Is Dumbledore still useful? Was:Re: Adults "failing" Harry (was: Themes in OotP)

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 119966


 
> Alla:
> > I frankly come close to thinking exactly that and that is why I 
> > contrary to many posters' opinion think that it is possible that 
> > Dumbledore will survive the end of the series to see that once 
> > again he interepreted the prophecy incorrectly.
> 
> SSSusan:
> An interesting take, Alla.  I still think DD's toast, but you could 
> be right.  If you're right, though, what would JKR's message to us be 
> in that?  That DD is an old fool yet again?  I can't quite imagine 
> her wanting to do that.  
> 
> But if there is some way that someone in the Order can determine that 
> he is wrong about the prophecy in time to use that information, I 
> suppose I could see it happening.  But not if it's just to show, 
> *again*, how DD is fallible.
> 
> I'm positive there are many posters here who've thought a LOT more 
> about this potential scenario and could comment.
> 

Annemehr:
I'll take a stab at this one. I've also been thinking Dumbledore would
survive the series, and that he'd find he'd been wrong about the prophecy.

I wonder if Harry is actually the only one who could know what needs
to be done, and won't actually realise it until just before he has to
do it.  This way, Dumbledore *can't* tell Harry what to do; he either
tries and is mistaken, or he realises it's not up to him to give
orders to Harry at this point.  I don't think anyone else in the Order
would have anything to do with it, although Ron and Hermione, knowing
Harry as they do, may be of some help to him coming to see what's
necessary (not that they'd figure it out for him, just help him
understand himself better).

If there's any "message" here, I guess it would be that when you've
grown up, you can take what your mentor (or mentors and parents) have
taught you, but then you have to chart your own course. The mentor
doesn't have to die for this to happen; in fact I like it better if he
doesn't, because it allows Harry to assume responsibility of his own
accord rather than have it merely thrust upon him.

For the record, I think so far, responsibiliy *has* been thrust upon
Harry.  If Dumbledore begins really teaching Harry in HBP, it'll be
the first time he's truly fulfilled his role as mentor. Only after
that, with all the wisdom DD can give him, can Harry really and freely
take responsibility upon himself.

Annemehr