Dumbledore's Agony- The emerald potion |
 Jul 4 2007, 03:49 PM
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 34 Joined: 6:02am July 1, 2007  |
Think back to the scene in the 'Cave' where Dumbledore drinks that shimmering green liquid. He obviously undergoes some significant mental, physical and spiritual crisis. This takes the form of a kind of trial or inquisition. At first I thought that DD was encountering Voldemort. Dumbledore tells Harry that Voldemort would
"not want immediately to kill the person drinking the potion - he would want to find out how they managed to penetrate his defences" Yet surely the scene is too morally significant for it simply to be one of Voldemorts traps. Dumbledore is so utterly vulnerable here. He is stripped of all power and all defences. Surely this is not play acting so he can fool an evil monster? The Inquisitor(s) seem to have absolute authority. Dumbledore (the greatest wizard that ever lived) is almost childlike in their presence. He admits culpability for something, "It's all my fault, it's all my fault, I know I did wrong..." His keenest agony is in witnessing the suffering of others; "Don't hurt them, please, it's my fault, hurt me instead..." Is this simply deadly, dark magic at play or is there an "older magic" here. Is Dumbledore, spiritually naked, coming face to face with his own conscience? Is the green draught a kind doorway to purgatory , that will exorcise 'sin'? This means that an 'evil' wizard would be able to consume the potion with very few side effects. Only someone as loving and compassionate as Dumbledore would suffer so greatly. I think Dumbledore was already dying as he reached the lightening struck tower. He'd already made the sacrifice. |
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Jul 5 2007, 05:37 AM
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Getting Fitted for New Dress Robes Posts: 46 Joined: 4:18pm October 9, 2005 |
I really hope that we´re going to find out exactly what this potion did! It might have something to do with the kids Riddle brought there to torture...but I don´t think, if it was somehow their memories, that they would be screaming "Kill me!"
Also....would Voldemort have put that potion in the basin? Wouldn´t it make more sense if Regulus did it? After all, he exchanged the lockets.... I wonder if maybe Snape had something to do with it, too. Potion-> Snape... there´s an association there.  That could also play into why Dumbledore wanted to see him so bad when they got back....We´ll find out soon!  Is there another thread where this has been discussed before? This post has been edited by Augurey: Jul 5 2007, 05:47 AM -------------------- "Now, come off it, Betty, I´m not giving away all the highlights before anybody´s bought the book!""
Shouldn´t have let Professor Snape teach us that one. |
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Jul 5 2007, 06:04 AM
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Hiding in the Iron Maiden at Borgin and Burkes Posts: 329 Joined: 12:05am January 11, 2007 Location: Sydney...the No.1 City in da world!!  |
Well, if its one thing..DD is too kind and goos for human kind..he rarely ever shows anger...kinda like Ned Flanders from the Simpsons!
I do agree that an evil wizard would not be affected by he potion...Maybe Sna[e since he hasnt been loved...much -------------------- I rule at sports, music and other stuff. In sports, i play cricket,football,tae kwon do,athletics and dirtbiking. I also am a guitarist and the lead vocalist in my band.
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Jul 5 2007, 11:02 AM
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Shopping the sales rack at Madam Malkins Posts: 2,516 Joined: 2:33pm September 16, 2005 Location: I'm somewhere inside all of you |
I think that Voldemort placed his memories of all the terrible things he did into the potion, and when Dumbledore drank it he had to re-live all of those misdeeds.
-------------------- "Harry now saw red hair flying like flames in front of him: Ginny was locked in combat ..."
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Jul 5 2007, 12:57 PM
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Getting Fitted for New Dress Robes Posts: 46 Joined: 4:18pm October 9, 2005 |
QUOTE(the_boy_who_lived @ Jul 5 2007, 04:02 PM) [snapback]1291372[/snapback] I think that Voldemort placed his memories of all the terrible things he did into the potion, and when Dumbledore drank it he had to re-live all of those misdeeds. Assuming, of course, that it was Voldemort who put that potion into the basin...which doesn´t make sense to me because how would Regulus have been able to get to the locket if he didn´t somehow get rid of Voldemort´s protections? As far as we know the potion doesn´t just reappear once it has been drunk... I believe Snape may have supplied Regulus with a potion to replace the old one. Then it could not have been Voldemort´s memories. This post has been edited by Augurey: Jul 5 2007, 01:01 PM -------------------- "Now, come off it, Betty, I´m not giving away all the highlights before anybody´s bought the book!""
Shouldn´t have let Professor Snape teach us that one. |
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Jul 5 2007, 01:48 PM
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Shopping the sales rack at Madam Malkins Posts: 2,516 Joined: 2:33pm September 16, 2005 Location: I'm somewhere inside all of you |
QUOTE(Augurey @ Jul 5 2007, 12:57 PM) [snapback]1291648[/snapback] QUOTE(the_boy_who_lived @ Jul 5 2007, 04:02 PM) [snapback]1291372[/snapback] I think that Voldemort placed his memories of all the terrible things he did into the potion, and when Dumbledore drank it he had to re-live all of those misdeeds. Assuming, of course, that it was Voldemort who put that potion into the basin...which doesn´t make sense to me because how would Regulus have been able to get to the locket if he didn´t somehow get rid of Voldemort´s protections? As far as we know the potion doesn´t just reappear once it has been drunk... I believe Snape may have supplied Regulus with a potion to replace the old one. Then it could not have been Voldemort´s memories. It would have been Kreacher, brought by Regulus, who drank the potion. Kreacher, being a house-elf, would not register as another wizard in the boat. -------------------- "Harry now saw red hair flying like flames in front of him: Ginny was locked in combat ..."
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Jul 5 2007, 02:47 PM
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 34 Joined: 6:02am July 1, 2007 |
And Kreature being evil would not suffer the effects of the potion?
But what is the potion? What for example would its name be? |
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Jul 5 2007, 02:58 PM
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Shopping the sales rack at Madam Malkins Posts: 2,516 Joined: 2:33pm September 16, 2005 Location: I'm somewhere inside all of you |
Kreacher being a house-elf would react differently to the potion than a wizard would. Perhaps that is why Kreacher is so batty.
If Voldemort created it, there would be no name other than what Voldemort called it. -------------------- "Harry now saw red hair flying like flames in front of him: Ginny was locked in combat ..."
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Jul 5 2007, 03:59 PM
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer Posts: 98 Joined: 4:46pm June 1, 2007 Location: In the Middle of the Desert |
QUOTE(the_boy_who_lived @ Jul 5 2007, 11:48 AM) [snapback]1291746[/snapback] I think that the potion was designed to refill in the basin once the boat left the island. That would keep one wizard from making several trips back and forth to drink a cupful at a time and eventually empty the basin. It would have been Kreacher, brought by Regulus, who drank the potion. Kreacher, being a house-elf, would not register as another wizard in the boat. I think you are right on about the potion. The basin would refill whenever the wizard left - to not make it any easier for the next guy. That said, it would be a flaw in the plan if someone other than the wizard could drink the potion. I mean, the idea is to incapacitate the wizard to keep him from getting to the locket. And if he did manage that, to leave him in such bad shape as to not be able to make his way out. But it would be just like LV to overlook house elves. Potentially a major omission, since they have some serious magical ability through the books. Apparating is no big problem, they don't need no stinkin' wands, and you can ask Lucious Malfoy how big a wallop they deliver when needed. Anyway, assuming RAB is indeed Regulus, that would make a fine "last great act of defiance" if he knew he would never make it out of the DE's alive. If you're going to kill me anyway, I'm going to take part of you down with me. Drink the potion, switch lockets, and leave a message before dying from the potion. That would also explain who killed Regulus. --------------------  "Let us win. But if we cannot win, let us break a few heads"  |
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Jul 5 2007, 04:12 PM
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 34 Joined: 6:02am July 1, 2007 |
Thus evil contains the seeds of its own destruction.
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