Albus Dumbledore

For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. He is the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation dedicated to fighting Lord Voldemort. Rowling stated she chose the name Dumbledore, which is an Early Modern English word for "bumblebee", because of Dumbledore's love of music: she imagined him walking around "humming to himself a lot". He speaks many of the famous, wise quotes remembered by the world. The old man was one of J.K Rowling’s favourite characters to write as he is ‘the epitome of goodness.’

 

Played by Richard Harris in the film adaptions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After Harris' death, Michael Gambon portrayed Dumbledore for all of the remaining films.