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Reader Comments: (Page 6)

And.. we don't know just how much stuff in DD's office is his and how much belongs to the school.... Wouldn't it be good to have the memories of past Heads' to help you learn the "ropes" of the job?

But if the only other choice it Alberforth.... how much of the stuff is he going to want? and he's the only sibling or relative that we've heard of, but not nessisarily the only one out there...

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on December 4, 2006 10:41 AM

Hey everone.. nice theories I must admit.. (forgive me when my English turns out to be not very well, but I come from The Netherlands.. soo)

Although there are many hints, and good clues in the book I still doubt wether is Dubledore alive or not. I think he isn't, however this is mainly based on my general view on Rowlings.

I think it all comes down on one big question, because you can speculate (guess) whether DD is alive or not, you not know untill the next book be published. This question is if Snape is to be trusted.

Personally I think is, because DD did. But we have to doubt this very much. Rowling revealed in one of her interviews the GREATEST WEAKNESS OF DD, which was that he was lonely. He didn't have a partner(you could say, this is something he shares with LV) which made him weak in a certain sence. Emotions can be less valued (how do you say this?) when you have less deep relationships. Highly sed occlumens (like this?) could set DD wrong for simply this weakness.

And we also do not know why DD trusted Snape. I can't believe the reason Harry told the others at the end of HBP is the true reason. Because, however it was part of DD's weakness, he wasn't that naive. He didn't trusted Tom Riddle neither and he even didn't have done great things wrong. But he still gave him as wel as Snap a second change.

Well. hope I didn't said to much rubbish:P.. Hope you could read it (my english ehhh:P)..

Byee (where do you guys comefrom anyway? USA or UK?)

Posted by Arjan van der Hout from Rijnsburg, The Netherlands on December 5, 2006 10:49 AM

I think that DD had the memory in a bottle in case he got captured or something and the enemy was able to draw out memories from him. Also, even if it wasn't the real DD then there's a chance that you might be able to pull out a memory of the charecter you are impersonating.

Posted by Kathryn from U.K on December 9, 2006 03:23 AM

Jan-Marie
I wish my English would be better and I could express myself as I do in my native language. (I am not saying this to get compliments;-) but after reading your comments I feel a bit uncertain with my plain English;-)

I read on another HP Website an Editorial, saying that McGonagall could be in Voldemorts “LAIR” That article was written so convincingly, that I cannot get it out of my head. The thing that bothered me most, that article had vanished from the Website about two days later, when normally all Editorials stay there, week after week!

You mentioned the interchange between Dumbledore and McGonagall in Chapter One, THE BOY WHO LIVED. I thought it was a very good point you brought up there and I am with you that it is a DIVERSION. In fact as you have certainly noticed, whenever a character wants to tell us (the reader) something, he or she gets interrupted.

It is exactly as Galadriel Waters and E.L. Fossa said, we start re-reading the books, but soon get lost in the story again. It happens to me ALL the time, whenever I look something up. Returning to Dumbledore and McGonagall, I am beginning to have unpleasant feelings.

I have asked myself, over and over why did Dumbledore not trust Minerva McGonagall? Don’t get me wrong, she is an absolutely amazing character and I do like her-but why not trust her enough to tell her about Horcruxes? Why did he not inform her about that night in Godric’s Hollow? I quote” Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall“! Then two pages later he asks McGonagall if it was Hagrid who told her that he, Dumbledore would come to Privet Drive.
We don’t know if she was already his Deputy Headmistress at that time, if yes, this seems more than odd.
It’s really interesting that we get to hear right at the beginning of the series of the HP books, that Dumbledore would trust Hagrid with his life. Professor McGonagall never does anything suspicious. She is in my eyes the direct opposite of Snape. Where Snape seems to be the obvious villain, McGonagall is the strict, but perfect Transfiguration teacher.

Another “forgotten” fact, she went to Hogwarts School at the same time as Tom Riddle. Could that be the reason Dumbledore did not confide in her completely? Why let Harry inform his two best friends about the Prophecy and the Horcruxes?

At the end of the HBP Chapter Twenty- Nine “the Phoenix Lament”, I had the impression that Professor McGonagall got really annoyed with Harry. She remembered me a bit of Scrimgour or Fudge. I would love to hear your opinion on McGonagall and be happy if you could help me dispose of my treacherous thoughts!

Posted by Mistral from Switzerland on December 9, 2006 09:58 AM

I think the simple reason DD does not confide in Mcgonagal about the Horcruxes is that they are not important to the rest of her life..
Where as to Harry, understanding them is essential.....
He tells Harry he may tell Hermione and Ron because they have stood by Harry and, it can be assumed, continue to do so...
McGonagal is meant to take DD's place at Hogwarts should anything happen to him..

She was at Hogwarts at the same time as Tom Riddle, but she was Three years ahead of him..so it is unlikely they spent much time together..

As for her asking Harry about what he and DD were doing while they were away... of course she would ask, she was going to have to answer all the ministry's questions about it and wanted the facts...
Plus she had to know if it was in any way connected to the attack on the school..

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on December 12, 2006 12:07 PM

Speculations here and there...

To contradict, I hereby read the last part of the article:

"But it's also just possible Dumbledore sealed the important memory in the bottle for safe-keeping..."

You wouldn't call Albus Dumbledores own head one of the safest places for safekeeping?

Posted by Rane from Sweden on December 13, 2006 11:24 AM

Unless he thought if it was in his head, someone might steal his memory from him via occlumency...

Posted by Dave Haber from Los Angeles, CA on December 13, 2006 11:27 AM

Occlumency is the defensive s. Legilimency is the "mind reading" s...

Posted by Kevin from Wisconsin on December 13, 2006 1:09 PM

Ooh, the conspiracy theories re: McGonagall are so creepy, I have goosebumps! I really want her to be good, ut then again, that WOULD make her a great turncoat...

I love the idea of Albus being an animagus phoenix, and thus also immortal, which would help him come back, Gandalf-sytle. J.K. Rowling directly said he would not "pull a Gandalf," though.

I have a theory about why Dumbledore wholeheartedly trusted Snape, even in the face of contradictory evidence: Snape came to Dumbledore, as others have posted, because he loved Lily and did not want her or her child to be hurt. Dumbledore saw the obvious advantage of having an Occumens double-agent, but also because we see that Dumbledore has immense empathy for confused people and wants them to repent (like Malfoy on the tower). I think he had Snape swear an Unbreakable Vow to him that he woudl never return to the Dark side, on pain of . he coudl therefore be trusted, even as a spy, as long as he was alive.

This theory does not prohibit Snape from swearing another Vow to Narcissa because the tasks did not directly conflict, esp. since (I belive) Dumbledore was begging Snape to him. he said "Severus...please..." The text never says what he was asking for. I think he was askign Snape to finish him off, either because 1) it would save Malfoy and his family (and I think Malfoy's redemption play a large role in Book 7), 2) it would give Snape more leverage to get close to Voldemort, and/or 3) because he was already from the injury and poison and in great agony and it was the best solution. It was probably a bit of all of these (assuming he is really , and he may reincarnate as a phoenix, anyway). This theory also fits in with the "rehearsed scene" theory I read on this site. Anyway, I am convinced that Snape is really good and Albus not a fool, and this solves the dilemma.

Any thoughts on this?

Posted by Erin on December 13, 2006 8:03 PM

In all the interviews JK gives does she only say DD is , and i know she never lies in interviews, but then she could being saying Aberforth is as i have never heard her say Albus Dumbledore is ! Also i think DD is a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw and maybe the pensieve was hers and thats why LV goes to see DD in his office to apply for the job of DADA to really find the pensieve and use it as a horcrux!

Posted by Clair from North West England on December 14, 2006 4:00 PM

Now that Snape is on the run....Harry can go to the pensieve that Snape keeps and find out all bunches of stuff about Snape! Same goes for the memories in Dumbledores pensieve. This is just history waiting to be discovered. Also, If snape was at the scene of the Potter anhiliation, and Snape put that memory in the pensieve, then Harry would be able to experience it again.

Posted by Sharonq from Michigan on December 15, 2006 11:52 AM

I may be wrong on this, but I don't think "Snape keeps a pensieve". I think he was borrowing Dumbledore's pensieve for the purposes of Harry's occlumency lessons.

Posted by Dave Haber from Los Angeles, CA on December 15, 2006 12:05 PM

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