looong - musings on Dumbledore - Even Longer

[steven1965aaa]

No: HPFGUIDX 158594

Janette <jnferr@> wrote:
> > Janette:
> >
> > We have no knowledge that he (Dumbledore) had much, if
> > any, contact with the Marauders or Lily before they 
> > left school and joined the Order. We don't know if he 
> > had any contact with them even then.  
> >
> bboyminn:
> 
> I understand your point, but I'm not sure how true it is.
> Certainly there is an element of truth, but we know from
> the text that Dumbledore had conversations with James and 
> Lily, we know he assisted them, we know they were in the
> Order, we know that Dumbledore himself says he was very
> fond of them. So, he certainly had some association with
> them. But again, in his knowledge and responsibility, he
> is above everyone else, carrying burdens that few other
> would or could carry. That makes him very isolated.
> 
Steven1965aaa:

Steve, I agree with your point about Dumbledore's isolation.  But I 
think we do have some indication from canon that he knew James 
well.  At the end of POA doesn't Dumbledore say something like this 
to Harry: I knew your father well, both at Hogwarts and after.  I'm 
certain he would have spared Peter as well ... ?

Dumbledore very understandably has a sense of intellectual 
superiority, which is part of the "isolation" point.  Related to 
this, I think that he demonstrated how "age errs when it 
underestimates youth" by fsiling to take heed of Harry's warnings 
about the "whooping", in the scene in his office just before he and 
Harry set off to the cave.