The Great Mystery Of Dumbledore's Death!

My first reaction when I read the last part of the chapter “The Lightening-Struck Tower” of the Half-Blood Prince was JK Rowling is really going too far. Sirius perished in book 5, and she is actually finishing of Albus Dumbledore in book 6! I was lightening struck…

But a year down the line, with so many pro and counter arguments regarding Albus Dumbledore’s death, I have finally made my peace and looked at the rationale behind why Dumbledore is discarded in the book. Despite JK’s very public declaration, “Dumbledore is definitely dead.” I still have my doubts about the whole mystery surrounding Dumbledore’s death. As a reader I am beyond consolation… for there is simply no justification as to why an author would want to kill such a lovable character. But as a literary person, I think I can understand where JK Rowling comes from. Before I go on to Dumbledore’s death strictly from a technical point of view and present the pro and counter clues… a quick word on the literary significance of Dumbledore’s death.

JK Rowling created a series on the story of a boy-wizard Harry Potter who is destined to lead a difficult, dangerous and uncertain life. The series has 4 main characters… Harry Potter himself, Lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore and after book 6, Severus Snape. I am not saying that Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Lily, and the likes are not important. But, they are not vital to the storyline… at least anyone of them dying isn’t going to affect the story all so drastically. Sirius Black’s death proved as much! But any of the four main characters affected in any way, today has a direct impact on the storyline.

We all unanimously agree that Harry left to himself is incapable of handling the task at hand (destroying all the horcruxes) and he is going to need help. Very honestly, I feel that the only people who can truly help Harry with the actual task are Dumbledore and Snape. Literary speaking, it also means that, the protagonist is not fully equipped to deal with the hurdle. We found out the strength of Dumbledore in book 5, when he saved Harry from Voldemort. Needless to say, if it wasn’t for Dumbledore, Harry would be a goner by now. There are times in the story, when Harry is almost side-tracked and as the protagonist of the book, we cannot let that happen. As long as Albus Dumbledore was alive, Harry could never truly be the hero. The title of the book may as well change to Albus Dumbledore and the…
Therefore, for the Harry Potter series to be truly about Harry Potter, the wise-old man with the beard had to die! So, somewhere JK has got her basics right. The only counter argument I can give to this in the literary sense is that, you cannot leave the protagonist without any emotional support! His parents are dead, his relatives are useless, his Godfather is killed and now his mentor is gone. A hero cannot be left emotionally high and dry! Harry needs to belong somewhere… and every time he does, that support system is snatched away. That’s a bit cruel.

Now coming to Dumbledore’s death. The big question in the minds of all Potter addicts… Is Albus Dumbledore really dead? Again before I give my opinion, let’s look at the clues…

The mysterious circumstances:
1. The mystery of the missing phoenix: Where was Fawkes when Dumbledore was in trouble this time? We saw him save Dumbledore in the ministry of magic, when he swallowed the death curse. Mere loyalty towards Dumbledore brings Fawkes to the rescue… so the mysterious disappearance of the phoenix is very suspicious, unless the phoenix had orders to stay away. Which then points to the fact that Dumbledore wanted to die.
2. Immobile Harry: Why did Dumbledore waste time in performing the freezing charm on Harry, when Harry was already under the invisibility cloak and in no immediate danger? This I suppose has just one explanation. Dumbledore didn’t want Harry to interfere. Which again points us to the fact that Dumbledore had something in mind, a plan which did not include Harry or need Harry interference.
3. The Avada Kedavra effect: A person flung into the air, suspended in the air and then toppled over a wall out of sight! Can this really be Avada Kedavra? I don’t remember seeing anyone thrown away by whatever I have read of the curse. The spider just rolled onto his back, dead. Harry didn’t actually see Cedric die, but as far as the text goes, Cedric collapsed next to Harry. He wasn’t thrown away! Frank Bryce too just crumpled… no way was he thrown anywhere. So why the difference with Dumbledore? Was Snape performing his famous non-verbal spell, something different, something maybe less damaging?
4. The Plea: Anyone who has followed Dumbledore in the series will tell you that Dumbledore is just not the type to plead for anything, keep aside his own life! So the “Severus please…” seems very dicey to me.
5. The flames: Why did Dumbledore’s body turn to flames? I have nothing to say about it, as I don’t understand it…

These are the mysterious situations. Now for some questions.
Why did Dumbledore jump off in the air as if hit multiple expelliarmus spells at the same time (something similar hiiting Snape in POA)?
If Dumbledore is dead, the unbreakable vow is fulfilled. If Dumbledore is not dead, then Snape should be dead right? Well, as far as we know, he is still hail and healthy.
Dumbledore’s portrait and gargoyle’s acceptance of the deputy headmistress as the new headmistress.
The spell on Harry is broken the moment Dumbledore is thrown off the tower. That can happen only when the person who puts the spell dies.
Where is Dumbledore’s wand? Or why is his body not shown after Hagrid carries him off? Further we never see his body actually buried, but just a white tomb stone. Do we really know if the body is inside?
Harry sees an apparition of a Phoenix just before the flames engulf the grave. Could it be Dumbledore going off as an animagi?

All the clues, mysterious circumstances and unanswered questions make it difficult to judge if Dumbledore is really dead. Yet, for me, I think the old man is really dead. I am not saying this because the author spelt it out, but because, I believe that he is truly dead. I believed once that Black will be back in the next book, but we now know that he is truly dead. JK doesn’t kill off her characters to bring them back. However, I have no doubts that Dumbledore will play a vital role in the next book. Maybe through his portrait, that’s the closest I can get. But it is equally true, that now it is truly Harry battle. He will have to do it alone. That’s the way it works doesn’t it? The hero has to conquer the evil alone! He will have help from his friends, the Order, even Snape and Draco maybe (I am a firm believer that Snape is not on Voldemort’s side), but the final battle, that’s between Harry and Voldemort, and that’s all there is to it, really :).