Dumbledore's speech (Re: Snape! Snape! Snape! Snape! )

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 148296

Lupinlore:
> Hmmm.  Well, to make a long, long, long story very short, many 
> people found Dumbledore's speech in OOTP to be cold and 
> unsympathetic, particularly when he was talking about Harry and the 
> Dursleys.  He seemed to brusquely cut Harry off when Harry protested 
> that Petunia didn't love him, and to generally have the 
> attitude "You're alive kid, so you don't have any right to complain 
> about anything."  Worse, perhaps, he gave the impression that he was 
> fully aware of the situation at the Dursleys and even expected it, 
> and that he either did not care or actually approved.


Jen: Since the topic came up again and I missed my chance on the last 
go-round, there's something I wanted to add here.

More information in HBP spurred an 'aha' moment for me about that 
speech in OOTP. No, not Dumbledore's talk with the Dursleys but the 
interesting information about how Merope died and the interview after 
HBP when JKR said Voldemort was 'never loved'.

That new information made me decide a purely literal take on that 
speech cuts out the metaphorical value of Dumbledore's words. 
Dumbledore speaks of Lily's love as a literal protection from 
Voldemort which flows in Harry's veins. But I'm speculating once 
Godric's Hollow is revealed and Harry sees the moment Lily sacrificed 
herself, he will see an actual physical manifestation of her love 
enclosing him and protecting him from the AK (which seems like how JKR 
might write i.e. similar to the golden phoenix light in GOF or the 
Patronus protecting him in POA). I think Harry will then understand 
Dumbledore's charm prolonged for 17 years not only the physical 
protection against Voldemort, but Lily's very real feelings of love 
inside of him as well. 

I think Harry will believe Lily's love was worth more than a different 
family to live with just as Dumbledore did when he sealed the charm. 
And not just in defeating Voldemort but something that protected and 
sustained Harry all the hard years at the Dursleys and during 
stressful times at Hogwarts, the same very real emotional protection 
any live parent's or guardian's love offers a child.

Basically I just don't think we're at the end of the line for that 
crucial part in the story as Lily's main importance is yet to be 
revealed.

Jen R.