Can we believe in Dumbledore?

[msl at fc.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 11720

I can't help but feel that Dumbledore is biding his time.  The signs 
of Voldemort's return are mounting, but he knows that if he overreacts 
too early he will lose credibility and might find himself in a bad 
position when the chocolate toads hit the fan.

I am very much reminded of Gandalf, who picks out his pawns, Bilbo and 
Frodo, very carefully and then leaves them largely to their own 
devices.  LotR begins with Gandalf sending Frodo on a journey and then 
leaving to attend to other matters, as I recall, and not long 
thereafter Frodo is nearly killed by ringwraiths.  Gandalf is not 
all-knowing; he can't be in all places at once; and Dumbledore is in 
the same predicament.

Both men are in the position of having to choose their spear-carriers 
carefully and then, for the sake of the plot if nothing else, 
abstaining from the temptation to micro-manage their quests, as it 
were.

I think that Dumbledore loves Harry.  I think that Dumbledore also 
regards Harry as a soldier or a weapon:  he is expendable if spending 
him will defeat the evil at hand.  I'm sure that Dumbledore considers 
himself expendable has well.

Marvin