Inside Dumbledore's Head (was:re: Prophets without Honour)

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 79394

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, B Arrowsmith 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:
<snip> DD may well have deduced what Voldy planned, even to the extent
> of using the PS//SS as bait in book one. But knowing V's  aims does
> not reveal his means. I think he was a bit miffed by the Portkey!
Cup.
> He could not have foreseen the events in the graveyard and the
> method of Harry's escape. He's in the game of reacting to  events.
> The Order doesn't seem to do much, a bit of recruitment here, a
> spot of guarding there, all to little effect. V didn't get the 
prophesy,
> in the Ministry but DD could not have planned the means of his
> eventual failure.
> 
> What does  V want? We're told  world domination-  a likely story.
> He definitely hasn't read the Evil Overlord List of Rules. He wants
> the prophecy - why? What does he think it says? He can't believe
> it gives him a blueprint for victory; maybe a hint or two but not
> anything critical beyond the fact that there's a little toe-rag to 
be
> eliminated before he can polish his throne and call  for the
> interior decorators. That, he already knows. <snip> 
> A while ago I theorised that DD was using Harry as bait. Let him
> wander off, he's bound to attract Voldy, bring him out into the open
> and - zap! Gotcha! But DD doesn't take his chances. In the MoM,
> not only does V get away, but he rescues his chief hench-witch
> too. Not what one would expect from the most powerful wizard in
> the world.  DD seems remarkably ineffectual except when it  comes
> to words, those he's good at. It's no good saying that he's giving
> Harry on-the-job training, four times Harry has met Voldy!Riddle
> and he should have been toast every  time.  Very like saying
> "Just play with this nitroglycerine and one day you'll be an 
expert."
> But DD carries on in his own sweet way, "Oh, and now I'll tell you
> what it's all about." The prophecy.
> No it isn't. The prophecy is a minor distraction. Even if it is
> complete, it lets Harry know that V is after him, something I'm sure
> he'd guessed already. He's not  concerned with beating Voldy,
> he's much more interested in surviving, and he's having enough
> trouble doing that already, thank you very much. It tells  him that
> there'll be a showdown, High Noon in Hogsmeade. You mean the
> previous four times don't count? No, DD is using the prophecy to
> justify his own agenda. Wish I knew what it is.
> 
Laura:

I wonder if it's not so much that DD is ineffectual as that we're 
seeing him through Harry's eyes.  And as kids grow up, they perceive 
the shortcomings of adults in a painfully clear way.  So we don't 
know what DD has done wrong earlier (or what he may have done right 
in OoP that Harry is unaware of).  

I was also struck by your observation that DD doesn't do much in the 
way of powerful magic in the 5 books we have so far.  He controls his 
domain with his words and his force of personality-you're quite right 
about that.  But that could be for 2 reasons.  One, DD has already 
proven many times over that he has enormous magical powers-you don't 
get to be on a Chocolate Frog card for your witty repartee.  And I 
wonder if DD feels his role at this point in his life is to mentor, 
to facilitate, to help others realize their own potential.  So he's 
willing to leave the fireworks to others-literal or otherwise.  *bows 
to Fred and George*  You know, Daddy can't always solve your problems 
for you.  Eventually you have to do it yourself-or not.

You seem to be propounding a pretty cold view of DD.  Your 
implication is that to further his agenda, whatever it is, he's 
willing to risk Harry's life and the lives of other people he acts 
like he cares about (okay, you know who I mean-I won't go on).  Do 
you then think that he was lying at the end of OoP when he toldto 
Harry why he hadn't explained years earlier about the prophecy?  I'm 
none too happy with him at the moment either (where is the SAD DENIAL 
docking next?) but I hope he isn't as bad as that.  Sirius's death 
would be nothing for Harry next to a betrayal by DD of that magnitude.