[HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's Decision and the Explanation for it we have yet to see

[Jenny]

No: HPFGUIDX 41213

> Dumbledore has said he wants Harry to stay at the Dursleys. There has
> to be a reason, and blood relatives just ain't cutting it any longer.
> Harry is better off with the Weasleys, the Grangers, or even with
> Sirius on the run, than he is with the Dursleys, UNLESS there is a
> magical reason for it.
>
> Darrin

But JKR does say there's a magical reason for him staying with them.
Believe me, I was as happy as anyone to find out there might be a _good_
reason for sentencing Harry to life with the Dursleys (and we readers to
having to read about it.)  On p.657 US publication, JKR writes this:

Voldemort talking:
"But how to get at Harry Potter?  For he has been better protected than I
think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, wne
it fell to him to arrange the boy's future.  Dumbledore invoked an ancient
magic, to ensure the boy's protection as long as he is in his relations's
care.  Not even I can touch him there..."

So this seems to imply it's more of the ancient blood magic stuff going on,
and his closest relations would have the strongest blood ties to him,
presumably making the strongest kind of ward.  (I bet the Dursley's would be
horrified to find out they _help_ Harry to be safe, and that they are part
of a longstanding magical spell.)

While Voldemort was not really a danger to anyone for a long while after his
accident, it's also reasonable to guess that these wards would be against
any kind of magical danger to Harry from anyone.  So not just the currently
out-of-action Voldemort would be thwarted, but also any of his followers
that wanted to extract revenge on the young, hapless Harry.

I'd also like to say that I'm _very_ happy the intro to GOF had only a short
section with the Dursleys.  The first three books first chapters were
waaaaay too long on the interaction with them, and it was very tiresome.
How much of "Harry was treated unfairly by Petunia, beaten up by Dudley,
yelled at by Vernon, repeat ad nauseum" do we have to read anyway?  Perhaps
book 5 will only have a few sentences with them?  One can hope.

Personally I don't hope they die by the end of the series, but I do hope
Harry never has to see them again, and we readers never have to read about
them again.  That would be just peachy :)

Jenny from Elfwood