Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince-SPOILERS!!!!

[GSHamster]

Just an observation that the group contracted and got very insular. There were more characters involved in the other stories and those characters didn't only get shoved aside, but it was made clear in the story that the relationships had suffered and/or died.

I think this is pretty much only in Book 5, with the Defense Association (or whatever it was called). I think this book was a return to the normal focus from books 1-4.

 

[F5]

Ditto. I doubt Dumbledore's going to be pulling a Gandalf.

I dunno...Dumbledore is too closely associated with the Phoenix not to have some kind of resurrection theme going on. The giant phoenix statue that hides the stariway to his study, Fawkes, the OotP...

Maybe Reincarnation is the better option, rather than Resurrection. The only one who Voldemort has "marked as an equal" is Dumbledore (the only man V fears). Say he should find himself reborn as the seventh month dies...BAM! Prophecy.

 

[MaxKaladin]

I dunno...Dumbledore is too closely associated with the Phoenix not to have some kind of resurrection theme going on. The giant phoenix statue that hides the stariway to his study, Fawkes, the OotP...

Maybe Reincarnation is the better option, rather than Resurrection. The only one who Voldemort has "marked as an equal" is Dumbledore (the only man V fears). Say he should find himself reborn as the seventh month dies...BAM! Prophecy.

I'm no expert on the "Potterverse" but perhaps JKR is setting up for another series of books where Dumbledore is reincarnated, grows old enough to go to Hogwarts and kicks off a new series of adventures.

 

[billd91]

I don't think Dumbledore is coming back. The phoenix has left the building. Besides, isn't it a gargoyle that guards the stairs to the headmaster's office?

It's clearly Harry whom Voldemort has marked as his equal. He sought Harry out to kill him based on what he heard of the prophecy to try to kill him before he could attain a level of power capable of being a threat. Voldemort made the selection of which wizard family baby would be most threatening, and thus marked him as an equal.
By contrast, fearing Dumbledore and trying to find ways to get others to kill him, Voldemort has always marked Dumbledore as his superior.

Edit: I expect he'll be present as a portrait as all headmasters are, but not coming back in the resurrected sense.

 

[JimAde]

Yes, it's a gargoyle that guards the door. But the phoenix symbolism has been pretty strong. I'm not betting on it, but a Dumbledore back from the dead wouldn't surprise me all that much.

Certainly everyone in the books believes Harry to be the one "marked as an equal." Dumbledore has a fairly long discussion about it with Harry in this book, explaining how by marking Harry (and setting him on the path his life has taken) Voldemort made Harry his equal. Interesting.

Much, much more in-depth discussion can be had on mugglenet:

http://www.mugglenet.com

 

[reveal]

I still say Dumbledore is really Voldemort and he's been messing with Harry this whole time.

 

[Desdichado]

Sure, get pissy and extremist on me.

Naw, just sarcastic.

Just an observation that the group contracted and got very insular. There were more characters involved in the other stories and those characters didn't only get shoved aside, but it was made clear in the story that the relationships had suffered and/or died.

I don't think that's true; I think that the increased pace of this book just gave Rowlings less time to focus on, say, Harry's friendship with Seamus or Neville, or what-have-you.

This book was much more focused than the last two in that regard.

 

[F5]

I don't think Dumbledore is coming back. The phoenix has left the building. Besides, isn't it a gargoyle that guards the stairs to the headmaster's office?

I think maybe my potter-fu is being influenced by the movies...in the movies the secret staricase to Dumby's office is behind a big pheonix-like bird statue. Still, they've been pushing the phoenix connection pretty hard. I won't be the least bit surprised when/if he re-appears.

While I think you're right that it's almost got to be Harry who's the Chosen One, (and that's a good point about Big-V marking Dumby his superior, rather than his equal), having it turn out to be Dumbledore is just an interesting twist to throw out there. While it would be kind of disappointing to have one of the adults swoop in and save he day, when this whole series is really about the kids, it's kind of satisfying to think that Dumbledore might have manipulated events to make himself fulfill the prophecy. Need to be born in a certain month? Easy. Die, pick month in which to be reborn.

Again, you're all probably right; it is almost 100% likely that Dumbledore isn't the Chosen One. But I'm holding onto this one as my cool crackpot theory of the hour because it's fun. So there.

 

[F5]

I'm no expert on the "Potterverse" but perhaps JKR is setting up for another series of books where Dumbledore is reincarnated, grows old enough to go to Hogwarts and kicks off a new series of adventures.

THAT could certainly be interesting...

By then, Harry could be old enough to be Dumbledore's Defense against the Dark Arts teacher!

 

[TanisFrey]

I think JKR has been building towards Harry being the DADA teacher the whole time. For one thing, the DADA profs never hang around; for another, he taught his fellow students very well during the DA meetings.

If Hermoine teaches anything, it'll be Runes; she's always talking about Runes this and Runes that. Pff. I'd like to see her USE Runes for something! They never use it practically to solve any real-life problems.

More likey that Harry will be a special assitant to the DADA teacher and get the DA running once more, sortia of a OotP mark II. It would also seem that Harry will start to direct the OotP and the Aruthors, ticking off the Minster of Magic, in an attempt to find the horcruxes. Of course he will get to the Aruthors by using Profeser Slughorn's connections.