Did Dumbledore know he was going to die?

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 164052

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jennabell74" <jennabell74 at ...>
wrote:
>
> This is my first time posting. I must admit I am not always on top of
> the messages so please bear with me if this has already been discussed.
> I just finished rereading HBP for the 17th time. I am a firm believer
> that DD knew he was going to die. I think it is very significant that
> throughout the journey to the cave, the drinking of the potion and the
> time spent at the top of the astronomy tower, that Fawkes wasn't there
> at all. Any time DD has need of him or he is in danger Fawkes is always
> there......
> 
> jennabell
>
Carol responds:
You're not alone in this view and it has been previously discussed.
Many of us think that Dumbledore's behavior throughout HBP--informing
the Dursleys that Harry needed to call 4 Privet Drive home for one
more year, teaching Harry about the Horcruxes, hiring Snape as DADA
teacher, and his general, uncharacteristic air of impatience all
indicate that he knew he was going to die. Certainly, he knows that he
would have died from the ring Horcrux curse if it weren't for Snape,
and drinking a potion that won't kill the drinker right away (he
doesn't say that it isn't deadly) seems like a desperate act unless
he's already dying and knows it. Many posters believe that Snape
"stoppered" Dumbledore's death to save him from the ring Horcrux and
"unstoppered" his death nonverbally (under cover of a verbal Avada
Kedavra) on the tower.

At any rate, Dumbledore certainly knew that he would die on the
tower--if not from Snape or Draco then from the poison or the DEs. I
think he knew much earlier, maybe even from the time he defeated
Voldemort in battle at the MoM, that he was doomed to die in the near
future. He certainly seems to be preparing for his own death
throughout the book.

Carol, recommending a search for posts on this topic but not sure
which search terms to recommend