Images of Light and Darkness in Dumbledore's Office

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No: HPFGUIDX 153864

CoS12
We are first introduced to Dumbledore's office in CoS, Chapter 12, 
when Harry is taken there after being found in the presence of the 
petrified Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick.  With the 
exception of Fawkes bursting into flame there is no mention of the 
lighting either inside or out, but there is some lustrous imagery:  
The silver instuments, Fawkes' golden perch.  Dumbledore describes 
Fawkes' normal coloring of red and gold even though it can't be seen 
on that day.  Silver and gold appear in some fashion in every scene of 
Dumbledore's office:  The silver instruments, DD's silver hair and 
beard, the silvery light from the Pensieve, Fawkes' golden plumage, 
his golden perch.

GoF30
Harry next visits Dumbledore's office after having a vision or dream 
of Voldemort in divination class. The room is described as beautiful 
in this scene and in many of the others that come after. Fawkes' 
golden plumage is described as is Gryffindor's silver sword in it's 
glass case.  Harry notices "a patch of silvery light, dancing and 
shimmering on the glass case".  When DD pulls him from the Pensieve, 
he somersaults into "the dazzling light of Dumbledore's sunlit 
office".

GoF36
Harry recounts the ordeal of witnessing Voldemort's resurrection and 
Cedric's death to DD and Sirius.  This time there is no mention of 
either light or darkness, but Fawkes' golden plumage is again 
described.

OotP22
Harry goes to DD's office with Ron and Professor McGonagall after 
dreaming that he has attacked Arthur Weasley in the Ministry of Magic. 
 This time "the room was in half darkness" illuminated only by a "pool 
of candlelight".  The silver instuments are silent.  The red and gold 
bird is sitting on his perch.  Dumbledore is wearing a dressing gown 
of purple and gold.

OotP27
Umbridge takes Harry to Dumbledore's office after The Bust.  Fire is 
mentioned many times in this scene, all but the last in connection 
with Fudge.  "Understanding blazed suddenly in Fudge's face".  He was 
"radiant with glee".  It is the Ministry's light now, overseen by 
Marietta's mother,that fills Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore's 
authority reasserts itself at the end, though, as a "streak of silver 
light flashed around the room", and as he grasped the phoenix's long 
golden tail, "There was a flash of fire and the pair of them had 
gone".

OotP37
After the fight at the MoM and Sirius' death, this is the scene in 
which "Harry looked through the window.  There was a cool line of pale 
green along the horizon". When Dumbledore arrived, "The empty 
fireplace burst into emerald green flame." Later, "Harry felt the 
white-hot anger lick his insides, blazing in the terrible emptiness."

Up to now Dumbledore's office has been interesting and beautiful. It 
is the most powerfully magical place in the Wizarding world. It has 
been filled with light, with silver and gold.  It can become dark when 
Voldemort's power is waxing; it can be filled with the false light of 
the Ministry of Magic, but it is inviolable.  The outside world has 
not been able to penetrate into this sanctuary of Light Magic; 
therefore, we have not seen it. Henceforth, we will.  Green is 
important in this scene.  It is associated with Harry because of his 
eyes (his mother's eyes).  It is also associated with Voldemort and 
with Dark Magic (Avada Kadavra).  It is Harry's magic which will have 
to defeat Voldemort's and that is what Harry has to learn and absorb 
this time in Dumbledore's office.

HBP10
The House of Gaunt.  "The sky outside was inky black and the lamps in 
Dumbledore's office seemed to glow more brightly than before."

HBP13
The Secret Riddle.  No mention of outside in this one; the "Pensieve 
cast silvery specks of light over the ceiling".

HBP17
A Sluggtish memory.  Again no mention of the outside. "The lamps in 
Dumbledore's office were lit."  "The soft golden light in Dumbledore's 
office seemed to dazzle Harry's eyes after that impenetrable darkness" 
[of Morfin's memory].

HBP20
Lord Voldemort's Request.  "The difference between the present-day 
office and this one was that it was snowing in the past; bluish flakes 
were drifting past the window in the dark and building up on the 
outside ledge."

HBP23
Horcruxes. "There was Dumbledore's office, looking the same as ever, 
but with black, star-strewn skies beyond the windows."

HBP25
The Seer Overheard.  "Fawkes the phoenix looked around, his bright 
black eyes gleaming with reflected gold from the sunset beyond the 
windows."

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