Unwelcome visitors and drinks in HBP chapters 1-4 (Was: Spinner's End Clues)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 153960


> Carol, noting that Snape is the most gracious host of the four
> (counting the Dursleys as one person) and thinking that we should
> indeed explore these chapters for more parallels than dusty bottles
>

a_svirn:
Ah, but his guests were much more agreeable! Even Bellatrix for all 
her hostility never tried to usurp his position as a host. Which is 
more that could be said of Dumbledore at the Dursleys's and Scrimgeour 
at the Prime Minister's office. That was a parallel that struck me as 
important when I first read HBP. It's really disturbing the way the 
Best of the Good Guys and the lax-principled Minister for Magic employ 
similar tactics in intimidating hapless muggles -- down to symbolic 
gesture of offering drinks to their hosts. I am still not sure whether 
Rowling really meant to cast a shadow on Dumbledore moral authority by 
making this connection or whether it was totally unintentional. 
However it might be it makes Dumbledore behaviour appear almost 
sinister.