Merlin-DD - Dumbledore LIVES ...or NOT

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 146574

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Maria Vaerewijck
<maria8162001 at y...> wrote:
>
> Potioncat:
> The main reason I think DD is dead, dead as we know it, is that
> I don't think JKR would kill someone in one book and have all 
> the kiddies and adults wait years before finding out he's alive.
> If she was going to do that, I think she would have completed it
> in one book. ...
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> The most recent Merlin story I've read was by Mary Stewart. In
> her version Merlin is put in the cave, but is not really dead.
> He does come back to advise Arthur, ...
> 
> But I wouldn't hold my breath.
> 
> maria8162001:
>    
>  We have to remember also that Dumbledore can make himself 
> invisible without the invisibility cloak. ...edityed... What
> if during that time he made himself invisible. 
> ... Just a thought, still can't get over Dumbledore's death. I
> need to re-read all the HP books again to see where DD cast a
> spell without wand.
>    
>   maria8162001

bboyminn:

When it comes to 'Dumbledore lives' theories, I can only ask one
question ...WHY? 

What literary purpose does it serve for Dumbledore to fake his own
death. How does that help Harry arrive at his objective? Why would
Dumbledore abandon Harry just when Harry needs him the most? More so,
how and why would Dumbledore choose that particular method to fake his
how death? Certainly there are easier ways. 

The best I can come up with, though I admit it's not too shabby, is
that in that moment on the top of the tower, Snape and Dumbledore
agreed that there was no way out. One way or another Dumbledore was
going to die, either by Draco (not likely), by a Death Eaters (very
likely) or by Snape's hand. So, Dumbledore sent a quick short
telepathic message to Snape that said 'fake it'. 

What I am saying here is that Snape appearing to kill Dumbledore
wasn't part of some grand plan or conspiracy. It was a desperate act
in a desperate moment in which all other courses of action yielded a
much worse outcome. So, Snape faked the AK and Dumbledore played
along. Once the ruse was set into play, circumstances dictated that
everyone continue to play along.

So, that explains actions in the moment, but does not explain a long
term literary strategy of continuing this ruse. What could be the
purpose? Could it be to draw Voldemort into the open? To hope that
Voldemort will be over filled with confidence and therefore act in
ways that make him more vulnerable? But is that really a good
strategy? Wouldn't it be better to keep Voldemort laying low in order
to give Harry time to work out the Horcruxes?

If we are going to justify Dumbledore still being alive, we have to
justify it within the context of the story, and his continuing to live
has to have serve some greater purpose. He can't simply live because
we don't want him to die.

So, If Dumbledore is alive, has he learned his lesson about keeping
Harry in the dark, will he reveal himself right away, so Harry is
aware that he can continue to draw on Dumbledore as a resource? If he
continues to keep Harry in the dark, and simply lurks around in the
background, that doesn't really lend much to the story.

Also, if it happened in the moment as I described, the how do we
explain the appearance of Dumbledore's protrait in the headmaster's
office and how do we explain the Phoenix Lament. Those are a little
more difficult to fake in the moment. 

It's not that I don't want Dumbledore alive. I have fanfiction taking
place in 2015 the counts on Dumbledore being alive, but independant of
that, for it to be true, we have to come up with some way of
justifying it in the literary context of the story, and I can't see
JKR going in that direction. 

Just for few thoughts for whatever they are worth.

Steve/bboyminn