Two weeks worth... DD's curious timing in SS/PS & OOTP...

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 106894

CatLady wrote:

Healer Strout, who is supposed to be educated, didn't recognize
Devil's Snare. Has anyone mentioned lately that the Devil's Snare was
intended for Neville the herbology student, as Dumbledore expected him
to be part of the Stone group? Either DD was observing in detail and
expected HRH to drag him along instead of paralyzing him, or DD wasn't
observing in detail and thought it would be a Foursome rather than a
Trio becasue Neville was also a prophecy boy.

vmonte responds:

Now this is interesting! DD's plan originally included Neville as 
part of the group?! I've often heard HP fans complain about how easy 
the obstacles in the SS/PS were. If 11-year-old students were able to 
pass through, then someone like Voldemort would have had no problem--
right? 

I think that DD knew that Voldemort was going to get through--no 
matter what. His failsafe was the mirror of erised, which he knew 
Voldemort would not be able to trick. IMO the obstacles were geared 
for HRHN (thanks to Catlady, I've added Neville). DD intended for 
Harry to get through with the help of his friends. He definitely 
planned for Harry to get to the mirror of erised, or why else would 
he explain to Harry how it worked?! We also know from canon that he 
was observing Harry carefully, since he knew what Ron and Harry had 
seen in the mirror. 
We also know that Hermione bumped into DD after she left Harry to 
confront Voldemort (this is when Hermione goes to get wounded Ron). 
DD looks at Hermione and says something like: "He (Harry) went after 
Voldemort right?" This leads me to believe that DD planned for the 
events to unfold the way they did. 

*** Although I think he miscalculated the time the events were going 
to unfold. ***

DD's leaving and return to the castle is curious to me. What exactly 
was he doing before he decided to turn around and check on Harry?

There is another strange moment like this during Harry's trial in 
OOTP:

Page 139, U.S. version --

"Ah," said Fudge, who looked thoroughly disconcerted. "Dumbledore. 
Yes. You--er--got our--er--message that the time and--er--place of 
the hearing had been changed, then?"

"I must have missed it," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "However, due to 
a lucky mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no 
harm done."

It's obvious that Fudge never sent an owl to Harry or DD. But DD's 
comment is curious?  I don't think that he is lying; I think DD 
actually made some kind of mistake (with time?). 

What would make someone get to a place earlier than expected? Floo 
powder, apparaiting, riding animals, motorcycles, and flying on a 
broomstick would not get you to a destination 3 hours early (unless 
you left 3 hours early). 
How about if it's a miscalculation with time? What if DD is traveling 
via some other method, a method that needs to be precisely 
calculated. A method that can propel you forward or backward, but if 
your not careful miscalculations can occur.  

Vivian