Sure, Harry Potter falls under children’s books.
But if you’ve watched the movies or read the story…
Then you know how gut-wrenching some moments can be.
And nothing comes close to Dumbledore’s death.
The greatest wizard of all time deserved so much more.
But why did he need to die?
Continue reading to discover:
- 3 reasons why Albus Dumbledore could not escape his death.
- A fan theory that believes there’s a chance Dumbledore’s still alive.
- Why Severus Snape had to be the only wizard that killed Dumbledore.
- Who became the new headmaster of Hogwarts after Dumbledore’s death.
- And so much more….
Why did Dumbledore have to die?
Dumbledore had to die because his death would motivate Harry Potter to act. His’s death set in motion the events that would lead to the fall of Voldemort. Also, Dumbledore’s already dying because of a curse from Marvolo Gaunt’s ring. And he preferred a less painful end to his life.
When I saw Dumbledore die in the movie…
My heart froze.
I simply couldn’t believe it.
But it did happen.
It’s a scene that will always be etched into my heart.
And a tragic movie clip I definitely recommend watching again:
However, was there ever a chance for things to end a different way?
Sadly, there wasn’t.
Dumbledore’s death was unavoidable.
And there are 3 specific reasons why the great wizard had to die:
#1: He’s already dying
Dumbledore may be smart.
And I’m not questioning the wizard’s intelligence one bit.
But even a man like him had a particular weakness:
It’s his obsession with the Deathly Hallows. 3 powerful magical objects that were created by Death.
Dumbledore would eventually get a hold of Marvolo Gaunt’s ring. A family heirloom to the House of Gaunt. An ancient wizarding family.
But was this some ordinary ring?
No, it’s something far more dangerous.
Dumbledore quickly realized that it’s the Resurrection Stone. 1 of the Deathly Hallows that lets you bring back dead loved ones. And get the chance to speak with them again.
Yet why was that so important for the great wizard?
Well, he wanted to talk to his sister, Ariana.
As a result, Dumbledore quickly put on the artifact.
But little did he know that the ring’s cursed. It has a lethal spell that reduces the target’s life to 1 year.
“Wait, couldn’t he fix it with magic?”
Sadly, there’s no undoing such a powerful curse.
And that’s 1 of the reasons why Albus Dumbledore had to die.
His life’s already ticking down.
So there’s no escaping death…
No matter how hard he’d try.
#2: A far less painful end
Yes, the curse will eventually kill Dumbledore.
However, does it happen in an instant?
No, it won’t.
Apart from the 1 year he’s got left to live…
Each passing day will hurt more than the last.
And if you ask me, that’s not a life at all.
On top of that, the Death Eaters are yet another problem. Dark wizards and loyal followers of the Dark Lord Voldemort.
Who’s to say they won’t get to Dumbledore?
What’s worse, can you imagine what type of torture he’ll have to suffer?
In fact, he had this to say about Bellatrix Lestrange, a dangerous Death Eater:
“…or dear Bellatrix, who likes to play with her food before she eats it…”
Therefore, dying on his own terms was the least painful.
Plus, a study supports his decision too.
It states that people on death’s door want control over their life…
Most especially on how they die. Because they fear losing themselves first.
Plus, I don’t think I could bear seeing Dumbledore go crazy.
It doesn’t suit him.
And I think the great wizard understood his alternatives too.
#3: His death pushed Harry Potter to act
Although Dumbledore’s passing was heart-breaking…
It’s the final move to his master plan.
And what did he expect to gain from his death?
Well, an emotional outburst from Harry Potter.
A feeling strong enough to push him forward.
You see, Harry loved Dumbledore. So much so that he’s a lot like family to him.
As a result, how do you think he’d feel seeing the great wizard die?
Nothing but pain and rage.
It’s the very reason why Harry started looking for the Deathly Hallows himself. That 1 motivating factor that kept him going. Even in the face of an impossible challenge.
What’s more, everything did pay off in the end.
And at The Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter won the duel and defeated Dark Lord Voldemort.
So who carefully planned it all from the start?
Well, we have to thank Dumbledore. Because his death’s inevitable.
And a move that gave Voldemort a false sense of security.
Why did Snape have to kill him?
Snape had to kill Dumbledore because he’s under an unbreakable vow. If he didn’t do away with the great wizard, both Severus and Draco would die instead. Also, Snape’s murder of the great wizard helped him gain Voldemort’s trust. Moreover, Dumbledore asked Severus to be the one to kill him too.
Snape would gain the trust of Voldemort
You see, Snape’s actually a Death Eater.
But did that give him a free pass to do anything?
No, it didn’t.
In fact, the Dark Lord didn’t trust Severus Snape.
Yes, he’s very capable.
And him being a double agent helped the Death Eaters.
However, Voldemort always had doubts about Snape’s loyalty.
So, sooner or later, it might even surpass the point of no return.
In fact, the 1 thing that kept Severus Snape alive’s his magic.
He’s the best at Occlumency. The ability to close one’s mind.
As a result, Voldemort could never get a good read on him.
And the Dark Lord’s also too arrogant with his Legilimency. The power to read someone’s mind.
But that can only go on for so long.
So what’s the stop-gap measure?
Severus Snape had to kill Dumbledore.
And in doing so, Voldemort would never question his loyalty ever again.
However, did it work?
Yes, frighteningly successful.
And it gave him more time to pull strings in the background.
All thanks to Dumbledore’s careful planning.
Sadly, even the Potions Master couldn’t escape death.
Voldemort killed Snape to make the Elder Wand recognize him as master. 1 of the Deathly Hallows and thought to be the strongest wand in the wizarding world.
He wanted to save the soul of Draco Malfoy
Besides gaining Voldemort’s trust…
Snape also wanted to save Draco Malfoy. A young wizard turned Death Eater. But still had the chance to turn his life around.
However, it wasn’t simple.
Severus Snape and Draco were forced into an unbreakable vow. A spell that would kill both people if they failed their promise.
And what did their life depend on?
Well, Draco’s been ordered by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore.
So should he fail…
Professor Snape had to intervene and help.
Or else it would doom both of them to death.
“Wait, why did Severus Snape have to be the one that dealt the killing spell?”
It’s for the sake of Draco.
Because if he’d be the wizard responsible…
The boy would never recover.
In fact, when Draco and Dumbledore were alone atop the tower…
He couldn’t bear killing the great wizard.
And he had this to say while breaking into tears:
“I don’t want your help! Don’t you understand? I have to do this! I have to kill you! Or he’s going to kill me…”
Luckily, that’s when Snape showed up.
And to complete the vow and saved the boy…
Severus Snape had to be the wizard that killed Dumbledore.
Does Dumbledore come back to life?
Dumbledore did not come back to life. The wizard died when Snape casted the killing curse on him. He also fell from atop the tower, which would guarantee the death of Dumbledore. However, fans believe there’s a chance he faked his death. A theory suggests Severus and Dumbledore had a secret plan.
Fans think he faked his death
I know it sounds crazy.
Plus, in book 7, in the King’s Cross chapter…
Harry Potter met Dumbledore again. But this time in the afterlife/limbo.
So that must guarantee he’s dead, right?
Well, for most people, there’s no working around it.
But Harry Potter fans don’t think like everybody else.
And they have a few reasons to believe that Dumbledore’s alive.
#1: Severus Snape’s a talented wizard and potions master
Snape’s not your regular professor at Hogwarts.
He’s extremely gifted and intelligent.
In fact, he even created his own spells.
For example, Snape made Sectumsempra. A powerful curse that caused the unlucky target to bleed to death.
And if you add his powers of Occlumency.
Severus Snape’s a wizard you don’t want to mess with.
On top of that, he’s recognized as the Potions Master.
And he can create the most dangerous concoctions known to wizardkind.
But what does this have to do with Dumbledore, you ask?
Well, Snape could’ve hatched a secret plan.
Something so illusive that it would mislead everyone.
So much so that people believed the great wizard died.
And when you put all of Snape’s skills together…
He’s got the best shot at making it happen too.
Plus, let’s not forget Dumbledore’s still alive at this time.
So you basically have 2 of the greatest minds working together.
And with that much brainpower and talent…
I don’t think it’s impossible.
#2: Snapes Avada Kedavra spell’s blue
In the scene where Dumbledore died…
There’s 1 detail that we should remember.
And it’s the color of Snape’s Avada Kedavra.
You see, the killing curse’s always green.
So whether it’s Death Eaters or Lord Voldemort…
The color’s never changed.
But what about Severus Snape’s killing curse?
Well, it’s different.
It’s actually blue.
And if there’s 1 thing we know about curses…
You must mean it for the spell to work.
For example, when Harry Potter tried to harm Bellatrix Lestrange.
Does it work and get him his revenge?
No, it didn’t.
Because Harry never meant to hurt the Death Eater.
He’s far too kind.
So what about Severus Snape’s spell?
Well, the difference in color might be a clue.
It could’ve been an incomplete curse.
And a spell that made it look like Dumbledore died.
But actually came back to life sometime later.
Plus, a study supports the idea too.
You see, emotions can affect performance, especially when students are trying to learn.
So Snape’s respect for Dumbledore might’ve played a part.
An emotion strong enough to alter the Avada Kedavra.
#3: Dumbledore can stop his fall
“But the wizard fell. And we saw his dead body on the ground.”
At first, I thought the same thing.
There’s no way anyone could live through that kind of drop.
However, it’s Dumbledore we’re talking about…
The most talented and brilliant wizard in the world.
And what have we seen him do countless times?
It’s the Arresto Momentum. A slowing spell that can stop a fall.
So if we put together the facts…
There’s a good chance he might be alive.
Severus Snape could’ve hatched a secret plan.
Then altered his killing curse to look like Dumbledore died.
And lastly, the wizard would stop himself from crashing at the last second.
Of course, it’s nothing but a fan theory.
We’ve never actually heard from Dumbledore since that moment.
So it’s a hard point to defend.
Who was the new headmaster after Dumbledore?
Minerva McGonagall became the acting Headmistress at the time of Dumbledore’s death. But Severus Snape would quickly replace her when Voldemort appointed him. The Dark Lord wanted full control over the wizarding school. And he considered Snape to be the most trustworthy candidate.
A dark time for the wizarding world
When Dumbledore died…
It marked a gloomy era for the Harry Potter universe.
And as far as Hogwarts went…
It had no Headmaster at the time.
As a result, the Deputy Headmistress would fill the spot.
And that’s how Minerva McGonagall became the acting headmistress of Hogwarts.
But this would be short-lived.
Because Dark Lord Voldemort seized full control over the Ministry of Magic. The governing body of Britain’s magical community.
And he chose Severus Snape to be the new Headmaster of Hogwarts. Because he considered him trustworthy for killing Dumbledore himself.