[HPforGrownups] Re: SHIP: CUPID'SBLUDGER on the rebound /Exchange students

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 38216

Ali:
> I actually believe that Sirius *did* know that Dumbledore had 
> arranged for Harry to go to the Dursleys. In POA p154 UK edition 
> Hagrid says:
> 
> "But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, 
> Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black 
> argued, but in the end he gave in".
> 
> By the time Harry was sent to the Dursleys we are told they were his 
> only living relatives, then presumably Sirius did know that it was 
> the Dursleys and not some other unknown aunt and uncle. I think he 
> would have known how bad the Dursleys were as he and James were 
> close. That doesn't mean he knew where they lived, although this is 
> possible.
> 

Excellent. Someone thought of looking up the canon whilst others of us 
indulged in idle speculation! :-). 
I still go with Arabella being Sirius' girlfriend though. And I bet James 
took him to have a look (and a bit of Muggle teasing?), before they went to 
have a good laugh at the Dursleys down the pub.

.........................

Heidi helpfully found this interview apropos JKR's attitude to American 
exchange students:

>One question that begs asking after Ms. Rowling's
>success in the United States is why none of the
>characters are Americans. In the latest books the
>reader is introduced to European wizards, and there is
>even a passing reference to African and American
>wizards. But Ms. Rowling, who calls herself "a very
>British person," insists that "you are not going to
>get an American exchange student brought in at
>Hogwarts." 

>"I don't think it would be faithful to the tone of the
>books to have somebody brought in from Texas or
>wherever it might be," she said. 

One thing I would say is that is a piece of journalism. We don't know exactly 
what she said or in what context it was said. Journalist edit things don't 
they, even if they aren't all of the Rita mould.
We know that JKR has very strong views about the contents of her books and 
that the plot outlines and characters already exist in her tantalising little 
notebooks. I think she was simply baulking at the idea of changing her story 
lines or characters for the sake of greater popularity in America. 
Presumably, a foreign exchange student just wouldn't be necessary to the plot 
line and to put in a character merely for the sake of including a different 
accent or set of cultural traits would be at best superfluous and at worst 
patronising.

Eloise


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