Mrs. Figg as babysitter

[heidi.h.tandy.c92 at alumni.upenn.edu]

No: HPFGUIDX 15269

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., love2write_11098 at y... wrote:
> And by the way . . . why *couldn't* she let him in on anything? And 
> if she was communicating with Dumbledore all this time, why on 
Earth 
> didn't Hagrid know that Harry was completely clueless about his 
> parentage? You'd think that around Harry's ninth birthday or so, 
Mrs. 
> Figg might have owled Dumbledore and said something like, "You 
> know . . . the Potter boy really has no idea about what he is. The 
> invitation from Hogwarts will probably be a bit of a shock. Do you 
> think I should whip out the *real* photo albums and have a chat 
with 
> him next time the Muggles send him over?" Would have helped Harry 
out 
> immensely, I think . . . though PS might have been less 
entertaining.

Yes, why didn't she ever report to Dumbledore all the weeks where she 
wouldn't see him, that we know he spent locked in the cupboard? I can 
allow her not reporting his wretched clothing - I mean, she's a witch 
living as a Muggle, and we all know that witch/wizard fashin sense 
isn't the same as Muggles, but the rest of it? There'd better be some 
major Family-oriented charm, otherwise I'll be miffed that Dumbledore 
didn't send Harry, with a monthly stipend, to someone from the old 
crowd...like the Weasleys...in November 1981.
The only thing I can think of is that she wasn't in communication 
with Dumbledore, because she didn't want to risk it becoming public 
in the wizarding world that The Boy Who Lived was ensconced on Privet 
Drive in Surrey - not to protect him from Voldie & those malicious 
death eaters, but to protect him from the well meaning Wizard on the 
Street following him around like groupies and Daily Prophet reporters 
reporting on his every move. 
I admit, it's a lame explanation, but it's the only one I can come up 
with...