Draco and Dumbledore WAS: Re: Dumbledore Does Lie - Sort Of

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 159807

> >>Magpie:
> > It just seems really silly to think that Dumbledore, who knows 
> > perfectly well Draco is behind the near-deaths of Katie and Ron, 
> > can't make a move--but would have leapt to take Draco into      
> > custody once had he only known that somebody neither Trelawney   
> > nor Harry actually saw ejected her from the RoR.

> >>Pippin:
> But that's exactly the situation in real life when the police have 
> a suspect but not enough evidence to arrest them.
> <snip>
> Even Dumbledore isn't always right in his beliefs on who is       
> innocent and who is guilty, and he knows it, so how could he trust 
> himself with such despotic power, let alone be trusted by others?

Betsy Hp:
I think I see your point here, Pippin.  That it would have been 
illegal (and therefore unethical) for Dumbledore to just wisk Draco 
away to some undisclosed location because he's got an idea that 
Draco is out to assassinate him. 

But while I agree with the sentiment, and I think Dumbledore would 
as well (to an extent anyway, I do think Dumbledore is willing to 
set aside the law if he feels it's standing in the way of a higher 
principle), I don't think this is Dumbledore's main motivation when 
it comes to Draco.

It's odd, because Dumbledore has come across as dismissive of 
Slytherins as the next guy, but I think Dumbledore is genuinely 
worried about Draco's well-being.  I think Dumbledore doesn't force 
the issue for precisely the reasons Magpie and Steve (IIRC) have put 
forth.  He's waiting for Draco to come to a realization of his own.

IOWs Dumbledore is showing the same sort of consideration for 
Draco's well-being that he's shown for Harry.  Even though the 
presence of both boys at Hogwarts can and does put members of the 
student body in danger, Dumbledore sees them both as worth the 
risk.   I mean, obviously Dumbledore puts in some safe-guards 
(generally in the form of one Severus Snape), but he's still taking 
a risk.

But I don't think the risk is based solely on legal considerations.  
I think it goes deeper than that.  It's interesting but in many ways 
I think Dumbledore showed a similar love for Draco on the Tower that 
he's shown for Harry in the past.  And I think that's what made the 
risk worth it.  If that makes any sense.

Betsy Hp