Dumbledore's trust of Snape (Was: OFH, Life-debt and Snape/Lily-no-way)

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 162453

> Carol:
> Nevertheless, I think you've raised an important question: If
> Dumbledore's mistake isn't trusting Snape, what is it? I'll attempt to
> answer that question, hoping that others will follow up. 

zgirnius:
I like your (snipped) list of Dumbledore's past mistakes.

Of course, the readers who bring up Dumbledore's mistake comment in HBP 
to suggest it is a foreshadowing of Dumbledore's huge mistake regarding 
Snape would say those were all in the past. I think Dumbledore made a 
big mistake in HBP as well. In his own words, (Chap. 26, "The 
Cave") "Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth
" 

We see in the next chpater that it is a type of mistake to which 
Dumbledore was not immune. He was correct in his judgment of Draco's 
character (not a killer, Draco would not have killed him on the Tower), 
but underestimated the danger Draco posed (he was able to get Death 
Eaters into the school).