What the heck is Dumbledore doing?

[carsten]

What does Dumbledore do at school? Isn't he supposed to teach something? What would it be? It has to take place in the two final years.

My idea is, that he will have a kind of research class, because somehow new spells are to be invented. Maybe he will tell them about the underlying laws of magic.

Carsten

[Athena Appleton]

Well, Dumbledore isn't a teacher, he's the headmaster... so he doesn't teach classes, he oversees the other teachers.

When Tom Riddle was in school, Dumbledore (I think) taught Transfiguration. But when he became Headmaster of Hogwarts, he didn't have to teach anymore, he makes sure that all is running smoothly at the school, not to mention all the work outside of school he does

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Here's how I would see a day in the life of Dumbledore:
In the morning he does his thing at breakfast at the Great Hall. Then he probably walks around the school and says hey to all the portraits and ghosts. Then he goes back to his office and has a conference with the school governors like once a week or so. Then he reads his mail and replies because its polite. Then lunch, then a chat with ministry people or something. Other than that he probably doodles around in his office with all his little instruments and talks to the paintings. I bet that's what he does all night too because I don't think he sleeps!

[Athena Appleton]

you're forgetting to add in his Order duties, and the fact that he's in the Wizengamot, the cheif Mugwump or whatever else is on his Wizard card. He's a busy dude.

[Herminny]

I could see DD life being more hectic than that. I mean he has to get reports from the Order of the Phoenix, deal with misshappenings in the schoolfigure out what Voldy is doing, figure out what is happening in his own school (expecially where Harry is concerned) He would have to deal with a lot of mail and stuff like that

[carsten]

I still think he should pass his superior knowledge on to others. What is the point of being a super wizard without sharing it? Harry could surely benefit from his dueling skills as shown against Umbridge and Voldi in book 5.

And the question remains: Who is inventing new spells, potions etc?

Carsten

[Athena Appleton]

And the question remains: Who is inventing new spells, potions etc?

well... there's not really any evidence that there are new spells, potions, etc...

about Dumbledore sharing his knowledge... I think he already does that to some degree (he puts competent teachers to work teaching the students), but he has a lot more to deal with than teaching. However, in Harry's case, I think he might make an exception and work with him one-on-one... I think he finally realized that Snape can't put the past behind him, so there's a remote chance that Harry will continue to study Occlumency under Dumbledore instead of Snape... but other than that, Dumbledore's a pretty busy guy, and he's put in his time teaching, before he became Headmaster.

[Groo]

there are new scientific inventions made every day so i guess that there are spells left to be invented
(lol imagining inventing a spell which permanantly converts everyone whose name begins with 'V' into a badger )

but how can you expect DD to invent everything? there must be researchers in the wizard world like in ours.
he has already discovered twelve uses of dragon blood. who was the brainiest scientist of the last century? Albert Einstein. how many things did he invent? only two.

and as for passing knowledge why didnt Einstein teach a guy to be as brilliant as him in physics?its not a tough job to pass knowledge, its to find someone half as capable as him to learn it. i think everyone can roughly seek the same knowledge of magic as him but nobody is good enough to perform everything. he must be definately teaching the Order how to duel and he was a teacher in the past as well.

[Athena Appleton]

okay, I agree that there are new discoveries probably being made everyday (however, the wizarding world seems much more advanced in their discoveries than we are in ours, so I think it's less likely that daily spells are becoming obsolete in the same way as, say, computers are becoming obsolete...)

I was only saying I don't think that there probably isn't going to be a storyline involving it... I mean, it could, but I don't see any evidence to hold up carsten's theory that Dumbledore will teach a research class studying and discovering new spells and potions... actually, I would imagine that Dumbledore would not want to have a bunch of students trying to create new magic, just because that could be extremely dangerous.

[Alice I]

actually, I would imagine that Dumbledore would not want to have a bunch of students trying to create new magic, just because that could be extremely dangerous.

That is probably true.
The only instance we have heard of new spells or incantations being made are by old Moldy Voldy himself.
He talks about it when he is giving his speach to the DE's

I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost... but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know... I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked...

Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudementary, weak body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for a true rebirth... a spell or two of my own invention... a little help from my dear Nagini

I'm guessing that these experiments would not be classified as safe by any stretch of the imagination, and well a spell or two of his own invention sounds down right dangerous. I am suprised that Wormtail didn't blow something up while trying to help Voldie back to his body. (ie: think about the explosions from the twins bedroom)

Actually I think I just contradicited myself. The twins invented the hats that make your head dissappear and that would have been a spell/charm of their own invention.

OMG it's getting late and I think I just stopped making sense.

[Athena Appleton]

I was thinking that they were basically taking magic that was already invented and then twisting it for their own use... so the spell that makes your head disappear is not a new spell, it just hasn't been attached to a hat before. With the Skiving Snackboxes, they use ingredients that already exist, only no one had thought to put it in a candy and market it to children

[Alice I]

So then I didn't just contradict myself.
That's nice

[Aberforth]

In PoA, Lupin says that the potion he now takes to calm his trnasformations wasn't around when he was at school (hence being smuggled to the shrieking shack at full moon), but between then and now someone must have dicovered/invented it.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that they are doing research of this type in the department of mysteries. It seems like the logical place as no-one else knows what goes on there and there is plenty of weird stuff there that we know of.

[carsten]

My point in this discussion about Dumbledore sharing his knowledge is, whether one becomes a great wizard by learning (Hermione would like that) or as a gift. If it was the latter, then sharing knowledge would be useless. But since the kids are going to school, there must be some use in the effort for studies.

So I insist: Dumbledore would be selfish, if he keeps his superior knowledge to himself.

I don't care whatever he bothers to teach first, but here is a list of suggestions:

Magical Laws
Research or Development (think of Hermione's jinxed coins)
Dueling
Use of Magical Instruments
Occlumency Legilimency
Ethics

How about it?

Carsten

[Reverie Revenge]

actually, I would imagine that Dumbledore would not want to have a bunch of students trying to create new magic, just because that could be extremely dangerous.

I disagree - Dumbledore has let Harry to confront the Dark forces - in every book a harder mission.
But Harry's no exeption. Dumbledore is in favour of advanced teaching methods - remember prof. Lupin & Moody. They both had some demonstrations the Ministry didn't find acceptable. But I approve of the ''school of life''. At least they don't learn useless stuff! 8)
I think Dumbledore is a type of person who uses every free minute for creating sth. new, for developing new theories and he should encourage his students to do the same, to learn to think! 8) You know, the speech of Umbridge - she tried to prevent progress for progress' sake and I'm sure Dumbledore is the generator of that kind of progress, like all the theoretical scientists. And in my opinion he outstrips Einstein in number of inventions, but not in liberal beliefs (locking people up ?! Harry served him right during the final talk in the office!!!)