Flowerbed and Dumbledore (OOP)

[Debbie McLain <debmclain@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49859

Okay - I have read all the posts. Here are my favorite theories, 
along with mine....

"The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close 
and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet 
Drive 
 The only person left outside was a teenage boy who was 
lying flat on his back in a flowerbed outside number four."

"Cindy C. <cindysphynx at c...>" wrote:
> OoP starts off with Harry having just fallen off of the roof of 
> Number 4 Privet Drive.  He was assigned the task of installing 
> Dudley's new satellite dish, lost his footing, and landed flat on 
> his back in the flowerbed.

Me: I LOVE this!!! This is so Dursleyish! I rolled when I read this 
one.

Barb <psychic_serpent at y...> wrote:
> ...edited... It seemed, with this image stuck in my mind, that JKR
obviously had him flat on his back because he had collapsed with
exhaustion after a day's work in the garden (especially if it was the
hottest day of the summer), and that the next thing we are likely to
read is a description of Petunia screeching like mad about his
crushing her precious flowers...

Me: Okay, this is exactly what I was thinking too. This is more what 
I am expecting, but the satellite dish was just too funny not to 
include.

---------------------

 "Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-
moon glasses. 

`It is time,' he said, `for me to tell you what I should have told 
you five years ago, Harry. 

Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.'"

Ing <ingachristsuperstar at y...> wrote:
> I think the real question re. the instantly infamous quote is why 
> Dumbledore now thinks he _should_ have told Harry before.  
> Could it be the information would have left him better prepared 
> for what he faces in OoP?  Left him able to save the poor "bad 
> death" victim?  Or worse, maybe not kill said victim (or someone 
> else) because he didn't know the whole story?   

Me: I thought the same thing. What happened that made DD decide he 
needs to tell Harry everything? Since he is lowering his hands, I 
think DD was crying. Hagrid is dead, and Harry could've done 
something to prevent it, but couldn't because he didn't have all the 
information he needed to make the right decision. Now Harry has to 
live with himself, and the death he could've prevented, but didn't.

Ing <ingachristsuperstar at y...> also wrote:
> Surely Dumbledore would have a good reason for regretting his 
> decision, since he clearly thought he had good reasons for 
> withholding the info at the time.

Me: I completely agree. Again, DD regrets his decision because Hagrid 
would still be alive if he had "confessed" earlier to Harry. I think 
this happens in the hospital wing (since Harry usually ends up there 
at the end of the book). DD tells him everything before he leaves for 
the summer.

My prediction for book 6: DD dies. No doubt about it. 

-Debbie