Dumbledore the Godfather

[eggplant107]

No: HPFGUIDX 173512

Dumbledore the Godfather. I'm not talking about a Sirius Black sort of
Godfather I'm talking about a Don Vito Corleone sort of Godfather.
Dumbledore could be mighty cold blooded when he needed to be! That's
not a criticism, you have to be cold blooded in a war, but some of the
things he says in "The Prince's Tail" chapter are chilling;
Dumbledore's remarks even horrified Snape, and something would have to
be mighty damn bad to horrify Snape! For example:

"If I know him [Harry] he will have arranged matters so that when he
does set out to meet his death, it will truly mean the end of
Voldemort." And if Harry had managed to kill that snake as Dumbledore
expected before he so bravely walked into the Forbidden Forest to meet
oblivion then both Harry and Voldemort would indeed have died at that
instant. This is what Dumbledore wanted this is what he expected. When
Snape responds with horror (I never in my life dreamed I would someday
write the words "Snape responds with horror", but there you go):

 "You have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?" 

Dumbledore seems to dismiss Snape's reservations as trivial 

"Don't be shocked, Severus. How many men and woman have you watched die?" 

That is cold, that is very cold, but the next part is worse, it
approaches absolute zero:  

Snape: You have been raising him like a pig for slaughter."

Dumbledore: But this is touching Severus, have you grown to care for
the boy after all?

Dumbledore is sneering. Dumbledore is sneering at Snape because he is
reluctant to murder a 17 year old boy. As I say I'm not criticizing
Dumbledore, in a war you need someone who can make intelligent
unemotional decisions, but I can't pretend I wasn't a bit shocked old
jovial benign Dumbledore could act this way. Oh well, I suppose it
could have been worse:      
 
Dumbledore: Grindelwald, Grindelwald.  What have I ever done to make
you treat me so disrespectfully? If you'd come to me in friendship,
then this scum that ruined my sister would be suffering this very day.
And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies, then
they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you.  But you
don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even
think to call me Headmaster. 

Grindelwald: Be my friend- - Headmaster. (Dumbledore shrugs.
Grindelwald bows toward the Headmaster and kisses Dumbledore's hand.)

Dumbledore: Good. (The Headmaster puts his hand on Grindelwald's
shoulder.) Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to
do a service for me. But uh, until that day - accept this justice as a
gift.

Eggplant