[HPforGrownups] Re: GoF: Sending Harry back to the Dursleys.

[Margaret Dean]

No: HPFGUIDX 17286

Zarleycat at aol.com wrote:

>  I believe you're right, Amanda.  I think I recall something about
> the family relationship being important.  (My books are unavailable
> also - how stupid can we be???  Maybe I need a second set to use as
> reference sources.) I'm also assuming that the blood relationship is
> important in Harry's case only in combination with some sort of
> familial magic.  I can't simply buy into the idea that a child is
> better off with relatives, rather than other guardians, just because
> of a blood relationship.  So, this inevitably leads me to the
> Petunia/Dudley-finds-magic-later-in-life theory.  I really don't like
> that idea either, because I don't like either of them, and I'll be
> annoyed if they suddenly become in tune with their magical side.

I think it would be perfectly possible to have a magical
protection spell based on a blood relationship (especially an
"ancient" spell -- remember what heavy, heavy symbolic
significance has been placed on blood kinship since about the
dawn of time) without there being any familial magical ability
involved.  It's not a question of the child being "better off" in
any other sense (happier, better treated) if the blood kinship is
simply a necessary "ingredient" of the spell -- which is,
perhaps, the more powerful =because= it is ancient (and therefore
the best possibility for fending off a wizard as powerful as
Voldie).

IOW I don't think we have to award magic to Petunia or Dudley to
explain why Harry might need to be with them for at least part of
the summer.  There, aren't you relieved?  :)


--Margaret Dean
  <margdean at erols.com>