[HPforGrownups] Re: The Statute of Secrecy

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 159149

a_svirn:
No one in the order knew why they were guarding the Prophesy.  They didn't 
know what the prophesy is about. We know it because Dumbledore specially 
warned Harry not to disclose this information to anyone including the 
members of order. We also know that no one had known why he placed Harry at 
the Dursleys. When McGonagall asked he lied to her. We know that no one in 
the order has a clue about
horcruxes. In other words, we know -- and it's canon --  that when it comes 
to something really important, even crucial, the phoenixes leave the 
"business of knowing" to Dumbledore. Or Dumbledore keeps
the "business of knowing" to himself. It comes to the same thing. Yes, I 
acknowledged - quite openly - that Snape's case is special, but it looks 
like with Dumbledore every case is special and all information is 
privileged.

Magpie:
While I'm sure the reasons are all plot-dependent, sometimes one can't help 
but be amazed at how much Dumbledore does keep secret.  For instance--why 
keep Voldemort's secrets for him?  Bellatrix was furious at the idea that he 
was a Half-blood, but for some reason nobody knows who he really is.  Yet it 
seems like a great thing for people to know given that he's attempted to 
make himself into a sort of demonic figure.  It would probably be a good 
thing for people to understand that he started off as just another Wizard. 
But it's not like Dumbledore's teaching his history in school.  By doing 
that he adds to the exact same power Voldemort has cultivated for years.

The Horcruxes are even more arbitrary.  DD has a crack team of adults sworn 
to fight Voldemort, and yet they can't be told about the steps needed to 
destroy Voldemort.  The only people who can know about that are Harry and 
his two best friends?  I know it's important for the plot to have the kids 
doing it themselves, but it's actually pretty funny.  Dumbledore says the 
prophecy only has meaning because Voldemort made it so, yet he actually 
seems to be working just as hard as Voldemort to that end, making sure 
everything is focused on Harry, who now feels he's not only got to destroy 
all the Horcruxes completely alone (Ron and Hermione refuse to let him go 
that far), but seems to feel he has to guard *Dumbledore's* secret about the 
Horcruxes to the grave.  We don't know enough about the Order to be sure, 
but at this point I wonder how they hold together without DD.  Harry doesn't 
seem to feel there's any adults in it he could enlist to work on the Horcrux 
problem.  (Maybe this will change in the next book.)

-m