JKR quote- What does this mean???

[nemi]

JKR: In fact, I would tend to think that being very, very intelligent might create some problems and it has done for Dumbledore, because his wisdom has isolated him, and I think you can see that in the books, because where is his equal, where is his confidante, where is his partner? He has none of those things. He’s always the one who gives, he’s always the one who has the insight and has the knowledge. So I think that, while I ask the reader to accept that McGonagall is a very worthy second in command, she is not an equal.

This could be interpreted many ways, I'll give two:

1) JKR said that McGonagall is not an equal, and therefore the ship is doomed.

Personally I think that's balderdash. I think:

2) JKR says, "Where is his equal, where is his confidante, where is his partner?" and then goes on to say, "[McGonagall] is not an equal." She gave three nouns and only used one- she said McGonagall is not an EQUAL. Where does she say that McG is not D's partner or confidante? Yes, she is not Dumbledore's equal. But I think this could very well be a hint that there is something going on between the two of them. She said he doesn't have any of those, but then why ask who is equal, confidante and partner are, and then only state that McGonagall is not his *equal*?

Teehee. What do you think?

[EloquentPhoenix]

I hate reading that. Because although I am hopeful for your second interpretation I am more inclined to think along the lines of the first on. Because he hasn't told her about the horcruxes. And yet I think she is obviously his confidante, they share a lot etc. As for partener. Quite honestly to myself only I accepted that this ship is doomed, because for all the moments there are counter non-moments. And also she does say Minerva isn't his partener or confidante because she says "He has none of those things." I'm unsure, my common sense tells me unspoken love at the most. But I will say this. I will go down with this ship, should it be necessary.

[Lady Lavendar]

I would have to say after reading this quote, the ship may be doomed. But this news won't bring us down because we can still keep going like have since the majority of us read the 6th book. I feel that after the 6th book our ship started to sink, but you never know there is still one book left, and that means one more book for JKR to pull something out of the hat. Well that was my two cents.

[LadyJolly]

I must say...I'll just have to ignore this quote heheh and make myself ignorant to this!! ADMM SHIP ALL THE WAY!!!

But IF he has no equal no confidante or partner. then who does he have? Is there really a man that alone that isolated that is with an area of hundreds of occupants? Could he really be living sanely? I mean if one doesn't have someone to share things with (i know he has friends but I mean maybe someone to tell his secrets and that stuff) how can he with for a hundred+ years.

Then it just brings questions about his past...but still this is a fictional story so I guess there could be a man like Albus. but just wondering is there really a person that is really similar to JKR's Albus? For me, I can't really see a person living like that in a place where there is many or has lived like that for so many years.

Lady Jolly

[Alesia]

Ihate this quote too but I hold out hope for our ship.

Here is why:

If JKR follows the fantasy genre then Dumbledore is a life long bachelor and had no one. (In fantasy, the mentor character always dies too soon and is always alone.) However, one of the things she likes to do (or says she is doing it trying to do) is to turn the fantasy genre on its head; why not start with the basic assumptions about the mentor? [No, I am not saying Dumbledore is alive BTW]

Also I keep going back to the quote about married professors. If who is married can't be told to us then it is relevant to the plot, if it is relevant to the plot then it has to either be Snape or Dumbledore. JKR has already said "who would love Snape?" so I don't think it is him.

It has to be Dumbledore. period. And why would JKR introduce a new character as Albus' wife in book 7? She wouldn’t. JKR has already said no new characters in book 7 (basically, not exactly but basically)

The other thing that keeps driving me back to our ship is because of the major power in the books - LOVE. One of (if not the most) power forms of love is romantic. Does it really make sense to have the main person explaining the power of love to not have ever experienced one of its main and most powerful forms.

HBP started to parallel Dumbledore and Harry, has anyone noticed parallels between Minerva and Ginny? Or just Ginny and Lily?

I think one of things we are discounting is the assumption that Minerva can't be his wife and still not be his confidante. Many, many, many of the world’s leaders have had wives they loved and respected but they had to keep stuff from them because of security. Churchill and Roosevelt are two that come to mind quickly.

She said we would have lots of backstory on Dumbledore in book 7, I am still holding out hope for our ship.

[TartanLioness]

Alesia, you just saved my day. I was getting rather depressed after reading that qoute but you saved me! yay for you!

I agree with EloquentPhoenix on one thing though (well, one MAJOR thing) I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP! And if JKR decides not to tell us if Albus is married to Min, she's most likely just in denial.

Cammie

[foci]

First of all, I totally agree with Alesia, and I for one did notice the Ginny-Lily-Minerva paralell, mainly because it coincided with Snape's behaviour in my fic, Foretold Love.

I recall vaguely that this has already been discussed in another thread, but the main point is: does a wife/husband has to be an equal?
Most of us think so, generally, because it's the 21st century and all. But we are talking about Albus here and I think JKR did a very good job characterizing him, as much as I love fluffy gics and Albus with lots of friends, or even some equal friends, if he is like 50 times smarter than everyone else, how could he keep a conversation going that interests him? (I think his best friend must have been Flamel. You need to be smart to create that stone, don't you?) Anyhow, there were/are some genii in history who lead a happy marriage despite not marrying an equal.
Remember, when Albus was a young man, women didn't have the right to vote etc...
So, basically, my firts point is that there are many happy marriages out there with the partners keeping things from each other.

Second - has it occurred to anyone that Hagrid is like 60 in HBP and madly in love? And supposedly, it is his first love. Is JKR trying to prepare us for something bigger...like ADMM?

[EloquentPhoenix]

alesia said:

Ihate this quote too but I hold out hope for our ship.

Here is why:

If JKR follows the fantasy genre then Dumbledore is a life long bachelor and had no one. (In fantasy, the mentor character always dies too soon and is always alone.) However, one of the things she likes to do (or says she is doing it trying to do) is to turn the fantasy genre on its head; why not start with the basic assumptions about the mentor? [No, I am not saying Dumbledore is alive BTW]

Also I keep going back to the quote about married professors. If who is married can't be told to us then it is relevant to the plot, if it is relevant to the plot then it has to either be Snape or Dumbledore. JKR has already said "who would love Snape?" so I don't think it is him.

It has to be Dumbledore. period. And why would JKR introduce a new character as Albus' wife in book 7? She wouldn’t. JKR has already said no new characters in book 7 (basically, not exactly but basically)

The other thing that keeps driving me back to our ship is because of the major power in the books - LOVE. One of (if not the most) power forms of love is romantic. Does it really make sense to have the main person explaining the power of love to not have ever experienced one of its main and most powerful forms.

HBP started to parallel Dumbledore and Harry, has anyone noticed parallels between Minerva and Ginny? Or just Ginny and Lily?

I think one of things we are discounting is the assumption that Minerva can't be his wife and still not be his confidante. Many, many, many of the world’s leaders have had wives they loved and respected but they had to keep stuff from them because of security. Churchill and Roosevelt are two that come to mind quickly.

She said we would have lots of backstory on Dumbledore in book 7, I am still holding out hope for our ship.

I think you just saved me from depression and despair. I will always hold hope that they are together. Even if some things point firmly against it, he could have had to keep her in the dark about Voldemoprt things like that. They don't have to share everything. And one little line. "Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world." And she would know... right?

[ismaco]

This is my opinion:

I do actually believe that when JKR refers to Albus as the “Most powerful wizard of our times” she isn’t making any differences between genres… I mean, Albus is not the most powerful wizard and… there is a most powerful witch less powerful than Albus. Let’s define it as: Dumbledore is the most powerful person-that-can-do-magic.
Then, it’s pretty obvious to me, that he cannot have an equal because he is the "MOST, bla bla bla." (maybe Voldemort would be the nearest thing to an equal that he can have). As JKR says, his extreme intelligence and wisdom (which makes him the most powerful wizard in the world) has isolated him… in his professional sphere, where there’s neither a confident nor a partner… just because there’s not an equal. (It’s important to say that with professional I don’t mean to run a school… I mean to save the world)

On the other hand… everybody has a private life. For example, I don’t think the President or a CIA agent can discuss the "things" of their professional world with their wives. Even so, they can have a wife… I mean, an equal, a partner and a confident… in their private lives. Dumbledore’s life can be that way.

I also agree with Alesia… there are several quotes on the book, where Dumbledore talks about love and refers to it as the major power. We know that Dumbledore loves Harry (parental love) and as Min says… we know Albus would have been really happy to think there’s a little more love… then I would believe that, thinking logically, he must have fulfilled all the possibilities of love in his life.

Well… I’m sorry if I’m rambling a lot, and *sigh* I’m REALLY sorry because I know my English grammar is terrible. I hope you have understood some or all of what I have said.
Thanks, Isabel

[snowcat]

ismaco, alesia, Cammie, you just saved me.
Now,

"We walked around as a pair in Harry Potter. I always think Prof McGonagall was madly in love with him anyway"- Maggie Smith.


"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world."- Min

"this is all my fault" -Minerva after Albus died.

and WHY should JKR let all the AD/MM moments in the movies happen if there was Not something between them?

"There you are" Minerva in GoF to Albus in stairs.

"It is as we feared, Minerva the Chamber of Seacrets has indeed been opened agin."

And Albus must know love well, he explains it so, and he is, self-tought as JKR says.
and there is only one person who is possable.
She might not be his equal but she is, of all the clues close to his heart.

Dumbledore said to Harry : You don´t belive that our loved ones truly leave us,do you?
Don´t you think that it is realiabler, that they are there on hard moments?


Love,
Elísabet xx

[Rikki]

Well, I'd read that quote before, but I think Min doesn't have to be Albus' equal to be his lover/wife/partner. I mean... we all agree that Albus is an extraordinary wizard, and I guess that his talent/wisdom is generally quite unmatched in the wizarding world. So I don't think there are many wizards/witches out there who actually could be his equal.

But you're right, JKR never said anything that Min wasn't his partner or lover, so... ;D

[EloquentPhoenix]

i just worry that he doesn't tell her things that I think he would do. But I suppose he mightn't have told her where they were going so she couldn't be tortured or something, she would know everything that the order know. I don't know. I'm going to go with the they are not equals in magic but are life partners. I suspect we will find out in book 7, because there's going to be lots of Dumbledore because aren't we going to find out about grindlewald?

[Rikki]

Are we? Hm, no idea actually but would be nice. And yeah, I guess he didn't tell her everything to protect her in case she gets caught by Voldie.

[EloquentPhoenix]

Yes, we are.

ES: Our other “Ask Jo” question (the one about James and Lily’s sacrifices), was from Maria Vlasiou, who is 25, of the Netherlands. And then the third is from Helen Poole, 18, from Thirsk, Yorkshire – also one of the “Plot Thickens” fan book authors. It’s the one about Grindelwald, which I’m sure you’ve been gearing up for us to ask.

JKR: Uh huh.

ES: Clearly -

JKR: Come on then, remind me. Is he dead?

ES: Yeah, is he dead?

JKR: Yeah, he is.

ES: Is he important?

JKR: [regretful] Ohhh...

ES: You don’t have to answer but can you give us some backstory on him?

JKR: I'm going to tell you as much as I told someone earlier who asked me. You know Owen who won the [UK television] competition to interview me? He asked about Grindelwald [pronounced "Grindelvald" HMM…]. He said, “Is it coincidence that he died in 1945,” and I said no. It amuses me to make allusions to things that were happening in the Muggle world, so my feeling would be that while there's a global Muggle war going on, there's also a global wizarding war going on.

ES: Does he have any connection to --

JKR: I have no comment to make on that subject.

[Laughter.]

MA: Do they feed each other, the Muggle and wizarding wars?

JKR: Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Mm.

And we know Dumbledore killed him. So it ties together.

[Amandah Leigh]

Maybe Albus and Minerva are SO good at keeping their relashionship a secret than not even JKR knows about it
;D

[EloquentPhoenix]

I was watching Philosophers Stone today, and when Minerva tapped her glass with her spoon it reminded me of the start of term feast in book 4. Page 165 in the British version in the chapter "The Triwiazard Tournament" when Minerva stops him telling a joke, thats not something one would od for a friend, it strikes me as an old married couple act. Perhaps Jo is trying to tell us that although they don't share everything he does, they share a lot and although they aren't equal she's enough of a match for him.

[childminerva]

My view on this quote is this: maybe they're not together (still in love though!) because the life he leads is a solitary life. When she says McGonagall is not his equal, I'm hoping she means that magically she can't compete.
Or, more likely, they just haven't told each other how they fee because they think it would never work out.

It doesn't matter, I'll go down with this ship too!

[doctormadwoman]

Minerva and Albus are not equal magically, yes, that much I shall admit. But Minerva would most likely be very close to Albus' heart, if not as a lover, then a friend. As Albus keeps saying, love is the most powerful force there is. I do not think a man like Albus could do without love in his life, be it spoken or unspoken, requitted or unrequitted, true or untrue, Albus would love someone. Minerva , although not Albus' equal magically or (horror) intellectually, would be his confident/partner. Yes, Albus may have not said anything about the Horcruxes to her, and yes, he probably didn't say a word about his travels, but all of the secrecy probably would have been done out of LOVE. Love fueled Albus' very being. He worked tirelessly in the name of good out of Love. He believed in Love, he knew of its strength and believed that it had unlimeted, yet subtle, power. Albus believed Love could not be shattered by greed, or hatred or even Death. No, I really don't think Albus Dumbledore could have gone so long without having someone to confide in, and who better to talk to than the person who came closest (aside from Voldemort) to an equal; Minerva McGonagall. If this ship is allowed to sink, thne I shall go down with it until it hits the bottom. I thank you for your time.

[hpimperfections]

Before I state my view, I warn everyone to be open-minded and know that I remain a loyal ADMM shipper...I think that when JKR says this, she means that there is no ADMM and never will be. Hate to break it to everyone, but the fact is that a wizard of Dumbledore's age and power is so unlikely to have a match. Some people are just like that. McGonagall, as we see her in the books, is really a follower of Dumbledore--she looks up to him, like everyone else, and doesn't see the fact that he is only human and makes mistakes. There is the possibility that they are friends, but if Dumbledore were to get involved with someone, it would have to be someone of either the same age, power level, and/or intellect. I fully support the ADMM ship in the context of fanfiction and other such things, but if it were brought into canon, I believe it would detract from the message JKR tries to convey through Dumbledore's character. Dumbledore is supposed to be the one with all or most of the answers and the insight, and if he got involved with someone, that wouldn't really work. Sorry!

[princessmai101]

I don't think Dumbledore's wisdom has isolated him as much as JKR would like us to believe. In all the books Minerva is always there when he is making a tough decision. I think he needs her there and that he considered her his equal. Whether or not JKR wrote him to portray this particular aspect, he does.

[ismaco]

Amandah said:

Maybe Albus and Minerva are SO good at keeping their relashionship a secret than not even JKR knows about it
;D

I LOOOOOOVED YOUR ANSWER AMANDAH!
Please, tell me if it is your idea so I can quote you.
LOL!
You made my day!
Isabel

[beMMADfabulous]

Amandah said:

Maybe Albus and Minerva are SO good at keeping their relashionship a secret than not even JKR knows about it
;D

haha, Good answer! ;D

What exactly does it really mean in this world to be an equal, anyways? Not everyone can be an equal on all levels. Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards (and probably minds) of all the wizarding world. Of course McGonagall is not going to be portrayed in that way. It would be very difficult to get a female equal to Dumbledore.

That probably makes no sense, but oh well! lol

[ravenhaired]

Well, you don't have to be an equal to be in love with someone, do you?

But this ship is certainly one of the more likely ones in the Harry Potter canon. (Betcha all those Ron/Hermione or Harry/Ginny shippers were overjoyed!)

[idealrain]

Also we think of things that are equal being the same. But how often do we go to different people for different things? For example, you might go to cousin for relationship advice but another one for advice dealing with a problem at school or work. Doesn't means one relationship is stronger or the relationships aren't equal just different. One could argue the closest thing to an equal for Minerva would be Snape (as a fellow househead),Poppy/Pomona/Xiomara (for being in the same generation),Alastor Moody (as a fellow Order member) or yes, Albus (for both being in positions of power in school matters ).

[nicolerose]

I love your answers! I cant think of a better way to say that they are still a couple. But that quote got me down at 1st too... then I looked at the other replys and that gave me more hope.

[gahhMinerva]

Amandah said:

Maybe Albus and Minerva are SO good at keeping their relashionship a secret than not even JKR knows about it
;D

I was just thinking that!

JKR has brought these characters to life. They are now so complex that even she cannot see every aspect of their lives.

Yes, that quote does get me down, but after reading everyone's thoughts, I have more hope. But if ADMM is absolutely denied, I will continue to sail the ship after it's sunk. ADMM forever!

[beMMADfabulous]

I still think that it's rubbish to think that you have to be "equals" to be in love. *waves MMAD flag*

[nicolerose]

i agree. who says they ahve to be equals. their love concorse all. its like the perfect love. and even if JK says that there isnt anything going on, im not going to believe her, even though she would be the one who would know. lol

[beMMADfabulous]

Lol, yep, she would considering it's her characters and her book, but ah, I don't care. haha

[tabbycat]

I just found this thread a few minutes ago, and I have to say that it is brilliant. Just brilliant. At first, I was starting to get a little downtrodden like "well.. if she said THAT, then maybe she really isn't planning on having them together." but as I kept reading, I think that my MMAD flag went higher and higher up. JK loves to throw us off and keep us guessing. Maybe she just said that out of desperation NOT to give away any of the plot. She's said so many contradictory things that it's a bit confusing. She claims that nobody would love snape, and that dumbledore is a loner, but then tells us that she can't tell us who is married. She also claims she won't bring any new characters into the books. Meaning: two of the professors are, in all probability, married. And who else? Gee let me think.. which two professors are quite powerful, mysterious, friendly with one another and have endeared themselves enough with their audience to cause a reaction from the audience?

What triggers my optimism is when Minerva says "It's all my fault.", when Maggie Smith claims that she always thought that mcgonagall was in love with dumbledore, and just their interactions in general.

I want to do some research on victorian symbolism (gosh I'm a dork) and see if that chair in book six meant anything. The one that Minerva sat in when she got the news: how everyone pulled it around for her. I know it's a natural reaction and everything but I'm wondering if the victorians (even though she isnt one) had mourning customs? I know widows behaved a certain way... I'm just wondering if chairs come into play at all. JKR loves symbolism as we know, but maybe something as simple as a mourning custom might give away Minerva's status?

or maybe it's just a huge coincidence.

All I know is that if Hagrid ends up being married to the giant squid and that is the big secret I might just cry a little inside xD<3

I think we're totally spot on, guys! Keep on hoping!