Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.

The line is spoken by Albus Dumbledore in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, during the “King’s Cross” liminal scene in which Harry, having been struck by Voldemort’s Killing Curse, converses with Dumbledore in a bright, dreamlike version of the station. In this reflective exchange, Dumbledore explains the nature of choice, love, and the consequences of actions, and he emphasizes language as a kind of real-world “magic” that can shape lives. Although widely attributed to J. K. Rowling, the wording as quoted is best known from the film adaptation of her novel’s material.

The quote reframes “magic” as a metaphor for language’s power. Words can wound—through cruelty, deception, or stigma—but they can also heal by offering truth, comfort, apology, and solidarity. Calling words “inexhaustible” suggests that this power is always available: unlike physical force, language can be used repeatedly and creatively to change minds and relationships. The “not-so-humble opinion” aside underscores that this is a moral claim, not merely a poetic one: speakers bear responsibility for the effects of what they say. In the Harry Potter context, it also contrasts Voldemort’s reliance on violent spells with a deeper, human capacity for transformation through understanding and compassion.