Could Harry have saved Dumbledore?

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 135675

Deb: "yes 16 can still be impulsive but usually when asked to
accompany an adult, especially a mentor such as DD, they would ask
some thoughtful questions before setting out... like

"Where are we heading, Professor, and what might we encounter there or
along the way?"

"What should we take with us that might be helpful in this quest?"

"Are there special things we might need?" "

Sherry: "No, I don't think any 16 year old kid would have thought to
ask such questions, when he was going somewhere with the greatest and
most powerful wizard in the world..."

Sherry again: "And let's not try to let Snape off the hook by laying
the blame on Harry. Harry's shouldered enough blame that he doesn't
deserve, without taking the blame for this! Snape murdered Dumbledore.
It is his fault completely. The blame lies squarely on the shoulders
of Snape, right where it belongs. I realize that those who think Snape
is still on the good side disagree with that. It is of course only my
opinion, but Harry doesn't need to take on any more blame for things
that are not his fault."

I don't think Deb is trying to transfer blame here, but (sorry, Deb)
there's a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking going on. I wish I
could get full grown ups with years of experience to plan ahead a
little more, but that's another story. No, very few sixteen year olds
would think ahead tactically that much. How come Dumbledore didn't
think of more himself? For one thing, they had no idea there would be
a potion involved.

It's absolutely no part of Harry's fault, but Harry would do well to
think over the practical lessons of this experience.  If I was him,
I'd now want to have a little pouch containing, let's see, a bezoar
(good idea, that) some Felix, some Veritaserum (useful if you catch
someone you need to question), some Polyjuice (including hairs from
several completely uninvolved people) some kind of danger detector,
some of Forge's darkness powder, whatever Gred can come up with for
me, and, above all, if it's possible, a spare wand. The Invisibility
Cloak he already has. I'd actually have more stuff in my belt than
Batman. 

This won't happen. JKR doesn't think that way, and she doesn't want
this tale to turn into a comic book.  It's just what I would do if I
was in Harry's shoes.

As far as Snape's guilt is concerned, I'm in the minority with you,
Sherry.  So far, he's betrayed three important members of the Good
Side to their deaths and two more into madness, hid and assisted a
nascent DE who darn near killed two Gryffindors,  and killed
Dumbledore, all in the name of victory for the Good Guys. As I said
once before, his defenders have to explain away every single thing
Snape does. I'm just glad he's on our side. I suppose it could get
even worse.

Jim Ferer