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

[Kelly M.]

No: HPFGUIDX 77223

Lupinwolf wrote:
> Is it as "simple" as he likes Harry more than he likes Tom? Is it 
> as complex as he has "grown" to love Harry because he has been 
> forced to be part of his life due to his role in Voldemort's demise? 
> 
> IF so, what if Dumbledore HAD shown Tom Riddle this same 
> affection/attention... would there have ever been a Voldemort?
> 
> Are these some of the mistakes that Dumbledore is alluding to 
> in the end of OOTP?

Dumbledore has had to watch Harry ever since he was little 
because of the prophesy and because he didn't believe LV was 
gone.  So in that respect, I think he has grown to love Harry 
because he has known him and watched over him for so long.

If Dumbledore had shown Riddle that same affection, who 
knows what would have happened.  But Riddle seems to me to 
have already made his choices by the time he is in school.  With 
his family situation, he hated muggle-borns.  Obviously evil 
enough to find the chamber, etc.  So would Dumbledore's "love" 
really have changed the course of things?  I don't think so, but 
that is just my opinion.