[HPforGrownups] Did Dumbledore ultimately redeem himself?

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 192898

Crescent:
> We actually only have Dumbledore's word that Harry needed to be 
> there because of the blood magic. Considering how Dumbledore twisted 
> the truth in other ways, I find it quite possible he would also have 
> told half-truths to keep Harry there. And after Voldemort's 
> resurrection, having Harry's blood would have let him personally 
> through those wards so keeping him there makes no sense.
>
> I wonder what would have happened if Neville's parents hadn't been 
> driven insane by Bellatrix and another death eater. For they were 
> named as godparents and would have legally been his guardians. In 
> fact, from what I recall (which could be flawed), they were killed a 
> week after Harry's parents. How was it that Dumbledore just walked in 
> and took a child for whom he did not have guardianship?

Bart:
     Now, that brings up a couple of interesting questions. However, it 
is pretty well established that DD does not tell lies unless he has a 
strong reason for doing so. Being brought up by the Dursley's resulted 
in an empathy on the part of Harry for the persecuted, but people who 
are brought up with abusers more often repeat the pattern of abuse, with 
a "Now that I have power, I'm going to get revenge!" I have brought up 
before in this group the inherent unfairness of the laws against minors 
using magic at home, because it can only be enforced by those who live 
in Muggle households. It is true that DD did not want Harry to grow up 
with a swelled head, but the Dursley's upbringing was every bit as 
dangerous.

     I know of nothing in the text which even implies that the 
Longbottom's might have been named as Harry's godparents. When the 
Potter's were murdered, Sirius Black was implicated and would not deny 
that he was involved, the WW (in Britain, at least) was in a mess, and 
Morty's backstory implies that Hogwarts was authorized to take charge of 
wizard children without guardians. Essentially, there was pretty much 
nobody around to protest except people who were loyal to and trusted DD 
(Maggie the Cat, Figgy, Hagrid, etc.).

     Bart
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