So while reading the book, I completely attributed that sentence to the idea that Draco was already "dead" because he became a Death Eater...was purely evil now...no longer a real person blah blah.

But when attention was called to that sentence...WOW. It's huge. Dumbledore could've faked his own death.

Fingers are crossed over here.

I think that this means that not only has dubledore faked RABs death but many others as well, and he was planning this all from the beginning, he was getting interferance from the ministry and Voldemort was also interested to know of the comings and goings of dumbledore, Snape had made a unbreakable vow to kill dumbledore or die him self, draco malfoy had already been put to try to kill dumbledore or volemort would kill him, which he dumbledore did not want to kill draco either in self defense, and then that apex is that harry potter the choosn one needs to grow up quickly but can't if he thinks that there is someone else more powerful doing the job, observe harrys resolve at end of book six. All these problems are easily fixed by faking his death, and I think snape was in on it, he did not want to do it. that is why dumbledore pleaded. and snapes reaction. he offered to draco what he had offered to others and what he was already planning for him self. hmmmm just a thought.

I read it as, Dumbledore was goign to fake his death. But whats really weird is that I have an American copy and that sentence is in there.

I actually think there are several things in the American version that aren't in ours. Odd words, sentences and even the chapter illustrations.

well I read something somewhere else that J.K. had written at first but then thought it was to much so she tried to change it but somehow it was to late to change the American text.

It could well mean hiding Draco by pretending he is dead but it could also refer to Draco being dead personality wise. If he carries on being a death eater his life is not worth living,like he is dead on the inside, not soulless like voldemort but heartless and no happyiness I think it is a metaphorical meaning, although what people have said about feinting Draco's death would make sense.

I agree with most, I think if Draco chose to join the Order, Dumbledore and Co. could've convincingly set up his "death" to cover his decision to join the good side.

Slightly off topic, but about R.A.B...It's not established that he was Sirius's brother, but if he was, the Order could've faked his death and he worked for them...Voldemort thought he was dead upon his orders...but he's actually alive and still going against the Dark Lord.

*head off to the R.A.B. thread.*

Sorry if someone already said this, but I think that it means that if he tried to kill Dumbledore he wouldn't be able to and would kill himself in the process. It kind of makes sense yet it doesn't so I don't know if it's right or not, just my theory. Sorry if it doesn't make any sense to anyone.

I took it to mean that if Draco killed Dumbledore, part of Draco would die, and loosing that part of him would be worse than being killed.

But it can't be all that important, if it was left out of the UK version, can it?

Yeah i think it ment that but it myt of ment that if he does kill Dumbledore and go to voldermort then he will end up getting killed anyway??!!

Since Dumbledore, Malfoy, and a frozen Harry were the only ones there at this point no one would know what really happened besides those three. So Dumbledore could have made it look like he had killed Draco so that Voldemort and the Death Eaters would have thought that he was dead. Dumbledore would have then hid him very well and possibly his father and mother. Voldemort and the Death Eaters would have both believed that Dumbledore killed Draco because no one had a lot of faith in him. I also think this hinted at the situation between Snape, Dumbledore, and DD's death.

I have read something about that before and it makes me wonder why they would do that. Leave out the sentence, i mean. It is possible that it was done deliberately to stir the cauldron, i don't know. But it certainly makes the story even better.

"I can help you, Draco."
"No, you can't," said Malfoy, his wand shaking very badly indeed.
Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'd kill me. I've got no choice."
"He cannot kill you if you are already dead. Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine.""

Very interesting could that be snapes plan?...To hide draco and fake his death? still it's possible if my theory that snape is not evil afterall!!!

I think that you have a very good point!

[QUOTE/] Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine."" [/quote]

The sentence that follows the missing one does imply that Dumbledore has the power and resources to keep Draco safe, but appearing dead. I mean, they managed to keep Sirius hidden for a while, did they not? Besides, Dumbledore being Dumbledore, his first concern would be the safety of his pupil rather than anything else.
That's how I interpreted the sentence anyway.

I think it means that DD was implying he could fake his own death and Draco's in order to keep them both safe? Oh i don't know, very interesting though!

i remember that part.was it just a mistake that it was only in the u.s version.

I think we have assumed that a past headmasters portrait appears when they are dead. What if it appears when they are no longer headmaster? I know JKR has stated that Dumbledore is dead, but consider this. What if Albus and Aberforth changed identities? Has anyone noticed any slight differences in Albus in the last book? Could Aberforth be dead and Albus still alive? This could explain the missing sentence. If LV thought Albus was dead, he would be more open in his actions and therefore more vulnerable. When JKR said Dumbledore is dead, could she have been hiding the fact that it was Aberforth not Albus?

It does sound like a fake death kind of thing but really it has the same feel to it no matter if that part of the sentance is in it or not. ah no matter it all sounds good to me!

x x x x

Thats an interesting theory, like Malfoy could fake his own death and go into hiding with Dumbledore as his secret keeper.
Or maybe Dumbledore is referring to Malfoy ripping his soul apart. Like, it would make him less human. Or the guilt that Malfoy would have after killing him.

I think it has to do with Dumbeldore being able to hide Malfoy, but I wonder how?

I'm pretty sure that he was talking to Snape when he said that right, and I think Snape was warning him not to get into like, life threatining trouble, and you know, he probably wouldn't survive life threatining trouble, therefore, he can't kill him if he's already been killed in the process of trying to do something.

I don't know what it means but why was the sentence excluded from one version and added to the other?

oooh that does seem to be an important sentance