Pensieves objectivity AND: Dumbledore's integrity

[Wanda Sherratt]

No: HPFGUIDX 79605

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> 
wrote:
> If keeping Sirius locked up in that house was Dumbledore's idea of 
a 
> great way for Sirius to be able to live, really live, then 
> Dumbledore's not being either Macchiavellian or fatherly - he's 
being 
> sadistic.  The only way to give Sirius a chance to live was to 
find 
> Pettigrew and bring him to justice.  We heard not a peep about 
that 
> in OoP because everyone was so busy with the prophecy stuff. 
> 
> I think your points are quite valide with Harry, but I just don't 
see 
> it with Sirius.
> 
I understand that people who didn't want Sirius to die might think 
that Dumbledore has the broadest shoulders so he should carry the 
heaviest blame, but I just don't see it.  "Sadistic" is a pretty 
extreme word.  Umbridge is sadistic; I don't see how any reasonable 
person can class Dumbledore with her.  I don't even see exactly why 
he was being so apologetic at the end of OotP.  I wouldn't have 
been, especially not to a loud-mouthed, self-righteous brat like 
Harry.  For every suggestion that Dumbledore should have done this, 
or should have done that, there is at least a very good objection 
that such a course of action would have led to disaster.  I don't 
think he did anything without good reason, and it's strange to hear 
people dismiss his actions as if the right course was so plain and 
easy to see, that he must have been stupid or evil to have done 
anything else.  I think his plan was a perfectly good one, and it's 
not exactly his fault that Harry and Sirius thought they knew better 
and tried something else.  Their plans didn't work out any better 
than his, so why is he the only one apologizing at the end?  Maybe 
because he's the only one with the guts to admit that he isn't 
always right and always perfect; it would be refreshing to hear 
something remotely similar coming from Harry for a change.

Wanda