Editing Albus Dumbledore (section)

===''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows''===
Details of Dumbledore's earlier life are revealed in ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' (2007). The novel introduces his parents, Percival and Kendra Dumbledore, and his younger sister, Ariana (his younger brother, [[Aberforth Dumbledore|Aberforth]], is mentioned in previous books). At the age of six, Ariana was attacked by three Muggle boys who witnessed her performing magic. She was deeply traumatised and was never able to control her magic again. Enraged, Percival attacked the boys and was given a life sentence in Azkaban. Kendra subsequently moved the family to the village of [[Godric's Hollow]]. Around the time that Albus completed his education, Ariana accidentally killed their mother. Albus became the head of the family and remained in their house with Ariana while Aberforth finished school.
[[File:The Elder WandII.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|The Elder Wand prop used in the ''Harry Potter'' films]]
Soon afterward, Dumbledore befriended the young wizard [[Gellert Grindelwald]]. They dreamed of uniting the three [[Deathly Hallows (objects)|Deathly Hallows]] – the [[Elder Wand]], the [[Resurrection Stone (Harry Potter)|Resurrection Stone]] and the [[Cloak of Invisibility (Harry Potter)|Cloak of Invisibility]] – and creating a world in which wizards rule over Muggles. One day, an argument between Albus, Aberforth, and Grindelwald led to a duel that resulted in Ariana's death. For the rest of his life, Albus felt guilty, never certain whether it was his own curse or another's that killed his sister. He felt he could not be trusted with power and turned down the position of Minister for Magic multiple times, eventually returning to Hogwarts as a professor of [[Transfiguration (Harry Potter)|Transfiguration]]. Decades later, Dumbledore faced and defeated Grindelwald, who had become a [[Dark Arts (Harry Potter)|Dark]] wizard and had obtained the Elder Wand. Dumbledore now possessed not only the Elder Wand but also the Cloak of Invisibility, which he had borrowed from [[James Potter (character)|James Potter]] before his death. Dumbledore would eventually pass the cloak on to Harry.

The truth about Dumbledore's death is revealed to Harry through Snape's memories in the Pensieve. Harry learns that Dumbledore put on a cursed ring that held the Resurrection Stone, which he hoped would allow him to apologise to his sister and parents. The curse damaged his hand, and Snape told him he would die in about a year. Dumbledore then revealed to Snape that he knew about Draco's attempts to kill him. Since Dumbledore was close to death, he asked Snape to use the killing curse on him. This act of self-sacrifice would prevent Draco's soul from being damaged by committing murder, and would cause Voldemort to trust Snape completely.

Near the end of the novel, Harry is struck by Voldemort's killing curse. He finds himself in an ethereal realm with Dumbledore, who confesses many regrets from earlier in his life. He informs Harry that he can return to his body and face the Dark Lord again. Harry returns, kills Voldemort, then places the Elder Wand in Dumbledore's tomb. In the book's epilogue, it is revealed that Harry named his second son [[Albus Severus Potter]], after Dumbledore and Snape.