Potion in the Cave

[Jen Reese]

Spoil

Spoiling

Spoilerrific

Spoilerama

Spoilerini

Spoil

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "snow15145" <kking0731 at g...> 
wrote:
> My very first thoughts of Dumbledore's drinking of the potion in
> the cave were that he was reliving the deaths of the inferri that
> lay in the lake. You hear different responses with each swallow of
> the potion. Dumbledore has never been afraid of death, so why
> would he utter any such passage?  

Jen: 
Two thoughts on the potion. First, Dumbledore says: "{Voldemort) 
would want to keep them alive long enough to find out how they 
managed to penetrate so far through his defenses and, most 
importantly of all, why they were so intent upon emptying the 
basin." (The Cave, p. 569, US).

I kept thinking, 'how would he ever get any information about 
intruders if they die before they leaving the cave?' Maybe the 
potion itself gives Voldemort information about the person drinking 
it. I've read theories that Dumbledore is remembering RAB's memories 
when he drinks the potion. I don't know. If so, then Voldemort isn't 
keeping a very close eye on his cave or at least forgot to empty the 
bowl, since he didn't find the fake locket. Not much use to have 
information on people if you never access it!

My thought was Dumbledore sounded like a person trapped by an army 
of Dementors and unable to break free. Dumbledore said he could 
break out of Azkaban, but once he started drinking that potion he 
was rendered unable to perform magic.

I think there's some evidence DD was indeed reliving his own worst 
nightmares or greatest fears after drinking the potion in the cave 
(from part 2 of Leaky Inteview):

ES: What would Dumbledore's boggart be?

JKR: I can't answer that either, but for theories you should read six
again. There you go.

At least some of the things DD said made me think this. Esp. the 
part where he begs someone 'don't hurt them, please it's my fault, 
hurt me instead'. that sounded like DD to me. Granted a begging, 
pleading, fearful like we've never seen, but he couldn't *always* 
have been so powerful, clever and self-contained! He has fears and 
defeats like everyone else that a potion could force him to re-live.

Snow:
The last phrase from
> Dumbledore's lips, however, as he swallowed the last of the potion 
was Kill me
that's 
when it truly hit me
wasn't that what Harry said in the end when 
Voldemort attempted possession at the Ministry? 

Jen: Creepy. You think he was being possessed by Voldemort somehow, 
while drinking the potion?