Mrs Figg (possible spoilers)

[Flying Ford Anglia]

No: HPFGUIDX 1507

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Neil said:

<<<<In PS, Dumbledore tells McGonagall: "I've come to bring Harry to 
his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."  Note, 
he uses the word "family" rather than "relatives" - a subtle 
difference.>>>>  

Heidi said:

<<It depends on how you define it - on the merriam-webster dictionary 
site, FAMILY is defined both as 1 : a group of individuals living 
under one roof and usually under one head : HOUSEHOLD AND 2 a : a 
group of persons of common ancestry RELATIVE is defined as 3 a : a 
person connected with another by blood or affinity 
 
You sort of have to go for the second FAMILY definition for 
dumbledore's usage, because to Harry that November day, the Durselys 
were not yet "family" under definition 1, but they were under 
definition 2, and under "relatives" definition 3a.>>

***

Neil again:

I agree that he probably meant Harry's "only living relatives", but 
his use of the word "family" left a sliver of a glimmer of a 
possibility that there might be another living relative who is, 
perhaps, completely mad, totally unsuitable for parenting and living 
in a cave on Easter Island... or who is Mrs Figg.  No?  Okay then.

Neil 

Hrrrm - do they have caves on Easter Island? Please don't tell me 
they don't.