`And.then.….well,.you.will.remember.the.events.of.your.first.year.at.Hogwarts.quite.as.clearly.as.I.do..You.rose.magnificently.to.the.challenge.that.faced.you.and.sooner.‐.much.sooner.‐.than.I.had.anticipated,.you.found.yourself.face.to.face.with.Voldemort..You.survived.again..You.did.more..You.delayed.his.return.to.full.power.and.strength..You.fought.a.man.s.fight..I.was.….prouder.of.you.than.I.can.say..
`Yet.there.was.a.flaw.in.this.wonderful.plan.of.mine,..said.Dumbledore..`An.obvious.flaw.that.I.knew,.even.then,.might.be.the.undoing.of.it.all..And.yet,
.knowing.how.important.it.was.that.my.plan.should.succeed,.I.told.myself.that.I.would.not.permit.this.flaw.to.ruin.it..I.alone.could.prevent.this,.so.I.alone.must.be.strong..And.here.was.my.first.test,.as.you.lay.in.the.hospital.wing,.weak.from.your.struggle.with.Voldemort...
`I.don.t.understand.what.you.re.saying,..said.Harry..
`Don.t.you.remember.asking.me,.as.you.lay.in.the.hospital.wing,.why.Voldemort.had.tried.to.kill.you.when.you.were.a.baby?..
Harry.nodded.
.`Ought.I.to.have.told.you.then?..
Harry.stared.into.the.blue.eyes.and.said.nothing,.but.his.heart.was.racing.again..
`You.do.not.see.the.flaw.in.the.plan.yet?.No.….perhaps.not..Well,.as.you.know,.I.decided.not.to.answer.you..Eleven,.I.told.myself,.was.much.too.young.to.know..I.had.never.intended.to.tell.you.when.you.were.eleven..The.knowledge.would.be.too.much.at.such.a.young.age..
`I.should.have.recognised.the.danger.signs.then..I.should.have.asked.myself.why.I.did.not.feel.more.disturbed.that.you.had.already.asked.me.the.question.to.which.I.knew,.one.day,.I.must.give.a.terrible.answer..I.should.have.recognised.that.I.was.too.happy.to.think.that.I.did.not.have.to.do.it.on.that.particular.day.…
.YOU.were.too.young,.much.too.young..
`And.so.we.entered.your.second.year.at.Hogwarts..And.once.again.you.met.challenges.even.grown.wizards.have.never.faced:.once.again.you.acquitted.yourself.beyond.my.wildest.dreams..You.did.not.ask.me.again,.however,.why.Voldemort.had.left.that.marl;.on.you..We.discussed.your.scar,.oh.yes.….we.came.very,.very.
.close.to.the.subject..Why.did.I.not.tell.you.everything?.
`Well,.it.seemed.to.me.that.twelve.was,.after.all,.hardly.better.than.eleven.to.receive.such.information..I.allowed.you.to.leave.my.presence,.bloodstained,
.exhausted.but.exhilarated,.and.if.I.felt.a.twinge.of.unease.that.I.ought,.perhaps,
.to.have.told.you.then,.it.was.swiftly.silenced..You.were.still.so.young,.you.see,
.and.I.could.not.find.it.in.myself.to.spoil.that.night.of.triumph.….
`Do.you.see,.Harry?.Do.you.see.the.flaw.in.my.brilliant.plan.now?.I.had.fallen.into.the.trap.I.had.foreseen,.that.I.had.told.myself.I.could.avoid,.that.I.must.avoid...
`I.don.t.‐.
`I.cared.about.you.toy.much,..said.Dumbledore.simply..`I.cared.more.for.your.happiness.than.your.knowing.the.truth,.more.for.your.peace.of.mind.than.my.plan,.more.for.your.life.than.the.lives.that.might.be.lost.if.the.plan.failed..In.other.words,.I.acted.exactly.as.Voldemort.expects.we.fools.who.love.to.act..