Slughorn and Dumbledore: possible motive

[hermionegallo]

No: HPFGUIDX 138295

hg:
> >I'm perplexed about Fawkes. I don't know where it fits in with 
> >anything; I could speculate that Dumbledore was out there 
somewhere 
> >being healed?
> 
> Ceridwen:
> Which would explain the phoenix song.  Sort of like Snape 'singing' 
> over the injured Draco.  Which would be an echo, which JKR seems to 
> enjoy doing.  Can a phoenix heal the dead?  Or a particular dead 
> person, such as its owner?
> 
> And what about the wrapped body at the funeral?  And the 
spectacular 
> exit?

hg:
I don't think a phoenix can heal the dead, but I've got no quote to 
back that up.
But oh yes, I would be willing to bet that the song wasn't a lament 
over the dead but a healing song -- especially if Dumbledore wasn't 
dead at all.  He could be healing Dumbledore (or Slughorn!) from the 
effects of the potion; he could be healing Dumbledore later, after 
the death scene, as we assume he's been ailing anyway.  His absence 
from Dumbledore's side is SO suspicious.  I'll have to look at the 
book again; I want to see the times we hear Fawkes singing and what 
is going on elsewhere.  Do we hear the phoenix song in the office?  
Is the song the same or different?

As for the phoenix rising from the flames, remember how Dumbledore's 
patronus is a phoenix?  He could have sent it there...

I think you're right that we really need to be examining Fawkes' role 
in this.  

The body: we know Hagrid moved a body, and then carried a body to the 
table at the funeral.  Something could have been transfigured to 
appear to be Dumbledore's body, it would have had to convince Harry 
and Hagrid (and everyone else) at the base of the tower, for I'm sure 
Hagrid would have to be equally convinced as Harry of Dumbledore's 
death.  Again, then, the wrapped body at the end does not irrefutably 
mean it's Dumbledore's dead body, or any dead body for that matter, 
right?  For example, Barty Junior transfigured his father's body into 
a bone...

What do you think?

hg.