Second Task points/Draco and Dumbledore

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 152035

 
> 
> Alla:
<snipety snip>
> BUT I completely disagree that Harry's idea was stupid either and 
no, 
> the fact that Harry feels stupid afterwards does not convince me of 
> that.
> 
> Because he often feels stupid after rushing in danger to save the 
loved 
> ones. I don't think he should.

Hickengruendler:

Generally I agree with you. I think Harry acts to rashly sometimes 
(but then, what kind of books would it be otherwise? Bit boring, I'd 
guess ;-) ), but most of the time I can understand him, particularly 
if there's a sense of real danger and he fears that he has to do 
something. But I just can't understand him in this particular 
situation. And I can say it safely, because I already thought this, 
while reading it for the first time. It was not just during 
rereading, that I realized, that the hostages never were in real 
danger.

Alla:
  
> From the beginning Harry hears the people DIED in the Tournament in 
the 
> past. Why is is stupid to assume that it is can happen now too?  

Hickengruendler:

Yes, and obviously there was a real danger in this tournament. A 
dragon is not harmless, for example. But neither of this is a reason, 
to believe that the judges wouldn't hace done anything to assure the 
hostage's safety.  
 
Alla:

> Another thing, which IMO bears repeating - another chamion was 
> hysterical and wondering whether her sister is DEAD. Is she stupid 
also 
> or maybe she made the same assumption Harry did, which IMO is 
> reasonable.

Hickengruendler:

Yes, I think Fleur was pretty stupid in this scene as well, even 
though I liked her reaction after Harry saved Gabrielle. ;-) But to 
be fair, I realize that both Harry and Fleur were highly emotional at 
that time, and that it's not excatly fair from me, to judge them by 
completely rational standards. 

Alla: 
> 
> Oh, and speaking about Dumbledore. I don't remember what position 
you 
> hold about how much DD knew about Draco's activities, but if one 
thinks 
> that DD knew a lot about those activities, then IMO Dumbledore was 
> willingly risking the lifes of his students after Draco almost 
killed 
> Katy and Ron by letting Draco run loose during HBP.
> 
> I go back and forth myself on how much he knew, but to me it is not 
a 
> pretty picture if he was aware of how much Draco knew.
 
Hickengruendler:

I think Dumbledore knew everything about Draco's plan. (About the 
plan to kill DD I mean, not about the excat details). This is IMO as 
good as proven by his monologue shortly before his death, where he 
told him, that he knew about the task. Even if it turns out, that 
Snape is indeed be evil and turned out to have fooled Dumbledore, 
Dumbledore still probably knew that something was going on regarding 
Draco. And you are right, it is not a very nice thought. But the 
reason for Dumbledore not to act here, was because Draco's life was 
in danger as well, and he wanted to save him, too. Even though his 
decisions here are ambigous and were nearly fatal (and had in fact 
serious consequences for Bill in the end), I do not think it's on the 
same level, than simply letting four children on the ground of the 
lake, because the champions failed in their task.

Hickengruendler