Dumbledore is one of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter universe--even more so than Dobby! He’s wise, kind, powerful and emotionally intelligent, which makes him an endearing character. That said, he does do a few things during his time as headmaster of Hogwarts that are a little questionable. And just like the rest of the characters, Dumbledore is a great target for fans to poke fun at. It’s how we cope with his death, okay.
Some of these memes highlight some of the sillier things that Dumbledore has done in his life, from unashamedly favoring Gryffindor over Slytherin to withholding crucial information from his peers and the students. Others are just hilarious. Keep reading to find out which Dumbledore memes we can’t stop laughing at.
20 The Blind Leading The Blind
This is so true it hurts! In the Order of the Phoenix, Harry and Dumbledore seem to rely on each other a little too much for comfort. If they’re both relying on the other one to get them through, it’s kind of like two friends in class relying on each other for test answers. Not a good idea!
19 What We’re All Thinking
This may sound silly to people who aren’t fans of Harry Potter, but any lover of the show has thought it at least once. The line comes from the first film when Quirrell asks Harry what he sees in the Mirror of Erised, and he lies about seeing himself with the Sorcerer’s Stone.
18 Harry, Did You Put Your Name In The Goblet Of Fire?
This scene was absolutely infuriating to those who read the book. One of the best parts of Dumbledore’s character is that he’s always cool, calm, and collected. He does calmly ask Harry if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire, but Michael Gambon’s portrayal in the film is much more bumbling and aggressive.
17 He Didn’t Think This One Through
Since Harry Potter is a story for underage audiences, we’ll just assume that a lot of the dark realities of our world don’t apply in Harry’s world. But IRL, a cloak of invisibility would not go down well at a boarding school for teenagers. We don’t need to explain why!
16 Inconsistent Hogwarts Rules
When Harry first gets to Hogwarts in Year One, Dumbledore explains to the whole school that the forest is strictly forbidden to all students. But before the year is out, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy are taken there to serve out their detention! That’s a pretty inconsistent rule if you ask us.
15 The Time-Turner Debate
One of the most debated topics in the Harry Potter universe is the time-turner. There exists a device that can turn back time, and yet nobody uses it to go back and stop Voldemort from rising to power. But many fans believe that the time-turners cannot be used to change major events without causing dire consequences, so there you go.
14 Withholding Crucial Information
Another thing that we love about Dumbledore is how he knows everything. Nothing ever gets past him, not even who opens the Chamber of Secrets the first time. However, even though Dumbledore knows that Tom Riddle was responsible, he doesn’t say anything. That seems like pretty crucial information to withhold!
13 The Giant Squid
One aspect of the books that is completely missing from the films is the Giant Squid which lives on the Hogwarts grounds. This meme is hilarious because it’s exactly how we picture the creature coming to live in the lake in the first place. Dumbledore totally would have reacted that way!
12 The Favoritism Is Real
Let’s be real: Dumbledore heavily favors Gryffindor, and this is evident when it comes time to counting up House Points at the end of the year. Not that anybody really cares, since our favorite characters are all in Gryffindor. But you can’t argue with the fact that there’s some serious favoritism going on at Hogwarts.
11 The Irony Of The Malfoy Joke
This comic strip is hilarious on more than one level. It’s funny to imagine Dumbledore being so brazen about the appearance of one of his students. What’s even funnier is the irony of Dumbledore’s suggestion. Is Malfoy going to kill him? Well, actually … Snape ends up doing the deed, but Malfoy was planning to for a whole year.
10 His Leniency With Harry
The favoritism at Hogwarts doesn’t just come down to Dumbledore favoring Gryffindor. Harry is also the ultimate professor’s pet. He basically breaks school rules from the second he gets there until he leaves, and Dumbledore just looks the other way. Although to be fair, Harry does save the school over and over again by breaking the rules.
9 Not Much Help In The Chamber Of Secrets
We’re just going to say it: Dumbledore could have been a lot more help in the Chamber of Secrets. He did know that Harry was up against a giant basilisk who could kill Harry with just one stare, and all he sent was Fawkes. To be fair, Dumbledore has always been about Harry following clues to do all the work himself.
8 The Risk Of Leaving Him As A Baby
We love the way Dumbledore’s portrayed in these comics! Of course he didn’t go about leaving Harry with the Dursleys as nonchalantly as this, but in essence, this is what he did. Harry has always been super important, and yet Dumbledore just left him on the doorstep. He could have at least taken him inside.
7 Always Risking Harry’s Life
If there’s one thing Dumbledore is good at, it’s risking Harry’s life. Even though he’s vital in the good vs evil fight, and his survival is key, Dumbledore is seemingly okay with putting him in some pretty risky situations. But good old Dumbledore always has a plan, even when nobody knows what it is, and everything always works out.
6 A Favour To Mr. Filch
When you think about it, Dumbledore is a pretty good boss. Aside from being a powerful and kind wizard, he also provides work for his staff, even when it’s not necessary. Take Mr. Filch’s care-taking work. Really, Dumbledore could care for the grounds with magic, but then Filch would be out of a job.
5 Lack Of Diversity At Hogwarts
The truth in this meme is what makes it so funny. Hogwarts is supposed to be a place that’s free of discrimination and inequality, and every kind of wizard is supposed to be accepted there. And yet the incredible majority of students are white. Hogwarts is amazing in many ways, but diversity isn’t one of them.
4 Snape Has A Point …
This line was so powerful when Harry first uttered it, but thanks to this meme, we’ll never be able to take it seriously again. And Snape does have a point! Dumbledore literally stood everywhere at Hogwarts, and Snape has no choice but to stand in the same places. Maybe Harry meant figuratively standing where he stood, as headmaster.
3 The Aging Process
Thanks to the various portrayals of Dumbledore across the films in the Harry Potter universe, there’s a bit of inconsistency with the aging process. We never would have noticed before, but this meme points it out wonderfully! If these portrayals are to be taken seriously, Dumbledore ages about half a century in 16 years.
2 The Double Standards
Another place where the double standards and inconsistencies of Hogwarts shine through is the concept of permission. Hogwarts doesn’t really value the permission of parents and guardians when it comes to the students attending the school, but look out when it’s time to go on a small trip to Hogsmeade.
1 The Blunder With The Sorcerer’s Stone
Is this meme true, or are Harry, Ron, and Hermione just brilliant enough to get past traps that really are designed to keep Voldemort out? Maybe Dumbledore could have been a little more careful with protecting the stone, but it doesn’t help that Harry and his friends are a cut above the rest.