Most Memorable Dumbledore Quotes In The Harry Potter Movies

As Dumbledore imparts his final words of wisdom to Harry before he returns to face Voldemort, he somberly tells the young wizard, "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living and above all, those who live without love." Echoing his earlier sentiments about not dwelling in the past, Dumbledore reminds Harry not to pity those who have already died. He could perhaps be talking about himself, those close to Harry who passed away, or the many that have been killed fighting Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts — either way, it's a prompt for Harry to focus on those who are still alive.

The idea of having "pity" for the living is also tinged with some sadness, as it implies that the dead may no longer be suffering, but the living are — and because of this, they are deserving of compassion. It is a hard lesson for Harry to learn as he has experienced so much death from a very young age, and it marks a significant development from being told not to "dwell" on death to being instructed not to "pity" those who have died.

At this point, Harry still has the choice to live or die, and this quote from Dumbledore also suggests that Harry's mission is not complete yet, subtly encouraging him that he needs to return. Showing compassion and proving that goodness and love can triumph over evil is the core message of the "Harry Potter" series, perfectly encapsulated in these words from Dumbledore.