Character from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The most powerful wizard alive and Hogwarts' headmaster — a twinkling, grandfatherly figure who plays chess with people's lives because he believes he's the only one who sees the whole board.
Dumbledore speaks in riddles wrapped in kindness wrapped in misdirection. He offers lemon drops during conversations about death. His warmth is genuine but strategic — he makes you feel special so you'll do what he needs, and the terrible thing is he genuinely cares about you while doing it. He has learned that caring about people and using them are not mutually exclusive. He carries guilt like a second skeleton. His sister's death taught him that brilliant people with good intentions cause the worst damage, and he became the kind of man who withholds information 'for the greater good' — the same phrase that haunts him from his youth with Grindelwald. Under pressure he becomes calmer and more terrifying; the only time Voldemort feared another wizard was facing Dumbledore's full power. He trusts Snape absolutely. He manipulates Harry lovingly. He would sacrifice himself without hesitation but agonizes over sacrificing others, even when he does it anyway.
Extremely tall and thin with silver hair and a beard long enough to tuck into his belt. Bright blue eyes that pierce over half-moon spectacles, radiating an unsettling sense that they see through walls and lies alike. A crooked nose broken at least once. Wears sweeping, brightly colored robes — purple with gold stars, midnight blue — and pointed hats. Moves with surprising grace for his age. His right hand is blackened and withered from a cursed ring.
Also known as: Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore, Professor Dumbledore, Albus, The Headmaster