[HPforGrownups] Re: What's annoying about Harry (WAS: Characters you hate)

[Trond Michelsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 51402

On Sat, Feb 01, 2003 at 09:59:53PM -0000, Grey Wolf <greywolf1 at jazzfree.com> wrote:
> Oh, and in case you are not yet convinced, I've got a little more 
> circunstantial evidence - how did Dumbledore know that Harry was going 
> to need Fawkes and the sword if he didn't know that it was a basilisk? 

Uhm, what suggests that Dumbledore sent Fawkes to Harry? What suggests
that Dumbledore made sure that Fawkes brought the sword?

Are you thinking about Dumbledore's words when he was escorted off
Hogwarts?

--8<--
I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to
me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."
--8<--

And then what he said to Harry after his return from the chamber?

--8<--
"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes
twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the
Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."
--8<--

To me this only suggests that Fawkes will come to the help of anyone who
shows Dumbledore great loyalty, and Dumbledore realizes that Harry might
be up to something that will require some sort of help. So he gives him
a clue.

Two of the greatest features of a phoenix is that its song will
encourage the "pure of heart", and fill his opponent with fear, and it
has healing tears. Dumbledore does not need to know that Harry is about
to fight a basilisk to think that this could come in handy during a
fight. I can't explain why Fawkes brought the hat, or if it was on
Dumbledore's command or not, but you don't have to fight a basilisk to
find a use for a sword. Even if you do have a wand and you know a 
disarming spell.

> In the other books, it is him or Snape that come to the rescue (i.e. 
> humans), but in this case he sends a bird that *just happens* to be 
> immune to the basilisk's gaze,

Do we even know that he's immune? Do we know for sure that their eyes
met? Don't forget that birds generally have at the side of their head,
and generally don't look straight forward.

> peck out eyes  and can cure its venom.

To be fair, Fawkes' tears have general healing powers, they're not
spesific basilisk-venom or even venom in general.

> It certainly looks as if Dumbledore knew something, didn't he?

Not in the books I'm reading.

-- 
Trond Michelsen