the Dursleys as secret keepers

[jrober4211]

No: HPFGUIDX 32457

In a previous post about JKR being a member of this group, I 
mentioned a few possible plot twists I would like to see developed. 
One of those was having the Dursley's accepting Harry as he was and 
helping him , in some kind of way, to defeat LV.

Here is my theory fleshed out: The Dursleys are really the secret 
keepers for Harry's location when not in school, and before his 
enrollment in Hogwarts. They are terrified not to agree to do this 
because of their abnormal fear of magic, and being stalked by a bad 
wizard, that may or may not be dead, without magical protection is 
unthinkable. It could be done in the form of protective charms and 
some form of a "secret keeping" charm that differs from the one that 
was supposed to protect his parents, from Dumbledore and the Ministry 
of Magic. No protection  would be unthinkable to the Dursley's even 
though  they do not approve of magic. That would explain their 
treatment of Harry throughout his lifetime, the resentment they 
harbor towards him,the fact that they did not put him up for adoption 
as an infant, and the limits they exercise in how far they go with 
abuse towards Harry, in that it is more on the lines of neglect and 
verbal abuse from the aunt and uncle, ( An ordinary child would have 
died in infancy of "failure to thrive" in this situation ) Dumbledore 
seems to be aware of how the Dursley's treat Harry as the original 
invitation to Hogwarts was addressed to Harry "in the cupboard under 
the stairs". Dumbledore seems to want to develope character in Harry 
by placing him with muggles that see him as less than average, 
nothing special, and in a situation where he is more likely to be 
pushed into developing his latent abilities as a child without 
detection from Voldemort. I think Dumbledore also wanted to put Harry 
in a situation where he would develope no particular attachment to 
the muggle world, thus insuring his future enrollment in Hogwarts. 

I can see the Dursley's reluctantly teamimg up with Harry as the trio 
defends them against a future attack from Voldemort or the death 
eaters. I can see Uncle Vernon assisting the trio when under attack, 
and in the macabe sense of humor that I have noticed in JKR, Dudley 
kills Voldemort, in a weakened condition, by inadvertently falling on 
him and suffocating him. The Dursley's are honored with some form of 
award for destroying a fiend that the muggle world is made aware of 
by Dumbledore, much as the muggle ministry was alerted when Sirius 
escapes. Of course, the Dursley's still see Harry as the ultimate 
reason they are put in this position and resent it, but are 
infinitely glad that they have such a competent wizard in the family 
that comes through for them when the chips are down. The Dursley's 
bask in the glory awarded them by the English ministry, taking full 
credit for Voldemort's demise. Harry eventually earns grudging 
respect from the Dursley's, even though at this point, Harry probably 
could care less if they loved him or not.  

See, I told you I had no talent for writing .....lolol. Maybe JKR can 
think of a better way to work this if she is listening  :-)

Jo Ellen