When the author of the Harry Potter series revealed that Dumbledore was gay in 2007, she didn’t write it into the books. And she didn’t put it into the movies. But she did act astonished at the idea that everybody hadn’t already realised that Dumbledore was gay.

I didn’t know, to be honest. I always thought he and Minerva McGonigal snuggled under her plaid blankets together whenever the mood arose.  Yet, J.K. Rowling shook the wizarding world with her announcement a decade past and the reaction from most every Potter fan was, cool!

We thought back on that great character and considered everything he did, everything in his life, and it brought an extra smile to our faces as we nodded, “ya, that whole Grindelwald thing makes a whole bunch of extra sense now!” 

And over time, it’s become baked in. First-time readers probably have heard going in, and appreciate the man for who he is. Re-readers, and that’s most Potter fans over a ten-year period loved him all the more, and felt even more broken up when you know what happened on top of the Astronomy tower.

So, why, after all that time and all that adjustment is it time to erase Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin (first class), Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot’s sexuality? 

The new Fantastic Beasts movie, The Crimes of Grindelwald, is in production and this week it was revealed that JK Rowling and director David Yates (who I for one have never been a fan) decided to ignore that part of Dumbledore and not be explicit.

According to Yates, the Fantastic Beast’s sequel will not directly reference the full extent of Dumbledore and Grindewald’s relationship.

“Not explicitly,” Yates replied when asked if the film makes it clear that Dumbledore is gay. “But I think all the fans are aware of that. He had a very intense relationship with Grindelwald when they were young men. They fell in love with each other’s ideas, and ideology and each other.”

But they’re keeping that last bit there, the love bit, a secret because… I dunno why. But I have a good idea.

There are a lot of homophobic bigots in the world. A lot. And a lot of them go to the movies and have kids who go to the movies. And homophobic bigots wouldn’t let their kids go to a movie where the lead character was a “little light in the loafers” as they would say.

It has got to be about the money right? Because the entire Harry Potter series is based on the idea that loved has an incredible power that can defeat all. Harry Potter saved the entire freakin’ planet because of it. But that’s the world of magic. Not real life where the power of the almighty dollar does conquer all. 

JK Rowling does hint that, “As far as [Dumbledore’s] sexuality is concerned … watch this space.”

Meaning, eventually they will let it out that the guy played by that hottie Jude Law, is actually warm for another man’s form, but not just yet because that would ruin the secret that everyone already knows. 

It’s dumb. It’s a bad decision, and one unworthy of J.K. Rowling. 

David Yates, who so poorly translated so many of the books on screen? I would have expected nothing else.