*When* did Dumbledore die?

[Anne]

No: HPFGUIDX 145128

Pippin  wrote:
> Dumbledore died of the poison, IMO, some ten or twenty minutes 
> after he'd fallen from the tower. He may have been
> conscious long enough to open the locket, he may
> have decided not to call for aid in order to preserve
> Snape's cover and keep the vow from going into effect,
> or because his first priority was to see that Snape and
> Harry got the Death Eaters out of the school. Any
> way you slice it, neither of them is a murderer in this
> scenario. Death by misadventure.

Anne: 
 Furthermore, if Dumbledore *was* conscious after he fell from the tower, and he 
lay on the ground for up to half an hour, did anybody go to him or see him?  Sure, many of 
the main characters were at that time involved in the battle, but what about secondary 
characters--a centaur or other being from the forest, perhaps?  Dumbledore may have 
been able to pass along some message, and even if not, someone may have witnessed 
what actually DID happen after Dumbledore hit the ground.  If so, that witness may come 
forward to Harry in Book 7 with some essential information.

That trickle of blood is indeed provocative.  The moment when it is wiped away is so 
tender, so agonizing, that you almost don't notice how odd that offhanded mention of the 
trickle is.  Is JKR hoping that we won't see clues through our tears?!  :)

--Anne