...Erised DD....

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 151344

> >>Pippin wrote in 
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/151165>:
> 
> << But what makes it obvious that we're supposed to take Harry's   
> line? [that Dumbledore knew what was going on and let Harry have   
> his chance [to rescue the Stone], and this is a good thing,] >>

> >>Catlady: 
> That the obstacles were so easy that three first-years could get
> through them. Many listies have said it seems unlikely that the
> greatest wizard alive and five more professors's best efforts to
> block Voldemort are obstacles that *children* can get through. And
> that DD made sure that Harry found out in advance how the Mirror of
> Erised works.

Betsy Hp:
But the obstacles *weren't* that easy.  Harry and Ron nearly died at 
the very start when they hit the Devil's Snare.  And even Hermione 
completely lost her head at that moment.

Ron very nearly died when he sacrificed himself on the chess board.  
Remember, the Queen struck him in the head.  And any decent chess 
player knows that a win generally requires a sacrifice of some sort.

And at the end, Harry not only very nearly died, his very presence 
combined with his knowledge of the Mirror of Erised, very nearly put 
the Stone into Voldemort's hands.  

What the obstacles did strike me as was a very neat trap for a very 
clever wizard.  Difficult enough to provide a modicum of effort 
(especially since there were different skill sets involved) but not 
so difficult as to require extra help or to cause the wizard to give 
up.  Until, that is, the wizard reached the Mirror.

Just like trapping a raccoon, actually.  (At least according to folk 
lore.)  Where you put something shiny in a large object with a 
narrow opening.  The raccoon can reach into the opening with an 
opened hand, but once he grasps the object within, his closed fist 
won't fit back out.  The only way the raccoon can escape is to let 
the object go.  The idea is that the raccon is incapable of letting 
go and is thereby trapped.

I think that was Dumbldore's plan all along.  Which is why he was so 
open about where the Stone was hidden and why he involved so many 
people, including the not so good at keeping secrets, Hagrid. (Plus 
the already under suspicion, Quirrell.)

I think Harry really did just stumble across the Mirror.  It wasn't 
until after he and Ron discussed the Mirror at dinner with the staff 
(when Harry was already loosing sleep and probably looking like it) 
that Dumbledore intervened.

I really, really have a hard time accepting the gauntlet as 
Dumbledore "testing" Harry.  Though it comes across as logical in 
the first book, the rest of the series doesn't bare that sort of 
behavior out, IMO.  

Actually, I think Dumbledore *did* test Harry in PS/SS, but it was 
the slightly less exciting Norton adventure that he used.  It was a 
perfect way to see how Harry handled a friend in trouble.  I doubt 
McGonagall was supposed to get involved.  But I can see Dumbledore 
deciding against interfering even after the massive amount of points 
taken ended in such a painful drop in popularity.  It's a bit of a 
bastard move, but a heck of a lot less of a bastard move than nearly 
killing three first years.  And it explains the giddy point giving 
that occurs at the closing feast.  IMO, anyway.

Betsy Hp