DD not like himself - Horcrux Theory

[phoenixmum]

No: HPFGUIDX 135525

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
> I have been thinking about the fact that DD does not seem like 
> himself.  Yet I am sure that it was DD on the tower, and that he 
is 
> dead.
> 
> Here is my theory as to why DD does some things that are out of 
> character for him.  The thing that gets to me the most is the way 
he 
> keeps saying how smart he is, and this is not the humble man that 
I 
> know DD to be.  > Has he taken the evil that was LV out of the 
ring and into himself?  
>

Reply:

Others have also posted that DD in HBP acted in manner
"not like 
himself." My reaction has been: perhaps DD seems different in HBP 
because this is the first book in which Harry, and
therefore " we," get to spend a significant amount of time
with DD. 
Harry and we get to know DD "better," and therefore he may
"seem" 
different.  DD is presented to Harry, and to the
readers, as some paragon of wisdom and virtue for most of the first 
5 books, and while he largely deserves this reputation compared to 
most of the other characters, we don't start focusing on his
humanness/flaws until the end of OofP.  In addition, Harry and we 
are seeing DD in different  circumstances, including a time when DD 
may be more stressed as LV is gaining in strength, more people are 
dying, and DD is feeling more urgency to defeat LV/prepare Harry to 
defeat LV even as DD is weakening from old age and/or injury.

But personally, I didn't see DD as acting so differently.  About
the 
arrogance that others have mentioned: even in PS/SS, DD tells Harry 
at the end (talking about hiding the Stone in the Mirror of 
Erised) "It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you
and 
me, that's saying something." (p. 300, US ed.)  I suspect we
have 
more of these moments in HBP because Harry is spending more time 
with DD, and because Harry is arguing with DD more often, so we have
repeated incidences of DD, like a parent dealing with a teenager, 
saying "trust my judgment; I know more than you, have more 
experience, etc..  And, like any parent of a teenager, normally
calm and unflappable DD gets impatient with Harry, who is sometimes 
annoying in HBP.  DD IS brilliant, magically powerful, cleverer than 
most: is it really arrogance when you ARE that much better than 
most? Or is it hard not to be a little arrogant when you have bested 
others, or been proven right,  so often? 

I believe the other reason  DD mentions his brilliance to Harry so 
often in HBP is  because JKR is reminding us of this before removing 
him from the stage.  The 7th book will begin with a lot of
characters doubting whether to trust DD judgement and his plan, now 
that he is gone. But Harry shows at the end of HBP that he intends 
to follow DD's plan, having accepted DD's judgment.

Phoenix