Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 18
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
Chapter 18 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
The next morning, Harry is still mourning his lost wand. Without it he feels weak, vulnerable, and stripped naked, as if his magical power died with it. But this wand was special. The broken halves, barely held together by the damaged phoenix feather, are shoved into the pouch around his neck. Harry's hand brushes the Snitch that is also inside, and he is momentarily tempted to throw it away, believing it is as useless as everything else Dumbledore left behind. His fury at Dumbledore is unleashed. In desperation they had gone to Godric's Hollow, believing it held answers and would lead to some secret path laid out by Dumbledore. Instead, he left them groping blindly, without a plan or a map, and it nearly cost them their lives. Now Harry is without a wand, without the sword, and the dropped thief's photo has given information to Voldemort.
Still upset, Hermione timidly brings Harry tea and shows him an unopened copy of Rita Skeeter's book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore that was in Bathilda Bagshot's sitting room. A note sticking out reads: Dear Batty, Thanks for your help. Here's a copy of the book, hope you like it. You said everything, even if you don't remember it. Rita
Harry assures Hermione that he is not angry about his wand, it was only an accident, and he is grateful to her for saving his life. As the book's pages rifle through his fingers, Harry feels a perverse pleasure—now he will know Dumbledore's secrets. Looking at photographs, he sees a young Dumbledore and the handsome companion he saw in Umbridge's office, and who he now recognizes as the thief in Gregorovitch's memory. The caption reads: Albus Dumbledore, shortly after his mother's death, with his friend Gellert Grindelwald.
Harry and Hermione exchange incredulous looks—Grindelwald! Reading a chapter titled, "The Greater Good", they learn that Dumbledore graduated Hogwarts with many honors and accolades. He intended to take a Grand Tour with his friend, Elphias Doge, but Kendra Dumbledore's sudden death canceled it. Although Doge had claimed that Dumbledore made a grand sacrifice to care for his family, the book implies otherwise, quoting several Godric's Hollow citizens. Enid Smeek recounts that Albus did little to curtail his brother Aberforth's wild behavior and kept his sister, Ariana, hidden away. Although the Dumbledores remained reclusive, Bathilda Bagshot reportedly established a friendship with the family. Skeeter claims that although Bathilda's memory may have been affected by age, she was able to extract enough facts to piece together the scandalous story of Kendra's death, which was passed off as a spell backfiring. She also debunks Ariana being sickly and claims Albus had an affinity for the Dark Arts and may have supported Muggle oppression.
The same summer that Albus returned home to care for the family, Bathilda Bagshot took in her great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald, a student as brilliant as Dumbledore, who was expelled from Durmstrang. He later became a notorious Dark Wizard, although he was relatively unknown in Britain. He and Albus quickly formed a close friendship. In a letter to Gellert, Dumbledore writes that he agrees Wizard dominance over Muggles is for the greater good, but they must rule responsibly and only use force when necessary. He believes that was Gellert's mistake at Durmstrang, although he says that if Gellert had not been expelled, then they would never have met. Rita states that this letter proves that Albus Dumbledore once intended to overthrow the Statute of Secrecy and establish Wizard rule over Muggles. It contradicts his later stance supporting Muggle-born witches and wizards and protecting Muggles' rights.
But barely two months after their friendship began, Dumbledore and Grindelwald parted ways and did not see each other again until their legendary duel. Bathilda Bagshot believed the rift involved Ariana's death. Gellert was in the house when it happened, and he came home distressed, leaving by Portkey the next day. Bathilda says Aberforth blamed Albus, and they came to blows at the funeral. Bathilda goes on to say that Gellert's departure was unfortunate, as he would have been a comfort to Albus. It was never understood why Aberforth blamed Albus for Ariana's death, although it is speculated that it was related to Albus' friendship with Gellert, who had been expelled from Durmstrang for near-fatal attacks on fellow students. It was not until five years later that Dumbledore succumbed to the Wizarding world's pleas to end Grindelwald's vicious rampage. Questions lingered after Grindelwald's defeat, however. Was it his affection for Grindelwald that delayed Albus to take action? How and why did Ariana die? Was it an accident or the first attempt at implementing their "Greater Good" plan?
The chapter ends here, and Harry is stunned as he endures yet another loss: Ron, his phoenix wand, and now his unwavering trust in Dumbledore, who once embodied nothing but goodness and wisdom. Hermione reminds him that it was Rita Skeeter who wrote the book, but Harry points out Dumbledore's own words in his letter to Grindelwald. Hermione says that, unfortunately, Grindelwald's slogan, "For the Greater Good", probably stemmed from Dumbledore's ideas and became Grindelwald's justification for his atrocities. Those words were reportedly carved over the entrance to "Nurmengard", the prison Grindelwald built to jail his enemies. Hermione attempts to attribute Dumbledore's actions to his youth, but Harry reminds her that they are the same age, and they are fighting Dark Arts, not championing them. Hermione claims she is not defending what Albus did, but says he had just lost his mother and he was alone. But Harry points out he had a brother and that he kept his Squib sister locked up, although Hermione doubts she was Squib. She says that the Dumbledore they knew would never have allowed Muggle oppression, and whatever he believed when he was seventeen, he chose a different path and spent his remaining life fighting evil. Hermione surmises that Harry is really angry because Dumbledore never told him this himself, which Harry acknowledges may be true. But he wonders how Dumbledore could have left him in such a mess, and if he ever really cared about him.
[edit] Analysis
Harry and Hermione believe that Godric's Hollow was not only nearly fatal, but a useless dead-end, and Harry is angrier than ever with Dumbledore for having provided so little information for his quest. It is unclear if Dumbledore ever intended for them to go to Godric’s Hollow, but he must have surmised that Harry would eventually visit his birthplace and would suspect information could be hidden there, although Dumbledore may have considered it too risky and obvious a place to secrete clues. Despite their miscalculation, the trip actually proves somewhat productive. As noted, Harry and Hermione discover yet another instance of the symbol that was inked into The Tales of Beedle the Bard that Dumbledore bequeathed to Hermione; he may have intended for Harry to find it, lending further proof to its importance. Also, Hermione obtains Rita Skeeter's book, which provides valuable information about Dumbledore's past and his previously unknown association with the notorious Dark Wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, who he eventually defeated in a duel. Grindelwald's photo in Bathilda's house also ties him to her and Godric's Hollow. Harry also confronts his own past in Godric's Hollow, and by visiting his former home and his parents' graves, it provides some closure to this sad chapter in his life, and will allow him to eventually move forward emotionally.
Once again, Harry is deeply disappointed by someone he loved and admired: James, Sirius, Lupin, and now Dumbledore. This time, however, Harry is not just disappointed, his faith and loyalty are nearly depleted, and Rita Skeeter seems to have proved his suspicions about Dumbledore. Curiously, despite Skeeter's sullied reputation for fabricating or sensationalizing facts, and Harry's own experience being victimized by her libelous stories, he readily believes everything in her book, perhaps in part because Dumbledore's own words lend credence to Skeeter's claims. Harry's belief may be spurred by his anger and concerns about Dumbledore's true motives, further fueling Harry's faltering trust and doubts that Dumbledore ever loved him. But Harry fails to remember Dumbledore once telling him, "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are." Hermione is likely correct that Harry is more upset that Dumbledore concealed his past from Harry, rather than by what he actually did. She points out that despite Dumbledore's early and short-lived flirtation with the Dark Arts and his attraction to its seductive power, that is not the man they knew him to be. Like James Potter, he chose to overcome his earlier flaws and dedicated his remaining life to fighting evil and Muggle oppression. Harry, still entrenched in his own youthful and somewhat naïve idealism, believes goodness and wisdom is a straight, one-way journey from birth through adulthood, and he fails to understand that it is often a route filled with roadblocks, detours, and occasional back alleys. However far Dumbledore may have strayed from his own true path, he, unlike Grindelwald, found his way back again.
Harry mourning his lost wand shows he lacks confidence in himself and partially explains his rather harsh reaction to Hermione. He believes that much of his abilities comes from his wand, rather than it being a conduit for his own magical power. It is as if he has lost yet another loved one who provided guidance and strength. Like his owl, Hedwig, and, many years earlier, his destroyed Nimbus 2000 broomstick, the wand was a comforting source of security and familiarity, as well as symbolizing his entry into the wizarding world. He is correct, however, that this wand was special, and it apparently had developed unique powers and qualities that further tied him to Voldemort and his yew wand, although these failed to protect it from Hermione's curse. Its loss is a huge set-back to the mission, and while wizards can use other wands, not just any wand works well. Until Harry can obtain a suitable replacement, he will have to make do sharing Hermione's.
It is noted above that Harry was particularly devastated when he lost his Nimbus 2000 broomstick. Curiously, his destroyed Firebolt, a gift from his late godfather, did not affect him as deeply. Perhaps it was overshadowed by other events such as Hedwig's death at the same time, Moody's demise during the attack, and Sirius' and Dumbledore's recent murders. Also, it being a few years later, Harry's maturity has replaced his need to be overly attached and dependent upon inanimate objects for emotional security, although his broken wand is clearly an exception to that.
As a side note, readers perhaps noticed that J.K. Rowling may be employing a bit of humor when Rita Skeeter informally addresses Bathilda Bagshot in her note as "Batty." That, obviously, is a term for being mentally addled, which Bathilda likely was in her later years, and probably is what allowed Skeeter to manipulate her into yielding her memories.
[edit] Questions
[edit] Review
- Harry considers the trip to Godric's Hollow as being useless. Was it? If not, why?
- It is not uncommon for a wizard to have more than one wand during their lifetime. Other than inconvenient timing, why is Harry so strongly affected by his wand's loss?
- What was the "Greater Good" and for whose good was it really intended?
- Why is Harry so disappointed in Dumbledore, despite the good man that he was? Is Harry's opinion fair?
- Is Hermione right that Harry is angrier at Dumbledore for not telling him about his past, rather than for what he actually did?
- Why did Dumbledore keep his past a secret? Was he obligated to reveal it to Harry?
[edit] Extra Study
- How might Rita Skeeter have persuaded Bathilda Bagshot to share her memories about Dumbledore and Grindelwald? How reliable were those memories and would that matter to Skeeter?
- What might have caused the rift between Dumbledore and Grindelwald?
- Was Albus blinded to Grindelwald's true nature, despite his knowing what happened at Durmstrang? What would account for this?
- Why would Grindelwald leave Godric's Hollow immediately after Ariana's death? Could he have been involved?
- Why did Albus wait so long to confront Grindelwald in their historic duel?
- Considering Rita Skeeter's reputation for sensationalistic and fabricated stories, why is Harry so quick to believe that everything in her book about Dumbledore is true? Could her claims be correct?
- Why does Hermione doubt that Ariana was a "squib"? Is there any concrete proof supporting her opinion?
[edit] Greater Picture
We will learn in a later chapter of this book that Dumbledore's earlier comment to Harry, that it is one's choices that truly makes a person what they are, is based on the tragic events involving his family that forever changed his personal path.
Harry will acquire several different wands during his mission and learns that under certain conditions, wands can change their allegiance. Mr. Ollivander's claim that, "the wand chooses the wizard" is more important than Harry ever realized and will affect his final confrontation with Voldemort.
