Guarding the Stone

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 119865



Kneasy:
> This isn't a new subject, it's been pored over often enough in the 
past, but the recent thread discussing the Stone, immortality and 
Voldy - particularly the possibility that DD used the Stone as bait, 
encouraged me to drag it out from the back of the cupboard and give 
it a bit of  a polish. 
> Many fans have commented that  the series of obstacles guarding the 
Stone are, to put it mildly, pretty pathetic. If three largely 
untrained children using just *one* simple spell can't be kept out, 
what chance of preventing Voldy from reaching the inner sanctum? 
> None, is the answer.

[major snip]

>I think DD was watching Quirrell and the Trio every step of the way. 
I think it was DD and not the Mirror that caused the Stone to be 
placed in Harry's pocket. And since DD is able to become invisible 
without the need for invisibility cloaks he may even have been 
physically present and it was he that slipped it into Harry's pocket. 
Off-hand I can't think of a safer place for the Stone than on DD's 
person, can you?

[another major snip]

>[Voldemort] *has* to be knocked back, delayed until Harry gets more 
magic under his belt. The Stone stratagem will do it.
>It'll lure Voldy out and Harry's protection will make certain he's 
sent back to the state he was in after Godric's Hollow. You don't 
think that it was mere chance that the protections for the Stone 
could be circumvented by the Trio do you?
> Not likely! Not with Puppetmaster!DD in charge.<

Betsy:
Okay, so this is a tiny bit delayed (weekend away from computer), but 
I've recently reread SS (all page numbers will refer to the American 
paperback edition)and had a lot of thoughts on this very subject.  I 
agree with you, Kneasy, that Dumbledore was using the Stone as bait.  
But I differ greatly on who the bait was actually for, and what 
Harry's role was in the matter.

First of all, there are two big things we learn about Dumbledore in 
OotP: 1) The man is a genius at thinking on his feet (the scene where 
Harry is confronted about the DADA club in chpt. 27);  2) Contrary to 
popular belief, Dumbledore is intent on keeping Harry protected from 
Voldemort (the "I didn't want to burden you with your destiny while 
you're still so young" speech in chpt. 37).

The second point goes a long way to contradict Harry's theory at the 
end of SS, "It's almost like [Dumbledore] thought I had the right to 
face Voldemort if I could..." (pg 302).  I think that in actuality 
the very last thing Dumbledore wanted was for Harry to confront 
Voldemort.  Which makes sense -- Voldemort is one of the most 
powerful wizards of the time, and Harry's an eleven year old boy.  
And Harry very nearly died in the confrontation that did occur; he 
was in a coma for three days.

So why the relatively easy obstacles instead of an impregnable safe?  
And why did Dumbledore make an announcement at the opening feast that 
for all intents and purposes pointed out the start of the obstacle 
course with a big neon sign?

My theory is that Dumbledore wasn't merely guarding the Stone; he was 
setting up a trap to entice whomever had tried to steal the Stone 
from Gringotts in the first place.  I further theorize that there was 
some sort of alarm that alerted Dumbledore when the first obstacles 
had been breached so that he could arrive on the scene and capture 
the unknown DeathEater. (More on the alarm theory later.)  

I doubt that Dumbledore realized that Voldemort himself was going to 
go for the Stone.  Remember, Quirrell broke into Gringotts on his 
own, so even if some sort of magical thumbprint was left behind, it 
wouldn't point to Voldemort's direct involvement.  It wouldn't 
surprise me if there'd been random rumblings from hidden DeathEaters 
attempting to locate and revive Voldemort over the ten years or so 
Voldemort had been missing.  IIRC the LeStanges and Crouch, Jr. were 
caught in just such an action.  I theorize that Dumbledore and co. 
would have seen the Gringotts break-in as a similar activity.  And I 
think they'd be very interested in not merely thwarting a previously 
unknown DeathEater, but capturing him as well.

Now, as to the time-line:  At some point after lunch Dumbledore gets 
a message from the Ministry.  (He gets the message after the last 
exam for the First Years, so I'm assuming it's towards the end of the 
school day.)  According to Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore "flew off 
for London at once." (pg 267)  The word "flew" would imply Dumbledore 
did not Apparate, but probably traveled by thestral.  McGonagall also 
tells Potter et al that Dumbledore isn't planning to return until the 
next day. In other words, he's making a trip of it, and she doesn't 
seem to think that a possible threat to the Stone warrants bringing 
him back early.

Harry assumes that the message from the Ministry is fake, "...I bet 
the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore shows 
up," (pg 268) but I think the note is real and Quirrell/Voldemort 
just bided their time until Dumbledore got called away on legitimate 
business.  Otherwise, Dumbledore would realize something was wrong as 
soon as he showed up at the MoM and probably Apparate to Hogsmeade 
ASAP.  Since the quest for the Stone doesn't occur until well into 
the evening there was plenty of time for Dumbledore to return if the 
note was fake.

That's why I theorize that there was some sort of alarm on the 
obstacles.  Either Dumbledore was alerted himself, or McGonagall as 
his second in command, was alerted and called Dumbledore.  I'm sure 
Dumbledore returned as soon as he could, but you can't Apparate onto 
Hogwart's grounds (thank you, Hermione), and at the time I don't 
think he was aware that Harry had gone after the DeathEater himself.  
I think it was a terrible shock for him to come through the front 
doors and see Hermione and Ron, dirty, injured, and panicked.  Being 
as quick on his feet as he is, I'm sure Dumbledore realized what had 
happened, "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?" (pg. 302) and 
immediately took off to rescue Harry.

The last thing Dumbledore would've wanted was for Harry to go after 
the DeathEater himself.  First because Harry was pure enough to not 
want to Stone for his own use (a purity a DeathEater by definition 
could never have) and thereby able to actually free the Stone from 
the mirror.  Second, killing Harry would be a mighty coup on any 
DeathEater's part, and again, Harry is only eleven years old.  Hardly 
a challenge for a wizard strong enough to break into Gringotts.  So 
Harry's actions actually went a long way to royally mess up 
Dumbledore's carefully laid plans.

I do think Dumbledore was proud of how well Harry handled himself, 
hence the praise at the final feast.  But the more we learn about 
Dumbledore, the less I see him as an omniscient puppetmaster.

Okay, so I've blathered on enough.  And I have two billion and six 
posts left to read. *g*

--Betsy, who's spent far more time than is entirely healthy trying to 
get into Dumbledore's head.