Dumbledore fading; British-to-North-American

[sharlene_wong at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24987

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., katzefan at y... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Jennifer <nausicaa at a...> wrote:
> > (re: Dumbledore's future) 
>  
> > 1) We could *think* he's dead for a book or 2, and then he 
> >returns in the last one (heh...or he disappears right before the 
> >climactic ending of #7 & returns saying "oh what happened?" 
> >with a sly grin).
> > 
> > 2) He could actually be dead.  Remember his association with 
> >Fawkes.  It could be that he's really a LOT older than he is, but 
> >keeps dying & returning to the scene (interesting thought -- 
> >maybe he *IS* the Merlin).
> > 
> > 3) He could die to protect Harry somewhere, in the style of his 
> >mother.  Thus giving Harry protection (whether we are sure of 
> >that or not...I'm sure JKR can make us wonder up until the very 
> >last moment).
> > 
> > 4) This one I think would be very interesting, but destroys the
> > Harry-dying-at-end theory (although not necessarily the
> > can't-really-continue-the-series-now-can-I part).  Remember, 
> >when Harry first went into Dumbledore's office, Fawkes went 
> >poof and was reborn from his own ashes.  Symbolic of 
> >something perhaps?  I've briefly wondered if that means that 
> >Dumbledore will either die or  retire or something...and Harry 
> >will take his place.  Not necessarily as Hogwarts'
> > headmaster (but that *would* be interesting), but they have 
> >said that Harry could be a very impressive wizard (look at the 
> >patronius he made at such a young age, for example)...and we 
> >all know that  Dumbledore is a rather awesome wizard.  Also 
> >goes along with the Order of the  Phoenix title -- perhaps all of 
> >the masters went like this (don't remember what was said 
> >about the previous headmaster, except that he wouldn't have
> > been so nice)?
> > Thoughts?  Comments?  The more I think about it, the more I 
> >like #4...or something very similar to that.
> 
> I'm intrigued by #2 - perhaps it is The Merlin who keeps coming 
> back in a variety of forms (Merlin, Gandalf, Dumbledore ... heck, 
> even Obi-wan ...) when he is (or *will be*, considering how long 
> Dumbledore's been around) most desperately needed. 
> I didn't quite understand #4; were you suggesting Harry will, in 
> some fashion, literally morph into a `new' Dumbledore?
> My own feeling is that Dumbledore *is* going to die, most likely 
> in some epic struggle as Voldemort tries to re-assert his power, 
> and unlike Gandalf, Dumbledore won't reappear - he really will 
> be gone. Harry will ultimately be his successor (not immediately 
> - he needs a lot more training and hands-on  experience) but I 
> think it's definitely in the cards. Oh, yes, and the  other
> person  who will come into his own will be Neville. I like the 
> theory that he's blocked his abilities because of what happened 
> to his parents -- but back  him into a corner and watch out!
> 
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Steve Vander Ark" <vderark at b...> 
> wrote:
> > ...In the meantime, you should really check out the resources 
> >on the  Lexicon. I added the "fairy lights" bit to the Strictly
> >British page  earlier this evening. 
> > 
> The Canadian versions (published by Raincoast Books) seem 
> to have come through with pretty much all the `Britishisms'
> intact. 
> Most were easy enough to pick up from the context, but I'd never 
> have guessed the Knight Bus was a pun (it's been 20 years 
> since I was in Britain), and I couldn't figure out whether the 
> Knickerbocker Glory was a British version of a banana split or a 
> Big Mac. 
> Curiously, I thought sherbet lemons were something like 
> popsicles (triggered by the  phrase "... Dumbledore, who was 
> unsticking two sherbet lemons...." [PS/SS] We used to buy 
> popsicles and then go outside and smash them against the 
> corner of the building to split them apart.) I did wonder why they 
> weren't melting all over his cloak....
> One thing I've noticed in the books -- JKR uses `dived'
> as the past tense of `to dive'  (CoS: `Through a haze of
> rain and pain he dived for the shimmering, sneering face below 
> him  and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Harry was 
> attacking him.") Is that a Britishism? I was taught the past
> tense of `dive' is `dove';  i.e. "he dove for the
> shimmering,..." etc. etc.
> 
> **********************************
> But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing 
> her in a whole new light. "Hermione, Neville's right - you
> *are* a girl..."
> "Oh, well spotted," she said acidly.


I also find possibility #2 interesting too. I remember reading 
somewhere that Merlin will come back when King Arthur comes back.  
And they call King Arthur the once and future king.  Perhaps Harry is 
the 'Arthur' of JKR's world and he is there to lead the magical and 
muggles into a peaceful future.  Well I'll get back to you about this 
since I have yet to finish the book (it's very long).

pegasus200 aka pegasus0580 aka Sharlene