Dumbledore on the Dursleys in OotP (LONG)

[quick_silver71]

No: HPFGUIDX 151512

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> 
wrote:
<snip>
> I suppose that is what you are saying, that Dumbledore should have
> realized that Harry couldn't stand to hear such things about Sirius
> and that Harry needed a comforting narrative he could cling to
> in order to come to grips with what happened.
<snip>
> Nor would it have comforted Harry for long. It might have numbed 
> the pain for a while, but it would only have been worse when Harry 
> realized the truth, just as Harry's idealized vision of his father 
made 
> the pain of learning that he'd been a bully while he was at school 
> all the worse for him.

I had to snip most of this excellent post unfortunately. I don't 
begrudge Dumbledore the right to comment on Sirius and Sirius's 
relationship with Kreacher, indeed it's important that he tells 
Harry that IMO (especially considering that Harry has to work with 
Kreacher in HBP). What bothers me is that Dumbledore really "kid 
gloves" Harry...he doesn't really point out that Harry bears a large 
amount of responsibility for what happened that night (among 
the "good" side Harry bears the most responsibility IMO...more then 
Snape, Sirius, or Dumbledore). 

So Dumbledore makes this is big speech about Sirius and what Sirius 
did wrong, and how Kreacher figures into it, etc...but he basically 
overlooks Harry and how Harry reacts to Snape's involvement in it. 
It bothers me because well Sirius's flaws and causes death are no 
doubt important they pale beside the flaws that caused Harry to rush 
to the Ministry or place all of blame and hatred onto Snape. In my 
mind Dumbledore broke a key rule...that "the living are more 
important then the dead". Sirius is dead and as major as his flaws 
are they can't be used against him anymore whereas Harry's flaws are 
very real and can still be used against him. And in HBP Harry 
remembers Dumbledore lesson about Kreacher and doesn't trust him but 
he continues to hate Snape (an understatement).

So IMO Dumbledore put out a bonfire (Sirius and Kreacher) and 
ignored the forest fire (Harry and Snape).

Quick_Silver