"Holds you in great esteem"

[maryblue67]

No: HPFGUIDX 131718

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c...> 
> wrote:
>   The wizard says (and I'm probably not 
> > getting this exactly) "Dumbledore thinks very highly of you, as 
> I'm sure you know.  Oh yes, holds you in great esteem."
> > 
> > Now, presumably Fortescue (as we'll call him) knows this because 
> he's overheard DD say as much (snip) Who has Dumbledore said it TO?  
> What kind of conversations has Fortescue overheard or been a part 
> of?  To whom has DD expressed these opinions?  McGonagall?  Snape?  
> 
> Tonks:
> Well I think that DD could have been thinking about Harry and 
> talking about him to the old headmasters. The old headmasters talk 
> to DD and they hear everything that goes on in DD's office.  They 
> see Harry when he comes in after one of his adventures.  They 
> probably all ask DD questions and discuss Harry with him.  I think 
> that might be the main thing.  

Now me, maryblue67:

This is a comment I stopped to ponder on also in my last re-read of OotP. But to me, it is 
better explained if put together with some of the things Dumbledore tells Harry in his big 
conversation at the end. Forgive me if my quotes aren't exact, but Dumbledore not only 
sheds a tear, but also says things like "I never dreamed I would have such a person in my 
care" or "I cared for you too much". These statements would make sense if either they have 
had a long friendship relationships, and therefore does not make sense when used 
refering to the first year, when they have basically just met, or if Dumbledore has reasons 
to be close emotionally to Harry. While I don't support grandfather or similar theories, I 
think that Dumbledore and the Potters must have been very close. If Dumbledore had no 
family, then the Potters might have been like family and their new baby like a grandson, in 
terms of affection. This said, I think that throught the years the headmasters in the 
paintings must have been witnesses to this affection, starting long back with the Potters 
and continuing after Harry came to Hogwarts. In addition, Dumbledore must have 
discussed all of Harry's achievements and victories in his office, either directly with the 
headmasters or with them as witnesses. Thus, it would be quite easy to observe 
Dumbledore's "thinking highly" of Harry. 

Therefore, I do not think that Fortescue's statement is based on a recent conversation with 
neither Snape nor anyone else, but a much longer affair.

Maryblue67, who was fascinated with the shows of affection from Dumbledore