Dumbledore: Puppeteer

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 165955

I'm currently rereading the series, but looking for something in particular: How much is Dumbledore manipulating the situation. For example, it is clear in the first book (Dumbledore as much as admits it) that he was manipulating Harry into stopping the theft of the Uncertain Adjective Stone. How much is not clear, but it would explain quite a few of the coincidences (and throughout the books). 

Dumbledore's initial goal is clear: to prepare Harry to fight and win against Voldemort. There are indications of other manipulating (the infamous eye glint in GOF, for example). Note that the Dursley's abuse was sufficient to make Harry hate bullies, but not quite enough to make him lose empathy with the victims. Only later is it clear how closely Dumbledore was watching (having a full-time spy practically on the premises). I think that the meeting up with the Weasley's was a happy coincidence, but I have a hunch that becoming friends with Hermione was not. Hermione just knew too much, more than she could get from books. She is locked into a rumor mill while Harry and Ron seem to be out of the loop; is it that she has so many friends, or is it that she is being fed info by Dumbledore and/or McG? She does seem to have an unusually close relation with McG (not just the time-turners, but the "you've been listening to Miss Granger" in OOP). 

Many of the too-convenient coincidences in the books can be explained by the fact that they were not coincidences at all, but manipulation on the part of Dumbledore to manipulate Harry into putting his nose where it does not belong, with visions of a greater good. While I don't think that Dumbledore ordered Snape to be nasty to Harry, he certainly took full advantage of Snape's dislike of Harry. Based on the later revelations of Snape's skills at Leglimancy, time after time Snape has caught Harry red-handed, and let him get away (for example, in COS, Snape knows damned well that Harry let off the firecracker in potions class, and lets it slide; although he has no physical proof, he DOES have probable cause to get it). 

Harry is manipulated through the books to break the rules if it serves a higher purpose, but not for personal gain or pleasure. In other words, he is being trained as an operative, but indirectly. When Dumbledore admits to loving the boy, it can be read that Dumbledore saw the manipulation as being necessary for Harry's protection, but, as time went on culminating in the OOP episode, he saw that, in being caring, he actually was working against Harry's best interests. 

It does serve to raise suspicions. Is Hermione a true friend? Is Hagrid smarter than he appears? How does Minerva the Cat fit into all of this? And does Professor Snape really want Harry gone, or is he just enjoying the role of Harry's antagonist a bit too much? Were Arthur and Molly enouraged to deepen their relationship with Harry? Did Dumbledore ever get a pair of wool socks for Christmas?