[HPforGrownups] Re: Magical protection -- the Dursleys

[Barb P]

No: HPFGUIDX 44960


marephraim wrote:

However, does your reply address the point that Dumbledore doesn't appear to care how Harry's treated, even after knowing about it?


Me:

I didn't address the point because I think Dumbledore isn't concerned about it.  He also doesn't usually reign in Snape.  Dumbledore has a little perspective, I believe, and his priorities are to worry about the evil dark wizards.  I believe that after he meets Harry and is aware of how awful the Dursleys are, he sees that, in spite of this, Harry's quite strong and well-adjusted, and since the magic protecting Harry is dependent on his relatives' presence, Dumbledore obviously doesn't want to take him away from them.  (Thought: Could the protection charm have a side-effect that is like a reverse Congeniality Charm?  In other words, could the magic protecting Harry be what is making his relatives such nasty buggers to live with?  On second thought--nah.  There's every indication at the beginning of the first book that they'd be like this in any event.  Too bad; if the magic were to blame, there might be some hope for them after Harry no longer needs the protective magic.<vbg>)

I wrote:

>Considering that Voldemort called the protections on him "ancient magic," which is not a phrase used to describe the Fidelius Charm, and that numerous magical people of good intent have no trouble finding Harry <


marephraim wrote:

You-Know-Who was refering to his mother's sacrifice that had protected Harry from his malevolent touch (see GoF Chapter 23 "The Death Eaters," UK, pb, p 566).


Me:

Voldemort also used this phrase to refer to the protection Harry has on Privet Drive.  In the same chapter you site, he says, "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, when 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' care.  Not even I can touch him there..."

This strongly implies a more esoteric spell than the Fidelius Charm, which I believe Voldemort would identify by name if that were the source of protection.  There is another argument for it being a different spell as well: Dumbledore is unlikely to use the very spell that resulted in Harry's parents' deaths, as he is painfully aware of the fallibility of Fidelius.  The Secret Keeper is the weak link.  He clearly needed to do something more drastic than use the Fidelius Charm to protect Harry, and it's worked.  The Fidelius Charm is never called "an ancient magic" in PoA.  I believe Voldemort is talking about something else entirely.

 

Barb P wrote: 

> Ah, but the description of the Fidelius Charm says it hides people from anyone but the Secret Keeper, not just people planning to do magical mischief.  It doesn't fit.<


marephraim wrote:

Actually this is not what it says in canon. It is what the Harry Potter Lexicon says about it: "Complex and powerful charm that hides a person or persons completely; their location is known only to their designated 'Secret Keeper.'"
(http://www.i2k.com/~svderark/lexicon/spells_f.html#Fidelius ) 

Me:

Um, that's exactly what I said, with only very slightly different language.  I fail to see how "hides people from anyone but the Secret Keeper," can be considered to have a different meaning from "their location is known only to their designated 'Secret Keeper."

 

 marephraim wrote:
I bid all look up the quoted information. I'm not saying Fidelius was the only protection I'm saying it may well be part of the protection. It may not eventually be shown by JKF to have been used but it is truly not inconsistent to say it could have done.

I'm sorry Barb, and I don't want to offend you or anyone else on this list as I feel privileged to be part of it, but you haven't addressed the issue because you've misinterpreted what canon says the Fidelius Charm does.

Me:
I maintain that I have stated exactly what the Fidelius Charm does, as per canon, and that the events in canon (all of the "nice" people who have no trouble finding Harry) directly contradict the idea that this charm could have been used.   I also cannot state strongly enough that it is highly unlikely that Dumbledore will use what has been proven to be faulty in the past.  He's clearly found something better.
 
--Barb
 


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Psychic_Serpent
http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/Barb


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