i was reading this theory and i wanna know what you all think

- - - - - - - "Dumbledore Knows All, but How?" by Long Live the Weasel King
I have had a theory about Dumbledore for some time, but had no shred of evidence to back it other than the fact that Dumbledore appears to have foreknowledge of every single event that befalls Harry Potter (which would not count as evidence as this was the catalyst which made me think of the theory in the first place). However, I believe proof exists in the watch that Dumbledore carries in his pocket.

"'You will give the order to remove Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts,' said Dumbledore [to Cornelius Fudge]. 'You will tell your Aurors to stop searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so that he can return to work. I will give you . . .' Dumbledore pulled a watch with twelve hands from his pocket and surveyed it, 'half an hour of my time tonight, in which I think we shall be more than able to cover the important points of what has happened here. After that, I shall need to return to my school.'" (pg 818 OotP,am.hc.v.)

There are other instances when Dumbledore pulls his watch out; it is always noted that the watch has twelve hands. What good is a watch with twelve hands, I ask you? It is my theory that it tells at least six different times.

...Because Dumbledore is a Time Traveler.

It keeps track of where he has been, when he had left, and where he needs to be next (though, when might be a better word than where, but that makes that sentence rather confusing). I do not believe it is the watch that enables him to travel. It is only a tool. I believe he uses a magical ability, like Apparation (which is not really a proper "spell" because once it is learned they do not need to say an incantation or use a wand).

But wait, there's more!

In Dumbledore's duel with Voldemort, there are several instances that seem rather odd (and I don't mean the fact that Dumbledore never tries to kill Voldemort).


"Voldemort raised his wand and sent another jet of green light at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak; next second he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand toward the remnants of the fountain; the other statues sprang to life too. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor. Meanwhile the goblin and the house-elf scuttled toward the fireplaces set along the wall, and the one-armed centaur galloped at Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The headless statue thrust Harry backward, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both." (pg 813)


This seems odd to me because of the description of Dumbledore's disappearance and reappearance. Before, whenever anyone Disapparates they are described as simply vanishing with a pop, or crack, reappearing instantly at their destination, with a similar pop of displaced air. There has never been talk of whirling cloaks, or taking a second to arrive only a few feet away. I propose that Dumbledore was not Apparating, but rather travelling through time. It would take a powerful bit of magic to transfigure five separate statues, with five separate sets of instructions. (Arguably they were only given four sets of instructions, as the goblin and house-elf both went to fetch Fudge.) Dumbledore did not Apparate; he stepped into a different time stream, a sort of wizard "bullet-time" if you will, giving himself time to dodge Voldemort's spell, move behind him, and prepare the magic necessary to give life to five statues (all in the space of a second).

Again, there is the rather fortunate appearance of Fawkes. While Dumbledore is handling the snake Voldemort summoned, Fawkes appears in a flash of flame (his calling card when he Apparates from a distance) and swallows the Avada Kedavra curse meant for Dumbledore. This could easily be more than fortunate timing, but rather another case of Dumbledore using time to his advantage. The movement of his wand is described as "one long, fluid movement" as it would appear if he was speeding through time, casting multiple spells. This apparent one movement had the effect of lifting the snake high into the air where it disappeared in a puff of dark smoke, as well as encasing Voldemort in the water from the fountain "like a cocoon of molten glass." That seems an awful lot for one movement of the wand, no matter how long and fluid.

There are also several strange discrepancies in the descriptions given of Dumbledore. Once he will be described as old but sprightly and energetic, next as tired and sad, older than Harry had ever seen him, then again he will be younger than he seems and full of energy. While these could be attributed to his emotional status at the time, I believe it is more than that. I believe Dumbledore is traveling along a much more complex timeline than we could comprehend.

Time travel is not illegal, it is just closely monitored by the Ministry as to who is allowed to time travel. Dumbledore could easily have been granted permission, as he held several key positions at the Ministry. Or not. He does not always follow the law, as he refused to yield to Fudge during the "Dumbledore's Army" fiasco.

Also, as long as he was not changing actions he had already made he would not be doing anything illegal. No doubt illegal, because that would create a paradox.

For instance, he could travel into the future before Harry was born, learn what had happened in the past ten years, go back in time to when he just left, and act on the foreknowledge he had gained by say, leaving Harry with Petunia rather than giving him to a wizarding family where he may have turned into a Draco-on-speed type character, all full of himself and craving power (perhaps even joining Voldemort??). Then he could travel back into the future to the point he had just returned to the past, and find out the effects of this action. Then he could return to the past, a moment after he left again, and take the Sorcerer's Stone out of the vault the day before it was stolen by Quirrel.

That includes only four hands of the watch. Two to record the present time, two to record just how far into the future he went, and how long he was there. He could be jumping to many other points and back at certain times. He may have jumped far back into the past, say to the times of Merlin, to learn powerful magic, or he may jump back from the future (having become a powerful wizard on his own by then) to times when he knows that only his future self would be powerful enough to do what needs to be done, and that is why he "radiates an aura of power" at certain times and not others. Because mostly he is the "present" Dumbledore, and other times he is an older, wiser, and more powerful version of himself.

So why doesn't Dumbledore go back and save Lily and James, some of you may be asking. Yes, there are many things he could have changed, but I do not think saving James and Lily was one of them. Not because he couldn't, but because without the attack on Harry, no one would have the power to destroy Voldemort. It was through Lily's sacrifice, giving her life to save Harry, that Harry was able to survive the Avada Kedavra curse which Voldemort attempted to use on him. It was through the "Curse That Failed" that Voldemort transferred some of his power to Harry, forging a link, a mental bond if you will, between them. It is this power which marks Harry as his equal. It is also this power that will be key in the final battle between them.

Then I got to thinking. Why not just go back and adopt Tom Riddle from the orphanage as an infant and give him a good upbringing?

At which point I realized that Dumbledore's time traveling must have occurred after Voldemort had come to power. Indeed, because Voldemort had come to power, when it looked like all hope was lost, and Voldemort was on his way to becoming all powerful. Dumbledore needed to know how he could be stopped, so he went into the future to find out what was going to happen. He found out about the prophecy before ever hearing it, how Voldemort only heard part of it, then attacked Harry and lost his powers, because these things would have happened, even had Dumbledore not been there, as it would have been some other Headmaster interviewing Trelawney for the post of Divination Teacher. But without Dumbledore doing what he does, Voldemort would have gotten the Sorcerer's Stone from Gringotts through Quirrel, returned to power then, and killed Harry right off the bat (before he ever even started school). Then he would have risen quickly, as the Elixir of Life would make him immortal, and used the Stone to turn objects into gold, giving him unlimited wealth to use toward his own wicked ends.

So when Dumbledore first went into the future he would have seen a scenario when Voldemort had already won. Which would be why he had to keep jumping back and forth, until he found out everything he had to do to ensure Harry triumphs.

Once you travel into the future you are displaced from your natural timeline. For instance, if you never went back, you would have just disappeared. So traveling into the future, for the first time, you would arrive in a world from which you disappeared, and had no affect on the timeline you visited. Once you went back to the point you left, that particular timeline would cease to exist, as you DID NOT disappear, but only left for a while.

However, you would still be able to see major events and turning points in the fate of the world, such as Voldemort stealing the SS from Flamel's Gringott's vault. Stop that from happening, and you would change that future. So, you would have to go back into the future to find out what would happen next, and jump back to your present to change that (in Harry Potter's case, the events with Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets). If Dumbledore had not sent Fawkes to him with the Sorting Hat containing the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, than Riddle would have killed Harry with his own wand, sucked the life essence from Ginny, and become a solid being, leaving him free to join Voldemort and fight alongside him(self).

Another trip through time would then be necessary. Dumbledore would see the death of Wormtail, and or Sirius, and possibly Harry, which Dumbledore stopped by hiring Lupin. Then, having stopped that, you'd have to go back into the future, and find out what needed to be done again. However, you cannot be sure you're doing the right thing until you've done it, as any trips into the future you made until you had at least set the events in motion would show you only a future where they had not happened.

Conversely, once you had set events in motion, you would be unable to stop them, as that would be changing the past, which would create paradox, and would also be breaking wizarding law.

So, Dumbledore would have to allow Lily and James to die so that Voldemort would transfer his powers to Harry, enabling him to fulfill the prophecy and destroy Voldemort once and for all; something that, according to Trelawney's first prophecy, no one else can do.

So, why didn't Dumbledore just go and adopt wee baby Tom?

If he had, Voldemort would never have come to be. Dumbledore never would have had a reason to time-travel, which means he would not have adopted Tom Riddle in the first place, which means Tom Riddle would have become Voldemort, prompting Dumbledore to go back in the past and adopt him, which meant that Voldemort never came to be... It is a paradox. That is why changing the past is illegal -- it creates paradoxes that threaten the fabric of reality (not because a wizard might kill off himself, which would change little about the world as a whole... Unless said wizard kills his past self, which would mean that he never grew old enough to travel back in the past and kill himself. Another paradox, and the reason Hermione would not allow Harry to interact with himself -- Also the reason such interactions are illegal).

Time Travel is a tricky subject, full of loops, pits, and whirlpools that could tear the very fabric of time and space to shreds, creating more havoc than it would fix. We know that time travel is possible in the Potterverse because of events in PoA. We also know it is very strictly monitored by those in charge of setting and enforcing Wizarding Law, that Dumbledore knows a lot more than he lets on, and that even when he tells Harry, he does not tell him more than he needs to know at that time. We ALSO know that Harry is always saved exactly when his resources have run out. At the exact moment he has used every trick he knows, or is capable of inventing; at the exact moment he loses hope; at the exact moment he accepts his fate, and is prepared to die... Dumbledore saves him.

Is this Dumbledore's perfect sense of timing allowing Harry to gain the experience and confidence necessary to eventually defeat Voldemort, without making him dependant on others to rescue him? Or, is it Dumbledore's timing making perfect sense? If it's the latter, Dumbledore is bouncing from point to point, past to future, future to present, present to past, all kept track of by a watch with twelve hands.
personally i think it makes sense espectially the part about dumbledore being strong one time and weak the other. but how does his death factor into this we know jo says he is dead
let me hear about this please

Excellent theory! I must applaud the depth and breadth to which you have gone to explain and lay out your theory! And I think it has excellent possibilities!

I have oft wondered how DD seems to know so much and how he learned so much magic. I had postulated that one of his little gizmos he keeps in his office may be helping him see beyond space and time to help him be so keenly aware of what is happening and what is to come. His protection and training of Harry certainly seem to be well planned as if (like JKR with her 7 book series) DD knew what was coming all along. I especially like your idea that he goes forward to see what happens and then returns to see what he can do to prevent bad things from happening. I think DD would not change the past though. Like in PoA, DD proves that he knew that Harry and Hermione had come back to rescue Buckbeak and Sirius. He prevents McNair and Fudge from going out into the garden before H & H had rescued BB, and tells them to search the skies instead of the grounds as if he knew that they were just standing out of view in the forest. The truth is he DID know and I think this theory could explain how. Also, in OoTP, DD seems to know that LV was going to try to lure Harry into the department of mysteries before LV himself discovers that he and Harry are connected by the "Curse That Failed." How could he have known this? He always seems to be 2 steps ahead of everyone else and I don't think his magical abilites alone can explain how he can be so in tune with the near future.

With respect to his death, I believe that he knew that was coming and realized that he could not prevent it. I think that even if you are able to travel in time as DD may be able to do, your death day is set. I think that DD did set up the circumstances of his death though in order to make the best possible use for good that he could. His death at Snapes hand allowed Snape to "prove" his loyalty to LV once and for all (I am in the Snape is good camp) and prevented Malfoy from becoming a murderer. (I think DD's worst fear is that his students will be hurt or killed on his watch -- yes, even Malfoy whom I think will still have a part to play, and it will be for good - and DD knows it.) I want to give this more thought and will probably post more later on the death and why DD wanted it to happen this way (and his ability to time travel).

Excellent idea.

After more thought, I've added this to my post...
If DD does travel though time this way (as I'm hoping he does), I wonder if he'll show up after Harry defeats LV and then he'll explain everything. That would be awesome!

ya post is too long to reply to all of it so i'll just stick to few points that sprung up for me.

First, in the ministry when Dumbledore turns in a swish of his cloack, is this not what happens at the burrow in HBP? And when someone apperates don't they have to turn on the spot?

As for the appearing behind V a second later, this might just be a turn of phrase, as 'in the next instance', and not meaning it tokk a whole second.

And as for the difference in character and energy, is this not just a human trait, one day you can be all joyful and energetic (and a little childlike and mischievious) and another day things weigh heave on you and get you down.

Sorry, as good as your theory is i think you might just be reading into it a little too much, plus it takes a lot of credit away from DD when he has to keep time travelling in the middle of a fight with V so that he can have the upper hand. And as for how come DD is so knowledgable, is it not just because he is 150?

Wow! What a brilliant and in-depth theory! I'm intrigued! But where to begin?...I actually think that this very well could be true, though it does make DD's life quite complicated...just imagine having to try to keep track of all those future events.

I also agree with Fenixong's point on how DD suggested to Harry & Hermione to use the timeturner in PoA, and how he seemed to know what would happen--in fact, situations like this seem to be evident everywhere.

I don't know exactly whether or not he foresaw his death, or if rather he saw some certain future event and realized that sacrificing himself, or bringing about his death some way (through Snape--remember the heated argument that Hagrid overheard between DD & Snape? DD was telling Snape that since he had agreed to do something, he must follow through with it, but Snape didn't want to) was the only way to fix or save that future event to make it turn out right. Like Fenixong said, I really think that there is more to Snape and DD's death than we realize, and also agree that he was trying to prevent Draco from committing murder. (In fact, I think that Draco might end up turning to the light side some how, and also think Snape is still somehow good.)

But anyway, I'm getting a little off topic. Continuing, another reason this theory could be true, is because JKR rarely puts seemingly important things into her books, with out a reason. By this I mean the 12-handed watch, as you suggested, which I too have been curious about. Something like that would definitly have a purpose and meaning for JKR to put it in there. Additionally, I think that the "silver instruments" in DD's office, may play a similar role of some sort.

What do you think?

OK, those were like three of the longest posts I've ever read except for my own and a couple other people who are writting short novels of their own on these topics, but I feel like doing the same, so I will, and did you notice that I didn't begin with something random? It was all cause I was in shock that I'm not the only sane person who has issue with those really short posts the other people leave, so yeah, as I was saying... Dumbledore is/ was amazing, that is a fact that we cannot ignore, and he was also one of the most brillant wizzards ever, and like most people, his mind was more brillant, its just that some people never use all of their brains, acutally most of us do, so who knows how brillant his brain is/was. That thing about his forseeing his own death, that is more plausible than I could ever put into words, and I tried to post something on how much Dumbledore knew, and what his actions fortold of what he knew, and how he knew, but no one took me seriously which makes me very sad, but I can elaborate on that now, and I will. Dumbledore had/ has the ability to see things that the rest of us cannot see, as well as the ability to analyze them and see things through the eyes that many of us don't even know exist. This brings about the question if he knew he was going to die, or if he sacrificed himself, or if he planned his own death, or if he faked it or not. I really doubt the last one, cause it' s like almost impossible to not die from the Avada Kedavra, so I doubt that was what happened. He's had some great quotes about death, none of which I feel apt to discussing here, so I wont, but I doubt that it was faked, or that it was planned. Dumbledore like most humans never wanted to die, at least, I don't think he did/ does, but I think that he saw some of these events, or foretold them, or he knew something about what was going to happen, but I'm still not all that sure exactly what that was. And, just a question, when did we find out all this stuff about how old Dumbledore is, and when the book took place, cause that information like ruined the glory of it for me, and I'm gonna go make a post about that, cause it makes me unhappy. Dude, the use of the word Pustulated makes me happy, really happy, but not enough to stop me from complaining about the date thing, but I must say, you know your words. In the Dragonlance trilogy, there is this thing about time travel which I feel like explaining right now, so I will. Humans and elves were allowed to time travel, because they could not change the past, no matter what they did in the past (I'm not going to go into detail here, but it basically has to do with creation and the fact that they are of the earth, and their path is set in stone), where as other creatures could, but I wonder if J.K. Rowling has a similar take on the past, where we cannot change it, or can we? She's never been specific on that, but apparently we can't in her novels, but that's still a theory question thingy. Some of the instances mentioned in the origional post I disagree with, especially with the Fawkes comming to Dumbledore's aid, cause that bird is like a genius it'self, which is why I think that instance was of the birds own doing, and that post, dude, that is longer than I can do, though I've never been that engaged about something before, and I generally don't separate mine into paragraph forms with paragraph quotations, so I dunno. But, I just think that there's more to Dumbledore than meets the eye, as well as the fac that he is capable of knowing things that most of us could never figure out, though his sense of humor, just let me say this, it really kinda has changed as the world has gone darker, hasn't it? I might just be crazy, well, okay, I am crazy, but that has nothing to do with this except for everything. Yeah, that 12 handed watch, it reminds me of the one Molly has, though I believe that it serves a different purpose, or maybe even several purposes, and it would be so cool if that watch was left in Harry's posession, cause then he would have a connection to Dumbledore, and then we'd get to figure out what it is, which would make me happy. So, I think that Dumbledore respected what had happened, and did not try to change it, because he was 'afraid' of what might happen (notice the quotes around afraid), and he didn't want to change the good things that would also happen along with the bad. If he rescued Harry's parents before they were killed, who's to say they wouldn't be killed later? And with Tom, if he had taken him from the Orphanage, what kind of effect would that have on the Dark Lord? It's a tricky business, and I have a feeling that Dumbledore didn't want to mess up, and he, unlike many people, was not really content, but he was able to live with the knowlege that he couldn't change the past, but he could change the future. You know, this really goes into the movie/ novel the Butterfly Effect, which is a really good book and a good movie with Ashton Kutcher, but I think that this theory has a lot to do with that movie, so I'll let you all go and watch it so you better understand what I'm trying to say here. Dumbledore is/ was such a brillant man that what ever he did, he did for a reason, and I have a feeling that we may never fully understand his reasons.

~La MaitressedeMort

The detail alone makes your post worthy of comment. I think that time travel is definetly related to DD's watch with 12 hands (am I remembering correctly that it gets mentioned at the beginning of the Philosopher's Stone?) Anyway, it has been mentioned more than once in the series I am sure, and certainly enough to be of importance.

The introduction of time travel as a reality in POA is also noteworthy. This is the book where it receives the most focus, as the catalyst and solution to the problems presented in that book, but we must remeber that JKR sees the story as one big universe, not 7 sections that create issues and get resolved, independently. I think that she would have had time travel intrinsic in DD's character right from the beginning; she had already decided to herself that it was one of the things that he could do that not many others ca (at least, not without Time-Turners), and needed to bring it into the Potterverse as a reality at some stage; why not around the middle of the series, so that it is accepted as truth in the Potter world while not being recently focused on (ie towards the end of the series), given it's importance on a 'global' sense.

I don't know whether it is a totally unifying theory, or the answer to all questions, but DD's knowledge of "the big picture" certainly suggests that he has some precognition or eye to the future of some sort.

I've just thought: DD's mistakes (eg his apology to Harry for not giving him the full story sooner in OOTP, where he admits his mistake in 'forgetting how youth thinks')... maybe I have misinterpreted it but if he had such a keen eye on the future wouldn't he have known that it was a mistake to not tell Harry about the fact that Voldemeort might try to use the connection with Harry to lure him into a trap (as happened, and as resulted in Sirius's death?) Surely Sirius's death was not a necessary one, in Harry's coming of age and education.

This is the problem with these big theories.. when we think down deep enough there is always an occurance that seems to contradict it, or to contradict what we know about the characters...

Anyway, one of the great opportunites a character like Dumbledore gives to a writer is that almost anything is possible. Infact, giving him occassional falability (ie his admittting that he makes mistakes) is what allows us to identify with him still, but other than that I am sure if we found out the Dumbledore could metamorphosise (like Tonks), fly without a broomstick, time travel without a time turner and leap tall buildings in a single bound, we would believe it because of the character he has been set up to be - so powerful, so knowledgeable etc that we have no hope of truely understanding him. What a fantastic character to write about/for.
I have said before (I guess this is a comment to La MaitressedeMort - Dumbledore always said "death is but the next great adventure", and also always maintained that Harry was much more important than himself, so in terms of his death I do actually believe that he foresaw it and had planned to have Snape do it to avoid Draco having to cross the line and become a killer. (I also think there is a great possibility that Snape has already killed, as most of the DeathEaters seem to have done so at some time in the "employ" for Voldemort - so it would not have been as great a "loss" for Snape to perform the killing in DD's case)

BTW: The "swish of the cloak" business does actually occur when people apparate, as they need to spin on the spot to do so.

[quote] Yeah, that 12 handed watch, it reminds me of the one Molly has, though I believe that it serves a different purpose, or maybe even several purposes, and it would be so cool if that watch was left in Harry's posession, cause then he would have a connection to Dumbledore, and then we'd get to figure out what it is, which would make me happy.[quote]

That's an interesting thought; for some reason, I didn't make the connection between DD's multi-handed watch, and Molly's multi-handed clock. You might have something there.

This is slightly on to another topic, but what you said about the possibility of the watch being left to Harry got me thinking...Did Dumbledore leave a will? If so, what does it say and to whom are his things left to? I think that this is a likely chapter possibility for book 7.

I have more to say concerning the time traveling thing, and really want to do so know, but unfortunatly, I'm short on time (hehe) as I'm traveling out of town this week and must pack. But I'll be sure to say more when I get back.

But just one more thing that I find interesting: In HBP, Hermione I think it was, made the comment that they had smashed the entire supply of time-turners in the DoM during their excursion at the Ministry. Do you think that this is important in any way?

It is an interesting thought comparing DD's watch to Molly's clock.. what do we know about each:
DD Watch: nothing!! (except that he consults it occassionally when he is about to leave for somewhere.. I can't think of any other clues that we have been given about it

Molly's Clock: it doesn't actually tell the time, does it? It tells the "state" of each of the Weasly's - ie travelling, playing Quddich, mortal peril etc..

I think Molly's clock will continue to play a role, though I am not sure what.. after all, it spent all of HBP pointing to "mortal peril" for everyone didnt it?

I would also love it if Harry inherited DD's watch; for one, ew would finally find out its significance (which I think will be substantial as it has been referred to on more than one occassion with no explanation)...

To be honest i find it difficult to believe that Dumbledore is time travelling all over the place throughtout the books, buti have to admit it is a good theory and i always try to give good theories a chance even if my gut tells me otherwise.

Anyway, about the watch and the clock, i've just read something about another watch in HBP were for Ron's birthday he received 'a heavy gold watch with odd symbols around the edge and tiny movung stars instead of hands' (page 365 UK HB). And he got thins of his mam and dad, so maybe a link to mollys clock? So if DD watch and Molly's clock are important then maybe Ron's new watch will play a part to.

Interesting... especially about the "tiny moving stars instead of hands".. I know I remember the time being quoted on a few occassions "according to Ron's watch" (one I can think of in OOtP at the time Molly arrives back from St. Mungos).. Ron actually seems to be the only one of the three who has a watch.. I wonder why?

I've said before time has been used before and the "magic" of time travel was critical to book three, and used in the Ministry during the battle in OOtP.. it is a great topic to utilise in a magical story, and I wouldn't be surprised if it comes up again in Book 7

Wo! I totally forgot about Ron's gold b-day watch! There could be some connection there too! However if he got it for his b-day in HBP, then it couldn't be the same watch you were mentioning that they referred to "according to Ron's watch." That would have to have been a different one, a regular one, since the time was according to Ron's watch, but his new gold watch doesn't tell time since it has moving stars rather than hands.

Along with this, and back to Dumbledore's watch, it says that his 12-handed watch didn't have hands either and rather had planets moving around.
I think I'm seeing some sort of connection here...

Alas. A plausible theory that makes sense. I do believe this might be true. Their is just so much that you can learn in a certain amount of time. This would explain his pure knowledge of so many things. On how he was absolutely positive that by Harry's word that Voldemort was back.

M.A.

If all of this would have been true, nothing of this would have happen. Dumbledore could have symplyi go back in time and out where all the pices of Voldemorts soul are hidden, and distroy them before he got killed. He would have save Harry and his parents he would have killed Voldemort long time ago or even better he changed his mind about going to see him the first time. I dont think this is a right theory. It doesnt make any sense to me.

It makes lot of sence to me , and i think it's a great theory ! And it realy explains lots of things about DD (how he knew so much about LV and everything else). And that he will tell harry after the battle with LV. DD is dead there, but it is him before he dies. Perhaps he is even going to show up before, but not for so long. And he actually has nearly promised Harry to tell what happended to his hand. he kept telling him to with for the story, but harry never heard it. and THAT's the way every things solve them selves. And with the timetraveler it still fits that he is dead like JKR have said for sure he is, because it is a DD from the past, not present.

(- sorry if it does not make a lot of sence, but im not from an english-speaking contry)

I think you missed some of the details, Hisana... part of it is that DD never had the ability to defeat LV -- Harry is the only one that can and DD knew this. We know this from the prophesy. And just because he can travel around in time doesn't mean he can figure out where LV is and follow him around to find out where all his horcruxes were... odds on he'd be seen at some point and blow the whole operation. DD was too smart a wizard to change the past which is why he could not go back and save the Potters among other things... DD simply used his ability to travel through time and influence the present to give Harry the best chance he can. Obviously this is only a theory (albeit a very good one IMO), so it could all turn out false, however I think you missed some of the finer points that make it plausable. (No offense, I hope!)

wow, thats awesome, such depth!

i think that dumbledore's watch isn't a time travelling insrtument, instead, perhaps it is a watch that keeps track of where his 12 other 'selves' are, perhaps he has cast a spell splitting himself into 12 different bodies, and with the use of time travelling instruments they move in time. perhaps the watch is just to make sure he doesn't meet another of himself... hard to explain, i hope you understand lol.
but the reason he doesn't want to clash with himself is so that other people don't see, but maybe all 12 of them meet to discuss what has been happening, what they've witnessed. imagine the knowledge he could get by being effectively, everywhere at the same time



i can't wait 'till 07/07/07

OMG!! Your post is too long, but I think it was very interestin, though.

You have a point on the strong and weak appareance. DD is always cheerful at school, but when Harry sees him at his office, he usually is tired and Jo describes him as an "old man", but we know he has the enough energy to blow out a dozen of Death Eaters .

And I think it's weird the fact that he can appear and disappear without making any sound, if any other character makes the tiny Crack! or Pop!, like Fred and George in OotP.. Perhaps his cloak has some magical powers (don't doubt it!! ).. but really, everything here is a theory!!

Ok, that's all.. C U later

As has been noted before, the original post is far too long, and I don't have sufficient time to respond point by point. However, I will say that in general, the theory is well-thought out and has merrit.

As a writer, I understand that authors have a variety of means to relay information to the readers. They can use the omnicient observer, who is not a character, but knows everything. Jo doesn't use the omnicient observer, but instead chooses individual characters to relay necessary information at the proper time. Dumbledore is established from the very beginning as the wizard in chief, probably more respected by the magical community than most ministers of magic.

I love the idea of time travel - always have. It did get a tad bit tedious in the Prisoner of Azkaban having to see everything twice, though. I prefer time travel that involves seeing what other people are going to do, or have already done. Like it would be cool for Harry to go back in time and observe Voldemort creating his horcruxes, to give him clues for how to destroy them. My favorite idea involving time travel would be for Harry to go into the future so he could get a sneak peak at the final battle, and help him prepare for his fateful fight with Voldie.

Actually, Professor Twycross, the Ministry-approved Apparition teacher, also apparated soudlessly and with a twirl of his robes.

Maybe it's just the mark of the best Apparators, that they can do it soundlessly?

About the gap of a moment, that does seem to indicate he went elsewhere, made arrangements, used a time turner, then came back. Great theory.

That is a pretty awesome theory. Wow! It certainly left me thinking.
My only objection is this- if Dumbledore is such a capable wizard, as we know him to be, then why didn't he just go back and change certain things. For instance, I think we all know that he could kill Voldemort. I know that you said that he would have received this after Voldemort's rise to power, but he could still go back before the Potter incident and kill him.
That's about the only flaw I see. Other than that, this is awesome. Good job dude.

I, for one, think that theory makes perfect sense. You're right about him knowing things that he didn't witness and no one said anything about. I hadn't noticed this before but again it seems likely beyond likely to me.

I have no more to say

This is something else I have been wanting to comment on.

Dumbledore is time traveling.

It is by far the most easily explained and far fetched idea I have ever read. Though it does have its merits to be fair. I agree that dumbledore does appear to have had some foreknowledge of events before they happen, however I do not believe it is attributed to time travel, rather it has more to do with uncommon intelligence and wisdom (which is rare in the wizarding world) and an extreme amount of power. I am more curious about the role his brother may or may not play in the last book. I believe that dumbledore would not attempt to time travel like that, otherwise what happened when he died? Why couldnt he just go back and not accept tom to hogwarts..leave him be. Or otherwise destroy him early on? It just doesnt seem feasible though. I like the way people are thinking to come up with these theories even if I dont agree. I could be wrong though...

PhoenixCycle aka Drist Mason

yo man thts a really good observation. but then dumbledor would have known about the fak horcrux and everything tht would have happened at the school he wouldnt want t o endanger the students

I like this theory, I must admit. It does give Dumbledore almost God-like status which I like, seeing him as a God-figure in some ways. But I have to say, I don't really buy it. For one, it makes the series far too complicated to even be enjoyable, and for two, it makes DD to be a bit of a jerk. I don't like to think of him willingly sacrificing James and Lily so Harry could defeat Voldemort. He suggests that up to the end of Book 5, he "cared more for (Harry's) happiness than for my plan." The suffering caused Harry by the death of his parents does not fit with DD's commitment to Harry's happiness. Furthermore, DD himself has admitted he makes mistakes--but if he is constantly time-traveling to fix screwups, he couldn't actually make any mistake that stuck, could he? I think DD is powerful--more powerful even than we've seen--but probably not a constant Time Traveler.

well death2snapeandvoldy very good work and i commend you for taking the time you show us this!! your first post is a bit long but i think that it is neccesarry to explane your points GOOD WORK!!!

to star off with... i beleive!!!

next could it be possible that DDs watch (well one or two of the hands anyways) could slow time down??? when you show us how JKR describes DDs movements and actions in the ministry in book 5 it almost seems like maybe he is slowing time down rather that traveling back (but i do think you are right about the time travelling thing)

one more thing in GOF Dd is telling moody to keep an eye on harry but not to let him know saying "he must be anciuse(sp?) enough knowing what lies ahead, we all are" (maybe that was just the movie but i think he says it in the book too) so could that be a way of JKR forshadowing the fact that DD can either go into or see the future??????????