ColourPop recently released its Harry Potter-themed makeup collection at the beginning of September, and fans of both the franchise and makeup can't seem to get enough of the pieces named after familiar items and characters. Regarding characters, Albus Dumbledore is likely one of the most morally gray in Harry Potter.

What complicates his character infinitely more is his relationship with Harry. Although Harry looked up to Dumbledore as his mentor and confidante, Dumbledore was unfair to Harry on many occasions, intentionally keeping him in the dark under the pretense of protecting him. Their relationship may have been both a toxic yet important one, but above all, it paved the path for some great memes to sum up the duo.

The First Lie

Although Harry found in Hogwarts (and Dumbledore himself) a safe space to be loved and accepted, he had to go through terrible perils each year, barely making it through, as shown by Redditor trailer8k.

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This is largely attributed to Dumbledore's inability to ever fully acknowledge and understand the dangers Harry especially faced in the school, along with his own absenteeism when it came to protecting Harry against the evils he knew were working against the Boy Who Lived.

For The Slaughter

From the many memes that prove Dumbledore was a villain, this one shared by Redditor attila1375 also perfectly encapsulates Dumbledore's relationship with Harry throughout the years.

Although he may have genuinely cared for the young Gryffindor, Dumbledore still intentionally kept Harry in the dark about what would need to occur and - as stated by Severus in canon - did indeed raise him like a pig for slaughter. This meme offers a hilariously accurate yet unfortunate portrayal of the mentor's unfairness to Harry.

(Not) Reassuring Harry

Apart from Dumbledore being the best wizard in the Harry Potter movies, he was also, at times, Harry's pillar of support and strength, grounding him and reminding him of all that defined and distinguished Harry.

However, he also was not the best when it came to things like comforting the young wizard, being there for him when Harry needed him most, or even giving him an optimistic pick-me-up in lieu of cold-hard truth and words of wisdom about love and friendship. His advice was more about preparing Harry for the inevitable worst to come instead of offering paternal love, as shown by Redditor SakibSadi96.

Making Assumptions

Dumbledore and Harry often times made assumptions about one another, usually as a result of them being curious about the other's life but not wanting to pry or seem disrespectful to their privacy.

Such as when Dumbledore asks Harry about Hermione in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as shown in this Monsters Inc. crossover meme by Redditor curseofablacklion. Although the scene is not from the books and is one of the most cringe-worthy parts in the movies, it's a great indication of Dumbledore's tendency to wrongly assume things about Harry and his needs, an unfortunate and large theme of their relationship.

Leaving Cute But Ridiculous Puzzles For Harry

Albus Dumbledore is shown to be a brilliant wizard and a meticulous planner, as witnessed in the many intricate details and nuances in his plan after his death.

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However, these theatrics and puzzles were not really necessary - he could have made things a bit simpler for Harry and his friends instead of giving them numerous riddles to sort out and hoops to jump through, as shown by Redditor nihalgosala77. Even if he wanted to be secretive, surely there were easier ways than the labyrinth of obstacles he laid out for Harry, not just at the end but in nearly every installment.

Avoid The Truth At All Costs

Dumbledore may be one of the movie characters who were morally better than their book counterparts, but both his on-screen and book version get ample hate for the way he purposely kept Harry in the dark.

Dumbledore fails to be honest with Harry on numerous occasions, withholding important information from the very first year to the prophecy in Order Of The Phoenix, right up to him being the last Horcrux in The Deathly Hallows. His consistent choice of being dishonest with Harry is sadly a large defining part of their toxic dynamic and a hilarious point of this meme by @mugglenet.

Eyes On Harry Only

Among the many lucky breaks given to Harry Potter is the fact that his headmaster is obsessed with his existence, even if it is just because he's molding him to be an eventual martyr for the Wizarding World.

This means Harry gets a lot of one-on-one time and direct mentoring from the renowned wizard, something none of the other Hogwarts students get. It also means Albus gives Harry an unhealthy amount of attention and keeps the headmaster distracted from some more pressing concerns, as hilariously shown by this Instagram meme.

A Kind But Confusing Mentor

Dumbledore's advice to Harry was often not only confusing and incomplete but also at times contradicting, as shown by Redditor LordKatakuri.

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While he originally preached a lot of words about the powers of love and friendship, Dumbledore conveniently switches his approach to more practical and actual ways of defeating Voldemort in his final years at Hogwarts. However, despite his problematic approach, he did also teach Harry important lessons and reminds Harry of what sets him apart from the Dark Lord, a redeeming point in their relationship.

Harry's Idolization

While there are many opinions from the fandom regarding Albus Severus' name, Harry's youngest son stands as a tribute to the strong and unwavering loyalty and love he had for Dumbledore.

Despite the many posts (such as this one by Redditor Lawliet1754) and memes that prove Albus Severus' name is nonsense, it shows that Harry gave far too much credit to Dumbledore, remembering him only as the man he idolized and fervently stood behind, no matter what truths came out about him. It also proves how strong their bond truly was.

Dumbledore's Favorite

Even with all his faults and toxic tendencies towards Harry, there is no doubt that the Chosen One was Dumbledore's favorite student and someone he felt close to.

While he may not have always approached their situations appropriately, Dumbledore thought very highly of Harry and loved him, something reflected most obviously in Dumbledore's notoriously biased way of awarding points, as shown by Redditor Valhal123. While the two may not have had the most ideal relationship, they meant a lot to one another and in many ways bettered the other, right until the series' end.

Next: 10 Memes That Perfectly Sum Up Dumbledore As A Character