...HRH friendship - SS/PS the obstacle course was meant for HRH

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 105833

Jen: OK Susan, I'm getting more and more convinced that you're right
about this issue ;). I wasn't convinved Sat., but you and Vivian put
forth some very compelling evidence.

I have just one teeny, tiny problem with it though: If Dumbledore
did believe Harry would try to go down the trapdoor, and DD helped
him prepare for it, I see a glaring inconsistency in the
characterization of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore can prepare Harry for a possibly life-threatening
situation, but he can't look at him in OOTP? He can send him off to
fight trolls and murderous chess pieces, but keeps Harry in the dark
throughout much of OOTP, for his *safety*?

Which is it Dumbledore, are you a hands-off "people learn by
experience" kind of guy, or a dispassionate micromanager?

I don't know. It's one of those areas where you can really tell the
difference in JKR's writing-style from PS to OOTP. I suppose it's
just a plot thing, Harry is maturing so the POV is maturing, but
that doesn't satisfy me.

The only way I can resolve this for myself is to believe Dumbledore
expected to be nearby to help Harry, if he got in over his head. But
it still bothers me :).


vmonte responds:

You are right Jen, there is something about OOTP that bothers me too. 
I'm not sure DD told Harry the entire truth about why he couldn't 
look into his eyes. I think (this is only MO not canon) that the real 
reason that Voldemort fears Dumbledore is because he always seems to 
be two steps ahead of the game. Don't get me wrong, I do think that 
Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard, but I think that he is not as 
powerful as Voldemort. He even mentions this to Harry during OOTP.

p 835, OOTP, US version:

"I knew that Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive 
than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful 
protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he 
ever returned to full power." 

I also think that Dumbledore knows that Harry IS more powerful than 
Voldemort, but he needs to be trained. 

It was during OOTP that Voldemort became aware of his connection to 
Harry. Remember when Harry felt like a snake was rising inside of 
himself?  When he wanted to attack DD? I think that this is the 
reason why DD needed to keep himself away from Harry.  

DD wanted Harry to master himself/his emotions during OOTP (the 
lessons with Snape which really did not work out anyway). It would 
have been very unlikely that Harry would have been able to follow 
DD's plans if the snake inside Harry had risen to attack. In fact 
Harry might have attacked Dumbledore and tried to kill him. 
Dumbledore doesn't want to hurt Harry, he needs him to survive.  

Maybe DD was protecting himself. How powerful would Voldemort be if 
acting through Harry's body?  DD cannot die yet, he also needs to 
survive till book 7.

vivian