Dumbledore Dilemmas

[Serena Moonsilver]

No: HPFGUIDX 54736

(Disclaimer:  As usual I'm at work and don't have the books by me, so 
all refrences to cannon are from memory and subject to error).

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "greatlit2003" <hieya at h...> 
wrote:
> This is a compilation of the Dumbledore dilemmas I can think of, 
> some of which might have appeared before. I've just listed them, 
> wondering if anyone can notice a pattern (since Dumbledore holds 
the 
> key to much of Harry's past)
> 
> 1. Why did Dumbledore suspect someone was betraying the Potters? 
Did 
> Snape tell him?

I think that's been the general assumption/agreement amoung fans.  
Still, it's not cannon.  I believe in SS it's mentioned that 
Dumbledore had a network spies that kept him informed.  So it may 
have been someone else that tipped Dumbledore off.

> 2. Why didn't Dumbledore become the Potters' Secret Keeper???? In 
> PoA, McGonagall said that Dumbledore had offered to be Secret 
> Keeper. Why didn't Lily and James take him up on that offer?

Oh--this is a good question.  The only thing I can think of is that 
maybe Lily and James thought that they didn't want to burden
Dumbledore since he was already busy fighting Voldemort.
> 3. How did Dumbledore find out that the Potters were dead? Hagrid 
> and Sirius apparently arrived before any of the authorities 
(magical 
> or Muggle). We know that Sirius suspected something was wrong when 
> he went to Wormtail's house and Wormtail was not home, without a 
> sign of a struggle. 

Most likely, there were magical alarms on the house so if something 
did happen Dumbledore would be alerted.

> 4. How did Dumbledore know how the Potters died? (i.e. that Lily 
> died trying to save her son?) Was he involved in an investigation 
at 
> the scene of the crime? 


Very Good Question!  I think this is one of the things we will find 
out in OotP.   The other thing is that maybe Dumbledore assumed that 
Lily would die trying to saving Harry, simply by knowing her.


> 5. Dumbledore didn't seem too upset in Chapter 1 of Book 1, when he 
> met McGonagall on Privet Drive. (McGonagall was upset, which might 
> be an indication of her character and her true feelings toward the 
> Potters.)I understand that the rest of the wizarding world was 
> ecstatic that Voldemort was gone, and they did not know the Potters 
> and hence did not feel too upset over their deaths. 

Actually, I've gotten the impression that Potters were well known in 
the wizarding world and there was much mixed emotion.


But Dumbledore 
> had lost some good friends the day before, and he was sitting there 
> eating lemon drops! He also said he had gone to many parties that 
> day. That is a bit sickening. 

Perhaps, but Dumbledore may have gone to the parties out of 
courtesy.  Also, he may have already had his "moment of grief" at the 
Potters house. The books have shown that he isn't prone the weepy 
shows of emotion that sometimes plague McGongall (like when in CoS 
when she caught Harry in halls and thought he was sneaking off to see 
Hermione).  


> 6. In Book 1, why didn't Dumbledore try to find out who tried to 
> kill Harry during the first Quidditch match? I know he wasn't 
there, 
> but surely some teacher would have told him?

We don't know that he didn't.  He may have quietly.  Since the books 
are from Harry's pov he doesn't know everything Dumbledore does.


> 7. Why did Dumbledore let Harry face Voldie at the end of Book 1? 
> Harry later told Ron and Hermione that he felt that Dumbledore knew 
> everything that was going on, and he thought Harry had the right to 
> face Voldie. Isn't it a bit risky to allow an 11 year old to face a 
> powerful Dark Wizard?

Which begs another question--why bring the sorcerors stone to 
Hogwarts in the first place?  How did he know that someone 
(Voldemort) was after it?  Was he setting up Harry and Voldemort for 
their big meeting from the get go?  It does certainly seem that way.  
Was Dumbldore testing Harry or he's getting him ready for everything 
that happens in the next six books.


> 8. Why did Dumbledore allow Harry to compete in the Tournament, 
> especially since he was "reading the signs" like Sirius said? 

Honestly, I think he was using Harry for bait.  He knew Voldemort was 
up to something and used Harry to lure him out.

> 9. Why didn't DD investigate who put Harry's name into the Goblet?

Maybe he did, just like my answer to #6, we just might not be aware 
of it.

> 10. If DD is such a great wizard, why does Voldie keep fooling him??
> 
A.  Nobody is perfect.
B.  Then there would be no story.  Dumbledore would defeat Voldemort.

"Serena"