Trust in Dumbledore WAS: Re: The Statute of Secrecy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 159053

> a_svirn:
> Yes, McGonagall sought him out and asked for explanations. And did 
> Dumbledore give them? No, he didn't. Instead he deliberately misled 
> her. First, about what really happened at Godric Hollow, and second, 
> why he left Harry to the Dursleys. By HBP she certainly knew that 
> Dumbledore wasn't what you might call forthcoming with her, but does 
> she resent it? Nope, she still thinks that Dumbledore is above 
> reproach. Of course, as a reprisal for insubordination being lied to 
> definitely beats being tortured and killed, but it still leaves a 
> lot of space for improvement. 

Pippin:
McGonagall was not in Moody's picture and we have no reason to
think she was a member of the Order at that time. Why should she
be told more than any other member of the wizarding public?
I am sure she understands that. 

Nor did Dumbledore lie about organizing the DA. Unless you
think Mundungus reported to Sirius and Molly but not Dumbledore,
he knew all about the plans to form an illegal group. As Headmaster,
that would make him responsible for its organization.

There's no reason Dumbledore couldn't have put Snape's memories
of the Hogshead incident in his pensieve and found out for himself
how much of the prophecy Snape could hear. I am sure he told
the story the way he did because he didn't want Harry  asking him
who the eavesdropper was, not because he and Snape were conspiring
to feed information to Voldemort. But it sets things up so that if 
Voldemort turns out to have learned more of the prophecy than 
we suppose, it will look like Snape told him. DDM!Snape is bound
to look worse before he looks better.

Because Dumbledore is regarded as the moral authority in the
books by the good characters, and by JKR herself, I think JKR has 
to be unambiguous about his failures. IMO,  if the reader sees 
moral failings in Dumbledore where Dumbledore does not, it 
reflects a split between the reader's values and the author's 
rather than a moral weakness yet to be revealed. 

Dumbledore does admit to  responsibility for the moral 
failures  of the WW as a whole: "We wizards have 
mistreated and abused our fellows for too long"  but I don't
think he himself mistreats Mrs. Cole, for example. I fail to
see why should be worse to ply her with alcohol than with 
charm.  Are you saying an appetite for flattery and attention 
is okay, but an appetite for alcohol is shameful?

Pippin