"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" out tomorrow!

[Verto]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


Enough that his name would be the boogy-man name. I know we'll get Dumbledore's story in the next book (JKR hints at it), but don't you think he would have gotten a prominent Death Eater at least? Run in Voldemort at least once? I mean there is only so much talking tough can do. Sometimes you have to get in and kill with your hands.

It seems the Dumbledore just led the OotP and didn't directly participate in any of the raids.

We have no idea, really. We know for sure that many prominent Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban prior to HP&SS, although we don't know who was responsible for their capture.

As far as the Wizarding world's fear of Voldemort goes, think of him as being similar to Osama bin Laden, in that neither was directly involved in the attacks (AK, 9/11) but both are the face of evil. A clumsy analogy, but it suits the purpose. We know surprisingly little about Voldemort and the Death Eater/s methods/history, save they were bad, people died, etc.

[Imran Siddiqui]

You've guessed the obvious difference... OBL isn't the one personally capable of the strongest attacks . OTOH, Voldemort was without a doubt the strongest wizard in England, with perhaps the exception of Dumbledore. For big things, I'm sure he was personally involved.

Being quite a loner with no friends, he seems like the kind of person who wouldn't be satisfied with some jobs unless he did them, because he knew how to get them done perfectly.

It just seemed to me that Dumbledore was Headmaster at the same time as Voldemort came to power, and that was taking away some of his time hunting for Voldemort.

Also wizards can apparate. You'd assume a spy around Voldemort who could allow the OotP to jump right in and take out the big baddy.

[Verto]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
You've guessed the obvious difference... OBL isn't the one personally capable of the strongest attacks . OTOH, Voldemort was without a doubt the strongest wizard in England, with perhaps the exception of Dumbledore. For big things, I'm sure he was personally involved.

Being quite a loner with no friends, he seems like the kind of person who wouldn't be satisfied with some jobs unless he did them, because he knew how to get them done perfectly.

I agree, which is why Voldemort himself went to Harry's house. At the same time, he left other tasks to the Death Eaters: who, for example, was the one responsible for driving Neville's parents insane?

It just seemed to me that Dumbledore was Headmaster at the same time as Voldemort came to power, and that was taking away some of his time hunting for Voldemort.

Of course. Just as Dumbledore could not concentrate solely on Voldemort in HBP, he had to balance his responsibilities - not only with Hogwarts, but the Ministry, etc.

[Drake Tungsten]

Also wizards can apparate. You'd assume a spy around Voldemort who could allow the OotP to jump right in and take out the big baddy.

As you said, Dumbledore was headmaster of Hogwarts at the time. Given this, he would most likely be on the grounds of Hogwarts most of the time and you cannot apparate into or out of Hogwarts. Haven't you read Hogwarts: A History?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I agree, which is why Voldemort himself went to Harry's house. At the same time, he left other tasks to the Death Eaters: who, for example, was the one responsible for driving Neville's parents insane?

But I'm sure for the biggest things, Voldemort was personally involved, at least telling everyone where to go during a battle.

Just as Dumbledore could not concentrate solely on Voldemort in HBP, he had to balance his responsibilities - not only with Hogwarts, but the Ministry, etc.

Why didn't Dumbledore just give those up until the threat was done? I understand that Harry is the prophesied one, so he's gotta stick around somewhat. But before? Use all your time to take the bad guy out.

Was Dumbledore balancing 5 things when he disposed of Grindlewald?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Also wizards can apparate. You'd assume a spy around Voldemort who could allow the OotP to jump right in and take out the big baddy.

As you said, Dumbledore was headmaster of Hogwarts at the time. Given this, he would most likely be on the grounds of Hogwarts most of the time and you cannot apparate into or out of Hogwarts. Haven't you read Hogwarts: A History?

This is why you walk a few yards away and leave the grounds .

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Was Dumbledore balancing 5 things when he disposed of Grindlewald?

Probably not. He was transfiguration professor at the time. He was probably not Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, nor Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. There was no Order of the Pheonix equivalent that we know of.

[GePap]

Dumbledore seems to have been responsible for Tom Riddle going to hogwarts- now, I am not sure if he was already headmaster back then (seems an awful long time that), but if he was, obviously he failed to control Tom Riddle an failed to stop the issues that would lead to0 him becoming Voldemort.

Again, I think that is what he means when he says his mistakes can be huge, and it goes to the issue of him trusting too much.

[Nacht]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Why didn't Dumbledore just give those up until the threat was done? I understand that Harry is the prophesied one, so he's gotta stick around somewhat. But before? Use all your time to take the bad guy out.

But Voldemort can't be killed. He who took more steps towards immortality than any wizard before. We don't know for how long Dumbledore knew about the horcruxes.

[Nacht]

Originally posted by GePap
Dumbledore seems to have been responsible for Tom Riddle going to hogwarts- now, I am not sure if he was already headmaster back then (seems an awful long time that), but if he was, obviously he failed to control Tom Riddle an failed to stop the issues that would lead to0 him becoming Voldemort.

Again, I think that is what he means when he says his mistakes can be huge, and it goes to the issue of him trusting too much.

Dumbledore wasn't headmaster at that time, according to the diary scene in Chamber of Secrets.

[GePap]

Perhaps then Dumbledore advocated and pushed for Tom Riddle to get in, overcoming doubts about him from the Headmaster. Or maybe Dumbledore kept him from being expelled at some (or various) points.

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by GePap
Perhaps then Dumbledore advocated and pushed for Tom Riddle to get in, overcoming doubts about him from the Headmaster. Or maybe Dumbledore kept him from being expelled at some (or various) points.

It seems unlikely. To Dippet, Riddle would have been a normal name-on-the-list pure blood wizard. Ok, he's an orphan, but I imagine they get a few like that over the years. Dumbledore didn't know what Riddle was like as a person until he met him in the orphanage, and then it was too late for Dippet to stop him enrolling.

And Riddle was a model student who charmed the other teachers into trusting him straight away. There were no Pensieve mentions of him being nearly expelled. If anything, Dumbledore was always the person most suspicious of him.

From the legal perspective, there was never a lot he could have done to keep Riddle from becoming Voldemort. I doubt he had authority to disallow Riddle entry to Hogwarts, and I am not sure that would have been any better anyway - Riddle would just become a half-magical power-maniac in the muggle world instead. Dumbledore had no influence over the behaviour of other students towards Riddle. Riddle's behaviour in school (barring the basilisk incident) was good, and his psychological issues were probably buried pretty deeply. What was Dumbledore supposed to do?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by GePap
Dumbledore seems to have been responsible for Tom Riddle going to hogwarts- now, I am not sure if he was already headmaster back then (seems an awful long time that), but if he was, obviously he failed to control Tom Riddle an failed to stop the issues that would lead to0 him becoming Voldemort.

Again, I think that is what he means when he says his mistakes can be huge, and it goes to the issue of him trusting too much.

The Headmaster was Armando Dippet at the time. And I'd assume that Dumbledore would have to follow Dippet instructions if say, Voldemort's name had been down since he was born. But it could have been an error of judgment there, sure. But I think it was more of a, this guy has super magic powers, let's get him!

Dippet sounds like a Sytherin actually .

Of course the question is whether Dumbledore was a Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I think it'd be kinda cheesy (though I expect it to be) that he's a Gryffindor. Would like to seee the other houses a bit more though.

[Verto]

Dumbledore Is Not Dead! (Maybe)

Viewing through various HP sites and participating in a few discussions, a couple details have been mentioned that I thought I'd share here.

Firstly, one that relates to the spell used by Snape to "kill" Dumbledore. Allegedly, it is the Avada Kedavra spell. However, a few minor points exist that cast some doubt as to whether this spell was, in fact, even cast.

Point 1: Dumbledore's reaction to the spell is very different from the description given of other victims. Here are a few.

He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumbled. He was dead before he hit the floor. (GoF pg 15/19)

From high above his head, he heard a high, cold voice say, "Kill the spare." A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night: "Avada Kedavra!" A blast of green light blazed through Harry's eyelids, and he heard something heavy fall to ground beside him. Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside him. He was dead. (GoF pg 638/553)

They all merely fall to the ground, dead. However, Dumbledore..

was blasted into the air. For a split second, he seemed to hang suspended beneath the shining skull, and then he slowly fell backward, like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight. (HBP pg 596/556)

Perhaps this is a slip; perhaps Dumbledore is merely reacting differently, because of some protection or something else related to his extreme abilities.

However, I propose that the possibility exists that Snape did not, in fact, cast that spell at all. Consider how much emphasis was placed on nonverbal spells. Perhaps it is possible to say one spell, but be thinking and concentrating on another. Don't buy it? Well, perhaps Snape DID use the AK spell. There is another catch, provided in OotP regarding those spells:

Hatred rose in Harry such that he had never known before. He flung himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed "Crucio!" Bellatrix screamed. The spell had knocked her off her feet, but she did not writhe or shriek with pain as Neville had -- she was already on her feet again ... "Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?" she yelled. "You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain -- to enjoy it ..." (OotP pg 810/715)

This helps the idea that Snape was only doing as ordered by Dumbledore, or that even if he wasn't, he didn't want to kill him.

Thanks to "Dumbledore Is Not Dead" for providing a cohesive, organized layout of all discussed.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh come on... people are just trying to find a way that DD is not dead... like they did with Sirius. I think Rowling has killed him off, for good. As she has said, when people die, they are gone.