Filch - AD and GtheG - Dragon lingo - Fudge

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 24367

Mundungus wrote:

> I suspect Filch's predecessor was the one who confiscated the map in 
> the first place. Filch bears all the earmarks of a Dumbledore hiree 
> (unfortunate circumstances e.g. being a squib, werewolf, or half-
> giant).

Good point on the Dumbledore hire--who else would tolerate him?  
Dumbledore was already headmaster in the MWPP days, though, so Filch 
was likely the one who confiscated the Map.

4FR wrote:

> In these regards, as you rightly point out, both Dumbledore and 
> Gandalf are more than happy to use lesser talents than themselves as 
> hapless pawns in the game of world domination, while they behave 
like 
> kings, too valuable to lose.

Willing to use others, yes.  "Happy," no.  Look at Dumbledore at the 
end of "The Pensieve."  He knows Harry's life is on the line and it 
grieves and frightens him (Allyse pointed out similar scenes in LOTR). 
 I don't think he sees any alternative.  But then, Harry is not, 
strictly speaking, a lesser talent.  There are things to be done that 
only Harry can do; Dumbledore can only assist.  There's nothing 
hapless about Harry, either.  He took Voldemort on face to face of his 
own free will when he was 11 years old.  I love that speech in the 
common room in PS/SS 16.

As for the kings being too valuable to lose, I'm sure Dumbledore is 
going to die and it will probably be a heroic death.  And Gandalf is 
unwilling to sacrifice himself?  Come take a stroll through the mines 
of Moria with me.  

Robyn wrote:

> In which case, I will borrow a concept from another series - David
> Eddings Belgariad, where the sorceress Polgara speaks the language 
of the
> birds but realizes they really don't have much to say.

Arthur discovers the same in Hitchhiker's Guide.

Quick note re: Fudge:  Monika, it doesn't say Fudge was the only 
candidate, just that he was a fallback to Crouch Sr. and Dumbledore.

Amy Z
who understands Sirius because she laughs uncontrollably when accused 
of something she didn't do

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   "Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville.  "I don't think
 you should be breaking any more rules!  And you were the one
 who told me to stand up to people!"
   "Yes, but not to =us=," said Ron in exasperation.
                             -HP and the Philosopher's Stone 
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