OOP Dumbledore's flaw/Harry's anger/D.A. spoiler

[chappysmom]

No: HPFGUIDX 63802

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "zenchela" <zenchela at y...> 
wrote:
> I understood Dumbledore to mean that he was risking the fate of the 
> wizarding world in order to give one little boy peace of mind and 
as > innocent as possible.  Voldemort had destroyed Harry's family, 
but to > keep him safe, Dumbledore had condemned Harry to ten years 
of neglect > and abuse at the hands of the Dursleys.  Ultimately he 
felt very > guilty about it.  By *not* telling Harry the entire truth 
about his > relationship to Voldemort early on, Dumbledore gave Harry 
space to > grow up, learn lessons at Hogwarts, play Quidditch, do fun 
things > with kids his own age and generally have the childhood he'd 
been > denied -- but risked Harry's life at the hands of Voldemort or 
the > DEs because Harry wouldn't be able to defend himself.
> 

------------------------I agree with that, and I think it's 
remarkable that he would prioritize that way--putting one, orphaned 
boy ahead of the rest of the world? It says a lot about Dumbledore's 
compassion, I think.

I also think that this conversation with Harry, when Dumbledore 
actually admits fault to one of his students is a turning point for 
both of them. Nobody (not even Dumbledore) is perfect--we found that 
out about almost everyone in this book--but this conversation is the 
first time that he treats Harry as an adult. He explains his 
reasoning for actions that made Harry feel left out, he explains his 
own guilt for S's death, and he admits that he's not perfect. That's 
huge for an adult who's been viewed as practically perfect in every 
way (a la Mary Poppins). 

And I further think this conversation will do a lot to assuage 
Harry's anger over the summer. He finally knows there's a reason he's 
stuck there, and he's not being left out, either. I entirely 
understood his frustration and rage at the beginning of the book--
he'd been through too much, paid too high a price to be shut out all 
summer as if he were still a child. Someone mentioned that he's 
starting to make the transition from child to Hero (like Wart to King 
Arthur), and this "real" conversation with the wizard he admires most 
will help him, I believe. 

Just like the D.A. helped. I thought he seemed a lot less angry and 
more in control of himself once he had a solid, proactive thing to DO 
to prepare for Wizard War #2. He needed a channel for all the fear 
and frustration. And I certainly DO hope the D.A. continues as an 
official Hogwart's group next year! 

And, gee, anyone else wondering? The D.A.s were prepared and 
practiced for their DADA O.W.L. exam. Anyone else curious how the 
Slytherins did after reading Umbridge's chapters all year but never 
pulling a wand to practice hexes??

--Deb