Dumbledore "wrote" Book 1

[dicentra_spectabilis_alba]

No: HPFGUIDX 34311

I just got an off-list message from cindysphinx about message 33289,
wherein I wrote the following:
> 
> I'd like to propose a theory that builds on all that's been said and
> then goes one step further: The spells were breakable by first-year
> students because Dumbledore MEANT for Harry to face Voldemort. And in
> fact, most of the events of SS were engineered by Dumbledore for
> Harry's benefit. 

[snip long list of proofs]

So cindysphinx asks:

Now, here's a question:  Why?  Why, why, why does Dumbledore do all 
of these things?  Why doesn't Dumbledore just put the darn stone in 
his pocket?  Why get a bunch of kids involved? Why?  :-)

Well, cindysphynxwho, the only reason I can think of is that
Dumbledore recognizes Harry's central role in this whole story, and I
don't just mean the seven HP books.  That Harry survived the AK in the
first place is not just an indication of the powerful magic of his
mother's sacrifice, it's a "sign," as it were, of Harry's eventual
destiny (as if we didn't already know that).

I'm fairly sure that as soon as the seven books are completed, we'll
have a bona-fide, textbook case of Joseph Campbell's archetypal Hero's
Journey, wherein Harry ultimately saves the universe from evil (no
prizes for guessing that, eh?), although to a great degree Book 1 by
itself works as a Hero's Journey. Dumbledore, of course, plays the
wise old man who gives him instruments and advice along the way (the
cloak, how Erised works), not unlike what Obi-Wan does for Luke.  I
don't know the degree to which Hermione and Ron are a part of it. 
They're definitely instrumental in Harry's development, but when push
comes to shove, it's always Harry alone who has to face Voldemort.
(I'd have to look again at The Hero with a Thousand Faces to see what
role friends play.)

Protecting the stone, then, was only secondary to giving Harry
essential training.  Yeah, Dumbledore could have put the stone in his
pocket or in some other safe, innocuous, charmed place.  He could have
stuck it in the mirror of Erised and left it standing in an empty
room. (This way, the stone was always safe from Quirrell/Voldy as long
as they wanted to use it improperly.) Fluffy and the other spells were
like neon signs saying "this way to the stone." I also wouldn't be at
all surprised if Dumbledore had a say in what the other professors'
spells were.

So what I would *really* like to know is if JKR sees Book 1 that way.
 I know George Lucas deliberately crafted the original Star Wars
trilogy after Joseph Campbell's stuff. I wonder if JKR did, too.

As for other unresolved questions, why did Quirrell attempt to go for
the stone on Halloween when he didn't yet know how to get past Fluffy?
 Did he not know Fluffy was there?  If so, why would Snape try to head
him off?  Why didn't he pull a Sirius and let Quirrell find out for
himself the danger that awaited him behind the door? Granted, Snape's
escape and wound were red herrings, but they've got to have their own
inner logic, right?

--Dicentra, who thinks it's cool that GoF won the Hugo award,
regardless of what others say