CHAPDISC: DH32, The Elder Wand

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 184789

> > Montavilla47:
> > I mean, if JKR wants us to end up thinking that Fudge was right
> > in this moment and that Dumbledore was being an alarmist, then
> > I guess she succeeded.  But I doubt that that was the intent.
> 
> Zara:
> Giants are shown to be working with Voldemort in HBP, having been 
> approached and recruited by him in GoF. The Ministry, presumably, could 
> have made a more attractive offer to them than Hagrid was in a position 
> to make. This would have freed the Ministry, in HBP, from the massive 
> efforts of Obliviating half the West Country of England in the wake of 
> a giant attack disguised as a hurricane. 

Montavilla47:
That seems to be extent of the giant involvement.  I'm not sure 
how extensive that attack was or how much an effort was involved
in obliviating the people.  But if that was the purpose--to make
the Ministry waste massive resources in obliviating Muggles, I 
don't think the giants would have been necessary.  They could 
have let off a dozen boxes of Weasley fireworks in the heart 
of London to get the same effect.

But that's to argue as a person within the Potterverse.  I'm 
really arguing as a reader.  The giants were set up to be important,
and, ultimately, they weren't.  That Hagrid's mission failed had
little effect on the conflict--although it probably had great
effect on a number of Muggles in the West Country.

Zara:
> Werewolves were used similarly, as were Dementors - the papers in HBP 
> were full of stories about Dementors and werewolves, and such attacks 
> doubtless kept the Auror and other law enforcement departments busy 
> investigating and trying to play defense. This made the Ministry more 
> vulnerable, in my opinion. All three of the groups Albus warned about, 
> were used by Voldemort to weaken the Ministry and make his Death Eaters 
> infiltration and overthrow of it possible.

Montavilla47:
That's entirely possible.  However I don't think it's evident from the 
book.  I realize that we are seeing the war through the eyes of 
teenagers, but the attacks in HBP seem both small and targeted.  
Moreover, the Ministry is shown throughout HBP to be ineffective and
wasting its time on chasing after fake amulet sellers braggart bus
conductors.  They don't even need Voldemort doing anything to 
be weak.  

The one significant thing that happens with the giants (plus the 
bridge) is that Fudge steps down.  But, again, there doesn't seem
to be any point to that, since Scrimgeour is neither evil nor 
effective as a Minister.

Unless... was Scrimgeour supposed to be some kind of red 
herring?  


Zara:
> I am not sure what more Albus should have done, in your opinion, to 
> further an investigation into the death of Cedric. He insisted to Fudge 
> that he believed Harry's account, and that he had personally 
> interrogated Crouch, Jr. under Veritaserum and there really had been a 
> plot to being Voldemort back, etc. Fudge insisted the case was closed, 
> Crouch was a maniac acting alone and had been Kissed, end of story. Not 
> long after this conversation, Fudge was able to have Albus removed from 
> his position at the Wizengamot, and Albus faced a camapign to discredit 
> him in the public's eyes in the Daily Prophet.

Montavilla47:

Things Dumbledore might have done to push Fudge into investigating the 
murder:

1.  Spoken to those at the Wizangamot who trusted him in order to 
gain support for an investigation.
2. Given an interview to the Daily Prophet urging an investigation and
naming the Death Eaters present.
3. Taken Fudge to the scene of the crime--which Dumbledore should 
have been able to identify, due to his previous investigations into Tom's
past.
4. Asked Madame Maxime and whatever authority he could find at 
Durmstrang to urge an investigation into the death, which took place
during an international tournament that all three schools were involved 
in.
5. Urged the Diggories to press the Ministry to release the true facts 
about their son's death.  Surely they would want their son's death to
help others avoid Voldemort's rule?  

Now, we don't know that Dumbledore *didn't* do any of those 
things, so I'm not trying to bash Dumbledore.  He put his priorities
where he thought they belonged.  

My point is not that Dumbledore acted wrongly.  My point is that
the giants were set up to be important to the story.  Not just at 
the end of GoF, but throughout OotP.  That they were referred to
at the beginning of HBP, and that Grawp reappeared at the end, 
only seemed to underscore their importance, since we were 
being encourage to remember them.

And ultimately, they were disappointing.