Chapter 25 - more with comments on Dumbledore and his hit squad

[Schlobin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 14557

"At that moment, Harry fully understood for the first time why people said 
Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort had ever feared. The look upon 
Dumbledore's face as he stared down at the unconscious form of  Mad-Eye Moody 
was more terrible than Harry could ever have imagined.....There was cold fury 
in every line of the ancient face; a sense of power radiated from Dumbledore 
as though he was giving off burning heat."

We've had a lot of discussion about this......but I want to talk about 
Dumbledore as God. As a former Catholic, I was taught to think of God as 
omniscient and omnipresent. In Lewis' books, Aslan is a Christ-figure, and in 
several of his works, Lewis' talks about God being awe-full...terrible and 
frightening in his goodness....and how you might think you wanted Good but 
when you met him it might be a different story....

Because Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of his time, and can protect Harry, 
and knows a lot, and is my favorite character, doesn't mean that he is 
all-knowing or all-wise. Fake Moody gets into Hogwarts; Dumbledore doesn't 
know about the Marauder's Map, or the four Marauders becoming unregistered 
Animagi -- does he know how abusive Snape is to Harry, etc.?

What's also interesting about this chapter is who he trusts and who he sees 
as powerful. Who goes with him to confront the fake Moody?
McGonagall (can't wait to see Maggie Smith bring power and authority to this 
character) and Snape. He also trusts them to do what he says immediately and 
without question in a crisis..and they trust him. (My re-reading of this 
chapter has caused me to decide that Snape will not turn back to Voldemort).

Also, this recurring rumor that Snape wants to be the Defense Against the 
Dark Arts teacher, but Dumbledore won't let him (with the implication that 
Dumbledore doesn't trust him?). Maybe Snape does; maybe he doesn't. But if he 
does, maybe Dumbledore won't let him because he needs him as the POTIONS 
master...it's Snape that
make's Lupin's very difficult werewolf potion, and the truth serum is 
difficult and highly valuable....

The House Elves -- they are extremely intriguing..powerful magic of their 
own, which is MOSTLY bound to their master --- JKR makes it clear that she 
thinks Hermione's championship of liberation is misguided, but DUMBLEDORE is 
quite willing to treat the house elves respectfully and cheerfully pays 
Dobby. He doesn't demand that they keep his secrets or be respectful, but if 
ONE house elf could be so supportive of Crouch, Senior, are the 100 house 
elves at Hogwarts some of the secret of Dumbledore's power? (And oh, 
goodness, couldn't he spare one for poor Molly Weasley, toiling in the 
vineyards?)

Susan McGee


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