Dumbledore's Nose

[Weasleyfanforever]

We are told that if there is something in the Harry Potter Septology that is mentioned often, we should pay attention to it. The fact that Albus Dumbledore's nose is crooked, and has been broken at least twice is mentioned often. The first time that it's mentioned is in PS/SS, Chapter 1. Why is it so important that Dumbledore's nose has been broken before? It has been mentioned as being broken, or crooked, in PS/SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, and OotP as well.

Voldemort even mentions Dumbledore's nose:

And then, the boy would return to Hogwarts, where he is under the crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night.

Could the number of times that Dumbledore has broken his nose, or how, be important? Could it be a battlescar from his battle with Grindewald? If it's not important, then why is it mentioned so many times throughout the septology?

[Alz]

Perhaps the crooked is the clue there ;)
As in the nose reflects the person :p

Umm - yah you are right - if it is kept being mentioned then there is a reason we should remember it ...

OK my thoughts - well first off the Battle with Grindelwald ...
Would seem that these guys were above slugging it out with fists ... so would assume that something was aimed at him and broke his nose ... it can be pretty effective way of putting someone off guard!

I also wonder if perhaps Riddle did it?
I wonder if there was an occasion just before Riddle dissapeared that he and Dumbledore were meeting and Riddle finally exploded and set about Dumbledore - Dumbledore not reacting but instead taking the fustration ...
Mind wafts to the meeting of Dumbledore and the angry Harry in OoTP ...
I wonder if he took a shot at Dumbledore and this was the point Dumbledore knew that Riddle was walking his own path?
Well - highly speculative I know :)

[Tinkerbell]

Just a thought.... perhaps Dumbledore has used a time turner and went back in time and his past self broke his own nose? Perhaps this is why he is so grave when he speaks to Hermione about the dangers of using a time turner!

[Alz]

LOL - that sounds wild - but think about that for a sec ...
If he broke his nose in an event - then later in time decided to go back to the same event - distract his past self then take a hit again ... would his nose actually be broken?
He cant break his nose twice in the same event ... because would mean that the first time around he couldnt be there twice ...
Sorry was a major digression ...

I wonder if his nose is broke in 2 places or the same place?

[Tonks]

LOL, if his nose was broken in 2 different places, he'd have to have a pretty damn crooked nose! Staircases come to mind on that one! :p

Anyway, I think it is a possibility that he may have broke his nose playing Quidditch. We know he likes the game in the least, as he attended at least a few of them, but maybe he used to play as well. You never know with those Bludgers!

... I suppose it could have been a spell gone wrong as a kid as well...
Or maybe he just has a nice and naturally crooked nose, some do.

[Alz]

I still like the idea of him being a backstreet brawler ...
I have this vision of him in the three broomstick and then in comes Grindelwald ...
They stare at each other and then Dumbledore offers him outside ... then the mother of all bear fisted fights takes places as Dumbledore 'vanquishes' Grindelwald in a ten round massacre :D
OK, that was just me then:o

Umm - I never really had Dumbledore down as a Quidditch player ...
Perhaps it happened after he agreed to look after Hagrids pets for the weekend?:D

Ok, that will be me being stupid again ...
Ummm - all the same you usually associate a broken nose with a fight or an accident ... I just dont see Dumbledore as a clumsy guy ...

[Weasleyfanforever]

I don't know, I am just not sure that I could see Dumbledore brawling with anyone. He seems to put together, too calm to just throw down, but maybe that's just me.

I am liking the idea that maybe he was a Quidditch player. Isn't it said that Ludo Bagmans nose was broken too? Or maybe I am just pulling things from thin air here...

I think it could be from a battle with someone, perhaps he was duelling someone and someone else hit him in the face with something? The again, it could also be from when he was child. Perhaps he was a rough and tumble youth, and it has nothing to do with fighting.....

[Alz]

See, I have this side of me that says Dumbledore wasnt always the clean cut and serious guy he is now ...
I have this vision of a man that was a rebel - rough and tumble kind of guy .... I think the seriousness came later on ...
Perhaps that is why he tried to help out Riddle and then Harry - he was an angry youth because of his past - but he channelled it later in life and made good - but not without plenty of fights and stuff under his belt :D

[Nagini]

I am not sure his crooked nose will every be significant in later books but it is mentioned a lot and if its crooked then its likely it was broken. Maybe once Grindlewald was turned into a muggle he punched Dumbledore on the nose Blaise. ;)

JKR has said he has a crooked nose and at least one scar - that is unusually shaped. So its safe to say that Dumbledore has been in the wars and although he went to magic school where you expect a few accidents, they can usually fix them - so perhaps this happened when Dumbledore lived in the muggle world?

[Alz]

Hey you know if Harry breaks his nose this would get really exciting! :D

I think JKR is eluding to a Dumbledore that wasnt quite the respectable man we see him as now - I like the thought of this almost Sirius type Dumbledore when young that would fight people bear fisted rather than wizard duelling!
They talk of old magic with Lily - perhaps hand to hand combat is something the Wizarding world thought they were beyond - yet Dumbledore fancied himself with his fists :D
LOL - you know you can lead yourself into some really stupid places in posts sometimes :o

[Tinkerbell]

Hem.... I think this thread is going dangerously close to Dumbledore is evil!!! All this talk about his possible dubious past leading to someone giving him a good smack and resulting in a broken nose!

I do wonder whether the London Underground scar and his broken nose is related - in that they were sustained in the same incident - and still think that this was when he defeated Grindelwald - it is the only incident we are aware of prior to Dumbledore being at Hogwarts, although as has been mentioned I am sure he has been involved in other battles, however, I don't think he has done bad things per se, but is basically a good guy and in pursuit of peace and goodwill amongst wizards and of course, muggles!!

[Alz]

LOL - yah it seems to be a good DiE point ;)

If anyone has seen a map of the London Underground - that is a pretty obscure reference ...
But see - there is another interesting point about scars and the shape - but this would be off-topic and I am sure we covered this elsewhere ...

I still think JKR used the broken nose to show us that Dumbledore was a bit of a lad ;)

[yarvelling]

Of course, his scars and broken nose could just be results of his time around with the Order...Harry was told that the Order of the Pheonix was being ressurected, so I would guess that old battles and duels with DE's could account for the damage; although I wounder what kind of spell could result in a London Underground map shaped scar??!! Something that I'm sure Fred and George would appreciate no end!! ;)

[Alz]

Yah I suppose you could be right - I just never seen him as a backstreet brawler really ..
JKR says the shape of Harry's scar isnt the most important thing - I suppose we could say the same about Dumbledore ...
I know Dumbledore is older now - and as such it is a leap of the mind to see him spoiling for a rumble - but go back - what 100 years and he was a sprightly 50 - you never know :D