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

[boyd_smythe]

No: HPFGUIDX 79690

Sarah:
> Wow, I never thought about the chess analogy before, but this fits.  
> And look at all the talk of chess we have in the books!  I agree 
> almost 100 percent, except for this: Harry is the king of a chess 
> game.  He can't be sacrificed, because if he is, the game is lost.  
> The other side (here, Voldemort and his pure-blood only mania) has 
> won.  We now know Dumbledore's view about Trelawney's prophecy: he 
> thinks that Harry, and Harry alone, has the power to defeat 
> Voldemort.  Only Harry can destroy Voldemort, and vice versa.  Kings 
> of a chess game: capture the opponents king, and the game is won.  
> If Harry gets captured, all is lost.

Let's not take this analogy too far.

First, Dumbledore is an active player on this "board," as is LV. In 
fact, they have both attacked not only each other, but other "chess 
pieces." So are they the queens? (uh oh, I see a slash-ing SHIP 
nearing port in TBAY).

Second, in chess it's impossible for a king to capture a king. They 
would have to be right next to each other, but that would mean one 
moved into checkmate. In practice, a king can be part of a trap, but 
some other piece generally forces checkmate. And kings are never 
actually captured.

So what does this mean? Beats me! IF LV and DD are the players, then 
LV must have a king like Harry--or maybe Harry is *his* king, too! Two 
smoke serpents, both Harry?

OK, more likely, LV & DD are just generals for their respective 
armies.

-Remnant
"Or maybe the right analogy is croquet, Albus, with you and Lord 
Thingy as the beaters and all of us as the wickets!" said Remnant, 
excitedly. Dumbledore replies drily, "I think you need a good beating, 
Remnant."