Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is the most famous Wizard of England. Albus’s backstory is complicated but relatable. Albus’s upbringing was filled with a lot of upheavals. His desires and dreams, one would assume, would have taken him down a more destructive path. But he lived through those days solely because of the strength of his inner will.
At Hogwarts, we first encounter Dumbledore. Slowly speaking and resting in the huge hall to receive a legendary boy with a scar. Harry Potter is his name. The Boy Who Survived an Unforgivable Curse and lived to tell the tale. Harry, meanwhile, is only 12 years old and is completely unconscious of the moments that gave him his scar.
Albus was not the only child in the family. He had two more siblings, a brother, Aberforth and a sister Ariana. Percival, Albus’s father, died while he was in Azkaban. Kendra, his mother, perished in an accident afterwards. Albus, who has been through a lot in his life, is looking for something positive to happen in his life. Gellert Grindelwald is the first person he truly feels a loving bond with. They fall in love with each other. Their magic is as strong as their bond. Their magic would only be that strong if they were in their prime. Both decide to create a Blood Troth, swearing a blood oath of undying love for one another. This blood bond forbade them from moving against each other or raising their wands at each other.
The concept of tragedy was always a thorn in Dumbledore’s side. Aberforth, like Albus, fell in love. With Grindelwald, Albus planned to leave home and conquer the world. Aberforth would have none of it, and he would not let him leave. They both naively drew their wands and fought in a duel. Ariana, their sister, was killed inadvertently during the duel. Ariana was a young woman with a lot of power but had no idea how to use it. It was slowly poisoning her from the inside out.
Trying to help her control it was difficult for the brothers. Dumbledore implored Newt not to disappoint him when he offered his condolences and speculated that she might have been spared, knowing full well that Newt could extract the Obscurial from any magical human. The only person who knew how to accomplish it was Newt. He’d done it once before, three months before meeting Credence Barebone. Aberforth, too, has a love story to share. He had a crush on a girl from the Hollow. There were rumors of a child following their relationship. They weren’t sure, but it turned out to be Credence.
Credence is also an Obscurial. His power was distinct from Ariana’s, although it was of the same nature. It was just passed down via the family bloodline. Aberforth was always aware of Credence’s ability to convey communications through the mirror in the Dumbledore residence. Dumbledore realized there was more to Credence after that. Only Credence and Albus were aware of this when they engaged in a duel. Dumbledore disabled Credence’s capacity to distinguish reality from illusion before the fight began, and battled in a parallel universe, never impacting reality. All it took was a smidgeon of ice frost.
Because of his capacity to manipulate particle matter, Credence became a weapon in Grindelwald’s army. Credence, on the other hand, was dying. He’d be followed by the Phoenix everywhere he went. Because death was always close by, Albus learned to read omens over time. The Phoenix would appear as a sign of death. Something we’re all familiar with from the world of Harry Potter . Dumbledore informed Harry, much later in his life, that the Phoenix was the only bird capable of rising from its ashes as he witnessed it die and rise again. Phoenix ash is just another sign that death is approaching. Any member of the Dumbledore family who was ill and on the verge of death would be visited by the Phoenix. Albus’ grandfather also had one. The Phoenix soared away as soon as he expired.
When we learn of Dumbledore’s duel with Grindelwald, we believe it to be one of the most epic battles between two wizards of the time. Though Dumbledore receives the Order of Merlin Medal, the most prestigious prize for wizarding feats, his greatest achievements are yet to be seen. With Dumbledore’s tumultuous relationship with death, it’s interesting to observe that later in his life, to save Harry, he was always in possession of the Deathly Hallows in some form or another. We also see how the Qilin correctly chooses him as Supreme Mugwump, and how he obtains an Elder Wand from Grindelwald’s hand shortly after.
One can speculate, posthumously, that this tumultuous past is so ingrained in his heart and mind and there were days when he wished he could see his parents and sister again and ask them to forgive him for what he did. With three Fantastic Beasts films exposing the three most powerful magical beings ever to exist, a new chapter begins when Grindelwald vanishes.
After teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, we will now see Dumbledore slowly ascend with time to the position of Headmaster. With the invention of the Marauder’s Map, we may have a glimpse of the young Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and James Potter, as well as Peter Pettigrew, touring the school grounds. Most importantly, we witness Dumbledore’s darkest regret as he goes to an orphanage to find Tom Riddle and bring him to Hogwarts.
See More: ‘Fantastic Beasts: Secrets Of Dumbledore’ Ending, Explained: What Happens To Grindelwald?
