HBP, Chapter Thirteen - The Secret Riddle

Jul 03, 2007 23:53

Summary tweaked from Spark Notes. Commentary by me.

Katie is moved to St. Mungo’s for further treatment. Harry reports to Dumbledore’s office for their next lesson, and they take a moment to discuss Katie's accident and Mundungus's thievery. They then enter the Pensieve, this time rooting through the memory of Caractacus Burke, the co-owner of Borgin and Burkes, and pick up the story where they left off previously. Harry and Dumbledore see Caractacus talking about Merope’s gold locket, claiming that he bought it from her for ten Galleons, an amount far below the locket’s actual value. Clearly, Caractacus took advantage of Merope’s desperation. When Harry asks Dumbledore why Merope didn’t use her magic to get food and shelter, Dumbledore explains that he thinks Merope was so devastated by Tom’s desertion that she either chose to stop using magic altogether or found her powers drained by her sadness.

Next, Harry and Dumbledore enter one of Dumbledore’s memories. A much younger Dumbledore - sporting a very pimping suit - approaches the door of an orphanage and asks to speak with the house matron, Mrs. Cole. When she arrives, Dumbledore explains that he is here to offer Tom Marvolo Riddle a place at his school. Mrs. Cole warns Dumbledore that Tom Riddle is a funny boy, and Dumbledore is not surprised. Tom regularly bullies the other children, killing one child’s pet rabbit and leading two other children into a cave at the seaside. After emerging from the cave, the two are never the same again - a detail that, while not very descriptive, is still one of the most chilling images in the book to me.

Mrs. Cole leads Dumbledore to Tom, who is tall for his age and quite handsome, as his father had been. Dumbledore introduces himself, but Tom is suspicious until Dumbledore tells him that Hogwarts is a school for magic. Tom is excited, and upon discovering that he has magical powers, you can almost see the wheels turning in his head. But he is also rude and belligerent - as well as startlingly commanding - insisting that Dumbledore prove himself. In response, Dumbledore sets Tom’s wardrobe on fire with a flick of his wand.

Dumbledore puts out the flames and asks Tom to retrieve a box from inside his wardrobe full of things Tom has stolen from his fellow orphans. Dumbledore demands that he return them before enrolling at Hogwarts, and warns him that such behavior is not tolerated at the school. Dumbledore offers to accompany Tom to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies, but Tom insists on going by himself. Tom also tells Dumbledore that he can talk to snakes, and that he dislikes his name because it is too common.

Harry and Dumbledore return to Hogwarts and discuss what they have seen. On his way out of Dumbledore’s office, Harry notices that Marvolo’s ring is gone, and Dumbledore gives a rather enigamtic answer.

*******

It is bizarre to me that many fans feel that these "trips down memory lane" were a waste of time and did not accomplish anything. The first rule of war is "know thine enemy," and these memories provide essential insight into Voldemort's character, what he's capable of bringing himself to do, and what his weak spots might be. Sure, Dumbledore could have just simply told Harry these things, but that wouldn't have made nearly the impact, would it? To see firsthand how someone behaves and to learn to draw conclusions from that is an invaluable lesson, and one that I think Rowling was quite right to show us. Yes, SHOW us, not just tell us.

hbp

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