memory charms not used on Dursleys

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 36635

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "dorbandb" <dorbandb at y...> wrote:
> The MoM uses memory charms on muggles so they have no recollection 
of 
> any contact with the world of magic.  We know this is true from 
many 
> instances in the books.  An exception seems to be the Dursleys.  

Not an only exception...
 
> 1). In SS, on the island, Hagrid attempts to turn Dudley into a 
pig - 
> but he only succeeds in giving him a tail.  Apparently, Dudley 
keeps 
> his tail for a full month before being taken to a hospital in 
London 
> to have the "ruddy tail removed" before attending Smeltings.  It is 
> inconceivable that this is a wizarding hospital, so it must be a 
> muggle hospital - to have a pig tail removed?!?  How could Vernon 
> possibly explain this to a muggle surgeon?  But the real issue here 
is 
> that the Dursleys have all been exposed to magic and the has been 
NO 
> memory modification performed on them.

It was a private hospital - and the staff's very discreet.

> 2). In CoS, after Dobby does his thing, an owl "swooped through the 
> dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and 
swooped 
> out again."  No mention is made of a memory charm for Mrs. Mason, 
> although it could be argued that none was necessary because owls 
> aren't themselves magic, and perhaps an owl delivering a letter is 
not 
> considered blatant enough to warrant a memory charm.  But Vernon 
> actually reads the letter from the MOM, thus, the Dursleys are 
again 
> exposed to magic WITHOUT having their memory modified.  (A couple 
> questions regarding this passage - what must Mafalda Hopkirk 
(Improper 
> Use of Magic Department) have been thinking to send an owl into a 
> muggle residence where it might be (and was) seen by muggles other 
> that the Dursleys?  Very irresponsible, I should think.

I doubt it really *was* from Ministry. It could have been a forged 
letter from a Malfoy.

>  And how about 
> the owl just dropping the letter on some starnger's head - not a 
very 
> secure method of delivering confidential correspondence.  And I 
> thought the owls were supposed to be very disceerning in regards to 
> parcel delivery...)

Pigwidgeon seemed to have a little trouble with it... but it might 
have been sent by i.e. Draco Malfoy, who told the Owl to do so...
 
> 3). In PoA, after the Marge inceident, Fudge mentions that "Miss 
> [Marjorie] Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been 
> modified."  No mention is made of modifying the memories of the 
> remaining Dursleys.

Of course not - *their* memories weren't modified.

> There are a number of questions that arise from this:
> 
> - If the Dursleys are plain old muggles, why wouldn't they be 
> subjected to the memory modifications that other muggles must 
undergo. 
> - Are muggle parents of wizards (i.e., the Grangers) EVER subjected 
to 
> memory modification, or are they, like the Dursleys, now part of 
the 
> wizard world and to be trusted to keep the wizard world secret.

Both have wizard/witch in *family* and therefore are members of 
*wizarding family* - they're not considered Muggles but Squibs.

> - We have discussed the possibility of memory modification on 
Neville, 
>  but is memory modification santioned by the MOM for use on/against 
a 
> wizard and/or a muggle with wizarding relatives?

They *do* try to avoid it. Some (like Lockhart) are keen to put 
memorycharms, others not so much.
 
> - If the MoM does not sanction memory modification of wizards NOR 
> muggle parents of wizards, then aren't there an awful lot of 
muggles 
> that know about the wizarding world?  After all, most wizards now 
come 
> from a mixed background of muggle/magic.

Simple. A magical person in a household defines the household as 
magical. Those members who can't do magic are squibs, those who can 
are wizards or witches. They *do* tend to put importance of family 
around - Harry's safe in the care of his relations, Voldemort used 
his father's bone to renew himself... They're not after breaking 
families - only Death Eaters do that.