6 Reasons Albus Dumbledore Is The True MVP Of The Wizarding World
Return to the magic of the Wizarding World. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, only in cinemas April 7.
If you’re between 20 and 35 years old, chances are you spent some of your childhood years wishing your school principal could be even one bowtruckle’s pinky as cool as Albus Dumbledore. Softly spoken, witty, and a lover of dramatic flair, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is such an inspirational figure he could only exist in the pages of a book or on the big screen.
Although Dumbledore had a chequered past (something to be explored deeper in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), when you consider his greatest achievements it’s easy to see why he is undoubtedly the true MVP of the wizarding world.
And we have receipts straight from the owl post! Here are six reasons why Dumbledore is the wizarding world’s champion – anyone that disagrees with these is, scientifically, a muggle.
He Saved The World Three Times (And Died Doing It!)
Without spoiling Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, it’s important you know that in 1945 Dumbledore saved the world for the first time. Grindelwald wanted to enslave all muggles, so Dumbledore bested him in what was described as “the greatest duel ever fought between wizards”.
Following decades of peace (you’re welcome wizarding world) Dumbledore went on to be instrumental in defeating Lord Voldemort twice. Once by setting up the Order of the Phoenix and a second time with a 17-year-long master scheme, which involved *spoilers* sacrificing himself.
He Was A Genuinely Good Bloke
Prejudice is a big thing in the wizarding world, yet Dumbledore employed squib Argus Filch as Hogwarts caretaker, the expelled half-giant Rubeus Hagrid as groundskeeper, and werewolf Remus Lupin as defence against the dark arts teacher.
Beyond the life-changing jobs he created, Dumbledore fostered positive relations with often-belittled species such as merpeople and centaurs. He copped a lot of flak for this but there’s a reason his only haters were horrible people: he was just a really nice guy!
He Was Headmaster At The UK’s Only Wizarding School
Let’s get something clear: you don’t just walk into this job.
Out of the 11 wizarding schools in the world, there’s only one in the UK. If you’re a young witch or wizard wanting to get into education, your teacher has a moral obligation to tell you “yeah, statistically that probably won’t happen mate.”
Yet Dumbledore managed to pick up the only headmaster gig in the UK. Why? Because he’s so damn qualified! How qualified, you ask? Well, he turned down the role of Minister for Magic three times. Would your school principal have turned down three pops at being prime minister? Thought not.
He Was The First To Find All Three Deathly Hallows
By the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter finds himself holding all three powerful magical hallows, effectively becoming the master of death.
Only Harry was a couple of years late to the party, as Dumbledore had already possessed each of the Deathly Hallows at some point. Dumbledore won the elder wand during his legendary duel with Grindelwald, personally tracked down the resurrection stone, and borrowed the invisibility cloak off James Potter, eventually returning it to Harry because he’s a champ like that.
Keep in mind, in the wizarding world the Deathly Hallows was just a story for children. Only Dumbledore could read a kids book and go “yes those must exist. Let’s find them!”
He Figured Out What The Deal Was With Horcruxes
Imagine if Dumbledore hadn’t figured out his former pupil had split his soul seven times and hidden them away, effectively giving him extra lives like a video game character.
The ending to the entire Harry Potter series would have been a massive bummer because Voldemort would have taken over the world.
Luckily, Dumbledore went full detective mode and tracked down all the horcruxes he could, managing to destroy one before setting Harry up to finish his work.
And He Appeared On A Chocolate Frog Card
They don’t put you on one of those if you’ve never achieved anything! Ron Weasley may have had about 500 Chocolate Frog cards himself but for Dumbledore, the only card that mattered to him was the one that periodically featured his likeness (you can’t expect him to run ‘round all day can you?)
Albus knew this as a child when he first aspired to be immortalised on the popular trading card. What’s more inspirational than a wizard who achieved his childhood dream?
Clearly Dumbledore was always the hero the wizarding world needed, even if they didn’t always deserve him.
Don’t forget to achieve your childhood dream and catch a young Dumbledore (played by the magical Jude law) in action in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Return to the magic of the Wizarding World. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, only in cinemas April 7. Pre-book your tickets now.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros.