Book 5 Mystery :: Dumbledore's Speech (SPOILER)

[Lunatech]

Parts of his speech was suppose to be (of course) left mysterious but this is probably the best insight we have regarding what the Department of Mysteries

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," interrupted Dumbledore, "that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death (veil room), than human intelligence(brain room), than the forces of nature(???). It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room (obviously there is another room inside the DoM we have not visited yet that has a stronger connection to Harry and heart ) that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all..."
- Order of the Phoenix (US) Ch.37, Pgs.844-845

Remember, you can assume that he was just talking about Harry's ability to be brave and come to the aid of his Godfather. But Dumbledoore specified it is a room.

Anyway, it's still a mystery and there is absolutely no hint whatsoever within the last 3 chapters about it...which is to me one of the failings of the book. Nonetheless it's still quite interesting where they might head with this.

Lunatech.

[Colin]

That one paragraph and one other has nearly driven me mad:) I have concluded that the answer is unknowable at this time.

[June]

I thought that the room Dumbledore ws talking about was the room which harry tried to open with the knife Sirius gave him but which melted? Isn't that the room that was "locked at all times"? I'm not too sure, but at least, I think so. And I thought Dumbledore implied it's the study of the heart -- "It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all..." Since it's Harry's love in his heart that saved him from possession from Voldemort and it's love which Voldemort does not have, I thought it's what Dumbledore meant. Am I wrong then?

[Rebecca Spinnet]

Hmmm.. interesting when i read that i thought of the Veil Room too but the room they couldn't get into makes sense too...

[Malachim]

I'm with you June.

That's what I thought too.

LOL I was sitting here thinking what to add to what you said but I don't have anymore to say. I just agree.

[werebane]

I think that the room about nature is the one that had the prophecy and all the other crystal balls.

[Lunatech]

the room houses a giant magical duck that lays prophecy eggs

jk.

[Malachim]

LOL Luna!!

That's a good one![/code]

[Fafnul Black]

I am sitting near June and Malachim on that one

I must confess I am a bit afraid about this heart's power stuff. Like we discover that *Love* is a very powerful magic, that Harry has plenty of it and that in the end (7th book) he saves the day with his heart, rather than with his wand. There were several hints about that (Harry's protection, Dumbledore's speech), plus the fact that most of the readers are, well, muggles, and it would make sense to reconcile muggle and wizarding worlds in the end, with *love* .

Yeeek, please, I want REAL magic, not such a sugar-happy ending

[Malachim]

Good point Fafnul!

You're probably not too far from the truth. Hopefully it won't be that sugar coated!

[ambrosius]

I think June is right on target about Harry's heart. And I too would be diappointed by a lame, "all you need is love" ending.

But I don't think that's what's in store. Harry prevailed in Book I because of his selflessness -- he didn't want the Stone. In Book II, his loyalty to Dumbledore was paramount. In Book III, a desire to help Sirius and his other friends spurred his Patronus. In Book IV, his inclination to save others in the pond test and in grabbing Cedric's body were integral plot points. Harry's existence is owed to his mother putting his life above hers. And throughout the books we see Harry standing for a union with the slightly misfit -- Ron owing to his family poverty, Hermione because she's a geek, Nevillle a klutz, Hagrid a half-giant, even helping Dobby, a poor house-elf -- which becomes a strength.

This isn't just lovey-dovey-ness. It's a faith in ability of the many to come together to defeat a great and dividing and elitist evil. It's the Allies against Hitler and the union of men, elves, dwarves and hobbits against Sauron. Harry will have hard work to do -- he won't prevail just because he's nice. But I think the next books will show us a maturing Harry who comes to realize that he can't indulge in self-pity and anger and that creeping feeling that he truly is superior. He'll have to reach out to the Nevilles and the better Slytherins and the house-elves and all creatures of good will. And I think that ability to forge friendships and show loyalty and bravery for the benefit of others is what Dumbledore is talking about.

[Fafnul Black]

He he, nicely put, Ambrosius ! Sure, up to now JKR deftly spared us the sugar, so you are surely right in seeing richer things in store. Make him be right, make him be right, make him be right

As for the "superior" feeling of Harry, I would not call it that, more like a "everything-befall-me" thing, "it is like this and will remain like this, so I cope with it". "Superior" might be a bit too harsh for Harry, even angry. He simply sees himself entitled to deal with all Voldie matters, in a way.

Now, about what you describe as Harry ability, would not Harry be a natural Leader ? I mean, one of old, sacrifice for the people, and such, not the "here-the-power-and-the-money" version seen nowadays on TV

[Lunatech]

i dont think he's a natural leader, i think he's a leader by default actually.

[June]

Well said, ambrosius!

[Charis]

i agree with June and Malachim on the room thing.

what ambrosius said was very well put and i agree with he/she, too.

about Harry's "superior" feeling, i do not think that it is just an everthing-befall-me-learn-to-cope thing, i think it is a little bit of pride. somehow that doesnt seem like the right word, though. actually....the more i think about it, the more i think it is a learn-to-cope feeling! it seems that harry was thinking that everything happening to him was unfair. although, maybe there was a certain amount of pride involved. sort of a "hey, i didn't ask for all this stuff to happen to me, but look, i overcame it and you didn't!" type of thing. that might have died away as the book progressed, though, in his little speech about his luck. i think that was when hermione was trying to convince him to teach DADA, but i might be wrong. anyway, i seem to fluctuating in my opinion on this subject! a very interesting and rather intricate (for me ) subject though.