[HPforGrownups] Re: JKR Chat "The Crucial and Central Question"

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 92356

Kneasy:
> Blaming Dumbledore? Really? Just because I consider him to be a
> cunning, devious, conniving, cold-hearted fixer doesn't mean that
> I blame him. Quite the contrary. Wars aren't won by kindly old softies.
> <SNIP>
> In the past I've leveled all sorts of 'accusations' at him; that he 
> stood
> aside at GH, more or less abandoning James and Lily so that the terms
> of the Prophecy would be fulfilled being among them. But I don't
> *blame* him for doing so. It was a necessary step in the formation of
> Weapon!Harry.
<SNIP>
> It's the right thing to do and
> IMO it has been wholly deliberate, one of the more visible facets of
> his plan, whatever that is. But this being the case I  can't logically
> agree with the idea that Harry has choices springing up around him
> and that his actions are of his own volition. He doesn't and they 
> aren't,
> otherwise I'm contradicting myself.
> And DD will sacrifice Harry if it becomes necessary - which is more
> important, Harry or the WW? No problem with that answer. DD has
> been fighting Voldy since before Harry was born, he knows the struggle
> is about much more than Harry (though I sometimes have doubts about
> whether some of the fans do).
<SNIP
> And no, I don't think he's *arranged* the ending, but I wouldn't be
> surprised if he doesn't already *know* the ending, or perhaps the
> optimal way to achieve it. But to get there he has to make certain the
> right pieces are more or less in the right places and that's what he's
> up to. Harry is one the pieces and he has to be in the right position
> before he can be effective, whether he wants it or not.

I've tried to boil down your argument to its key points, as I am only 
going to be replying in a very general way.

I've always been one of those people who scoffed or rolled her eyes 
when others proposed ESE!Dumbledore or even just 
PuppetMaster!Dumbledore.  However, more and more (especially since 
OotP), I find that I'm agreeing more and more with the theory that 
Dumbledore is working quite methodically towards a goal -- and the 
means to achieve that goal are probably not in Harry's best interest.

I should have seen it from the beginning, really.  I mean, his reasons 
for leaving Harry with the emotionally (and even physically, to an 
extent) abusive Dursleys are just *so* weak.  He doesn't want the boy 
to get a big head?  Privet Drive is the *only* place Harry will be 
safe?  Please.  Dumbledore could have solved *both* these problems by 
raising Harry himself.  I'm sorry, but it's the least he could have 
done for a child that was destined to save the Wizarding World, if he 
had *truly* had that child's best interests at heart.

As for Sirius's death in OotP -- I don't think Dumbledore specifically 
orchestrated it, but I don't think he's particularly sorry it happened, 
either.  What better way to teach Harry the lessons he needs to learn?

Dumbledore *is* moulding Harry into a weapon with which to destroy 
Voldemort.  Can you blame him?  No.  One can hardly argue that Harry's 
happiness and life are more important than the entire Wizarding 
population.  And he *is* sorry -- he *does* care for Harry -- I believe 
he was being sincere when he "explained everything" at the end of OotP. 
  In this case he has chosen between what he thinks is right, and what 
would be easy.

However, I also think he is playing a v. dangerous game.  What happens 
when Harry realizes all this?  To paraphrase Hermione, who can he trust 
if he can't trust Dumbledore?  Can you imagine how betrayed, confused, 
and ANGRY Harry will feel when Dumbledore's manipulation of his life 
becomes apparent to him?  If he finds out that Dumbledore *let* his 
parents and Sirius die?

Personally, I think Dumbledore is in for a big surprise when it comes 
to Harry -- eventually the kid is going to grow up and refuse to be 
used anymore.  And then . . . what happens?  Can Harry defeat Voldemort 
on his own terms, or will he be forced to put differences aside and 
accept Dumbledore's game plan?

Laura