On negotiating with giants, etc. (was: Dumbledore the General)

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 124286


Alla:
Very good point,which I did not even consider properly. 
Dumbledore tells Harry himself that he did not believe that Voldie 
was gone forever fifteen years ago.
 
So, all those negotiations with giants, etc. should have been 
started MUCH earlier than they did ( although maybe DD tried to do 
so and we are not aware of it yet)
 
SSSusan:
I have a question for either of you (or anybody else for that 
matter).  Do you think that entering into negotiations with giants 
or centaurs or goblins or any other group would have had a very high 
likelihood of success if everyone believed Voldy was gone for good?  
 
I really think that DD and Hagrid may have been in a very small 
minority of people who thought Voldy would manage to return someday 
[do we know about any others?].  What evidence was there for a 
potential return, given that he seemed to have been vaporized, and 
years began to pass by with no news of him?  To me, if I were a 
member of one of the groups approached by DD, I'd be skeptical at 
best and would wonder why we even needed to talk about the matter.  
 
I think DD's hands were more tied on this issue than it might at 
first appear, until evidence of Voldy's return appeared.  And note 
that, once it did, Hagrid was despatched immediately to the giants.


Alla:

I don't know, Susan. Fifteen years is a really long time, IMO. Sure, 
Dumbledore was in the minority, sure the majority of WW did not want 
to believe that Voldemort will ever return.

Nevertheless, Dumbledore could be very convincing, when he wants, 
IMO. And if he started really slowly, I think he could have find the 
way to make people believe that Voldie will be back and they should 
start preparing.

Actually, he could even have the luxury of not starting with the 
general public, but with the necessary allies.

I am not even talking about giants only, just laying out the 
groundwork, capitalising ,if you will, on people's belief in 
Dumbledore as someone who defeated Grindenwald ( I mean capitalising 
only in a sense of convincing people).


JMO,

Alla