May Come from Different Places and Speak in Different Tongues, Our Hearts Beat as One.”
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' (2005)
During Harry's fourth year, Hogwarts hosts the Tri-Wizard Tournament to build positive relations with its sister schools, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute. Sadly, the tournament takes a tragic turn when Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) is killed by a newly revived Voldemort, who rigged the tournament to capture Harry and use his blood in a ritual to bring himself back to power. As Dumbledore addresses the students following the death, he says this quote as part of his speech.
This section of the speech stands out the most because of how eloquently it cuts to the heart of the issue. The students have come from all corners of Europe, but at this moment, they are united in their shared emotions of grief. It's a poignant reminder of the common thread that unites all of humanity, and though it can be hard to be reminded of it during times of hardship, it's imperative to never lose sight of it.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
PG-13
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- November 16, 2005
- Director
- Mike Newell
- Cast
- Eric Sykes , Timothy Spall , David Tennant , Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint
- Runtime
- 154 minutes
- Writers
- Steve Kloves , J.K. Rowling
4 “Soon, we Must All Face the Choice Between What Is Right and What Is Easy.”
'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' (2005)
As Harry's fourth year draws to a close, Dumbledore speaks with him in the Gryffindor dormitory. Knowing that Harry has already experienced many hardships with Cedric's death and Voldemort's return, Dumbledore doesn't sugarcoat things and tells him bluntly that dark times will be coming for the wizarding world. He punctuates this inevitability with the above quote and then tells Harry not to forget the friends he has.
When dark times hit, it is very tempting to rest on one's laurels and take the simplest way out. This can be anything from cutting corners at work, avoiding difficult conversations, or even extreme cases like joining the wrong crowd of people. But these easy solutions don't fix the problem; they delay it and, in some cases, make it worse in the long run. In the dark moments of one's life, true courage is often found by continuing to do what's right and ignoring easy temptation.
3 "Words Are, in My Not-So-Humble Opinion, Our Most Inexhaustible Source of Magic. Capable of Both Inflicting Injury and Remedying It."
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' (2011)
While speaking to Dumbledore in the spectral Kings Cross Station, Harry laments his current situation, as even if he were to go back to the land of the living, Voldemort still has the all-powerful Elder Wand and his last Horcrux, Nagini. When Harry says that he has no way of destroying her, Dumbledore reminds him that help is always available at Hogwarts for those who ask. Before Dumbledore amends the statement to those deserving, he says this beautiful quote.
Dumbledore's comments about words are true, especially in today's digital world, where people communicate with one another over e-mails, tweets, and texts. Words have the power to build people up and create beautiful tapestries of emotion and power, but they can just as easily destroy and drag people down dark paths. This quote thus serves as a reminder of the power of words and how people must be wise in how they use them and with what intent.
2 “It Does Not Do to Dwell on Dreams and Forget to Live.”
'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' (2001)
When Harry stumbles upon the Mirror of Erised, he spends many nights sitting in front of it and seeing his parents alive and standing on either side of him. One night, Dumbledore tells him the truth about the mirror: it shows people their greatest desires but offers no knowledge or truth. Dumbledore then tells Harry that the mirror is to be moved to a new location and warns him not to go looking for it with the above quote.
This is another fantastic Dumbledore quote that is enhanced thanks to his long life and many regrets. When telling Harry not to dwell on dreams, Dumbledore is speaking from experience; he, too, is someone who would love nothing more than to achieve that which he cannot and make amends for his past failings. However, when one focuses entirely on dreams and tries to achieve that which cannot be changed, they let the joys of life pass them by, which is another strong lesson for young audience members to take away.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
PG
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- November 16, 2001
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Cast
- Richard Harris , Maggie Smith , Robbie Coltrane , Saunders Triplets , Daniel Radcliffe , Fiona Shaw , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson
- Runtime
- 152 minutes
- Writers
- J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
1 "It is Not Our Abilities That Show What We Truly Are. It Is Our Choices."
'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (2002)
At the conclusion of Harry's second year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore addresses his fears regarding his similarities to Voldemort. Since they both have the power to talk to snakes, Harry wonders if perhaps he should have been sorted into Slytherin House. When Dumbledore asks him why he was placed in Gryffindor instead, Harry says it's because he asked the hat to do so, and Dumbledore follows up with this quote.
This quote touches upon one of the key elements of Harry Potter, that being that destiny is whatever one makes it. Harry and Voldemort are indeed very similar, but while Voldemort chose to use his talents to dominate the wizarding world and spread pureblood supremacy, Harry chose instead to help those in need and stand up for what is right. He is Voldemort's true nemesis, not because of any prophecy, but because Harry is naturally someone who would oppose him. This same logic applies to Dumbledore himself, who could have easily become a dark wizard like his best friend, Gellert Grindelwald, but instead chose to use his talents to shape the next generation of wizards.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
PG
Adventure
Family
Fantasy
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- November 13, 2002
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson , Richard Griffiths , Fiona Shaw , Harry Melling
- Runtime
- 161
- Writers
- J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves
NEXT: This Is Why the Harry Potter Prequel Saga 'Fantastic Beasts' Failed
- Harry Potter
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