Draco and Dumbledore LONGish

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 160179


> Alla:
> 
> That is certainly one of the possibilities you portrayed. Can I 
> suggest something less grim? :)
> 
> Draco accepts Dumbledore's protection offer because by that time he 
> realises that murder attempts do upset his sensitive soul or maybe 
> he just does not want to die and does not want his family to die 
> from the Voldemort's hand and is being protected by the order in the 
> safe place.

Pippin:


But as you yourself admit, that is only one of the options, the
others being that Draco stonewalls Dumbledore just as he
stonewalled Snape, or that he tries to attack and forces Snape 
to fulfill the vow.  

Dumbledore believes that if he reveals that he knows Draco is 
trying to kill him, Voldemort will kill Draco. But it isn't Draco alone 
who might die in that case. Voldemort isn't particular about collateral
damage. And if indeed Draco escapes,Voldemort is likely to
want  vengeance on some other student instead. You seem to forget 
that it is Voldemort, not  Dumbledore or even Draco, who has
chosen to make war on children. 

The third option will put either Dumbledore or Snape out of
action, and while you may think that Snape is small loss, 
it's clear that Dumbledore thinks the students would be in more 
danger without him. Say that Dumbledore thinks the students'
chances of surviving an attack are 100 to 1 if Snape is around and
only 50 to 1 if he isn't. Then getting rid of Snape doubles the 
danger to the students, and Dumbledore needs to protect
Snape so that Snape can protect the students.

So two of the three options will put the student body in greater danger,
from Dumbledore's point of view and there is no certainty as to
which one Draco will pick. His choices earlier in the book would not
inspire confidence in his ability to discern the safe or reasonable
path. Dumbledore could not have put your plan into action without 
gambling students' lives to an even greater extent. 


Snape does tell Draco that he is suspected and that there will be
consequences if  any attacks are traced to him. I don't think Snape needed
to say any more. Draco was plenty imaginitive enough to realize that
he was being observed (Filch had just caught him).

Alla:
And of course Houses are likely be united, etc, I just not sure what
it has to do with letting wanna be assasin run around the school.

Pippin:
Draco has shown, ingenuity, determination, and the leadership skills 
to persuade a pair of young toughs to be seen in public disguised as 
little girls. Who else could persuade the Slytherins they need to be
united?

Alla:

Well, if saying **I am sorry** means whining , then yes, I want him
to do that. 

Pippin:
Ah, this could be a cultural difference. Some people, especially
women, are socialized to say they are sorry for things that are 
not their fault as a way of indicating compassion, "I'm sorry it's 
raining on your birthday."

Guys, not so much. They'll say, "Hey, it's tough that it's raining
on your birthday." If you have been trained this way, then the 
other style can sound like fishing for reassurance or extreme
arrogance. Dumbledore would not want to sound insecure or
arrogant in front of Harry.

 Pippin