Dan Radcliffe gave an interview recently which will surely provide more fodder for all the Dumbledore conspiracy theories:
“Jo came down to the set at one point and I said, ‘Oh hello, why are you here today?’ And she said, ‘Oh I just needed a break from the book – Dumbledore’s giving me a lot of trouble.’ And I said, ‘But isn’t he dead?’ And she said, ‘Well, yeah, but it’s more complex…’ I was like, [briskly] ‘OK, I’m not gonna ask anything else!”
I’ll just head this one off at the pass, at least from my perspective, and say that dead is still dead, and there will be no Dumbledore “Gandalf” moment, etc. This statement from Rowling doesn’t change my thoughts on that.
I am excited, however, that Dumbledore’s lingering “presence” is significant enough to Deathly Hallows that writing it was giving Jo “trouble” and causing her to need a break. Those of us who love the late Headmaster have felt like we didn’t get to hear enough about him. I’m looking forward to more intrigue and nuance being revealed in the character of Dumbledore.
Who is still, and will remain, dead.
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Of course you’re right about that.
Dumbledore’s actions and the plans he has set in motion will still be of the utmost importance in the fight against Voldemort. Is it a case of “Strike me down now Darth, and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”? I doubt it. But Harry will take the fight to Voldemort in a way that he could not have if Dumbledore had lingered.
Like you say, get ready for the theorists to go nuts.
Matthew
There is still his portrait. I will be deeply disappointed if we don’t hear from it in Book 7.
I’ve gotten to “play” Dumbledore’s portrait a few times in my RP group…it’s always a blast.
Travis, congrats on the moderate and sensible approach you’re taking on this. I think you’re right – although there are bound to be some who get their hopes up over it.
Like Carla, I suspect that Harry will have one or more significant “conversations” with the portrait of Dumbledore in the Headmaster’s office.
Also, I would not be surprised if DD has left behind a letter to be delivered to Harry “in the event of my untimely demise” and perhaps left him one or more items in his will. Personally, I’d be hoping that Harry will receive the penseive along with some labelled bottles containing a number of significant memories of Dumbledore’s – perhaps some he’s already seen, but maybe including others that could also have a bearing on the events which are to come.
I don’t think the portrait of Dumbledore will be much help except to keep the right mood with an occasional “tweek”, “blubber”, or “oddment” with a few “got any lemon sherberts?”. I think it’s just a shadow of his character not something that will give advice or guidance.
Matthew
I agree with Matthew on this one, since Rowling basically said as much. There’s really not much to the portraits. I think Harry will try to converse with Dumbledore’s portrait, and perhaps some semblance of a helpful conversation, but ultimately it will be unsatisfying.
However, I do think it will dawn on Harry that when he was meeting with Dumbledore in HBP, Dumbledore’s memories were in bottles. Why in bottles? Why not just taken from his mind on the spot?
‘Cause there are MORE memories in MORE bottles that will help Harry along the way!
Travis, I, too, think you’re right that Dumbledore won’t be coming back, either physically or as a ghost, and that there are very likely to be more bottles somewhere. But I don’t think teaching Harry that bottles can contain memories was the only reason for those bottles in HBP. I think Dumbledore was *already* ‘dead’ on some level, and therefore could not remove his memories by himself, as he could have done as a living man. Just my two cents!
Oooh. What if he meets Dumbledore beyond the veil?
That would please me.
I don’t believe Dumbledore would become a ghost, because he’s not afraid of death and even though I’m sure he’d have unfinished business…becoming a ghost is a permanent decision from what I’ve seen. Nick speaks of it as though he can’t move on now, correct me if I’m wrong.
It would be lovely to see him as a different sort of spirit. One that could move on once it’s purpose was completed…like a guardian angel or something, but I don’t think that would fit properly. Still, the concept reminds me of what happened with Priori Incantatem briefly. They were echoes, but pretty darn powerful echoes just the same, being able to keep Voldemort back like that!
Whatever the answer, I hope it doesn’t involve his portrait. J.K. Rowling has already said that the portraits aren’t really the person and sort-of parrot back familiar phrases and attitudes, but are empty of life.
There are at least three ways Dumbledore could still have a role to play in the fight against Voldemort: through his portrait, through stored memories, and through the archway/veil in the Death Chamber.
I think the title of HP7 points strongly towards the last possibility. I mentioned elsewhere that the Hallows referred to quite possibly are the four founders of Hogwarts. Somehow I don’t think that the world on the other side of the veil is quite benign, and if Harry were to cross, he might need the spiritual guidance or protection of someone who had preceded him there, to wit Sirius Black.
One big question mark is Fawkes. What will happen to him? Will he disappear to wherever phoenixes go when their owners die? Or will he attach himself to Harry, do you think, given the latter’s unswerving devotion to Dumbledore? And might it even be Fawkes who guides Harry to the Deathly Hallows?
Lots of room for conjecture. I’m hoping that all the loose ends will come together in a way that is tragic, heroic, dramatically satisfying, and spiritualy transcendent.
Dumbledore will not be a kind of ghost or spirit because if he is then i’ll be very disappointed because we knew ghosts are supposed to be unhappy people and Dumbledore was very enthusiastic. Maybe he is going to be the clue to know why do people prefer to continue “living” in this world as ghosts, remember we were supposed to know that until this book.
I think she’s referring to his brother!