Albus Dumbledore: A Man Shrouded in Mystery
Albus Dumbledore, the enigmatic headmaster of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series, continues to be a subject of speculation and intrigue long after the conclusion of the films and his character’s demise. One of the most debated topics among fans is the true nature of Dumbledore’s acquisition of the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence. The prevailing theory is that Dumbledore gained possession of the wand by defeating his close friend Gellert Grindelwald. However, a new fan theory suggests that Dumbledore’s sister, Ariana, played a crucial role in this event.
For those who may not recall, Ariana Dumbledore was described in the books as being confined to her family’s home following a traumatic encounter with three Muggle boys. This incident led to the absence of the Dumbledore patriarch, leaving Ariana, Albus, and their brother Aberforth to fend for themselves. Tragically, an accidental outburst of magic, known as an Obscurus, claimed their mother’s life, leaving the three siblings orphaned and dependent on one another.
Grindelwald’s Obsession with Obscurials
The reason Grindelwald is so interested in controlling an Obscurus is because he was overpowered by Ariana.
Ariana is an Obscurus, and during the fight that ultimately led to her death, she was able to overpower Grindelwald and take his wand from him, perhaps in her confused attempt to save Aberforth from the Cruciatus Curse. In the fight, it was Albus who killed her, which is why he was later able to defeat Grindelwald.
This timeline means that Grindelwald had the Elder Wand before going to Godric’s Hollow and meeting Albus. There would have been time because Aberforth says that he was “about to go back to school” after they had “known each other a few weeks.” This means that Grindelwald was doing something else at the beginning of the summer after leaving Durmstrang, researching and stealing the wand. He was already aware of the Hallows before meeting Albus, so this is possible.
During the fight, the Elder Wand’s allegiance shifted to Ariana, and then to Albus. This is why Albus took so long to fight Grindelwald; he knew that it would confirm that it was he who had killed Ariana. It did, and he lived with that for the rest of his life.
Grindelwald never took responsibility for Ariana’s death, even though his blind ambition and obsession with controlling an Obscurial led to the tragic events. In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, we see Grindelwald pursuing another Obscurial, only to be met with failure and imprisonment. This sets the stage for further conflict in the upcoming sequel.
The Burden of Guilt: Dumbledore’s Dark Past
The most heart-wrenching aspect of this theory is the implication that Albus Dumbledore was directly responsible for his sister’s death. Whether his actions were driven by a desire to obtain the power of the Elder Wand or to end Ariana’s suffering, it’s clear that Dumbledore was not always the kind and wise figure we came to know in the later years of his life. This revelation paints a picture of a deeply tortured man, haunted by the consequences of his past actions and the weight of the guilt he carried with him.
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