Dumbledore's mistakes + Sirius Depression?

[evangelina839]

No: HPFGUIDX 74631

Kristen wrote:
> > 2) Not telling Harry specifically why he wanted him to study 
> Occlumency.  Big mistake.  Snape's "because Dumbledore said so" 
> reasoning isn't enough for Harry, especially after the way
Dumbledore 
> had been acting toward him.  And after everyone raving about how 
> Arthur would've died if not for Harry's dream, you can't really 
> blame  Harry there.

then madeyesgal replied:
> Me:
> "Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of all time." Even Harry defends 
> that premise. For Harry to question Dumbledore's motives for Harry
to 
> learn anything is arrogant on Harry's part. Since when does Harry 
> know more than Dumbledore? <snipped>

Me:
I agree that Dumbledore probably knows both more than Harry, and more
than Harry 
thinks he knows, but I still don't think that means that no one is
allowed to question 
him. Everyone makes mistakes, Dumbledore even admits that he just
made one. Even 
goodhearted people can be disillusioned by power if everyone just
lets them go on 
and on without ever telling them that they could be wrong here and
there... and the 
whole point of democracy is that everyone should be allowed to have
their say, right? 
I don't know if I explained this right, but I think you know what I
mean...

Kristen:
> > 3) Seemingly not noticing (or not doing anything about it) that 
> Sirius was rapidly deteriorating while basically kept caged.  Yes,
it 
> was for his own good.  But yes, he also felt useless and I don't 
> blame him.   Not to mention anybody shut up with Kreacher so much 
> couldn't help but deteriorate.  And that portrait!  Ugh.  Someone 
> mentioned that being back in that house to Sirius may have been a
lot 
> like being back in Azkaban again.  I agree, a lot of bad memories 
> must have been there.  Sure it was okay when the house was full of 
> people, but I'm sure there were a lot of long lonely days and
nights 
> there.  How could Dumbledore have helped?  I'm not entirely sure,
but 
> surely something could have been done.

madeyesgal:
> This is where I really take issue. I'm a Sirius fan, BUT this
feeling 
> sorry for Sirius being cooped up with his mother's picture and that 
> scum-bucket house elf, Kreacher really frustrates me to the point
of 
> wanting to yell at my computer and anyone else who will listen.
This 
> is a man who managed to remain sane in Azkaban for heaven's sake.
Do 
> you really believe that Kreacher and his mother's portrait are
worse 
> than Dementors? Sirius was always free to leave the house whenever
he 
> wanted to. While he was TOLD to stay there, he also CHOSE to stay 
> there. When he wanted to leave, he did. I will not feel sorry for
him 
> in any way and I don't believe it was a mistake to have him stay 
> there at all. After all, Dumbledore was trying to keep him safe and 
> alive. If Sirius wanted to risk both, that was his choice, not a 
> mistake.

I think I know which post Kristen is referring to, and I believe the
point of it was that 
the Dementors made Sirius relive every bad memory from his childhood
home. I 
believe it probably felt even worse for Sirius to return there AFTER
Azkaban - he may 
even have felt like being back with the Dementors. The house itself
seems to actually 
BE worse as well; Kreacher is crazier than ever and it's not like any
good traits (I 
believe everyone has some!) of Mrs Black seem to have been invested
in her portrait. 
So if there were any happy memories in the house for Sirius, the
Dementors first 
made him forget them, and then he comes back to the house, and gets
this idea of it 
confirmed! I also think that even though Sirius is most likely a
strong person, he must 
be weakened by his stay at Azkaban, and it could have been harder for
him to take 
his mother's insults this time around. But then of course it was the
safe thing for 
him... I can understand both Dumbledore's motives, and Sirius'
dislike of that 
decision.
evangelina - feeling incoherent...