Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A Question About MAGIC DISHWASHER

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 47402

Eileen wrote:
> Anyway, Pip, a question about MAGIC DISHWASHER. You lay great stress
> on the fact that DISHWASHER Dumbledore relies on Harry making the
> right choice in the Shack, thus he's not coercing Harry.
>
> What if Harry hadn't made the right choice?
> 
> I don't know how I feel
> about a Dumbledore who would lead Harry into temptation, give a
> thirteen year old boy, who hasn't exactly had the best moral
> formation, the chance to do something he would regret for the rest of
> his life. 
> 
> Any thoughts on this?
> 
> Eileen

Several thoughts, in fact, but unfortunately only have time for the 
most relevant.

Firstly, the fact that Dumbledore is allowing Harry to make moral 
choices is hardly exclusive property of MAGIC DISHWASHER: there are 
several places in the books where Harry *is* allowed to make such 
choice, regardless of what is happening in the background, so if Harry 
happens to have a damaged moral compass, it could've put people in 
danger.

Anyway, going back to MD. I really do believe that PS year (and to an 
extent, CoS year) were "test runs" for Harry. Especially during the 
first year, he is constantly *told* in no uncertain manner by both 
Snape and McGonagal to stop his investigations immediately and to keep 
within the rules. Yet Harry insists in looking for the stone, since 
it's in danger, and the adults won't listen to him. Dumbledore can see 
from there that Harry is indeed interrested in doing the right thing 
(although he might be Ever-So-Evil and wanting the stone for his own 
purposes... but then he wouldn't have been able to get the stone out of 
the mirror).

Enter year two: Harry and Ron get into serious trouble this time, and 
*Dumbledore* himself tells them again, especifically, that if they put 
a toe out of line they will be expelled - if they break any rule, IIRC 
(which would include things like going down to the kitchens for food). 
Yet Harry, who would have to go back to the Dursleys if expelled and 
finish up in the local school, where bullies put new student's heads in 
the WCs, insists in taking personal responsability for something that 
is not his problem - he's not even personally in danger. Of course, 
he's worried, in fact, not only about Harmione, but also about all the 
other muggle borns in the school. By breking all sorts of rules, he 
manages to finally find the CoS, in time to go and save Ginny from 
death.

And of course, all this is known to Dumbledore (who always knows what 
Harry has been doing, which in turn has led to all sorts of theories 
involving clocks, marauders maps, astronomy and more). He has kept an 
eye on Harry, to see one of the traits adquired from Voldemort was his 
evilness, and I think that by the third year, Dumbledore has more than 
enough proof that Harry wishes to do the right thing (and will try to 
do it with or without his approval).

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf