The Key to Dumbledore's Past

An original editorial by Jennifer

There has been a lot of speculation as to the significance of the village of Godric's Hollow. My theory is that Godric's Hollow is/was simply Dumbledore's home. The house the Potters occupied is gone, but Dumbledore's childhood home - the ancestral home of Godric Gryffindor - remains. Jo said Dumbledore's family would be a profitable line of inquiry (July 16, 2005, MuggleNet interview) and this is why.

In the same interview, she also said that while Dumbledore attended Hogwarts, he was mostly self-taught. How does this happen? Because he is from a powerful wizarding family that hands down knowledge of magic and spells like other families hand down recipes.

When James and Lily Potter needed to be hidden, Dumbledore arranged for them to be hidden in a place he thought was safe: his own village. Sirius Black providing his own home for the Order of the Phoenix and then invoking the Fidelius charm might be thought to foreshadow this assumption.

Consider why Dumbledore remains so committed to Hogwarts even though he could have been anything (even Minister of Magic). He stays because Hogwarts is his legacy, passed down through the Gryffindor line.

Why is Dumbledore "confident" (505, HBP) that there are no other Gryffindor artifacts that could be Horcruxes? He knows because he is an heir of Gryffindor - he and his brother, Aberforth.

Aberforth now emerges as the member of the Order of the Phoenix that we have not "met properly" (July 17, 2005, Edinburgh "cub reporters" press conference). Aberforth is now the sole remaining heir of Gryffindor. I believe that in the early chapters of the next book Aberforth will make this known to Harry, and he will take Harry to Godric's Hollow. Surely this is where Dumbledore was when he was absent from Hogwarts. But what was he doing there? Rufus Scrimgeour was sure anxious to know. (349, HBP) I think this is where Harry will find clues on how to proceed.

My theory also supports some beautiful character development for Harry. He grows from uncertainty about his Sorting in Book One, to proclaiming to be "Dumbledore's man through and through." (348 HBP) Could there be a truer Gryffindor?

Because Jo has said so little about Godric's Hollow, it stands to reason that we would have far more questions than answers. Here are some things that I am still wondering about.

1. Has Aberforth inherited the same magical ability that Dumbledore had?

2. Did Hagrid get to Godric's Hollow quickly because he had been there in the past? Dumbledore did say he would trust Hagrid with his life... (14 SS) What about his secrets? Perhaps there is a magical way to get between Hogwarts and Godric's Hollow of which we are not yet aware.

3. Will Harry find Sirius' flying motorbike parked in the garage? I sure hope so.

4. Has Fawkes flown home to Godric's Hollow to mourn Dumbledore's passing?

5. We know Harry's parents are buried in Godric's Hollow. Are they buried in Godric Gryffindor's/Dumbledore's family cemetery?

6. Will this all end where it began - back at Godric's Hollow? Time will tell, as I'm sure Jo will not be giving out many hints!

I hope my theory sets you to thinking and rereading (that is the best part)! All will be revealed soon. Book Seven - 07/07/07 - we can only hope!

4/28/06

Posted by: Nicole