Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards of all time, had a complex and troubled past. As a young man, he was deeply affected by the trauma his sister Ariana suffered at the hands of three Muggle boys, which left her with an Obscurus, a dark and unstable magical force. Dumbledore's desire to care for his sister and his resentment towards his family for holding him back led him to meet Gellert Grindelwald, a brilliant and charismatic wizard who shared his obsession with the Deathly Hallows.
Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship was intense and romantic, and they began to make plans to seize power and dominate the wizarding world, with the Deathly Hallows at the center of their plans. However, their partnership was cut short when a duel between the two, Aberforth, and Ariana resulted in Ariana's death, which Dumbledore was consumed by guilt over.
Grindelwald went on to become a powerful and ruthless wizarding tyrant, using Dumbledore's own slogan "for the greater good" to justify his actions. Dumbledore, fearing the truth about Grindelwald's past and his own role in enabling it, delayed facing him for years, until finally defeating him in a legendary duel and taking possession of the Elder Wand.
Despite his later years as a wise and powerful wizard, Dumbledore never forgot his past and the pain and guilt he felt over Ariana's death and his relationship with Grindelwald, and he often thought about the what-ifs of their complicated and tragic history.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Albus Dumbledore is considered one of the greatest wizards of all time.
2. Dumbledore's sister, Ariana, was attacked by three Muggle boys when she was six years old.
3. The incident left Ariana with emotional and psychological trauma.
4. Ariana's condition was likely due to an Obscurus, a magical phenomenon that occurs when a wizard suppresses their magic.
5. Ariana's father, Percival, killed the three Muggle boys who attacked her and was subsequently imprisoned in Azkaban.
6. Dumbledore's mother, Kendra, spent the rest of her life trying to care for Ariana.
7. At the age of 14, Ariana had a violent outburst that resulted in her mother's death.
8. Dumbledore was 18 years old when his mother died and was forced to return home to care for his siblings.
9. Dumbledore met Gellert Grindelwald through his neighbor, Bathilda Bagshot, and the two became close friends.
10. Grindelwald was expelled from Durmstrang for his twisted experiments and near-fatal attack on students.
11. Dumbledore and Grindelwald shared an obsession with the Deathly Hallows.
12. The Deathly Hallows consisted of the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.
13. Dumbledore and Grindelwald planned to use the Deathly Hallows to gain power and control over the wizarding world.
14. Grindelwald's original intention was to dominate Muggles for their own good.
15. Dumbledore wrote a letter to Grindelwald stating that wizards had the right to rule over Muggles.
16. Dumbledore's relationship with Grindelwald was romantic.
17. J.K. Rowling confirmed that Dumbledore was gay in 2007.
18. Grindelwald and Dumbledore's plans ultimately led to the death of Ariana.
19. Dumbledore felt guilty for his role in Ariana's death and carried that guilt with him for the rest of his life.
20. Grindelwald went on to become a powerful dark wizard and was eventually defeated by Dumbledore.
21. Grindelwald was imprisoned in Nurmengard, a prison he created for his own opponents.
22. Voldemort eventually killed Grindelwald while seeking the Elder Wand.
23. Dumbledore eventually became the owner of the Elder Wand after defeating Grindelwald.
24. Dumbledore's delay in facing Grindelwald was due to his lingering affection for the man.