Dumbledore Does Lie - Sort Of

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 159694

> Alla:
> 
> Well, of course I cannot say for sure whether Dumbledore would have 
> done something or not , although I am with you obviously based on 
> the pattern of his behaviour through the book.
> 
> What I am completely not buying is the idea that Harry is somehow to 
> blame for Dumbledore not taking him seriously about Draco.
> 
> Through the book Harry was the **only** one AFAIK who insisted over 
> and over and over again that Draco is up to something. Harry went to 
> everybody - kids and adults included, was dismissed by 
> **everybody** - kids and adults included ( yes, I know Arthur 
> checked, but IMHO not enough), went to Dumbledore when Draco was 
> whooping, was dismissed **again** - really hope that he was not 
> dismissed because Dumbledore thought that Harry was too angry about 
> the person who contributed to him becoming an orphan and now the 
> argument is made that if only Harry did not forget to tell him about 
> Trelawney, Dumbledore would have behaved differently?
> 
> I am very sorry, but I am not convinced.

Carol responds:
Harry didn't go to *everybody.* He wrongly assumed that Snape, the one
person (other than DD) who knew for sure that Draco was up to
something, was part of Draco's plan. As we know, he knew no more about
the Vanishing Cabinet than Dumbledore did. I realize that the
long-standing misunderstanding (or hatred, if you prefer) between them
prevented him from doing so, but nevertheless, it's ironic that the
two people who most needed each other's help here failed to seek it
because they continue to mistrust eadh other. 

As of Arthur Weasley, Harry also forgot to tell *him* a key piece of
information that he's known since CoS: the Malfoy's have a hidden
chamber beneath their drawing room. Borgin said in CoS that if the
rumors are true, Lucius Malfoy hadn't sold him anywhere near all the
Dark objects in his manor, and even if the Dark objects are gone, I'm
betting that a certain Dark witch is hiding there. Let's hope that
Harry remembers that information in Book 7 and that this time the raid
on the Malfoy manor will be successful (whether or not Narcissa and
Draco turn themselves in).

I agree with Pippin that if Harry hadn't let his hatred of Snape get
in the way and simply sounded angry and vindictive, he might have
remembered the crucial information that Draco had kicked Trelawney
out. Dumbledore would have realized that he had no choice to confront
Draco at that point, and he might have prevented the DEs from entering
Hogwarts (they were waiting until Dumbledore was out of the building).
It's not Harry's fault so much as an unfortunate coincidence that the
eavesdropper revelation prevented Trelawney herself to go to
Dumbledore as she was planning to do before Harry learned about
Snape's supposed treachery and angrily prevented her.

It's a common tactic in the HP books--something almost happens and
then something else prevents it from happening. If only trelawney had
kept her mouth shut about the young man supposedly eavesdropping to
get tips for job interviews! I guess a woman who drinks cooking sherry
and dumps the bottles in the RoR can't be relied upon for discretion.

Carol, who thinks that Dumbledore must have had good reason for
believing that he had matters under control (and to trust Snape) but
wishes that he had not chosen to fly to the astronomy tower after he
returned from the cave