DD and Draco's murder attempts WAS: Draco and Harry

[xuxunette]

No: HPFGUIDX 153425

> Betsy Hp:
> However, as soon as the Katie Bell incident occurred (a student
> nearly killed and rushed to the hospital for a lengthy stay), I
> cannot imagine the headmaster who'd allow the known would-be
> assassin to stay.  Proof or no proof, evidence or no evidence, the
> headmaster would worry less about the ramifications for the legal
> case and much more for the safety of his students.  If only because
> his job depends on it.

This is a very interesting point. Things are it is not the first
questionnable decision Dumbledore makes as a headmaster. It reminds of
how he didn't seem to have expelled Sirius and co for the prank they
pulled on Snape. In a regular RL situtation, any school headmaster
would have expelled them; I remember students getting expelled for
fights, attempt murder, even if it's not intentional, is not a light
matter.

However, as weird as they seem, I see those questionnable decisions as
very coherent within JKR's characterization of Dumbledore. I think it
is an illustration of what she meant when she makes Dumbledore says
that as a man wiser than many, he tends to make proportionally bigger
mistakes.  IMO, it means that when DD makes a decision, he tends to
take bigger risks because he sees further in the consequences his
decision may trigger and that DD is well aware of those risks and take
them consciously. In fact, DD admitting that he is faillible in his
decision means that himself, when he makes them, is not 100 sure of
the outcome.

Hence, what is interesting is not to question whether DD's decision
are appropriate pertaining to his role as a headmaster, but what are
really his motivations behind them. And here I think that the
headmaster under FBI pressure comparison fails because it supposes a
too business-like relation to Draco on Dumbledore's part.

I think a comparison more appropriate would be to cast DD in the role
of a father. What is a loving father to do if he discovers that one of
his sons is turning bad? DD's answer is obviously not to cast
rejection on him. Of course, the peculiar parameters of the war
situation they are in have to be considered here and I guess that
Dumbledore must also believe that having Draco on the side of good
would be tactically a good move. But in the end, I think that what is
more important to DD - which is also what makes Dumbledore such a good
man, different from a cold headed calculating general, and furthest
from evil - is fo him to be able to offer mercy to Draco; a piece of
freely given love and forgiveness Draco may remember in the future and
help him making take the good path again.

xuxunette