Chapter 36 Summary

[Caius Marcius]

No: HPFGUIDX 15228

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Barbara Foster Williams <bafoster at m...> 
wrote:
> 

> > 
> > 2. Now: that pesky "gleam of triumph" in Dumbledore's eyes.  We've
> > discussed it & hashed it to death before, but does anyone have 
any new
> > thoughts about this?
> 
> Well, I don't know that this is a new thought, but I really do think
> Dumbledore sees that because Voldemort used Harry's blood, there is 
a
> "chink in his armour", so to speak.  Dumbledore probably sees 
something
> he could potentially use against V.

It will in the end turn out to be something like that, I think - 
but "the gleam of triumph" is a marvelously subversive passage. I 
think many readers get a bit too complacent about Dumbledore, and 
this certainly serves as a reminder to watch him very carefully. As 
I've said before, Dumbledore's amiable nature deftly conceals his 
skillful legerdemain (Ars celare artem, as the Romans calls it: The 
art that conceals art)
 
> > 
> > 
> > 5. We've discussed Cornelius Fudge a fair bit in the past.  Any 
new
> > thoughts?  Is he a head-in-the-sand Neville Chamberlain type or 
is his
> > refusal to act based on more sinister intentions?

It would be an imperfection in JKR's art if she made everyone who 
does not actively support Dumbledore a conscious agent of Voldemort. 
Throughout history, tyrants have relied on what Lenin called "useful 
idiots" as just as much as their own supporters. While Fudge could be 
a hidden Voldy supporter, more likely he is in deep denial. My guess 
is that Fudge may end up in a very unpleasant situation in Book Five, 
a captive of the Death Eaters, perhaps even a prisoner in Azkaban 
(which I see becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Dementor, Inc in 
the next book)



> > 8. What do we think about what Dumbledore has asked Snape to do?
> 
> I haven't ever been exactly clear on what he intends Snape to do.  I
> assume he wants Snape to return and infiltrate the Death Eaters, 
but I'm
> not sure how he's supposed to manage that, since V. already knows
> (presumed from his listing of the DEs that aren't in attendance) 
Snape
> is no longer faithful to him.

But for the great Potion Prof to whip up a little Polyjuice should be 
the work of a moment......


    - CMC