[HPforGrownups]"other ways of destroying a man . . ."

[theotokos]

No: HPFGUIDX 125938


In Ch.36 of OOTP when DD and LV are battling in the MOM, DD sends various spells toward LV while LV appears to mainly rely upon AK.  

        "You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, [snip] "Above such brutality, are you?"

        "We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk toward Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, [snip], "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit--"

         "There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" snarled Voldemort.

         "You are quite wrong," said Dumbledore, [snip] "Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness--"

This little exchange has always intrigued me--especially the DD's comment about LV knowing of other ways to destroy a man.  That whole statement seems to me laced with insinuation and history.  Obviously (I think) DD and LV have a shared history.  DD has been a foe to LV from early.  What, I wonder, did Tom [LV] do to destroy someone close to DD for that is what it seems like to me.  I think Tom did something horrible that DD knew about or witnessed or learned about and that is when Tom became LV and DD began a life set-out to defeat LV.  I realize this comment could be a general one acknowledging the many horrors LV performed or had a hand in--the Longbottoms come to mind--but it seems more personal than that.  DD is almost gruesome when he says "merely taking your life would not satisfy me."  

Has this been discussed?

Theotokos




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