First potions lesson/Harry getting special treatment and Draco's view of him

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 145951

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...> 
wrote:

<SNIP>
> 
> The discussion of why Dumbledore did what he did really only comes 
up 
> at the end of Order of the Phoenix. Until that time, he hasn't 
> explained everything to Harry - so the fact this desire that Harry 
> not grow up arrogant hasn't been mentioned since early in 
> Philosopher's Stone, doesn't strike me as at all surprising or 
> telling.
> 

I'm going to have to go with Alla on this one.  Given the lack of 
mention of that issue since PS/SS, combined with the sudden change of 
tone we find between OOTP and HBP, I think JKR pretty much WAS 
backpedalling from that issue (among others) just as fast as she 
could.  She had made a critical mistake with regard to Harry and 
Dumbledore, in effect putting her "epitome of goodness" in the role 
of someone who condoned and approved of child abuse -- or who at 
least tolerated it as conducive to some kind of "greater good."  Once 
again, this strikes me as an example of JKR not thinking things 
through very clearly sometimes, and sometimes being very naive about 
the messages she is sending.  JKR was trying an emergency tar-baby-
ectomy in the third chapter of HBP, trying to separate DD from the 
Dursleys in a radical way.  She succeeded only partially of course -- 
she'd put her foot in it too deep to draw it out unstained.  But I 
think the effort is very clear.


Lupinlore