DD's plan -- Minister of Magic

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 189178


> Carol responds:

> So between the elements of the Prophecy that have already come true through LV's acting on it and DD's knowledge that LV will makes sure that the final confrontation takes place, he has no choice but to believe (or act as if he believes) the Prophecy, testing Harry (as he confesses to Snape in DH that he has done) and arming him bit by bit with knowledge as the need arises.
> 
> If he didn't believe in the Prophecy, he wouldn't single Harry out and watch him and, Snape points out in PoA, let him break rules that other students (except Ron and Hermione) aren't allowed to break.
> 
> Certainly, DD knows that *he* can't kill Voldemort or he would have done so at the DoM.

Pippin:

Dumbledore knew that *no one* could kill Voldemort if he'd made a horcrux. He'd have known that  long before the prophecy was made.  The real question is why DD's other spells were so easily turned aside, and why a whole room full of hardened killers couldn't defend themselves, and why McGonagall, Shacklebolt and Slughorn together couldn't put a dent in Voldemort's defenses even when he had lost the power to harm them.  Why couldn't someone turn Voldemort into a house plant, for heaven's sake? Dumbledore's a transfiguration genius and so is McGonagall, yet they can't seem to touch him. 

It's possible Dumbledore was holding back at the MoM, but what about McGonagall, Shacklebolt and Slughorn? They think Harry's *dead*. They can't be waiting for him to show up and save the day. They're doing their best, IMO, and not getting anywhere. Why?

I think Snape gave us the answer when he so handily defeated Harry on the Hogwarts grounds. There's something that counts more than spellcraft.

 Voldemort is the greatest legillimens the world has ever seen. Dumbledore avoided Harry's eyes all through OOP because of it. At the MOM it's just as Dumbledore feared -- Voldemort can anticipate and guard against Dumbledore's every move, as well as pick up on the usefulness of Harry as a hostage. 

Even Snape might not be able to win a duel, because although he could conceal his intentions up to the last moment, he'd still have to communicate them to his wand -- and Voldemort's reflexes are plenty fast. But Snape's got the best chance of anybody, (at least until Harry reveals his unexpected ability to drive Voldie from his mind) so best to save him till the horcruxes are gone. 

  It's logical to think that Harry, with the soul bit inside him, will have some affinities with Voldemort which might help him to find a horcrux, which Dumbledore had so far failed to do. The horcrux will be guarded with spells so lethal that just getting to it will be a challenge. If Harry's to be part of the horcrux hunting team, he must be trained to face danger, not to mention the fact that Voldemort is still trying to kill him and Harry has to live with that.

This becomes more urgent once Dumbledore realizes there's more than one horcrux to be found. In any case, Harry's a logical addition to a horcrux hunting team. Why *wouldn't* Dumbledore want his help? Only his personal regard for Harry gives him second thoughts about it. But that was a late development. 

 The only crazy thing about the plan was not including any adults. Why not some  world class experts on dark magic, and a world class expert on Voldemort, and someone who was utterly loyal to Harry and a badass fighter too?  Oh wait, I've just described Snape, Lupin, Dumbledore and Sirius.  But Snape and Harry never could get along, while Dumbledore and Sirius got killed and Lupin turned out to be a coward. So that *was* part of the plan, I think -- it just didn't work out.

Pippin