Someone Else's Failure?(smallOOP spoiler at the end)

[Linda]

No: HPFGUIDX 59047



There has been a lot of discussion on Harry needing to experiance 
failure in order to grow. A lot of posters have made the point that 
Harry is fully aware of the fact that he is infallible and I happen 
to agree. I'm not convincerd that it is necessary for Harry to 
*fail*. There has also been a lot of speculation about Dumbledore's 
death and how it may be necessary for him to die in order for Harry 
to do what he needs to. I don't think that Dumbledore himself needs 
to die in order for this to happen. IMO, what needs to *die* is 
Harry's belief in Dumbledore's ability to always fix things. If 
something huge and awful happens that Dumbledore can't rectify in 
some way, I think that it will change Harry's perspective immensly. 
(I'm not counting the death of Cedric in this category because I 
don't think Harry would.) We get a hint of how importasnt it is that 
Hary thinks of Dumbledore as a safty net in PoA. 
         "Harry stared in to the grave face and felt as though the 
ground beneath him were falling sharply away. He had grown used to 
the idea that Dumbledore could solve anything. He had expected 
Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. But 
no...their last hope was gone." (CH 21)
  Immediately following the quote Dumbledore told HH to use the time 
turner and Harry's belief in Dumbledore was restored, but I think 
that was the beginning. In GoF, Dumbledore can't take Harry out of 
the tournament- another example that he can't solve everything. As 
for the heavily discussed gleam in Dumbledore's eyes coupled with 
him looking tired and worn, I think that passage in GOF is JK's way 
of lettin gus know that Hrray is sarting to see Dumbledore as a 
great man with huge burdens who just can't solve everything. I think 
that realization was as much of a blow to Harry as what happened in 
the cemetary.

  -Linda