Omniscient Dumbledore and the time paradox

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 54995

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "weeoo0" <weeoo0 at y...> wrote:

> 
> Well, I have been .... trying to resolve in my mind
> the "time paradox" by thinking about it more linearly,
> ...edited...
>
> ... Dumbledore is talking with HH right before they use the time 
> turner he says "If all goes well, you will be able to save more 
> than one innocent life tonight" (PB, pg. 288 can ed.)
>
> ..edited...
>
> He tells HH they can save another innocent life to referring to 
> buckbeak, when, using a linear timeline, buckbeak has already been 
> saved. ...edited...
> 
> Weeoo0

bboy_mn:

First we need to remember who Dumbledore is talking to. He is talking
to Hermione, not us, the reader. Dumbledore has to maintain 'plausible
deniability', he has to tell Harry and Hermoine what to do without
coming right out and telling them what to do. So he is dropping a big
hint to Hermione, hoping that she will see that if they saves Buckbeak
that will give them the means to save Sirius.

What does Dumbledore know and when?

I don't think Dumbledore knows as much as it seems. I think he knows
what's going on the same way your parents know you've done something
wrong; mostly by instinct but without actual knowledge.

Dumbledore knows Buckbeak is gone. We also know that Dumbledore can
sense people hiding behind an invisibility cloak. We can debate how
well he can see or sense them, but I think we can safely agree that he
can at least sense them. 

So as Dumbledore and the ministry wizards are walking down to
Hagrid's, they are seen approaching out of Hagrid's window. Hagrid
hustles H/R/H out the backdoor, and as Dumbledore and the wizard's
enter the hut, H/R/H start walking back to the castle. If Hagrid could
see Dumbledore coming, why couldn't Dumbledore glance out that same
window and sense H/R/H leaving? Dumbledore wouldn't think it was all
that unreasonable for H/R/H to come and visit Hagrid. I think he could
easy understand that kind of friendship, and be willing to overlook
the slight breech of the rules.

So now what does Dumbledore know? He knows H/R/H were at Hagrid's. He
knows Buckbeak is missing when they go to execute him. 1+1=2. He could
suspect at this point that H/R/H couldn't bear to see Buckbeak kill
and lead him off into the woods. 

Time moves forward until we are in the hospital room, and Dumbledore
could assume that Buckbeak is stashed somewhere, so he hints that
having saved Buckbeaks life, they now have the means to save Sirius's
life. 

I'm not saying it happened that way, I just showing a plausable set of
circumstances where from the outside, Dumbledore looks like he knows
everything. But we as readers see that he is actually mistaken about
what happened. He assumes Buckbeak has been saved and stashed, when in
reality it will be the Time-turned Harry and Hermoine who rescue him.
Either way history plays out the same, and Dumbledore looks omniscient.

I think a lot of what Dumbledore knows comes from common sense, good
observation skills, a good sense of human nature, a good judge of
character, and a good general intuitive sense. Plus, he may
occassionally sit in his office gazing into his crystal ball. Also, he
is probably seeking around a lot.

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn