how did dumbledore get all the memories

[happy_hannah]

i apolagise in advance for talking about HBP without actually having the book with me to quote directly.
but i am re-reading my favourite chapters where dumbledore shows harry the memories and it got me thinking, how did dumbledore aquire all those memories from people who are now dead? such as the ogden who visits the gaunts to take morfin and marvolo away? dumbledore mentions he died but before he did he got the memory from him, he describes him as dying 'some time ago,' this is just an idea but maybe dumbledore used a time-turner?

 

[Sirius Potter Fan]

This is Dumbledore’s explanation of how he got the memories . . .

"I have not been able to find many memories of Riddle at Hogwarts," said Dumbledore, placing his withered hand on the Pensieve. "Few who knew him then are prepared to talk about him; they are too terrified. What I know, I found out after he had left Hogwarts, after much painstaking effort, after tracing those few who could be tricked into speaking, after searching old records and questioning Muggle and wizard witnesses alike.

Specifically of Ogden’s memories . . .

"Who was Bob Ogden?"
"He was employed by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," said Dumbledore. "He died some time ago, but not before I had tracked him down and persuaded him to confide these recollections to me.

This may have even been done while Riddle was still in school, or just after he left. I think DD may have even looked into some of Riddle's history before he came to school.



Dumbledore didn’t get a hold of Burke’s memory till Burke was much older . . .

"Because of the evidence of one Caractacus Burke," said Dumbledore, "who, by an odd coincidence, helped found the very shop whence came the necklace we have just been discussing."
He swilled the contents of the Pensieve as Harry had seen him swill them before, much as a gold prospector sifts for gold. Up out of the swirling, silvery mass rose a little old man revolving slowly in the Pensieve, silver as a ghost but much more solid, with a thatch of hair that completely covered his eyes.
"Yes, we acquired it in curious circumstances. It was brought in by a young witch just before Christmas, oh, many years ago now.

So I think this was most likely gained after DD began to suspect that there were Horcruxes.

Morfin’s memory was taken from him in Azkaban just before his death . . .

"And Morfin never realized he hadn't done it?"
"Never," said Dumbledore. "He gave, as I say, a full and boastful confession."
"But he had this real memory in him all the time!" "Yes, but it took a great deal of skilled Legilimency to coax it out of him,"

I don’t think that a time turner was used . . . in actuality I don’t believe that DD would need a time turner to travel through time if he wanted to. It seems to me that Dumbledore was continuously keeping track of Riddle/Voldemort and following his backtrail as well. Dumbledore’s legilimency skills helped him to gain some of the memories (if you remember he did that to Kreacher in OotP to find what happened, and where Harry was) However, I think that if DD were going to use time travel, he could have had opportunity for many more memories and more detail than he does on the Horcruxes. Also, if you are going to use time travel, why rely on the memories of others, just go back to the events and witness them for yourself as they happen.

He seemed quite proud and confident of his own memories . . .

"This time," said Dumbledore, "we are going to enter my memory. I think you will find it both rich in detail and satisfyingly accurate.

 

[happy_hannah]

but of course! i just was perplexed at how dumbledore would get these memories even though the people had died, even before he suspected voldemort of having horcrux's. but he is a very skilled wizard so im sure a time turner probably would not be needed, even still imagine going back and deciding not to visit young tom riddle so he never knows he's a wizard?

 

[Sirius Potter Fan]

even still imagine going back and deciding not to visit young tom riddle so he never knows he's a wizard?

sounds good . . . but remember

Bad things happen to wizards who meddle with time

 

[Seeker615]

To me I think Dumbledore was worried about Tom Riddle right from the start. I remember in Chamber of Secrets the young Tom Riddle was annoyed that Dumbledore was always keeping tabs on him. I think as Tom was slowly becoming a bit more dark that dumbledore started checking things out and trying to gather up evidence in case he ever needed it in the future.

One thing I did find odd though was that Dumbledore stored his own memory in a jar. Why did he not just pull it out of his head? Is it possible that maybe he has some more of those memories stored somewhere? Memories that will enlighten Harry on Snape and maybe his horcrux quest?

 

[Sirius Potter Fan]

One thing I did find odd though was that Dumbledore stored his own memory in a jar. Why did he not just pull it out of his head? Is it possible that maybe he has some more of those memories stored somewhere? Memories that will enlighten Harry on Snape and maybe his horcrux quest?

It does seem a bit odd that his own memory would be in a jar. My guess, is that DD had a set order that he wanted to present the memories to Harry in, and had them all lined up in jars, just in case Malfoy succeded before he had had a chance to present them all. That said, I believe that there are indeed more memories waiting for Harry to explore, especialy concerning Snape. Jo said while finishing DH that she was having trouble with DD . . . so we must be seeing him in some way, and the pensive is a perfect place.