Guardian Dumbledore (was: Re: Dumbledore's Hypocrisy/Sirius and Kreacher)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 129308

> Betsy:
> I think the reason Dumbledore stresses that Harry and Hermione must 
> not be seen is that he knew what temptations they'd face.  Harry 
> especially would be tempted to run out and grab Pettigrew, and 
> Dumbledore reiterates to Hermione that the rules of time travel 
> *must* be followed.  And Hermione does make sure Harry follows the 
> rules.  Again, I don't see evidence of Harry and Hermione facing 
> *mortal* danger.


Pippin:
I think the operative factor is not danger but choice. Dumbledore is
inconsistent only if you see him as a puppetmaster who has been
making all of Harry's choices for him from Day One. In that case it
wouldn't make sense that he would try to shield Harry from the 
prophecy or the tournament when he chose to have him go after the
stone, fight the basilisk or rescue Sirius. But if you believe that 
Dumbledore always wants Harry to make his own choices, it all fits. 

You may ask what sort of guardian would let a child choose to
risk his life, but in all those situations Harry's life was at risk
already.  Not going after the Stone or leaving Ginny to die would 
not have spared him.

As for the situation in PoA, regardless of your theory of time travel,
Dumbledore has to know  that Harry is  the only one who could have 
saved his past self. As Lupin says, what else could have driven off
the dementors? 

Dumbledore did not choose to have Harry compete in the tournament,
IMO.  If you are wondering how a contract could be enforced against
someone whose agreement was forged, I suggest you google on 
identity theft. And thank your lucky stars that it hasn't happened to 
you. Yet.

Dumbledore does not want to tell Harry about the prophecy because
he knows it leaves Harry no choice. The whole point of a prophecy 
is that you can't choose whether or not to fulfill it. It chooses
you. 

Harry is, as JKR says on her website, the Chosen One. And Dumbledore 
knows this is not the destiny  Harry would seek for himself --
he would not go after someone who wants to kill him, nor would
he kill for vengeance, nor to prevent harm that he only foresees
(The Potterverse answer to the classic ethical dilemma is No, you
can't kill Hitler as a baby.)

Dumbledore delays as long as possible placing this burden on 
Harry.  IMO, the tear he sheds at the end of OOP is for his
realization that by delaying, he only made it heavier, since his 
delay contributed to Sirius's death. 

Pippin