Which Dumbledore ?

[abergoat]

No: HPFGUIDX 157204

Raymond wrote:
> Has JKR called the barman Aberforth? I have never seen the barman's
> name in any of the books.

We are never given the barman's name but HP-Lexicon (unfortunately)
has made the assumption that JKR has confirmed that the current barman
is Aberforth. I find it interesting that JKR put the interview used
for this assumption on her website (I don't think she has all
interviews, why this one?) If you read it on her website she makes
very clear she she is NOT confirming that Aberforth is the barman (and
this is her 'obviously' since she NEVER confirms theories) but she
makes clear she is impressed that readers tied Aberforth to the bar
because of the goat smell.

I do think that the barman that warned Dumbledore about Voldemort's
waiting Death Eaters was Aberforth and I think Aberforth banned
Mundungus from Hog's Head. But I suspect one of JKR's big surprises
will be that Voldemort, when Aberforth refused to let Voldemort see
his own memory of Trelawney's prophecy, turned Aberforth into a goat.

I haven't gotten too many people to buy into the goat idea though.
Dumbledore doesn't say he isn't sure that Aberforth LEARNED to read.
He says he isn't sure Aberforth CAN read. Could be significant.

And the real clincher for me, why doesn't anyone offer the barman
condolences at the funeral? Mad Eye has met Aberforth, he should
recognize him given that everyone thinks Harry recognized the barman
because he looks like Dumbledore.

The simple answer is that we are wrong. The current barman isn't
Aberforth.  He may look familiar to Harry because Harry has seen his
picture. Next to Aberforth. I'd bet my last dollar that the current
barman is Caradoc Dearborn, the Order member whom we are told went
missing right around the time Aberforth heard the prophecy. I bet
Caradoc went deep undercover gathering information for Dumbledore by
running Hogs Head when his brother was no longer in a position too.

So Mundungus dresses as a witch to hide from a goat.

Abergoat