Dumbledore, decisions, and guilt

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 163434

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:
>

> 
> The fact that JKR is bulding up Snape and Harry conflict for 
> dramatic reasons is fine by me, I am looking forward to the 
> resolution of that conflict as much as anybody else, but when I 
look 
> at their conflict as if they were **real**, then I absolutely do 
not 
> care if Dumbledore needs Snape in Hogwarts for the reasons 
necessary 
> to fight Voldemort, if that means that Snape is allowed to abuse 
his 
> students on the regular basis ( IMO of course).
> 
> I believe that Dumbledore Headmaster and Dumbledore as Head of the 
> Order of Phoenix should not be allowed to make those decisions, his 
> hats conflict too much, if that makes sense.


Most excellent.  However, it does raise an interesting point.  The 
conflict of interest between DD as Head of the Order and DD as 
Headmaster is, as you say, very important.  But who should 
not "allow" him to make these decisions?  In other words, what are 
the duties of the other people involved in this whole mess (Sirius, 
Lupin, McG, etc?)

Rather a lot, I'd say.  The problem just isn't with Dumbledore, 
although he is at the crux of it.  The problem is with the general 
cowardice and ineptitude of the adults around Harry -- cowardice in 
the sense that they all seem perfectly willing to let DD get away 
with anything, no matter how contemptible.  Sirius, of course, is 
working off his problems after Azkaban.  Lupin, on the other hand, 
generally drops the ball in his emotional repression and desire to be 
popular with everyone.  McG owes Harry a huge apology of her own for 
her contemptible behavior early in OOTP.  Hagrid is a dim bulb, bless 
his giant heart.  So there is plenty of guilt to go around, although 
the lion's share falls on Snape and DD.

> 
> So, no, Pippin I do not want different story, but I do want to 
> criticise the characters for the decisions made in this one.
> 

Yes, but here we get into the problem of what message is being sent.  
Frankly, I don't think JKR wants the characters, particularly DD, 
criticized in this way.  I suspect she is still firmly wedded to 
her "epitome of goodness" characterization -- which raises all kinds 
of complications.  You, Alla, had said you wondered if JKR would 
still make the same statement now as she did in her interview earlier 
in the series, and have said you would be disappointed if she did.  
So would I, obviously, but I rather suspect that is exactly what she 
would do.


Lupinlore