Dumbledore: All-Seeing, Really Smart, or just Lovable Coot?

[brewpub44]

No: HPFGUIDX 35438

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "uncmark" <uncmark at y...> wrote:
> I have a question concerning Albus Dumbledore. He seems at times 
all-
> powerful, the ONLY wizard Voldemort fears. 
> 
> At times he seems to know everything, yet missed Voldemort hiding 
in 
> Querill, Tom Riddle hiding in Ginny, Pettigrew hiding as Scabbers, 
> and Crouch hiding as Moody.
> 
> So how omniscient is Albus? Does he have some sort of magic mirror 
or 
> crystal ball that shows him all when he looks?
> 
> Opinions?
> 
> Uncmark

I don't think he is omniscient at all, and don't buy the crystal ball 
thing, either.

I think JKR respects knowledge and research above all. Her book is 
full of themes about how ability is above ancestry, choice is above 
fate or prophecy, how talent is good but knowledge is better, how 
knowledge can only be gained through study, and how nothing 
worthwhile is easy. I don't see how a crystal ball fits into her 
idiom, so I doubt such a thing exists.

What I do believe exists is that Dumbledore is very talented, 
capable, and smart. He figures things out. He studies all the time, 
would be my guess, being that rare adult who continues to try to 
learn as he gets older. Note many references to "ancient magics" that 
he knows -- because he wants to know.

So he uses his noodle to figure out that LV is after the Stone, and 
also to figure out how Harry was protected by Lily (thus Harry is a 
*secret weapon*). But he can't pick out Quirrell simply because he 
doesn't spot the clues and can't omnisciently scry for what happened 
in Albania.

He gets stumped by the Chamber of Secrets, because it's not really 
well documented where it is, but he knows Harry can speak 
Parseltongue, suspects that has something to do with it (being a 
creation of Salazar Slytherin), so has Fawkes watch out for Harry and 
rescue him if needed. 

He has no idea about Pettigrew, not being particularly interested in 
rats (who would be?). I can't fault him for that, that is a sort of 
out-of-the-blue plot development. Everyone is worried about Sirius, 
and DD is mad as hell about the dementors, so Pettigrew comes on as a 
bit of a shock.

As far as Crouch-Moody, I guess that's his biggest failure IMHO. He's 
known Moody for years, but perhaps he too thinks Moody's off his 
rocker, so he doesn't pay as much attention as he should. Don't we 
all have a tendency to brush off the loony uncle we all seem to have?

Anyway, I am not a fan of prophecies or crystal balls. I prefer hard, 
deductive reasoning, and I think that is all Dumbledore has ever 
shown us.

A Barkeep in Diagon Alley