Original artwork, not a still
Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Dumbledore, always a showman with language, praises his own wit and then uses it to correct himself, which makes the line both a boast and a confession. As a statement it is the series' creed in one breath: spells are words, and words can wound or heal. It travels well as a quote about writing, teaching and kindness, usually without anyone noticing it was written for the film.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2Show the scene
The sentence appears in the 2011 film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, not in the quote listings for the novel. In the film's King's Cross scene, Harry says the snake is still alive and he has nothing to kill it with. Dumbledore replies that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it, a line from the second book, then remarks that he has always prided himself on turning a phrase and delivers this sentence about words, injury and remedy. He ends by amending his old saying to "those who deserve it".
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2King's Cross scene, Dumbledore and Harry dialogueReference checked
- Wikiquote: Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsChapter 15, p. 266Reference checked
- Wikiquote: Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsChapter 35 listingReference checked
Context reviewed
