Dumbledore...evil?

[Jaimee]

No: HPFGUIDX 59086

Taylor wrote:
> One of the hottest debates since GoF has been...you guessed it: Is 
> Dumbledore evil? I have tried to think of every possible solution 
to 
> this and this is my theory of what makes the most sense to me:
> 
> As everyone has probably noticed the main theme in GoF is our 
choices 
> (as will it be for the remainder of the books JKR has stated) 
> Dumbledore mentions on at least two occasions that it matters not 
> what someone is born but what they grow to be and also; it is our 
> choices that shape who we are. Even way back in CoS Dumbledore says 
> to Harry that it was the choice that Harry made NOT to be in 
> Slytherin that set him apart from Voldemort. He also says that 
making 
> the right choice is not always making the easy choice. 
> 
>  ....Annnnyways....getting on to my point of this post is that I 
> believe that Dumbledore was perhaps born into a Dark Family, maybe 
> even like the Malfoy's, gauging that he is around 150 this is quite 
> possible without knowing much detail from the books. I could see 
> Dumbledore being raised in a dark family much like little Draco yet 
> being sorted into Gryffindor; thus greatly dissapointing his Dark 
> family. He may have been molded to be next in line and may have 
even 
> started to pursue this before realising the Dark way is not the 
right 
> way. He could have made the very difficult descion (thus forth 
bring 
> the quote into understandable and personal terms: What is right is 
> not always the easiest choice...or something along those lines.). 
> This could continue to be a daily struggle for him, for being 
raised 
> in this Dark family he might still have doubts about the good side. 
> That though Dumbledore was once on the dark side he slowly came 
over 
> to the light (for reasons unknown to me) yet he still has to fight 
to 
> stay good. 
> 
> It even mentions in the books that Dumbledore knows a great deal of 
> dark magic (from his family?) but chooses not to use it. Perhaps 
> having the ability to perform dark magic and not using it could be 
a 
> struggle, this could also Snapes vindictivness. He was so far over 
in 
> the Dark Arts that he was a death eater, this could have been why 
he 
> finds it so hard to be cheerful (though I doubt being cheerful is 
in 
> his nature, yet all the same.) maybe the dark magic not being used 
> could cause and internal struggle that you constantly fight. This 
> could explain the "glint of triumph" because when Harry mentions 
that 
> Voldemort could now touch him, this was a bit of the dark magic 
deep 
> in his veins coming through. 
> 
> One last point to make is that this could be the reason that 
> Dumbledore was the only wizard that Voldemort ever feared: Because 
> Voldemort knew that Dumbledore was capable of the dark magics that 
> could match, or out weigh his own. Just some food for thought while 
> we wait for book 5. 
> 
> By the way I am new to this community. Sorry if this post was a 
> little uncomprehendable, I was typing as fast as I was thinking 
> because new points kept popping up in my head. 
> 
> Cheers-
> Taylor

Jaimee responds:

Welcome Taylor! I just wanted to say that I love this theory! It has 
been one of my favorite of late :-)

And it has made me wonder if maybe...just maybe...this is what 
Dumbledore sees in the Mirror of Erised! He sees his desire to use 
his skills in the Dark Arts--and maybe even for noble purposes! (and 
this is why he can't tell Harry what he sees...) 

Being a LOTR fan as well as a HP fan, this makes me want to add that 
this could be similar to Gandalf not wanting *The Ring* because, even 
though he would be powerful enough to wield it...and would want to do 
so for the greater good, it would ultimately corrupt him. 

Maybe the Dark Arts work similarly!?! Even if they are used with the 
best of intentions, they can taint the one who tries to wield the 
dark powers.

Ohhhh...head spinning...and maybe that will have to be Harry's 
ultimate sacrifice. The only way he can bring about Voldemort's 
downfall is to use dark magic...which would taint Harry...and, in the 
end, Harry will have to turn over his wand to keep him from ever 
using Dark Magic again.

Then again...that may be getting a little too carried away ;)

-Jaimee, who has stopped smiling because, in contemplation, she tends 
to crinkle her nose and bite her bottom lip