Albus Dumbledore Quotes

"Can you forgive me?" he said. "Can you forgive me for not trusting you? For not telling you? Harry, I only feared that you would fail as I had failed. I only dreaded that you would make my mistakes. I crave your pardon, Harry. I have known, for some time now, that you are the better man." (35.45)

Dumbledore feels terrible for not telling Harry about the Hallows and for not being honest with him – and perhaps it was egotistical of him to assume that Harry would make all the same mistakes he did. However, now that Dumbledore has realized that he was wrong, he's learned from his mistake.

"And his knowledge remained woefully incomplete, Harry! That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to comprehend. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing." (35.26)

Again, the difference between Harry's understanding of the world and Voldemort's is made clear – Voldemort is completely consumed by his lust for power, and his ignorance of the things that actually make life good and worthwhile are what really demonstrate his true evil.

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present."

Harry nodded and sighed. Leaving this place would not be nearly as hard as walking into the forest had been, but it was warm and light and peaceful here, and he knew that he was heading back to pain and fear of more loss. (35.94-95)

Yet again, Harry chooses to plow ahead and do the right thing – but it's hard. He's been walking down a long, dark road in this novel, and when he thought he got to the end of it, it still wasn't actually the end… but he'll keep walking, anyway.