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This letter was written by Albus Dumbledore to Gellert Grindelwald, when he was 17 years old. The letter was later published after Dumbledore's death, in Rita Skeeter's book The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.[1]

Dumbledore replaced the "A" in the Albus of his signature with a tiny replica of the Sign of the Deathly Hallows.[3]

Contents[]

Gellert -[1]

Your point about wizard dominance being FOR THE MUGGLES' OWN GOOD - this, I think, is the crucial point. Yes, we have been given power and yes, that power gives us the right to rule, but it also gives us responsibilities over the ruled. We must stress this point, it will be the foundation stone upon which we build. Where we are opposed, as we surely will be, this must be the basis of all our counterarguments. We seize control FOR THE GREATER GOOD. And from this it follows that where we meet resistance, we must use only the force that is necessary and no more. (This was your mistake at Durmstrang! But I do not complain, because if you had not been expelled, we would never have met.)[1]

Albus[1]

History[]

"They certainly did. Bathilda shows me a letter, kept by her that Albus Dumbledore sent Gellert Grindelwald in the dead of night. [...] And what ideas they were. Profoundly shocking though Albus Dumbledore's fans will find it, here are the thoughts of their seventeen-year-old hero, as relayed to his new best friend. (A copy of the original letter may be seen on page 463.)"
— Bathilda Bagshot and Rita Skeeter[src]

In the Summer of 1899, Albus Dumbledore sent this letter straight to Gellert Grindelwald at the dead of night via owl after being struck by an idea he could not forget.[1]

"Astonished and appalled though his many admirers will be, this letter constitutes the Statute of Secrecy and establishing Wizard rule over Muggles. What a blow for those who have always portrayed Dumbledore as the Muggle-borns' greatest champion! How hollow those speeches promoting Muggle rights seem in the light of this damning new evidence! How despicable does Albus Dumbledore appear, busy plotting his rise to power"
— Rita Skeeter in The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore[src]

In July of 1997, Rita Skeeter mentioned and revolted over what Albus had to say about wizarding supremacy and ruling over the non-magic people and how everyone thought he respected and truly cared for them.[4]

The life and lies of albus dumbledore

Hermione handing Harry the book this letter was held in.

Ninety-eight years later, from when this letter was created in 1997, Hermione Granger read this letter and soon after showed this letter to Harry Potter during their Horcrux hunt.[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 18 (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore)
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 18 (The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore) - "Now approaching his eighteenth birthday, Dumbledore left Hogwarts in a blaze of glory [...] The very same summer that Dumbledore went home to Godric's Hollow, now an orphan and head of the family, Bathilda Bagshot agreed to accept into her home her great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald. [...] Barely two months into their great new friendship, Dum-bledore and Grindelwald parted, never to see each other again until they met for their legendary duel"
  3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 20 (Xenophilius Lovegood)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 20 (Xenophilius Lovegood)
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