[HPforGrownups] The "Missing 24-hours" - another theory

[Meg Demeranville]

No: HPFGUIDX 42429

Ali's post got me thinking and then she posted again 
<snip> Grey Wolf, you wanted canon. When Hagrid first arrives in Privet Drive, Dumbledore asks him if he had any problems, to which Hagrid replies "No, the little tyke fell asleep over Bristol". (sorry this is from memory -  we've got guests at the moment and they're take the mick if they see me sneaking down to check my canon!) That response does not to me sound like the answer of someone who has just looked after a bereaved and injured baby for 24 hours. Children are very hard work; if Hagrid had indeed been looking after Harry, feeding him, changing his nappies, etc, even if he was the most wonderful, patient, practiced, childcare expert in the world, his response should have been slightly different (IMHO). Using the Time-Turner bypasses the need for that. I am sure that Hagrid would be a good carer, but that does not mean that that was what he was doing during that 24 hour period. <snip>
It made me stop and think. Who could have taken care of little Harry, if Hagrid didn't (and I don't think he did)? Why Mrs. Weasley , of course. Now before someone throws rotten eggs at me, hear me out. 
    When Harry stopped Voldermort, Mrs. Weasley would have had an infant (probably) and a child his age. She has experience taking care of kids and is one of the old crowd that Dumbledore trusts. I think that Dumbledore sent Hagrid to take Harry to the Burrow. That would give Dumbledore time to establish whatever protections were needed at Privet Drive while Harry was safe and well-taken care of. Harry and Ron wouldn't necessarily remember the incident at all. In fact, they probably wouldn't. The older kids might have, but could have been memory charmed or told to not talk about the day. And it would explain a lot of Mrs. Weasley's mothering actions toward him. She took care of him right after this major traumatic event in his life only to have him go to Muggles. After spending the day with the Weasleys, Hagrid picked him up and delivered him to Dumbledore on Privet Drive. And the locations would work out, I think, at least according to the Lexicon. Bristol is between Ottery St. Catchpole and Surrey. It probably would not have been safe for Hagrid to fly the motorcycle during the day and he needed to get Harry to a safe location for the day. I think that Harry and Ron became friends a little too easily. It would seem that Harry would be very wary of anyone in this new situation. It has been my experience that I become fast friends with people I played with when I was very little (before I was three) when I meet them again later. I do not remember playing with them as a kid but something makes me trust them more that I normally do. But that is just my experience.

Ok, now you can throw your rotten eggs (puts on a blindfold and waits)

--Meg (who needs to stop thinking about Harry Potter and get back to cleaning up)


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