Some more OOTP Questions

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 126432


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Richard Jones"
<jones.r.h.j at w...> wrote:
> 
> I am continuing my rereading OOTP and I have some more questions 
> ...
> 
> Richard: (1) Is Umbridge part troll? 
> 

bboyminn:

NO. I think she is a conservative pureblood, who believes in the
pureblood ideal, but is not fanatic about it. She positively nuts, but
not quite fanatic. While she may promote pureblood, she accepts
muggle-borns are magical beings. That is a simple fact of life, that,
like it or not, she can't avoid. Further, while she may dislike
interbreeding of magic people and muggles, she abhors the
interbreeding of magical people and other magical creatures (Hagrid),
as well as any magical creatures who /looks like/ an intermix of
wizard/human and non-human (centaurs).

Her madness and irrational actions come from a lust for power that
masks deep seated insecurities and inadequacies.


> Richard: (2) How did LV know what was in the Department of Mysteries?  
> 

bboyminn:

First, Voldemort has been around for a long time. Rough estimates
place him in the area of 70 years old (give or take). He has a
brilliant intellect, he is knowledgable and experienced, so it would
not be that unlikely that he had a good general knowledge of the
wizard world and the workings of the Ministry. By extention, he would
be aware of the Department of Mysteries, and would likely know that
they record and track prophecies. 

That covers the superficial knowledge; the detailed knowledge, like
the actual row number, all came from Rookwood who used to work in the
Dept of Mysteries.

Notice that as Voldemort gains more information, Harry's dreams take
him farther and farther into the Dept of Mysteries. The door to the
revolving circular room never opened in any dream until AFTER
Voldemort talked to Rookwood.


> Richard: (3) How does the Pensieve work?  
> 

bboyminn:

Let's start with a little experiment. Right now as you sit at your
computer, without turning around, think about what the room behind you
looks like. Assuming you are at home or the office, a place you are
familiar with, don't you have a three demensional picture of what is
behind you? Don't you have a three dimensional image of what your
kitchen and bedroom look like?

The Pensieve stores memories as three dimensional holographic /scapes/
or images, very similar to the function of the Holodeck in Star Trek.

Even though Snape is sitting near the lake next to a bush reading his
test paper, he still has a full three dimensional awareness of
everything around him. He knows what Hogwarts grounds look like, he
knows what James and friends look like, he knows where the beech tree
is and who is sitting under it, and doesn't have to be looking direct
at that scene to know what it looks like.

The next logical question is, OK the visual hologram idea explain what
we see, but how could Snape hear what James and friends were talking
about? 

Simple, your brain takes in much more information than you are aware
of. At work, at home, in a restaurant/cafe/coffee-shop, we tune out
what is going on in the background. We concentarte on what our friends
are saying and ignore what the people at the next cafe table are
saying. But, and this is a big but, this is not a matter of what our
ears or our brain hear, it's a matter of focus and concentration. Our
ears and brain don't stop working simply because we focus our
attention elsewhere, our subconscious still picks up that data. 

There have been demonstrations where under hypnosis, people were able
to recall details of events (sights/sounds/etc...) that escaped their
conscious mind as the events originally played out. 

So, if indeed a pensieve stored memory is similar to a hologram, that
would explain how Harry can move in three dimensional space, and hear
conversations that Snape wasn't consciously aware of.

Am I right? Who knows. But it sound as good as anything else I've heard. 

> Richard: (4) Snape's worst memory. Snape put three "thoughts" into
> the Pensieve so that Harry couldn't penetrate them. 
> 

bboyminn:

First, let's consider that there is a likely difference between how
many pensieve memories Harry sees Snape store, and how many he
actually stores. Snape may have been stashing away memories for an
hour before Harry arrive, and all we are seeing is Snape finishing up.


> Richard: (5) Did Snape really expect Harry to see his "worst memory"? 
> 

bboyminn:

Logic tells us that Snape stored several kinds of memories.
Reasonably, he hid Order secrets that Harry should not know. Then he
hid Voldemort secrets that Harry should not know. Then he hid personal
secrets that, for a variety of reasons, Harry should not know.

If there is a real chance that Voldemort at some point can enter
Harry's mind and see scenes in the same or similar manner to what
Harry can, then it would have been possible for Voldemort to see
things that Harry shouldn't/couldn't/wouldn't have any way of knowing.
Or, if Voldemort captures Harry at some point in the future and
attempt to probe his mind using Legilimency, it would be very hard for
Harry to explain how he happened to come by detailed memories of
Snape's childhood. 

All things considered, I seriously doubt that Snape only hid three
memories, especially after Harry had proven on occassion, that he
could indeed probe Snape's memories.

I think the particular memory that Harry saw in the pensieve was just
random chance, a twist of fate. I don't think Snape (or Dumbledore)
intended for Harry to see this. I think Snape's anger was genuine and
justified.


> Richard: (6) Did JKR have Sirius give HP that special mirror just so 
> that Harry would feel guilty, ...?  Will that mirror return in HBP?
> 

bboyminn:

I think the mirror will be used in the same fashion as the Pocket
Knife Sirius gave Harry. The knife was setup in one book, and used in
another. The same will happen with the Mirror.

I suspect Harry will be very tired of being out of the communcations
loop, and with Hermione's help, he will enchant a few more mirrors so
they (H/R/H) can keep in contact. Further, Dumbledore (or Lupin, or
Arthur) may now have the other matching mirror, and Harry may use the
two mirrors to communicate with the Order.

Regardless of the exact arrangement, I think JKR introduced the mirror
now with the intension that it really be used in a later book.


> Richard: (7) In DD's exit scene, I noticed that DD didn't have a 
> particularly high regard for the truth or the law.  ...
> 
> Richard Jones

bboyminn:

Well, as others have already pointed out, the /Law/ was hopelessly
corrupt. Think about all the loopholes in Umbrige and Fudge's case.
Educational Decree or no Educational Decree, do you really think they
could have made that case in any fair court? 

Certainly, an Educational Decree can restrict students and general
teaching staff from forming clubs and holding meetings, but can it
really have sufficient authority to prevent the HEADMASTER of the
School from meeting with a group of his students? I think not.

In addition, in court, a fair arguement could be made that it is the
job of the Room of Requirements to manufacture exactly what the seeker
 is looking for; Umbridge wanted evidence, the Room created evidents.
Even if it's a load of crap, in a fair trial it creates very real
reasonable doubt.

So, exactly what was Dumbledore great crime here? Planning to met with
students? Independant of Educational Decrees and High Inquisitors, a
Headmaster is well within his rights to meet with his students.
Attacking Aurors and Ministry officials? Given the level of corruption
and a cases based on flimsy trumpted up evidence, I think a fair point
could be made for self-defense. Lying? Just a small lie or two for the
greater good, certainly that can be forgiven, and certainly, it's not
a capital crime. So, where is the real crime? 

Further, there is a big difference between doing what is legally right
and doing what is morally right, especially in the face of the
corruption and pervertion of that law by the very people entrusted to
guard enforce it. When /Law/ itself becomes lawless, it loses it's
authority.

In the past we have discussed a particular system that outlines the
stages of Moral development. Others are far more knowledgable than I
am, so the best I can do is give you an overview. Oddly enough, those
who ridgedly follow the rules/law are at the lowest stage of moral
development. Those who make a genuine, heartfelt, conscionable choices
seated in a clear and genuine moral sense of right and wrong are in
the upper stages of moral development. Again, neither my explanation
nor this system are intended to be an all encompassing explanation. 

So in the face of such blatant corruption, Dumbledore did what was
morally right even if it wasn't legally right.

Just making it up as I go along.

Steve/bboyminn