"I always thought of Dumbledore as gay... Dumbledore fell in love with Grindelwald, and that that added to his horror when Grindelwald showed himself to be what he was. To an extent, do we say it excused Dumbledore a little more because falling in love can blind us to an extent? But, he met someone as brilliant as he was, and rather like Bellatrix he was very drawn to this brilliant person, and horribly, terribly let down by him. Yeah, that's how i always saw Dumbledore."
-JK Rowling speaking at Carnagie Hall this past week
Of course. Of course. It is so obvious and perfect to me that Dumbledore would be gay. From the moment I first visualized his flambouyant purple suit in "The Half Blood Prince", I should have known it. I mean, it was blatently obvious that he and McGonagall never had anything going on... and not a single long-illusive mistress-in-hiding crashed his funeral, nor did anyone contact Rita Skeeter for an exclusive behind-the-wizard expose on his private affairs- which, given the drastic amount of digging around that our favorite love-to-hate reporter did in Dumbledore's past, one likely could have been coaxed out of hiding.
Did Rita Skeeter know that Dumbledore was gay? Did she recognize the relationship between the young Grindevald and Dumbledore for what it really was? I think yes. I think that she elluded to it... pretty obviously, too... but I am certain that, Harry, not inclined to read deep into romanticisms, would not of seen it for what it was. Hermione, yes, but not Harry. And what would that have mattered anyways? I don't think it would have made a difference. Harry was the King of Tolerance and he loved Dumbledore for loving him. As a son. Or grandson, or whatever.
Of course Dumbledore fell in love with Grindevald. And doesn't that just make everything all more tragic? It is one thing to be at war with your best friend, but quite another to be at war with your best friends and the love of your life. Was it mutual? I think it must have been at some level, for in the end, Grindevald refused to give Dumbledore over to Voldemort. His final, remorseful, act of love.
Love. The underlying theme to the entire Harry Potter universe. Love is the most powerful and misunderstood kind of magic. It can both make or break you.
Sometimes, as in the story of Dumbledore, it does both.
My complete respect goes out to JK Rowling. Personal beliefs aside, or perhaps, because of my beliefs, I say this... you have long written of tolerance, acceptance and unabashed love. You have taught generations to care and to stand up for what they believe through your charasmatic and reachable characters... my hypothetical hat goes off to you. Well done.
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