Finally, we see that Dumbledore is wise enough to see
the flaws in Ron’s character and foresee the mistake Ron will make,
giving up on Harry when things get too tough and there’s no one
to lead Ron or provide for him. So Dumbledore arranges for Ron’s
second chance ahead of time, bequeathing him the Deluminator that
will lead Ron back to Harry and Hermione when he’s ready to rise
to the occasion.
Keeping Faith with the Dead
The only person capable of planning and orchestrating
Voldemort’s downfall is Dumbledore, because no one but he has the
wisdom or knowledge to piece together what Voldemort has done and
figure out how to undo it. And yet Dumbledore knows that this difficult work
will only be completed after his death. Not only Harry, Ron, and
Hermione, but also Snape, Lupin, Moody, and all the members of the
Order of the Phoenix have to keep doing their part after Dumbledore’s
death, carrying out his vision. As we have seen, believing in Dumbledore’s
quest after he is dead is not easy for Harry, nor is it for any
of the others.
But Dumbledore is not the only dead character who needs
the loyalty and love of the living. Snape is a loyal follower of
Dumbledore, but his loyalty and bravery are really a manifestation
of his need to stay loyal to Lily Potter, keeping faith with the
woman he loved after her death. Dobby the house-elf gets himself
killed saving Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manor, and the process
of burying Dobby helps put Harry into a better frame of mind about
his mission. There is no mystery about Dobby or his death: Bellatrix kills
Dobby for helping Harry, and Dobby dies in Harry’s arms, and all
Harry can do is honor the house-elf’s memory and try not to let that
memory down. This experience snaps Harry out of his ambivalence
toward Dumbledore, reminding him that he made a promise to his dead
friend that he needs to honor.
