Dumbledore's death.
I have been sitting on the idea for a fair bit now and since the Da Geek put it up on his blog yesterday, I am convinced that the theory is correct.
The theory is that Dumbledore died of his own free will. Wishful thinking? I dont think so. Here is why:
- What started the train of thought for me was Dumbledore's fight with Severus outside the forbidden forest. Think, when was the last time you heard of dumbledore's anger? With the exception of the dementor attack and Mundungus's desertion of post, NEVER. Also, it strikes me as very very unlikely that Snape would be arguing about keeping watch on Malfoy. If he had turned over, he would simply not watch and pretend that he did. No, I think Snape was talking about not fulfilling the vow. That is what Dumbledore would be talking about when he says "you made a promise and you must keep it" or whatever the exact words were.
- I find it very hard to believe that Dumbledore was unable to find a single way of retrieving his wand in front of Malfoy. He was the greatest wizard in history, you'd think he could take on a 16 year old crybaby.
- We all know he did not cling sufficiently to life to fear death, "death is but the next great adventure", he had said. So why does he plead wih Snape to spare him?? The only logical conclusion is that he was pleading with Snape not to spare him, but to kill him. Think about it, if Snape was dead they would have absolutely no one with Voldie to keep watch on him. This would also be why Dumbledore froze Harry, because he knew Severus would do it in the end and Harry would, well, be a tad annoyed, not to mention the fact that he might actually stop Snape, which would kill him. So, if we put ourselves in Dumbledore's shoes, both these things seem a much greater loss than his own life
- Now, the reason he trusted Snape. I don't think this has been revealed. What he told Harry was some thing most five year olds won't believe much less one of the best legillimens' of their time. I think Voldie killed either Snape's mum or dad or something, and the reason has not been revealed yet. If Snape was on the dark side he would not have said to Harry, "not until you learn how to close your mind and not speak the incantation" or something to that effect. It sounds like something a teacher, not an enemy, would say.
- Now this last reason is one that to my knowledge has not been yet raised, and I only thought of last night. The very fact that Dumbledore gave Harry those lessons. I mean he had waited so long, why did he not wait one more year, till when Harry would come of age? We all sort of fall for this trick of Rowling's because deep inside we want Harry to be given a more central role in the war against Voldie. Now here is what I think the deal was, Dumbledore knew about the unbreakable vow. He had decided a long time ago that his time had come and he wanted the info about Voldie's souls to pass on.
I think this interpritation of the story hold together a tad better than what Rowling would have us believe, and methinks that if it is true, well then Rowling is not a cow, but one of the great.
Here is another version of this (entry dated 18th July).
Cheerio.
AZGEZ BLOODFIST WAS HERE !!!!
PS - RAB is, almost certainly, Regelus A Black.