HBP 20: Lord Voldemort's Request

[seicat]

Mod Note: We've had a mix up in the summaries so we'll be playing catch-up over the next couple of entries. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Chapter 20 Cliff's Notes Version:

1. Ron and Harry get to leave the hospital wing escorted by Hermione.
2. Luna hands out notes from Dumbledore and Gurdyroots which amuses Ron.
3. Hermione looks over finishes Harry's

Comments

[cadesama]

Ah, Dumbledore's such a wonderful mentor. He trusts Harry so much that whenever Harry is answering about a task he's been given, he makes sure to read his mind!

Seriously, what kind of man guilt trips a kid for having his best friend poisoned and having his skull cracked? Oh, and for having priorities that differ slightly because the mentor can't be bothered to treat his concerns seriously.

"Hokey's contract" -- What? Does Harry occasionally forget that House-Elves are enslaved? I suppose JKR wanted a change from "enchantments enslaving Hokey" or something.

Both Dumbledore and Voldemort are well aware that the Ministry is not the path to power. There is no humility in the refusal of Ministry positions for either of them.

Making the DADA post actually cursed seems a bit silly to me. For one, it was implied that Quirrell was DADA professor for more than one year -- maybe not consecutively, but more than one. Secondly, there is nothing magical or physical that prevents Lupin or Snape from coming back. those are social and political situations. Thirdly, it strains credibility that there have been more than twenty years worth of DADA teachers in England.

[cadesama]

Making the DADA post actually cursed seems a bit silly to me. For one, it was implied that Quirrell was DADA professor for more than one year -- maybe not consecutively, but more than one. Secondly, there is nothing magical or physical that prevents Lupin or Snape from coming back. those are social and political situations. Thirdly, it strains credibility that there have been more than twenty years worth of DADA teachers in England.

I agree. I thought it was just another way to relieve Dumbledore the responsiblity to the awful DADA teachers they had (and not doing a thing to help the the only good one when he was forced to leave because of Snape and the ww prejudice).

Ah, Dumbledore's such a wonderful mentor. He trusts Harry so much that whenever Harry is answering about a task he's been given, he makes sure to read his mind!

Seriously, what kind of man guilt trips a kid for having his best friend poisoned and having his skull cracked? Oh, and for having priorities that differ slightly because the mentor can't be bothered to treat his concerns seriously.

Yeah, that fact Dumbledore and Snape allow themselves to just read Harry's mind when ever they feel like it is another prove for that they lact any caring for human rights.
Of course Dumbledore won't care about Harry's priorities or difficulties. Dumbledore is the only one who's allowed to have reasons to do things. The others just exist to fulfill his plans. I also don't see what is so important about the memory, when Dumbledore seem to know most of the facts or at least suspect them.

[cadesama]

I also don't see what is so important about the memory, when Dumbledore seem to know most of the facts or at least suspect them.

Honestly, it just seems like another loyalty test to me. Pound all of Harry's dissenting opinions out of him by removing the approval of a parental figure. It's blatant emotional manipulation. When Lupin did it to Harry in PoA, for better reasons and done by a character I liked far more than Dumbledore, it still rubbed me the wrong way.

[schtroumph_c]

I think he asked him not for the importance of the memory, but for teach Harry what he'll have to do when he'll be alone, if we believe the DD was condemned to die theory.

Or to stop Harry's obsession of Draco, like in first year with the Mirror of Erised.

[woman_ironing]

I think he asked him not for the importance of the memory, but for teach Harry what he'll have to do when he'll be alone

Is that what it's about? I just can't make any sense of Dumbledore's attitude towards Harry in this and the previous pensieve scene. I'm trying hard, but I must be missing something. Is it just that Dumbledore is totally stressed out and anxious because things are getting complicated and time's short? Are we actually supposed to think that Harry should simply do as he's told? I mean, I guess Harry should have tried again to get the memory from Slughorn, but Dumbledore coming over all headmaster-ish is so annoying. I suppose that in this scene at least it does get Harry to realise he has to concentrate on the task he's been set. I suppose too that Dumbledore has a right to be a bit disappointed - this is the first thing he's actually asked Harry to do. But he must realise that it would help if he didn't stamp all over Harry's (legitimate!) worries about Malfoy and Snape.

[cadesama]

But it doesn't help Harry learn how to extract information out of people. He uses Felix Felicis. Dumbledore didn't put any strictures on it, and there's no indication that Harry learned how to manipulate deal with people better. If Dumbledore meant Harry to learn that, wouldn't he have ensured that Harry went about getting the information in a way that could actually be replicated at a later date?

Or to stop Harry's obsession of Draco, like in first year with the Mirror of Erised.

Yeah. That worked well, didn't it?

[house_elf_44]

I also don't see what is so important about the memory, when Dumbledore seem to know most of the facts or at least suspect them.

I thought the importance was for Harry to be convinced that there were 6 Horcruxes that had to be found and destroyed before he could succeed in killing Voldemort.

[cadesama]

Because Harry's not going to believe Dumbledore if he says so? I don't buy that.

[agnes_bean]

For one, it was implied that Quirrell was DADA professor for more than one year
THANK YOU! That's what I thought, too. I'm glad I'm not making it up. And I agree, it seems unrealistic that the position has actually been cursed all this time. How many DADA can there be? Though, I guess it explains why Dumbledore had to resort to Lockhart...