Dumbledore's serious errors & what did he do to make up for it/Harry's trust

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 122897


SSSusan:
> > I also don't think DD should have *known* Sirius was innocent.  
> > And he was shuffled off to Azkaban w/o a trial, so that's hardly 
> > DD's fault.  OTOH, it doesn't make much sense that he didn't, in 
> > the intervening 12 years, at least attempt to go talk w/ Sirius.  
> > That part has me puzzled & disappointed in DD.

Lupinlore: 
> This raises an interesting question.  WAS DD HEAD OF THE WIZENGAMOT
> WHEN SIRIUS WAS SENT TO AZKABAN?
> 
> If he was not, then I tend to agree that I am still disappointed in
> him.  However, if he WAS, then the questions of morality become
> monstrous.  


SSSusan:
This is, indeed, The Big Question in this area, isn't it?

Do you think it's just one of JKR's "didn't think that one through so 
fully" areas that no one used Veritaserum or Legilimency on Sirius 
after his arrest?  [Not that JKR has said she has these areas; but 
many an HPfGUer has remarked about them.]  

Now, Legilimency I think is overrated as a truth-divining device.  As 
Snape [whoops, *Professor* Snape] reminded Harry, Legilimency isn't 
mind-reading; I gather it's more about ascertaining emotions or 
general thoughts or images.

"The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at 
leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be 
perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered 
thing... It is true, however, that those who have mastered 
Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the 
minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly." 
-- Severus Snape, OotP

So I can't say Legilimency could've been utilized with Sirius with 
full confidence.  But why Veritaserum was not utilized, I can't say.  
Not standard procedure?  Not considered necessary in this "clear cut" 
case?  And why did no one, as far as we know, object to sending 
Sirius off w/o a trial?  As you ask, Lupinlore, who was in charge of 
such matters?  I didn't think canon provides any info on when DD 
joined the Wizengamot, and a quick search at the Lexicon confirms 
this.


Lupinlore:
> On a related note, this seems to be one of the clearest examples of
> the deep flaws running through the WW.  People in the Wizarding 
> World are often very powerful.  However, wizards in general seem to 
> be astoundingly incompetent.  Which is why, by the way, I tend to 
> think the muggle world has nothing really to fear from Wizards. 


SSSusan:
Is this "incompetence" due to an overreliance on magic, do you 
think?  To a feeling that they've had no need to learn about many 
things because magic can take care of everything?

You say the MW would have nothing much to fear from wizards.  I'll 
bet, though, that if their already-impossible-for-Muggles-to-
duplicate magical skills were accompanied by an introduction to 
Muggle technology such as Uzis and AK-47s, it would level things out 
a bit.  Though that may not have been your point. ;-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan