Adults "failing" Harry (was: Themes in OotP)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 120084


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" 
<delwynmarch at y...> wrote:
> 
<SNIP>
> 
> Del replies :
> It seems obvious to me that this is PRECISELY the reason DD didn't
> tell Harry about the Prophecy : because he didn't want to put even
> more emotional stress on him.
> DD is well aware that the boy doesn't have much of a support 
network.
> But there's nothing he can do about it : there's simply nobody
> available to parent Harry. So DD tries to do the only thing he can 
do
> : preserve Harry's sanity by not putting more stress than necessary 
on
> him. Tell me : what ELSE could he have done ?
> 
> Del

Well, practiced a little forsight perhaps to avoid this very 
situation?  Tried to arrange better parenting for Harry in advance?  
Been more open with everyone involved instead of playing, rather 
ineffectually, at being Dumbledore the Great and Mysterious?

In his defense, perhaps he did attempt to do these things and 
failed.  Maybe there was something about the arrangement with the 
Dursleys that prevented him from insisting that Harry have support 
from the WW.  Maybe he intended for Lupin to become a parental figure 
for Harry but was foiled by the events of PoA.  Maybe, maybe, maybe...

But the fact is, Dumbledore has let a lot of very delicate balls drop 
to the ground during his juggling act.  Now, one can argue that it's 
unfair to expect him to deal with all of these delicate and complex 
issues.  But he has taken the responsibility on himself by the 
decisions he has made, and therefore the onus of failure belongs to 
him.

To use a military analogy - which I acknowledge not everyone will 
find appropriate - a Commander is judged responsible for what happens 
to those under him.  That is often harsh, and even often unfair.  But 
it is absolutely necessary.  Those who want to wield profound power 
over others, and those who DO wield such power whether they want to 
or not, must understand that the fall out of their decisions adheres 
to them (at least in theory, if all too often not in reality).

Lupinlore