[HPforGrownups] Re: Magic detection/Magical Births (was Magic in Hols)

[Sheryl Garfio]

No: HPFGUIDX 44890

It makes sense to have the Dursley house under special surveillance to protect
Harry.  But doesn't that mean that the house would have been under surveillance
since Harry's arrival?  Surely the MoM couldn't just assume that Harry would be
all right with the Dursleys.  Voldemort and the DEs killed a *lot* of Muggles,
so there would be no reason to believe Harry was safe just because he was among
Muggles, especially so soon after Voldemort's disappearance.

So if the house was being watched throughout Harry's childhood, then there must
have been a way to identify *who* was doing the magic, right?  They couldn't
very well send somebody to save Harry from the DEs every time Harry got scared
of Dudley and accidentally performed some magic.  Even Mrs Figg would have
tired of that pretty quickly.  If they can't tell who's doing the magic, the
only other way to tell if Harry is in trouble would be to identify a harmful
curse in progress - at which point it would be too late.

Okay, so then why didn't they know Harry wasn't responsible for the pudding
incident?  I would think they would have sent in the Wizard SWAT team instead
of a nasty-gram, because magic was performed on Privet Drive by someone *other
than Harry*.  Even more alarming, this happens soon after Voldemort has shown
himself, so they now have proof that he's not dead *and* that he's still after
Harry.

It also makes sense that Dobby tipped them off to frame Harry and get him
expelled, since his goal was to keep Harry from returning to Hogwarts.  But
Dobby doesn't tip them off when Harry blows up his aunt, and they know about
that.

So what's the deal?  Is this a <gasp> mistake, or is there some pattern I'm
missing?  Of course, there are 3 more books coming, perhaps all will be
explained.  In any case, I have some serious doubts about Cornelius Fudge
anyway.

Sherry


=====
"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers."

      -Dave Barry, "Things That It Took Me 50 Years to Learn"

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