Jelly baby, anyone?

[tree_and_leaf]

It's just occured to me that Albus Dumbledore's habit of offering people sweets at odd moments is somewhat reminiscent of the Doctor, in his fourth incarnation. Although I suppose that for a full parallel, Dumbledore would have had to offer Lord Voldemort a sherbert lemon at the Ministry, in a bid to distract him from playing mind games with Harry. While this has a certain crack appeal, I think on the whole that it's as well that JKR didn't pursue this further.

Although Dumbledore's appearance is obviously reminiscent of Gandalf (as well as the architypal Wise Old Man), there are times when his occasionally misjudged scheming is a tiny bit reminiscent of One - though Dumbledore is considerably less self-centered and egoistical. People who think Dumbledore's morally dubious really ought to try early period Hartnell....

In other news, I ordered a new laptop battery from Apple yesterday morning. It was there before nine o'clock - that is, they delivered free in under twenty-four hours. I'd obviously have preferred it if my original battery had lasted better, but I have to say I'm impressed by the Apple Store's efficiency.

Comments

[eagles-rock.livejournal.com]

The sweets are drugged; I'm sure of it. :-) A close study of canon would probably reveal that sherbet lemons=Veritaserum, toffees=tranquilizers etc.

People say 'Dumbledore's a manipulative old coot' like it's a bad thing. Morally dubious? I think the outlandish gear and the 'say a few words' aspect hide a deeply utilitarian outlook; the end will always justify the means. I also happen to believe Hermione is, shall we say, 'goal-focused'. *cackles*

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I think it's mind control. Come to think of it, have we ever seen Snape eat _anything_ at Hogwarts?

[eagles-rock.livejournal.com]

Ha! - my guilty pleasure is Vampire!Snape. (Worple stuffs a pasty into Sanguini's hand at the Slug Club do, but no mention is made of fang penetration into said.)

I don't know that we've seen any of the staff actually insert food, chew and swallow. OotP explicitly says Snape doesn't eat at 12 Grimmauld, which is rather paranoid. I just don't notice food in the books, unlike fic where it sticks out a mile.

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

[tree_and_leaf]

He was at Christmas dinner in POA, because he got a vulture hat in his cracker - but perhaps all he did was sit and glower...

[tree_and_leaf]

Of course Hermione is. I bet the hat offered to put her into Slytherin....

[eagles-rock.livejournal.com]

Knowledge for its own sake - Ravenclaw.
Knowledge for a purpose - Slytherin.
Knowledge for a purpose which you stand on a soap box and proclaim - Gryffindor.
Knowledge for all, and wee buns too - Hufflepuff.

[tree_and_leaf]

I now have decided that the HUfflepuff motto is "Truth! Justice! And a Hard Boiled Egg!"

[greenwoodside.livejournal.com]

It reminds of Pratchett's Lord Downey, head of the Assassin's Guild.

"Humbug?"

Admittedly, no one is supposed to have died after eating one of Dumbledore's sherbert lemons - but how can we be sure, eh?

Or they could be laced with - ahem - some sort of herbal remedy provided by Professor Sprout. Giving rise to book eight: "Harry Potter & the Visit from Her Majesty's Custom and Excise".

[tree_and_leaf]

I'd completely forgotten Lord Downey. Definitely not a man to accept a sweetie from.

[snorkackcatcher]

I must admit I do like the idea, crackish as it is. Maybe that was the way he defeated Grindelwald. :)

Although come to think of it, this whole "Dumbledore offering people sweets all the time" thing is something that bugs me, because I can't remember him actually doing that more than once or twice (even if one of them was in the opening chapter of the series). He uses sweet names as passwords, yes, but that's not really the same thing. By the same token we should have hundreds of fics in which McGonagall offers people biscuits simply because she offered one to Harry in OotP.

Is it just me? It seems to be one of those fanon things, like Hermione upbraiding Ron for swearing (which as far as I can remember she's never actually done in the books, although it's a common theme in fanfic).

[eagles-rock.livejournal.com]

Please excuse me for butting in...

'Language, Ronald!' is certainly not canon - 'Ronald' is film-verse only, and I don't recall Hermione complaining about his language in any of the books.

I suspect Dumbledore's sweets are based on nothing more than one canon event, and that Lupin actually dislikes chocolate; carrying it for medicinal/DADA purposes only.

[tree_and_leaf]

Well, there's the sweet passwords.. I'm quite convinced that Lupin probably loathes chocolate. If I associated it with being attacked by dementors, I probably would, too. I certainly can't abide chocoholc! Remus.

[tree_and_leaf]

Hm. Now I think about it, I have a horrible feeling you may be right.

But he does have a certain sweet obsession - and I like your Grindelwald theory.

(I think Hermione does tell Ron off for calling Snape a name which the narrator declines to reproduce - but you're right, it's not like she does it constantly, and it does grate when people make her do it in fic.