JKR's Dumbledore: Harry or Hermione (was:Re: It really annoys me ...

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 163898

> >>Besty_HP
> > <snip> ...I refuse to accept the idea that JKR meant for         
> > Dumbledore to actually *want* Harry to go through the trap door   
> > in PS/SS.  It's frustrating, because there's so little canon     
> > support for that view (at least that I've found -- I'd love for   
> > Pippin to contradict me here <g>), so it doesn't stand up to 
> > reader analysis.
> > <snip>

> >>Pippin:
> JKR isn't quite ready to drive a stake through manipulative        
> Dumbledore's heart, because it's part of what makes manipulative    
> Snape credible.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Hmm... that's an interesting angle I've not considered before.  The 
reader needs to have a niggling suspicion that Dumbledore is a bit of 
a ruthless player in order to think Snape could have played him?  I 
think I can get that.  Especially if it means there'll be a general 
air-clearing in DH (even with Dear-Departed!Dumbledore) that will 
make very clear that Dumbledore never expected Harry to go after the 
Stone.

> >>Pippin:
> Harry was ready to go through the trapdoor no matter what, even
> after he realized that Snape (as he supposed) was ahead of him and
> he was overmatched. Short of taking Harry completely into DD's
> confidence and explaining exactly how safe the stone was, or
> chaining Harry up, what could have been done to discourage him?
> Harry would have gone through the door, or killed himself trying.

Betsy Hp:
At the time of PS/SS I think Harry would have been content with 
Dumbledore saying he was keeping an eagle eye on the situation with 
Snape and Quirrell (not a lie! <g>).  But preventing Harry from going 
through the trap-door isn't my issue.

My issue is with a Dumbledore who expected, planned on, and tried to 
prepare Harry to go through a door that would leave him alone with a 
highly talented Death Eater (best scenario) in the end.  It's insane, 
full stop.  And it directly contradicts Dumbledore's professed desire 
to keep Harry an innocent (for the most part) school boy for as long 
as possible.

The only way I can take Dumbledore seriously is to take Hermione's 
view.  He'd *never* planned on Harry going through the trap-door.  
Rushing back to Hogwarts to find an injured Ron and terrified 
Hermione was one of the worst moments in Dumbledore's life and he 
spent a great deal of the time Harry was in his coma thanking his 
lucky stars that Harry didn't die while trapped in a room with 
Voldemort.  Victory by the skin of his teeth!Dumbledore: that's the 
guy I like. <g>

Betsy Hp