Order Guard on that Fateful Night

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 130982

> Hells: 
> Dumbledore said that he gave the MoM an excuse as to why Arthur was
> down in the DoM. His excuse must have been good because Arthur
> didn't get any official backlash from it. I think he got the
> ministry to stand guard or place additional security measures, 
after
> all they wouldn't want people to know that a huge snake nearly
> killed a staff member in the MoM. The Order wouldn't be necessary
> (or able) to continue the guard in this case.


Jen: I know it's true (about Arthur getting off) because the plot 
says so ;). But it still doesn't ring true for the continuity of 
OOTP. So Fudge suddenly believes a story Dumbledore feeds him, 
surely another 'whopper' because what else would explain a giant 
snake attacking Arthur in the most isolated and secretive part of 
the MOM?

So Fudge buys the story, unlike all the *other* stories Dumbledore 
has told him since the end of GOF. OK. But there's no reason to see 
the giant snake inside the Ministry as anything other than a fluke 
if you don't believe LV is back. So it seems unlikely Fudge would 
provide extra security for that incident alone. And certainly not 
someone stationed outside the DOM.

But back to the unanswered question--IF the Order was no longer 
guarding the door to the prophecy the night Harry & Co. visit the 
DOM, what was Dumbledore's back-up plan if the Occlumency lessons 
failed? He's a good strategist, leader of a rebel group; there was 
no plan B?

Jen