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Life, Lies and Legacy: Albus Dumbledore
By Aberforth Dumbledore, on his new book
Just over 10 years ago, my big brother died.
I didn’t know what to think. No one knew what to think. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of his time, dead? And so, Rita Skeeter exploited this uncertain mood by writing an unauthorized biography of him, prescribing her biased thoughts to the public. You had to live under a garden gnome to not have read or heard snippets of her unwarranted, unnecessary, and insensitive portrayal of a man freshly in his grave.
But you believed her. After all, the dead cannot defend themselves.
I cannot deny that there were facts between the pages of her gossip rag of a biography. However omniscient and omnipotent Albus was to everyone who knew him, he was once just a teenage boy, ruled by things other than logical thought. Mistakes were inevitable, the consequences were devastating, and the regrets haunted him for the rest of his long life. However wise he seemed throughout his adult life, Albus Dumbledore was still just human. He had goals, he made decisions he thought were best, and he sometimes told lies to achieve what he wanted.
And yet, he is still known as the greatest wizard of his time.
Albus was a brilliant man and ambitious wizard. He made sacrifices for his family. He dedicated his life and soul to Hogwarts as a student, professor, and Headmaster. He discovered the twelve uses for dragon’s blood. He was Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. He founded the Order of the Phoenix. And despite not being a part of the Final Battle we are commemorating today, Albus strategized the defeat of Voldemort and played a crucial role in our victory. What made Albus the most special however, was his ability to lead with love.
Albus built a legacy.
My family is a private one. I never dreamed of speaking about my childhood and my brother with anyone. However, I could not allow the shallow perspective of “Life and Lies” be the last word on such a rich legacy. So, I wrote a book. It took years for me to gather the courage to do this, and more years to gather the voices. This book is not in defense of him. It does not critically analyze him, nor does it see him through rose-coloured spectacles. Instead, it is an amalgamation of thoughts, memories, and photos from those who knew Albus in all kinds of contexts, good and bad, lies and truths.
On this 10th anniversary of the Final Battle, I implore you to read and understand the irreplaceable role Albus played in our world.
Albus, I hope I have done you some justice.
I didn’t know what to think. No one knew what to think. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of his time, dead? And so, Rita Skeeter exploited this uncertain mood by writing an unauthorized biography of him, prescribing her biased thoughts to the public. You had to live under a garden gnome to not have read or heard snippets of her unwarranted, unnecessary, and insensitive portrayal of a man freshly in his grave.
But you believed her. After all, the dead cannot defend themselves.
I cannot deny that there were facts between the pages of her gossip rag of a biography. However omniscient and omnipotent Albus was to everyone who knew him, he was once just a teenage boy, ruled by things other than logical thought. Mistakes were inevitable, the consequences were devastating, and the regrets haunted him for the rest of his long life. However wise he seemed throughout his adult life, Albus Dumbledore was still just human. He had goals, he made decisions he thought were best, and he sometimes told lies to achieve what he wanted.
And yet, he is still known as the greatest wizard of his time.
Albus was a brilliant man and ambitious wizard. He made sacrifices for his family. He dedicated his life and soul to Hogwarts as a student, professor, and Headmaster. He discovered the twelve uses for dragon’s blood. He was Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. He founded the Order of the Phoenix. And despite not being a part of the Final Battle we are commemorating today, Albus strategized the defeat of Voldemort and played a crucial role in our victory. What made Albus the most special however, was his ability to lead with love.
Albus built a legacy.
My family is a private one. I never dreamed of speaking about my childhood and my brother with anyone. However, I could not allow the shallow perspective of “Life and Lies” be the last word on such a rich legacy. So, I wrote a book. It took years for me to gather the courage to do this, and more years to gather the voices. This book is not in defense of him. It does not critically analyze him, nor does it see him through rose-coloured spectacles. Instead, it is an amalgamation of thoughts, memories, and photos from those who knew Albus in all kinds of contexts, good and bad, lies and truths.
On this 10th anniversary of the Final Battle, I implore you to read and understand the irreplaceable role Albus played in our world.
Albus, I hope I have done you some justice.
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinon, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” - Albus Dumbledore