Rita Skeeter posts a contribution to our discussion

[terri_testing]

I just re-read what Rita wrote after reproducing Albus’s charming letter to his lover.  And it’s instructive, as Rita always is.  Here she is, in all her audience-wooing. muckraking glory:

“Astonished and appalled though his many admirers will be, this letter constitutes proof that Albus Dumbledore once dreamed of overthrowing the Statute of

Comments

[condwiramurs]

Oh, good catch! Brava!

I've been figuring that his delayed action RE Gellert and, er, 'muggle-loving' ways, etc. etc. might have had people wondering for quite a while if Dumbledore wasn't quite as firm in his belief about the need for Secrecy as he might put about. And then of course the Ministry's paranoia in OotP that he was forming a private army to overthrow the Ministry.... (Paranoia, of course, which wasn't quite founded on nothing...)

But this would have just been the shocking nail in the coffin, wouldn't it? The cherry on top of the ice cream sundae of his political stance, rejection of Ministry authority, and, um, curious hiring practices.

And, well... If in a deep part of his heart he really DID want Secrecy dismantled still, well, that's another subconscious motive to do what he can to ensure Tom's victory, isn't it?

[vermouth1991]

To adjust a TVtropes term, we thought the "Murder & Arson" part of DE (or Grinderwald) terrorism was bad, but the W-World only cared about the part that to us amounted to "Jaywalking".

[mary_j_59]

Yes! All this about the statute of secrecy and what it really means is most interesting - not to say illuminating. And, of course, Severus and all true half-bloods are a walking threat to the Wizarding World by their very existence.

But the whole concept of the "Death Eaters" just bothers me so much. Why death eaters? Do we ever see any of them eating death? What does the term even mean?

I am so glad Condwiramurs started on this set of essays.

[sunnyskywalker]

Funnily enough, we do have an example in the books of literally eating death and surviving: Fawkes. Who swallows an AK. Is that how phoenixes normally handle death curses? Is "Death Eaters" just a darker, edgier way to say... phoenixes?

[mary_j_59]

Wow! I like that idea! Of course, Terri has argued earlier that, whatever they are in other mythologies, phoenixes in the Potterverse don't seem to be particularly altruistic birds. So it isn't necessarily saying anything good about the Death Eaters if this is true.

Still, cool idea.

[sunnyskywalker]

Well, no, it wouldn't. But they are powerful and have really cool ancient magic, which seems to make them a viable mascot anyway, at least if sports team mascots are any guide. Kids who root for the Harpies (not known for their kindness) probably think Team Phoenix sounds pretty cool.