Catching up: MAGIC DISHWASHER

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 45297

At 10:49 13/10/02 +0000, Grey Wolf wrote:

>The last attacks on MAGIC DISHWASHER seem to have based on the fact
>that some of the listees believe that Dumbledore in it is no better
>than Voldemort ("ruthless puppet-mastering", in words of Marina). This
>couldn't be further from the truth. Dumbledore has *never* treated any
>of his allies as pupets in MAGIC DISHWASHER, and I challange all those
>who have been so free with the insults to find a single example.

Two words for you: Cedric Diggory. There appears to be no indication 
whatsoever that he was aware of what he was letting himself in for.

>They could
>have let Sirius get kissed (and Buckbeak decapitated). On that same
>book, Snape is sent to protect Harry in the SS in case things get out
>of hand, but still Harry is trusted to act according to a moral sense,
>instead of being forced into acting.

This is one of my big problems. Just what is Snape's role in the SS meant 
to be? Lupin was there and was doing a magnificent job of keeping things 
under control until Snape arrives. Despite being one of the "old crowd" and 
clearly quite powerful in his own right, was Lupin not trustworthy enough 
not to manage to get things done according to the Master Plan without 
Snape's involvement? What was Snape's involvement *meant* to achieve, and 
what *did* it achieve which could not have been achieved by Lupin alone?

Incidentally, although I've not looked into all the intricacies of M.D. (of 
whatever variant), I've read the earlier posts referred to before in the 
current discussion (though not the replies they generated). One thing that 
strikes me is that, whether consciously or not, the main function of M.D. 
appears to be to give Snape a more "honourable" function in the story to 
date than canon would imply at first glance. Whilst I absolutely agree that 
Snape is basically an honourable character, I disagree with some of the 
"white-washing" from which he *appears* to benefit under M.D. I get the 
impression that some people have difficulty with the position that he might 
want to want the best for Harry & Co and be prepared to save their lives, 
despite hating them. I see no inherent contradiction in that 
characterisation but I *do* have a problem with making Snape the hero of 
just about every scene in which he berates the Trio by giving him an 
ulterior good motive. ;-)

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who is reluctant to point out for Grey Wolf's 
edification that the English word is "iMmortality", not "iNmortality". 
errr... "hope that helps". :-)