Dumbledore's attention to Harry an ammends for past mistakes?

[Kelly M.]

No: HPFGUIDX 77169

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinwolf2001" 
<lupinwolf2001 at y...> wrote:
> We know that Dumbledore watches over Harry. We know that 
he protects 
> him while at the same time must prep him for being "the one" 
(so to 
> speak).
> Is Dumbledore somewhat making ammends (through his 
actions with 
> Harry) for the attention he didn't give Tom Riddle? Could 
Dumbledore 
> have made a profound difference in an adolesant young 
Riddle? I would 
> imagine that it would have. While Dumbledore was not yet the 
> headmaster, it seems that he had more contact with Tom (as a 
teacher) 
> than most headmasters would.
snipped...

My 2 cents:
Well, I think that Dumbledore kept a close eye on Riddle while he 
was at school, but was he really to know exactly how he would 
turn out and what he would become?  He may feel guilty for not 
watching Tom more carefully, but I don't think that's the reason 
he watches over Harry now.

He was taking care of Harry to begin with out of need - he didn't 
think LV was really gone and felt obligated almost to take care of 
Harry.  But we learned in OotP that Dumbledore is watching over 
Harry now because he cares about him so much....maybe too 
much.

Maybe Dumbledore didn't feel this sort of affection towards Tom 
while he was at Hogwarts - he didn't have a need to.

-Kelly