WHO said it is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities?

When Harry has finished recounting the story of his experience in the Chamber of Secrets, and Dumbledore has dismissed everyone else from his office, he asks Harry to have a seat.  He thanks Harry for the loyalty that called Fawkes to him in the Chamber, then opens the discussion up to Harry regarding his meeting with the teenage Tom Riddle–perhaps knowing or anticipating Harry’s anxieties about their similarities.  Addressing Harry’s concerns, Dumbledore says, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

The idea of choices determining one’s true nature, as opposed to abilities, is perhaps most easily considered through the lens of different creatures in the Wizarding World, as they have very different abilities and powers in accordance with their species.  Werewolves, for example, can choose to take Wolfsbane Potion or isolate themselves during the full moon, and these choices can prevent them from harming anyone.  Remus Lupin makes this choice, whereas Fenrir Greyback chooses to attack his victims even when the moon is not full, and he is in complete control.  Firenze comes to Harry’s aid in the Forbidden Forest in his first year and turns his back on his herd when he chooses to work for Dumbledore; Bane scorns these choices, believing that it is not the place of centaurs to interfere with fate.  The relationship between goblins and witches/wizards is historically fraught, particularly due to wizards’ refusal to share the privilege of wanded magic with them and the belief that many wizards are thieves of goblin-made items.  Both Griphook and Gnarlak strike bargains with wizards (Harry and Tina/Newt, respectively) and then betray their ends of the deal. Griphook actually correctly anticipates Harry’s half-truth about returning the Sword of Gryffindor, which at least partially justifies his behavior, whereas Gnarlak just calls in MACUSA in an effort to profit from both Newt and MACUSA.  Furthermore, while Dobby the house-elf longs for freedom and cherishes every day of it by lovingly caring for every sock and sweater he receives, Winky drowns her sorrows over being freed in butterbeer.  Kreacher, too, makes choices with gut-wrenching consequences before eventually using his powers to help Harry in his quest to find Slytherin’s locket.  Even Jacob Kowalski, a Muggle man who stumbles into a life-or-death situation, chooses to offer his assistance to his friends by punching Gnarlak and kicking down the door to Graves‘ office.  Despite his lack of magical abilities, he chooses to be a hero.

House allegiance also helps a great deal to illustrate the power of choices.  While Harry chooses to be a Gryffindor, setting him on a different path from young Tom Riddle, his son Albus–who fears being sorted into Slytherin but has just learned from his father that the Sorting Hat will allow him to choose Gryffindor–seems to choose to allow the Sorting Hat to place him in Slytherin with his new friend, if it feels that to be prudent.  While Sirius Black chooses to shun his Slytherin heritage, befriend James Potter, and be a loyal Gryffindor, his younger brother Regulus follows the Slytherin path.  Falling prey to Voldemort’s charisma, he becomes a Death Eater until his change of heart leads him to plant the fake locket Horcrux in the cave and die a hero’s death.  Similarly, Draco Malfoy followed in his parents’ footsteps by becoming a Death Eater, but his choice not to kill Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower leads Harry to an understanding of his fear and entrapment; when Harry chooses to save Draco’s life, he is able to tell Draco’s mother that her son is still alive, and she lies to Voldemort, saying that Harry is indeed dead from the Killing Curse.  In contrast, Peter Pettigrew grows up as a Gryffindor but is enticed by Voldemort’s charisma to become a Death Eater and betray his friends, eventually also aiding Voldemort in his return to his physical body.  When Peter betrays his friends in favor of seeking glory as Voldemort’s servant, Snape betrays Voldemort in an effort to mitigate his wrongdoings and serve a penance to Lily Potter nee Evans, whom he idolized more than he ever did Voldemort.

Albus Dumbledore, himself, makes pivotal decisions that may have inspired this quote–his choice not to pursue the Deathly Hallows with Grindelwald, his choice to defeat Grindelwald in battle, his choice not to become Minister for Magic, and his choices regarding when and how much information to disclose to Harry about his fated battle with Voldemort.  He gives Harry his father’s Invisibility Cloak, which he knows to be one of the Deathly Hallows, during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, but does not ever breathe a word to Harry about the existence of the three Deathly Hallows that could make one the Master of Death.  Instead, believing Harry to be sufficiently disinterested in wielding such absolute power, he trusts Harry to choose whether to pursue the Hallows or the Horcruxes.

In conclusion, the power of choice is particularly evident in two scenarios.  When those with different abilities or circumstances make an ethical or unethical choice, that choice shapes the arc of their lives and the judgment of their characters.  When those with the same abilities or circumstances choose opposing paths, the dichotomy that forms will create an apparent split between good and evil.  When Dumbledore speaks to Harry regarding his concerns about his similarities to Tom Riddle, he shows a fervent trust in Harry’s character and judgment, just as Harry has just shown him extreme loyalty and faith in the Chamber of Secrets.  While on this occasion Dumbledore is referring specifically to Harry’s choice to be a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin, which differentiates him from young Tom Riddle, he also understands from a long lifetime of experiences that people are full of surprises, both good and bad.  Because sentient beings have free will, the circumstances of one’s birth do not necessarily predetermine the course of one’s life.

Related Entries

Characters

Albus Dumbledore

Albus Potter

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Sorting Hat

Remus Lupin

Fenrir Greyback

Firenze

Bane

Dobby

Kreacher

Griphook

Gnarlak

Newt Scamander

Tina Goldstein

Winky

Cornelius Fudge

Draco Malfoy

Peter Pettigrew

Sirius Black

Scorpius Malfoy

Scabbers

Wormtail

Severus Snape

Narcissa Malfoy

Gellert Grindelwald

Lord Voldemort

Jacob Kowalski

Locations

Head’s office

Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Sea Cave

Astronomy Tower

The Blind Pig

Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Gringotts vaults

Forbidden Forest

Grimmauld Place

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place

Hogwarts Castle

Chamber of Secrets

Great Hall

Magic

Healing Magic

Wolfsbane Potion

Dark Magic spells to create a Horcrux

Fiendfyre

Killing Curse

Memory Modifying Charm

Canon

PS7: The Sorting Hat
PS15: The Forbidden Forest
CS12: The Polyjuice Potion
CS17: The Heir of Slytherin
PA18: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
OP5: The Order of the Phoenix
HBP16: A Very Frosty Christmas
HBP25: The Seer Overheard
DH10: Kreacher’s Tale
DH11: The Bribe
DH26: Gringotts
DH33: The Prince’s Tale
CC1: Cursed Child Act 1
FB/f: Fantastic Beasts (film series)
WFT: Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them (film)

Events

Albus Dumbledore defeats the dark wizard Grindelwald
Harry Potter is Sorted into Gryffindor
Harry sent to Dumbledore’s Office, Visits the Sorting Hat and Fawkes
The spirit-form of Voldemort is defeated by Harry Potter in the Chamber of Secrets
Story of the Locket Revealed
Goblin Rebellion of 1752
Goblin Rebellion of 1612
The Great Gringotts Robbery
Tina, Newt, Queenie, and Jacob meet Gnarlak at the Blind Pig
Kreacher returns to the sea cave with Regulus, who dies there
Kreacher returns with Mundungus
Kreacher visits the sea cave with Voldemort and escapes
Snape overhears part of the Prophecy and rushes to tell Voldemort
Peter Pettigrew starts passing information to Voldemort
Firenze rescues Harry
Remus Lupin, as a small boy, is bitten by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback

Things

Slytherin House

Gryffindor House

Sword of Gryffindor

Hats

The Sorting Ceremony

Deathly Hallows

Horcrux

Goblin Rebellions (eighteenth century)

Auntie Muriel’s tiara

Department of Magical Law Enforcement (MACUSA)

Slytherin’s Locket

R.A.B. decoy locket

Ilvermorny Houses

Master of Death

Diary of Tom Riddle

Prophecy

Butterbeer

Creatures

Basilisk

Phoenixes

House-elves

Werewolves

Centaurs

Goblins

Essays

How A Man Treats His Inferiors

Commentary

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Tags: choices dark ethics fate light loyal loyalty magical ability morality nature power powers strength trust truth

What is Harry Potter's famous line?

Explanation: Even though it's just one word, “always” is largely considered one of the most iconic lines from the Potter series.

What does it is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities mean?

When we make the choice to grow, try harder, be open to possibilities, we become more than the sum of our past abilities. We move closer to the person we wish to be.

In what book does Albus Dumbledore say it is our choices Harry that show what we truly are far more than our abilities?

'It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities' – Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

What does Luna Lovegood say?

All my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect the Nargles are behind it.” Most people in the Wizarding World don't believe that Nargles really exist.