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

[sothoii]

No: HPFGUIDX 35446

uncmark <uncmark at y...> wrote:
> I have a question concerning Albus Dumbledore. He seems at times 
all-
> powerful, the ONLY wizard Voldemort fears. In SSt he knows 
> immediately when Harry moved from the cubboard. (His second letter 
> was addressed to "The smallest bedroom, 4 Privet Drive".

More likely Dumbledore suspected that there would be problems getting 
the message to Harry and kept a close watch on him to see what would 
happen when the letters arrived.  Hagrid even says that "Dumbledore 
told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of [Harry]" When he and 
Harry meet in the hut on the rock.

> Considering he partnered with Nicholas Flamel in creating the 
> sorcerer's syone, Dumbledore's probably at the top of the field. 
> would guess he might have sort sort of magic mirror to search for 
> evildoers or just keep watch at Hogwarts. 
> 
> 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?

With regards to the other issues, it is not necessary to be omniscient 
to be talented.  Obviously, Dumbledore is talented magically, and 
seems to posess a great deal of knowledge.  However, he can not watch 
over everyone all the time.  He is capable of making educated guesses, 
just as anyone else is, his are based on a wider range of knowledge 
than most peoples.

With regards to the Voldemort-Quirrell, I have no idea how much 
Dumbledore suspected, however he did know that Voldemort was after the 
Philosophers Stone.

He does know that an early version of Voldemort was opening the 
Chamber of Secrets, because he asks Harry "how Lord Voldemort managed 
to enchant Ginny?".  He is suprised by the use of the diary to contain 
an early version of Tom Riddle.

As for the Pettegrew-Scabbers and Crouch-Moody I doubt that he 
suspected until there was some reason to.  Sirius told Dumbledore 
about turning into animagi, which Dumbledore does not know.  He does 
suspect Moody as an imposter after Moody takes Harry away after the 
tri-wizard tournament, and that it has something to do with Crouch as 
he asks Snape to get Winky from the kitchens before Crouch's potion 
wears off.

I believe that Dumbledore's knowledge comes from a long time (150 
years!) of observing people, fighting dark magic, and being central to 
many events that have shaped the magical world, not being omnipotent. 
 He uses the pensive to sort through the many memories to attempt to 
apply them to the current situation.  While there are magical aids, 
such as foe glasses, Dumbledore has never been observed using any of 
them.

Sothoii