Leading Into Temptation (TBAY style)

[Melody]

No: HPFGUIDX 47437

"Psst. Grey."

Leaning on the podium looking rather bored, The Wolf's right ear
perked up and turned toward the side curtain.

"Psst.  Hey, Grey," the voice called a little louder.

This time the other ear perked up, and Grey turned his head to the
right to see what the voice wanted.  Though, by this time, the voice
had captured the attention of most of the audience in attendance.

"Mel?" Grey attempted to whisper back.

Melody poked her head between the side curtains.  "Come here a
minute," she beckoned.

"Excuse me," Grey bowed to the debate moderator and turned to go see
what Melody wanted.

"But we're in the middle..." his opponent Eileen started to point out.

Realizing she should follow courtesies, Melody popped out from behind
the curtains and stood in front of the mod.  "May I borrow Wolf for a
moment?"

"Umm..." the mod blustered shuffling some paperwork, "it is highly
unusual, but...not against the rules...and they haven't said anything
in a couple of hours...so, yes, you may."

"Thank you," she piped grabbing Grey's paw and disappeared behind the
side stage curtains and weaved amongst the rigging and pulleys with
Grey Wolf in tow to reach the small open area behind the stage.

"What's up Mel?" asked Grey.

"I think your point out there about the "test run" of PS and CoS is
deceptive," Melody began.  "I mean - to say the obstacles were just a
lot of hoopla just to determine whether Harry's moral compass is
straight is a bit flippant.  I mean - a man dies."

"He would of died either way since it was Voldemort leaving the body,
which he would of done eventually, that killed Quirrell," Grey pointed
out.

"But to say Dumbledore was 'feeling Harry out' as if he was observing
Harry's reaction to a planted laced Christmas cakes is rather..."
Melody said snapping to try to find the word.

"Precarious?" Grey offered.

"Yes, precarious but on our part," Melody said.  "The flawed potion
(Pip's original style) is not dependent on the outcome of the
philosopher's stone.  The flawed potion is 'The Plan'."

"This I do know," Grey kindly stated wondering why Melody dragged him
back here for this.  "I have not encroached on your version of the
philosopher's stone or compromised the original take of the stone.
The fact that Dumbledore took advantage of the situation is possible
in both versions."

"No, I don't think so.  Here - let me sketch it out," Melody said
pulling a chalkboard out from a side closet.

"You really like visual aids, don't you?" Grey laughed.

Melody smiled.  "I have to keep my hands busy while I talk.  Have a seat."

Grey found a chair that gave him ample tail room and got comfortable.

"Ok," Melody began, "Two basic views of Book One and one big
divergence for one of those.  Oh, and these views are compatible with
MD as far as I can tell."  Melody wrote 'Non-bait' on one side of the
board and 'Bait' on the other with two lines radiating from the word.

"Now, let's focus on the non-bait first.  The presumption that, I
think, most people have.  The view that PRESSURE COOKER *probably*
adheres too.  A view that can work with MD actually.

If the obstacles were to purely protect the stone, they wanted to make
it more difficult for Voldie.  Non-bait stone means that Dumbledore
fully intends to hide the stone from Voldemort and does not want him
or anyone else to find it.  So the mirror is just a chance for Harry
to see his parents or an educational experience, and the flute was a
fluke of chance.  Oh, and Snape followed Quirrell around to know if
Voldemort was close to the stone or not, but that really works for all
three versions."

"How does this all work with MD?" Grey asked.

"Because as you said, they did not want Voldemort to get the stone and
focus on the 'flawed potion'.  Therefore, it is completely working
with Dumbledore to keep the stone hidden well," Melody said.  "But you
say that Dumbledore takes the opportunity to see what Harry is made
of."  If that is so, then you need to change the idea that Dumbledore
is not wanting Voldie to get to the stone."

Grey furrowed his brow and asked, "How so?  Dumbledore does not want
Voldemort to get the stone, and he could not with the mirror."

"Yes, but by saying Dumbledore wants Harry to go after the stone to
see where his loyalties lie, you were speaking under the presumption that:
  (a) Voldie *would* get the stone
  (b) Dumbledore knew this and wanted him too

Grey sat back in his chair.

Melody put down the chalk and looked at Grey.  "You see - then
Dumbledore is using the stone for bait.  Bait for Voldemort *and* Harry."

Grey was quiet a minute when an echo of footsteps came from the main
stage, and Moderator's head popped from behind the curtain and looked
at them.  "Can we have our debater back - please?"

Grey growled and the Mod backed away.  ""So what is the two divergence
of the bait viewpoint?" Grey asked pointing to the two legs underneath
'Bait' urging Melody to continue.

Melody stood there with chalk bouncing in hand.  "That was really
cool," she complimented.

"Thank you," Grey grinned.  "One must have priorities."

"Well," Melody continued turning back to the board to fill in the
blanks, "we have two possibilities with the Bait stone.  And it all
revolves around Gringott's."

"Yes, it revolves around the purpose of the stone being in Gringott's.
 Now I only make this distinction because it changes the intentions of
Dumbledore slightly, and if this is going to be a point of discussion
about his motives, we need to have sketched out different angles of
when he could of started planning the attraction of Voldemort to the
stone."

"Now, if Dumbledore put the stone in Gringott's to bait Voldemort,
then obviously Dumbledore wants Voldemort to come after the stone from
the start and the stone was placed there to be attractive, and then
moved (in the nick of time, I might add) to bait Voldemort to the
mirror room.  Dumbledore could of intended Harry to follow Quirrelmort
from the start.

But, if the stone was placed in Gringott's for safe keeping only, and
Dumbledore did not intend the Voldemort to come after it, then
Dumbledore had to think fast on his feet to bring the stone to
Hogwart's and set up a plan to lure Voldemort and eventually Harry to
the stone.  He had a month anyway, so it is possible."

"And this also brings on the question as to what Dumbledore is doing
with Harry Potter exactly.  MD says Harry is only special because of
his position as a life dept and 'love blood'.  Testing the moral
waters of Harry really does not stop Dumbledore from needing all this.
 Frankly all he could of learned about Harry's compass was whether he
had *a lot* of work to do or not."

"But that does not mean he does not need to know," Grey said quietly.

"True, true," Melody conceded, "But if Dumbledore is planning for
Harry to show his moral compass, then you have to say that Dumbledore
is using the stone for bait.  Dumbledore needs Quirrelmort *and* Harry
in that chamber."

She stopped and smiled twinkled-eye to Grey Wolf.  "Now, which is it
you follow then?  Bait or Non-bait?"


Melody
Glad to be back to her computer after a small Thanksgiving break