Michael Gambon, the actor who played fan-favorite Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movie franchise, passed away on the 28th of September. It was reported by the actor’s family that the 82-year-old “died peacefully in hospital,” following a bout of pneumonia.
In order to celebrate the actor, we’ve compiled our favorite Dumbledore moments from the Harry Potter movies.
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Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times…
In the third Harry Potter book and movie, things take a dark turn. The idea of soul-sucking Dementors and murderers on the loose has everyone on edge.
The Headmaster knows how nervous and scared his students are, so he wants to remind them of what really matters. His famous quote, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light,” has been quoted by millions of people and is considered one of the best quotes from the franchise.
Don’t dwell on the bad things; instead, focus on the good things in your life to make yourself happy. Dumbledore was a huge advocate of love and friendship, and this quote is a testament to that. He primarily wanted his students to remember what causes their happiness: their friends and loved ones. He wanted them to surround themselves with these people, even in the darkest of times.
Tom Riddle’s childhood
Over the course of Harry’s sixth school year, Dumbledore shows him a series of memories that reveal Voldemort’s childhood and the events that led him to become a dark wizard. Harry learns that Voldemort created Horcruxes, objects in which he hid fragments of his soul, in order to make himself immortal. To kill Voldemort, Harry must destroy all of his Horcruxes.
The Headmaster’s decision to show Harry these memories is a risky one, but it is ultimately the only way to prepare him for the task ahead. By understanding Voldemort’s past, Harry is better able to understand his motivations and how to defeat him.
While the entire Wizarding World was scared to call Voldemort even by his new name, the Headmaster kept calling the Dark Lord just “Tom” to remind him of his place in the memories. Harry took after his teacher and started calling his enemy “Riddle” which admittedly stung worse as it was Voldemort’s hated Muggle father’s last name.
Dumbledore vs. Voldemort
The Headmaster always had a reputation for being the only wizard Voldemort feared. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we finally saw them go head to head.
At the end of the film, Harry and his friends are desperately trying to escape Voldemort’s Death Eaters. When all hope seems lost, Dumbledore himself arrives to save the day.
The two powerful wizards engage in an epic battle. Dumbledore shows no fear as he deflects Voldemort’s most powerful spells and conjures up magical traps that even the Dark Lord struggles to escape.
Dumbledore’s victory in this duel is a testament to his incredible power and skill.
I am not worried, Harry.
In The Half-Blood Prince, Harry and Dumbledore are on a mission together to destroy Horcruxes. Dumbledore is in a terrible state, and Harry reassures him that he will lead him to safety. Dumbledore responds, “I am not worried, Harry. I am with you.”
These words are powerful and emotional, and they reveal how much these two characters mean to each other. After years of Dumbledore being a pillar of strength, wisdom, and guidance for Harry, the situation is reversed. Harry is now the one helping Dumbledore, and Dumbledore is trusting his life in Harry’s hands.
There is so much unsaid in the Headmaster’s simple statement, but it is clear that he has complete faith in Harry. He knows that Harry is brave, kind, and resourceful, and he trusts him to do what is right.
Since Harry is practically family, he acts as the light in a very dark light.
King’s Cross
Towards the end of the Harry Potter saga, Harry and Voldemort face a pivotal moment. It seems that the war is over, and Voldemort is about to be victorious. But what neither of them knows is that instead of killing Harry, Voldemort kills the piece of his soul that has been in Harry since the night in Godric’s Hollow.
After being struck by the Killing Curse, Harry is transported to a purgatory that resembles King’s Cross station. He is seemingly alone at first, but then Dumbledore, who was killed earlier in the series, appears and gives Harry the advice he needs to truly defeat Voldemort.
Dumbledore’s advice fuels Harry to return to the real world, even though he could have died. Their conversation shows how impactful Dumbledore was on Harry throughout his life. He was a mentor, a protector, and a father figure to Harry from his preteen days, showing even his death was not in vain.
Severus, please
In the Half-Blood Prince, Harry and Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts after retrieving the locket from the cave, but they soon discovered that Draco Malfoy had snuck in the Death Eaters to wreak havoc. Harry and the Headmaster were trapped at the top of a tall tower, and Draco appeared ready to fulfill his promise to Voldemort by killing Dumbledore.
Despite their predicament, the Headmaster remained calm and offered Draco a chance to redeem himself. Harry prepared to attack Draco, but Severus Snape intervened and gestured for him to remain silent. Snape revealed himself to Draco and the other Death Eaters, and it seemed for a moment that he would save the day. But then Dumbledore quietly said, “Severus. Please.” Snape then killed Dumbledore with the Killing Curse.
It is revealed later that Snape and Dumbledore had planned this all along in order to spare Draco from having to commit murder, and that the Headmaster remained in control of his fate until the very end.
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