Dumbledore the General

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 124305


>>Nicky Joe:
>...I actually don't think trying to get the giants, centaurs, and 
goblins on the good side is going to work, anyway, and could be a 
somewhat wasted effort even now.<

Betsy:
But this is just a guess on your part, right?  Obviously, we don't 
know how well negotiations are going between the Order and the 
various magical folk, because Harry doesn't know.  We do know, 
however, that the magical folk who worked for Voldemort were a great 
asset to him in the last war (as per Lupin IIRC).  So I'm not sure 
why Dumbledore approaching them now can be defined as a waste of 
time.  Even neutrality would be a gain.

>>Nicky Joe:
>However, there would have been people all along that believed LV was 
not gone forever (the same people that believed DD when he said LV 
was BACK with no proof) and they could have been working all along in 
preparation.<

Betsy:
Again, the idea that Dumbledore, et al have *not* been pro-actively 
working since Voldemort's first downfall is a mere guess on your 
part.  And one not very well backed by canon.  The prosectution of 
Death Eaters who walked free, the business with the Stone (Voldemort 
himself admits to falling into despair when Quirrell failed), the 
renewal of the Triwizard Tournament (which you *know* took more than 
two months worth of planning to get off the ground), the harassement 
of Lucius and friends by Authur Weasley and similarly minded Ministry 
fellows, the placement of Snape as head of Slytherin, the careful 
chipping away of old house rivalries, all speak to a careful laying 
of groundwork against Voldemort's return.

>>Nicky Joe:  
>Not to the extent of girding for war, perhaps, but I certainly would 
have been reviewing HOW LV got his power to begin with.  Where did he 
learn to suspend death?  How could he have survived?  What would he 
most likely need to do in order to return?  Where did he hang out 
during Voldy War I?  Where would he hang out when he returned?  (Do 
you think they could have kept an eye on the Riddle house?? Maybe??)  
It seems to me that DD should have spent the last 15 years looking 
for answers to these questions and maybe taking a few more 
precautions.<

Betsy:
And again - how do you know none of this was done?  Obviously no one 
was watching the old Riddle home (where Voldemort *never* lived by 
the way), but it's a little too easy to say with the benefit of 
hindsight - "oh, but you should have..."  As to the rest, Dumbledore 
has obviously been doing some research because he seems to have some 
clue as to how Harry may defeat Voldemort, and some clue to 
Voldemort's weaknesses (the gleam in his eye at the end of GoF).  
Also, you once again completely over look the business with the 
Stone.  Dumbledore *pro-actively* kept the Stone out of Voldemort's 
hands. 

It seems to me that in order to argue that Dumbledore has been doing 
nothing, you have to overlook some fairly stong hints in canon.  No, 
nothing has been spelled out, but that's because Harry has not been 
included in the plans.  As of the end of OotP that seems to have 
changed, so I do expect we'll get a clearer idea of what all has been 
prepared in the next book.  If Dumbledore does say, "oh, allies.  
Right.  We should get some," or something similar, then I'll agree 
that he did a poor job preparing.  

But as of right now, Voldemort's return has been indisputably 
revealed (very much against Voldemort's wishes), Voldemort is still 
in the dark as to Harry's role in the whole thing, and Voldemort lost 
a good handful of Death Eaters, and a powerful influence at the 
Ministry.  Dumbledore lost one Order member.  And though the death of 
Sirius hit everyone hard, he really was the least useful member at 
that time, and the most broken.  At this point in time, Voldemort is 
dancing to Dumbledore's tune and timetable.  And that points to 
Dumbledore doing *something* right.

Betsy