Although he’s played by the late, great Richard Harris in the Harry Potter films, J.K. Rowling has given us precious little information about one of her most famous characters: Albus Dumbledore. What was his family like? Where did he go to school? Is his backstory different in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Luckily, we can piece together some answers by looking at what happens in the Fantastic Beasts film! Join us as we get to know more about this fascinating character! The Secrets of Dumbledore – What We Know from Fantastic Beasts
Table of Contents
How did the relationship between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald started? The Secrets of Dumbledore – What We Know from Fantastic Beasts
The relationship between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald began years before the first Harry Potter book, when the two attended Hogwarts together. Although they had a few classes together, Rowling doesn’t say how well they knew each other at that time. In their later years at school, however, Rowling confirms that Dumbledore became very fond of Grindelwald. But did he also fall in love with him?
How does Dumbledore communicate with Newt Scamander?
From Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), J.K. Rowling writes: Dumbledore held out a hand towards Professor McGonagall and she placed in it an object so small he could have concealed it in his palm. As they left, Scamander asked what the thing was.
How could Credence Barebone be related to Corvus Lestrange?
In the first film, we saw that Grindelwald and Credence were actually looking for Corvus Lestrange—Dumbledore’s childhood friend. The name Lestrange is so similar to Grindelwald that it’s possible that the former was a distant relative of the dark wizard himself.
Are all the stories about Grindelwald that we hear in Fantastic Beasts true?
The stories we hear about Grindelwald in the Harry Potter movies are true and J.K. Rowling has confirmed that Credence is related to him, and that a young Dumbledore did defeat Grindelwald in a duel. For more on these, see the Fantastic Beasts section below for a full list of sources, but here’s what you need to know
Why did Graves visit Ariana Dumbledore in 1899? The Secrets of Dumbledore – What We Know from Fantastic Beasts
In the early hours of a November morning in 1899, Percival Graves came knocking on the door at 4 Privet Drive. Graves, then Director of Magical Security at MACUSA (the North American branch of the Ministry), was there to see Ariana Dumbledore. At the time, he knew nothing about Albus and Aberforth’s sister but she would become one of his greatest interests for many years to come. Why did Graves visit Ariana? The reasons are still unclear.
Where were Queenie and Nagini while Newt was rescuing Tina Goldstein? The Secrets of Dumbledore – What We Know from Fantastic Beasts
J.K. Rowling has confirmed that we’ll see Newt Scamander’s (Eddie Redmayne) college girlfriend, Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), and the mysterious magical circus worker he had a naughty snog with, Claudia Kim’s character. That leaves the question: Where were Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) and Nagini? Did they escape MACUSA custody together?
