Dumbldedore’s final lines in the Harry Potter movies were as cryptic as ever, but they held a lot of meaning regarding the end of Harry’s battle with Voldemort. The old headmaster shared these words of wisdom while Harry was in the King’s Cross purgatory, which in and of itself was just as confusing as Dumbledore. Of course, this moment significantly differed from the books to the movies, so some of his meaning was lost. However, Dumbledore’s lines still did their job of tipping Harry off to his next moves.
Dumbledore was portrayed as nearly perfect and omniscient for most of the Harry Potter series. However, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, after his death, Harry started to realize that his headmaster had been only human. As Harry learned about the Dumbledore family’s history, he discovered that his old idol not only had faults but that he may not have cared for his students as much as it seemed. This made Harry’s final conversation with Dumbledore all the more important. It revealed to Harry what he needed to do next and allowed the headmaster to make amends.
“Help Will Always Be Given At Hogwarts To Those Who Deserve It.”
One of Dumbledore’s last lines in Deathly Hallows wasn’t in the books. Dumbledore rephrased one of his iconic quotes from Chamber of Secrets to make a critical point about how the rest of Harry’s story would play out. At this point, Harry did not yet know that he had the loyalty of the Elder Wand. In the book, Dumbledore told Harry he was worthy of reuniting the Hallows (while Dumbledore was not) because his heart was full of goodness and love. Harry deserved help – therefore, he had the edge over Voldemort since destiny would take his side.
The lessons on destiny in the King’s Cross purgatory were part of a series-long conversation, and the nuances of this were harder to include in the Harry Potter movies. So, by bringing back his Chamber of Secrets quote, Dumbledore got the same point across as his book counterpart. He reminded his student that Hogwarts, as the physical representation of magic itself, would always grant its power to those who deserved it – so Harry couldn’t lose. This point was driven home even further by the reappearance of the Sorting Hat and Sword of Gryffindor – another callback to Chamber of Secrets.
“Of Course It Is Happening Inside Your Head Harry, But Why On Earth Should That Mean That It Is Not Real”
The last words Dumbledore would speak to Harry were the same in the Harry Potter books and movies. Before waking up in the Forbidden Forest, the Boy Who Lived asked his headmaster if anything he had been experiencing in the King’s Cross purgatory was real – or if it was all just a delusion playing out in his head after being knocked unconscious by Voldemort’s spell. Of course, Dumbledore’s answer was infuriatingly noncommittal, but it still held a lot of weight. He explained that just because it was happening in Harry’s head didn’t mean that it wasn’t real.
When Harry used the Resurrection Stone before he entered the forest to face Voldemort, he learned from his parents, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black, that they were always with him. This Stone allowed him to see their faces, but they had never really left him. Dumbledore’s statement about Harry’s experience being both in his head and real was saying much the same. The Stone may not have resurrected Dumbledore, likely because Harry needed the comfort of his parents at that moment, but he was still a part of Harry – which makes their subsequent conversation very real.
Why Dumbledore’s Last Movie Scene Is So Different From The Harry Potter Books
The most frustrating difference between Harry and Dumbledore’s final conversation in the Harry Potter book and movie is that the latter cut out most of what made Dumbledore human. Throughout much of Deathly Hallows, Harry struggled with the realization that his headmaster might not have been a great person. In the movies, he learned to accept this on his own, and the old wizard did nothing to acknowledge it (which only made Dumbledore seem more like a dick). However, in the book, Dumbledore emotionally shared his regrets with Harry and confessed that, unlike Harry, he wasn’t worthy of reuniting the Hallows.
Of course, this would have meant a much longer scene in the Harry Potter movies, and there simply wouldn’t have been time for it. Instead, the duo covered the basics, and the headmaster’s wise words served as a substitute for a more nuanced discussion. Ultimately, it all came out to the same conclusion. Harry learned that since he was deserving, he would always find help at Hogwarts and in the wizarding world as a whole. Additionally, he learned to value his experience and trust his instincts, whether it was strictly ‘real’ or not. Dumbledore’s final lines in Harry Potter drove the series themes comfortably home.