A/N: HELLO LOVELY READERS AND YOUTUBE WATCHERS!
'Kay, so two announcements before you start reading...
Accio Nox, I don't think I mentioned last chapter in the ad, is having the Triwizard Tournament this year! Eek! *topples over in excitement* And the Goblet of Fire is still open for entries, until Halloween, I believe... So go on and enter your student's name before it's too late! *watches people running to join* Oh, but make sure you tell them that I sent you there ;)
Second thing! I completely forgot to mention in my last chapter that I have a poll up... Which was bad... *hides* But anyway, I do, on my profile. Check it out to vote for the video the next chappie should be about! Since I have no votes yet (due to my stupidity and bad memory), I chose the video for this one. Every chapter there will be a new poll up with new choices, so make sure you go and vote! And don't worry, I won't wait for months like I did last time :P (I'm still sorry about that, by the way). Every time I get to writing the next chappie, every few weeks or so, I'll close the poll and use the winner, no matter by how many votes it won. If there is no votes like this time (which you won't let happen, will you? ;D), I'll just choose at random. You can also still suggest videos, and if I approve them, they will be added to my ever-growing list!
Today's chapter is on the video "Gandalf vs. Dumbledore" by WatchMojo. Though I have only seen/read Harry Potter, there will be no bias on my part, so if you like Gandalf, don't feel insulted by the characters' words! I am simply trying to make them say what they would say... Well, not if they were IC, 'cause they're obviously not, but based on how they're reacted to things during the whole fic so far.
Sorry for the long, rambly author's note... I talk a lot :P Enjoy the chapter!
There was no dilly-dallying that day; no one dared to even make a sound. No, not even Voldemort. After all, Dumbledore was the only one he was ever scared of, and everyone could tell that Dumbledore was bristling.
Dumbledore really didn't want to show them this video. It annoyed him completely, even though he tried to be humble. He was beginning to see why some of them reacted the way they did to other videos. But he had to teach them this lesson, that NO ONE was immune to the Muggles' influence. Not even the most powerful of them.
Which was why they were all huddled around the laptop once more, and why it was flipped open and the screen loading. No one said a word as the video came up.
Narrator: They're the two most powerful wizards around. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we'll be putting Gandalf against Dumbledore to see which old geezer rules them all.
They couldn't contain it; gasps ran out through the room. Voldemort could be heard saying indignantly, "Only I get to call him that!"
To keep this battle on the up and up, we'll only be focusing on their movie portrayals.
Screen: Round 1: Screen Persona
Narrator: Let's begin with the men behind the beards, and the depictions they bring to the screen.
Gandalf is portrayed by English actor Sir Ian McKellen as the mentor with a warm, if sometimes scolding, grandfather-esque demeanor. Though a vagabond with a soft side, he isn't always laughs and fireworks, as he nimbly bounces between the roles of friend, advisor, and leader.
Though still no one spoke, their minds were buzzing. Movies? Actors? What the...?
And who the heck was this Gandalf dude?
Meanwhile, English actors Richard Harris and Sir Michael Gambon portrayed Dumbledore as a gentle man of stature. While Harris accentuated the fatherly quality, Gambon was a much more secretive, exhausted and uncertain wizard, literally having to pluck memories to find his answers….
"What?! No way!" Harry shouted angrily. "That's actually better! If you put your memories in the Pensieve, you won't forget anything! That was not right!"
In a jam, we'd rather skip the mind games and have McKellen's Gandalf around for reassurance and guidance.
Screen: Gandalf 1, Dumbledore 0
Cries of indignation ran through the crowd, but they were silenced as the video continued.
Round 2: Magical Powers
Narrator: Gandalf claims that he should not be taken for a conjurer of cheap tricks! However, despite being here to help the mortals with their struggle, he does not use his magic for direct intervention, and therefore never creates anything overwhelming. Instead he uses his staff like a flashlight, force field, to push people over, and perform exorcisms. He is also able to communicate with animals.
The polar opposite, Dumbledore channels his power through his Elder wand to create incredible feats of magic, including a control over all things, including all of the elements. He is also able to make force fields and push people around, and his only limitation is that he refuses to cast any of the Unforgiveable Curses.
All in all, Dumbledore's got the goods, and his power leaves Gandalf spinning in disbelief!
Screen: Gandalf 1, Dumbledore 1
Cheers rang through the crowd this time. They were so loud that it seemed as though Dumbledore had just won the Olympics for England. Some people even went so far as to pat him on the back, and McGonagall flew at the old man and pulled him into a surprisingly strong hug, wiping tears from her eyes. A small smile had appeared on Dumbledore's face, though his blue eyes were still grave.
Round 3: Experience and Bravery
Narrator: While we've already established that Dumbledore is more powerful when it comes to pure magic, which is channeled through his wand, there's more to Gandalf than his powers and knowledge. Gandalf has spent his life on the road protecting the entire world of Middle-Earth, fighting countless forces of evil in the process.
He's unique for wielding his sword in combat. This makes him certifiably [awesome], as even at his age he's to get in the thick of battle while riding horseback, even going so far as to play hall monitor for the Balrog!
Unfortunately for Dumbledore, he has spent too much time in his cozy tenured position as the high school principal.
This got people bristling again. High School?! And what was a Balrog?! It certainly couldn't be as dangerous as some of the things Dumbledore had faced... Whatever it was!
Rather than quit his day job and join Harry in some sort of Fellowship, he's more than content to let children fight most of his battles…
Screen: Gandalf 2, Dumbledore 1
Groans escaped from many lips.
Round 4: Foes
Narrator: A hero is only as good as the enemy he faces. Gandalf faces Sauron, as well as his former mentor and friend Saruman, who together lead an army of unspeakable evil.
Dumbledore also faces a growing threat- however, Voldemort merely has a lust for blood purity of the magical world, which he hopes to achieve by commanding a handful of evil wizards and witches.
As unpleasant Voldemort's plan is, he isn't intent on complete genocide, so we're going to award this point to Gandalf, for facing a more menacing and relentless foe whose power truly reaches everywhere and threatens everyone.
"WHAT?!" Voldemort screeched, leaping to his feet. "WHAT?! SAY WHAT NOW?! OH, SO I HAVE TO WIPE OUT THE HUMAN RACE IN ORDER TO GET ANY RECOGNITION?! IS THAT HOW IT IS, HUH?! I WANT TO KNOW WHO THIS GANDALF IS, SO I CAN RIP HIM TO SHREDS!"
Screen: Gandalf 3, Dumbledore 1
Round 5: Helping The Hero
Narrator: Both Gandalf and Dumbledore are the masterminds of their respective movies. However, their plans both entirely hinge on helping a youngster dispel the evil.
Gandalf trusts the One Ring to Frodo, who must journey to destroy it by foot in the evil's back yard.
Dumbledore's pupil Harry is destined to save his world by building up with strength while locating relics, all so that he can battle Voldermort head-on.
Many eyebrows were raised at that.
"One Ring? Oh, please," Hermione scoffed. "Voldemort had a locket, a cup, a book, a diadem, a snake, a person, AND a ring!"
Voldemort actually beamed at her. Hermione, a 'mudblood'.
Your mind, as well as everyone else's, has been blown.
While we admire Dumbledore for settling bureaucratic and judicial hurdles for Harry, Gandalf pretty much sacrificed himself and led an entire battle, taking much of the pain, all so that his underdog friend could make a deposit in Mount Doom.
"Argh! Do we need to make a list of all Dumbledore has done for us?! Really?!"
Screen: Gandalf 4, Dumbledore
Verdict
Narrator: By a score of 4 to 1, our victor is the wizard from Middle Earth.
The crowd exploded in roars of anger and indignation. Many obscenities were yelled and multiple people conjured up pencils to snap. A large banner with the face of Gandalf on it was hung by the rafters, and Voldemort lit the match that burned it to the ground. Above the din, the narrator's voice could somehow still be heard.
Don't fret, Dumbledore fans, you can still be proud of his tenure as Headmaster, even if he was a man of words rather than action.
Agree with our verdict, or infuriated by it? Be sure to debate in the comments, and subscribe to for more entertaining versus battles.
"INFURIATED!" Many hands reached towards the keyboard and fingers jabbed at the keys.
If you look on the comments now, you can still see their angry debate:
INFOIKWOARIATEDMWLA!/ELQ]5;6MA;DNEKEFNKALNC!F'