In the Mugglenet/TLC interview with JKR, she is asked what Dumbledore's boggart would be. She says for theories we should read book six again.

I wonder about the scene where Harry is forcing Dumbledore to drink the potion and he sounds frightened and says things like, "I know I did wrong" "Please don't hurt them" "It's my fault".

Perhaps his biggest fear is making some mistake that brings harm to the students entrusted to his care?

What do you think?

hmm...... that's a good theory. the students and their safety always seemed like the most imposrtant thing to dumbledore.

^^ I agree. But, it's not directly stated in the book and who knows what's that potion he drank?!

I was thinking (for the most part) a similar thing to that.
I'll have to do some digging.
*goes off to study*

good point. dumbledore never valued his own life over others. he cared for others before caring for himself. he would do anything to save the innocent, and, knowing him, even the guilty.

his bogart could be himself being week

^^ nah! I don't think that would be his biggest fear!

It's like harry luvr said. Dumbledore wasn't selfish. I agree with your theory Lupus In Fabula.

yeha but he dodnt want to let his pupils down. i think deep down he was worried that he wasnt up to the task at hand like harry feels sometimes...

karen_ginger i am going to have to agree with hermionepotter89 - dumbledore is not selfish enough for that

Lupus, That is a pretty good theory. I pretty much agree though I'm going to read the book again.

OMG i am not saying he is selfish am i no i am saying that he had a fear that is all..

Well that also makes sense but I'm still stick to what I said before.

When I first read The Cave I just knew, 100% that Dumbledore's greatest fear is harm coming to his students.

What I don't understand though, is how would that show up in Boggart form? Possibly 1 dead student, 1 at a time? Similar to Molly Weasleys? Perhaps that is why he saw Molly's boggart, so we could understand Dumbledore's.

That is a really good point. Dumbledore's greatest fear is harm coming to Harry or even any of his other students. I am sure that his boggart would be pretty much the same as Molly's.

does dumbledore have a family? or more to the point, DID he?

See that is exactly what i have been saying and the told me i was wrong *sob*

I think that you are exactly right...and thus the reason why he died instead of Draco being killed by Voldemort.

does/did he?

I think I understand what you meant...Dumbledore is afraid of not being up to the task, either mentally or physically, and by task I mean all the responsibility and burden he has to shoulder: taking care of the kids and teachers, leading the Order, getting Harry ready to defeat Voldemort. JKR said Dumbledore has no confidante or mentor of his own; everyone leans on him. Even the Ministry depends on him. He has to be strong for everyone and maybe he's afraid of being weak and letting them down.

And just to clarify: I'm not saying the potion was a "boggart-producing potion" or anything like that (I'm sure it's something much much worse) but JKR said theories for DD's boggart were in HBP and Harry says this is the only time he's ever heard DD sound frightened.

Maybe.. okay jsut hear me out here.. he advised the Longbottoms to go into hiding somewhere (or advised them that it was safe to come out of hiding), and that's where/when the Deatheaters found them and tortured them into insanity, and Dumbledore's always felt horribly guilty for it. Maybe that potion makes you relive your worst moments, like a dementor.

Off the subject or boggart, but related. Maybe his boggart is watching someone be tortured because of something he did.

^Ooh! That's very good! It goes with all the things DD was saying while he was under the effects of the potion. "Don't hurt them...hurt me instead"

I think Dumbledore's boggart would be dead Harry. Harry- quite possibly the only hope of ridding the world of the Dark Lord- defeated, dead, gone.

I'm possitive that would have been Dumbledore's greatest fear. To have Harry dead, and himself alive, would torment Dumbledore to the ends of the Earth.

omg the idea that dumbledores boggart would be just like molly's makes soooo much sense. he cares soo much about the students that he'd sacrifice himself for any of them!

I think Dumbledore's boggart would be Grindewald, the wizard he destroyed.

Dumbledore's boggart would most definitely show harm done to his students in some way. He is allways worried about them, even willing to close the school to protect them (CoS) and when Harry suggests that he has been neglecting the students' safety, he makes it quite clear it isn't allowed to even think of it.
Basically, I agree with you guys. Dumbledore's boggart would show his students coming to harm.