Dumbledore

Though dead, Dumbledore's presence in this book was huge! What did everyone think about his not-so-nice history?

And also, Dumbledore could not have known that Harry would take Draco's wand and thus become the real owner of the Elder Wand, so was Dumbledore really just cultivating Harry to use as a weapon against Voldemort? Because if Harry hadn't won Draco's wand he would have been a bit stuck!

Although I did enjoy the scene in the King's Cross chapter. Dumbledore and Harry finally had a frank and open conversation, and though it didn't tell him everything, it was a nice sort of closure for their relationship.

I didn't like the stories behind Dumbledore as I have always loved him but at one point in the book I remeber shoating you twit and Dumbledore I can't remember why now but bleurgh.
The whole dumbledore going into dark magic scared me.

It was pretty scary, but I think he proved in the end he hadn't been tempted by it and had done everything he could for the side of good.

I was shocked by the true story of what happened to his sister. I'm not sure if it was meant, but I thought that the attack on Arianna by the Muggles was more than just a beating. I'm not going to explicitly say what I think happened, but I think it was strongly implied, simply by the way Aberforth said something like "you never recover from that".

And then for Albus and Aberforth not to know who killed her - either them or Grindelwald - imagine living with that for the rest of your life.

Yes that really was awful poor Dumbledore I wonder what other secrets he possibly could hold loads but we shall never find out

I looved finding out more about his past, even though I was a bit disappointed when I first found out the negative sides to it and to his character... but then he did honestly explain the whole story, so .. whew. xD Moreover, the whole story made him seem even deeper and wiser in the present... and in the end, each of us has a flaw, and I was pretty sure anyway that there had to be something about him...
and yes, living with the uncertainty of having or not killed his sister is a heavy burden..
Looking back, I'm not even angry anymore that he didn't tell Harry anything about his own past earlier, I think it's understandable ..

That's true, but it would have meant he'd have to have predicted the future to truly know that Harry would win Draco's wand. I think that Dumbledore thought Harry really would have to die.

I agree with Elfie, I think Dumbledore knew that in order for Harry to live he would have to believe that he was sacrificing himself. I think the memory of Snape's where he and Dumbledore are talking was deliberate on Dumbledore's part- because he had to portray to Snape and thus to Harry that there was no other way.

And I don't think he did predict that Harry would win the wand from Draco- didn't he think that Snape would keep the wand safe?

i was like OMG he did all that?!? but i was bit angry at rita to spread all those rumors

as aberforth(Im a horrible speller.. so Im spelling it like i say it.. LMAO and we all know I say everything wrong..) << Albus's brother was relaying everything about the truth from the past.. about ariana and everything else. I was just so scared... I mean it made me see everything in a different perspective. yeah we all celebrate the magic of harry potter and everything but if it were real as it feels when your reading it just to think of what they did to her...just because she did the tiniest bit of magic.. just.. upsets me a lot..

Anyways... I was a little frusturated with dumbledore with all the things he left them.. the snitch drove me insane.. cause I honestly didnt think harry was right.. I didnt think the ring would be in there.. and then it was.. lol

I liked how we discovered a totally different side to Dumbledore's character. Somehow, he always seemed so perfect when it came to his person, besides not telling Harry all the stuff he needed to know. Now, however, though he did it again, it's understandable, I mean, I wouldn't tell some student, no matter how extraordinary, if such things had happened to my family. And I don't think that Harry would really have trusted Albus if he had known all that stuff before.
The way it was all introduced by Rita, well, it seemed rather fitting to me, and with Harry wondering all along and everybody telling him not to believe it, it was rather interesting to see how much truth she had actually revealed...

I like how the added the history of Dumbledore. I never was mad at Dumbledore when I heard the rumers or the facts, disapointed in him, but not mad. Every Saint has a past, every sinner a future (love remus and snape icons...good sayings ) Everyone is bound to do wrong once in there life. Yes Dumbledore's power mad cravings as a kid where pretty bad, but at least he changed.

I was happy when I realized Dumbledore, or should I say Dumbledores, would have a major effect on the story. I don't think I ever realized we didn't know much about him till now. It was oone of those you except him fr being how he is and never think about his past sort of thing. I am also glad he wasn't perfect (even with alll those prizes) as a kid, otherwise he wouldn't be believable.

Elfie Dumbledore wrote:

Im not sure. When they were 'speaking' after he 'died' it seemed DD knew Harry wouldn't truley die (hoped he wouldnt) but needed Harry to think he had to

That is what I was thinking from the start. He coulden't tell snape this eather because Snape had to give Harry his thoughts. I think DD would know not to tell Snape this because he figured that Snape would use the Pensive anyway.

Dumby died yet he was still just as important i loved how jk still kept him important

I agree. I loved how he cam eback and still helped guide Harry.

I agree with you both. Dumbledore is my favorite character.

I cried when aberforth was telling them about ariana. I was wondering what happenedwhen everyone said she was delicate.. I don't really want to say what i think happened to her becasue its not really pleasent, but it was something totally sinister. I still liked Dumbledore even after I learned that he was involvedin the Dark Arts.. to be honest, i don't really think he was. The Deathly Hallows weren't dark arts, but Grindelwald was doing Dark Arts to acheive them.. For the Greater Good was the only thing that really got me upset about Dumbledore, but I really don't think he meant it.. I think he was still upset about Ariana and sort of wanted to fallow in his father's footsteps.