MAGIC DISHWASHER issues

[joeblackish]

No: HPFGUIDX 39951

I'm very attracted to the MAGIC DISHWASHER theory. I like the 
way it complicates the notions of good and evil, and makes the 
Potterverse so much more real than many fantasy lands. 

That said, I have a few problems.

First of all, one of the premises of the theory is that at the time of 
the Shrieking Shack, if I recall correctly, 
1. Both Dumbeldore and Snape know that Pettigrew/Scabbers is 
evil, and that he is an animagus.
2. Both Dumbeldore and Snape know that Sirius is an 
animagus.
3. Dumbeldore has no idea whether or not Sirius is evil. He 
knows that he was not the secret keeper, and did not betray the 
Potters to Voldemort in that way, but is still unsure as to whether 
he is/was a Death Eater.
4. Snape is utterly convinced that Sirius is evil.
Given all this, I simply cannot understand why Dumbledore 
would allow Sirius to run around as an animagus all year, 
breaking into the school, slashing up paintings, endangering the 
students. I think he would most certainly have told everybody in 
power to be on the lookout for a big black dog.

The responses to this question that have been suggested so far 
operate on the assumption that Dumbledore knew Sirius was 
innocent once he learned that Pettigrew was guilty. But I don't 
see any evidence of this. Also, that wasn't the original theory. 
Has the theory changed? What is the reasoning behind the 
switch?


Second, while I personally love the idea of Grey Dumbledore, I 
feel that this is explicitly denied by canon:

Dumbledore to McGonnogal: "You flatter me professor. 
Voldemort had powers I will never have."
McGonnogal to Dumbledore: "That's only because you were too 
noble to use them"

(Yes, I realize that the exact quote would be more helpful, but I 
simply can't find the damn thing anywhere, and after much 
searching, can't even remember what book its in. Help anyone?)

I think this implies that Dumbledore is NOT grey, but rather pure 
white, as his name suggests. Otherwise, he should be named 
whatever the Latin term is for grey.

If Dumbledore were willing to use not-so-good means to 
achieve his good ends, why is he so against the Dementors 
(GOF, to Moody: "I have long felt it is wrong for the ministry to ally 
itself with such creatures"), and why didn't he just find Voldemort 
when he was gaining power/in power, whatever, and AK his 
sorry butt, or whatever else it would have taken to kill him?

Or are we suggesting that he was white in VWI and time, 
coupled with a victory that was neither permanent nor complete, 
has sullied is noble spirit? 

Also, a thought just popped into my head – if Ol' Dumbledore 
was so noble that he wouldn't resort to Voldemort's sort of 
means, what the dickens does he think is ever going to get rid of 
him? Does he want to capture him and them lock him up in a 
private cell for the rest of eternity in a dementor-free Azkaban and 
just hope we never see a security breach? Or is he dumb 
enough to think  he could convert Voldemort to the good side, if 
he could just restrain him long enough to have a heart to heart? 
Wake up, Albus!

On the other hand, I'd like to offer a theory in favor of MAGIC 
DISHWASHER.

In post 39904, Debbie wrote:

But, IIRC, this discussion arose out of the issue of whether 
Voldemort would have sent Pettigrew to Snape for the 
resurrection potion, and I think we seem to agree now that 
Voldemort suspected his loyalty too much at that point to have 
relied on him for the potion recipe. 

-----------------------------------------------------

Speculation inspired by this comment has seemed to center 
around Snape providing Voldemort with this potion while he was 
still in power, but I think that is a little iffy. 

However, what if, at the end of CoS, Dumbledore and Snape are 
at a loss. The war has once again reached a stalemate, and 
they don't have a clue what to do next. Then, Hagrid comes back 
from Azkaban with the skippy news that Pettigrew was the secret 
keeper, and a Voldemort supporter, and then Dumbledore 
eventually puts two and two together with the rat. (I don't recall 
exactly how MAGIC DISHWASHER claims he figured this out. But 
anyway
) 

Snape and Dumbledore then realize this is information they can 
use to their advantage. They then work out the elaborate plan by 
which Pettigrew escapes back to Voldemort with planted 
information about a flawed potion. 

Snape doesn't necessarily have to share the information directly 
with Pettigrew/Scabbers (and is probably a little more clever than 
that anyway, I would imagine), but how about if he just happened 
to arrange some way for Pettigrew/Scabbers to learn about the 
potion, and think that he hit gold. Similar to what Croody did to 
get Dobby to give Harry the gillyweed.

Imagine: Snape realizes that Pettigrew is hiding in Hagrid's hut, 
or notices him eavesdropping in his office during a meeting with 
Dumbledore, or what have you, and then says to whoever 
happens to be around something to the effect of: 

"Gee, Dumbledore, I hope that Voldemort doesn't get any loyal 
servants returning to him anytime soon, because wouldn't it be 
the worst thing ever if he used that potion to get a new body? You 
know the one I mean
flesh of a servant, willingly given, bones 
of a father, blood of an enemy, forcibly taken? I mean, gee whiz, 
that is one powerful bit of magic, and if Voldemort ever used that 
to return, we'd be in a pretty pickle. Gosh, hope that doesn't 
happen. No siree."

Dumbledore could even respond with something like, "Oh, I 
know, that would be the worst thing possible for us. That potion 
has no flaws. Lets just cross our fingers and hope he doesn't 
know about the fatal problem with that magic dishwasher charm. 
Golly gee, I hope he goes with the magic dishwasher thing. 
We'd be so set, what with all its hidden weaknesses and 
everything."

It would be a brilliant bluff! And Pettigrew, being the dumb clod 
that he is, buys it hook, line, and sinker, and is just as proud as 
can be to bring the fruits of his spying back to his master. (Sort of 
like Brer Rabbit: "Okay, you can beat me, tar me, feather me, 
whatever, I don't care. But please, please, please don't throw me 
in the briar patch!)

Joe, who is getting exhausted from this crazy posting wave.