Lilly's touch was:Magical protection

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 45038

Mrs Bonsai (Julie) wrote:

>Ok, I've just had a thought.  It says while Harry's in
>his "relations" care.  That does not specifically say the "Dursley's"
>care.  If it were their care, are we talking "just" when he's in
>their house?  Then he's not protected at the elementary schools he
>went to.

Indeed, let's look at the specific phrase: "In his relations' care". More 
particularly, the word "care". I take that to mean just a little more than 
"in the presence of an adult who has care of him". What I take that to mean 
is periods of time for which the people assuming a legal duty of care 
(regardless of legal system), are those to whom Harry is 
related.  Specifically, in Harry's situation, Petunia Dursley (by dint of 
being a blood relative) and Vernon (by dint of being related by marriage). 
Technically, Dudley cannot "care" for Harry as he himself is not an adult.

As Harry is not related to the Weasleys by blood or marriage (at least not 
until the Harry+Ginny SHIP takes off and is formalised, but see also 
below!) :-) the protection Dumbledore has put in place does not protect him 
when he is "in their care".

With just a couple of exceptions, other than when at Hogwarts, Harry's care 
is always technically passed on from one known adult (known to Dumbledore & 
the WW authorities, that is) to another with no gaps. Vernon picks him up 
at Kings Cross at the end of every school year stright off the Hogwarts 
Express, and also delivers him there at the beginning of PS/SS.

I've always wondered about Vernon's motivations for this (apart, perhaps, 
from the first trip to London, as he says he's dropping Dudley off to have 
his tail removed). Anyone who knows anything about London geography 
(specifically, where Kings Cross is in relation to Surrey) will appreciate 
that, wherever in Surrey Little Whinging is meant to be, the round car trip 
will be about two hours, including lots of traffic and concomitant fraught 
nerves. If I were in Vernon's shoes, I'd not relish the idea of giving a 
lift to a nephew I disliked and spending an hour in his exclusive company! 
Yet Vernon appears to do this voluntarily, although  *dutifully* might 
perhaps be a better word...

The few exceptions of Harry being in the care of a named adult (such as 
when the Weasleys rescue Harry at the beginning of CoS, or when Harry runs 
away at the beginning of PoA), cause significant consternation to all 
adults concerned. The sequence at the beginning of PoA is telling for me: 
Fudge makes sure that "care" for Harry is passed on to a named individual 
-Tom the Barkeep - and both Tom and Harry are aware of it. Harry is 
specifically enjoined not to venture out into Muggle London, inferring for 
me at least, that Tom's (temporary) protection doesn't extend that far.

None of all that, of course, explains why Harry is allowed to be in *anyone 
else's* care at any time, considering not only Dumbledore, but even 
Voldemort, attach such importance to the care he receives from his 
relations. The question therefore arises, why Voldemort doesn't choose to 
get to Harry when he's in the care of the Weasleys.

Some people (myself included, sometimes) therefore say, "a-ha! Harry must 
be related to the Weasleys *in some way*, as the text implies that he is 
safe when in their care!" However, that statement falls down when Molly 
informs Harry at the end of GoF that Harry can't return to the Burrow at 
the end of the school year, but must spend some time with the Dursleys first.

We are thus left with the enigma not only of what's so special about the 
Dursleys (or Privet Drive - but that's a *completely* different 
conversation!), :-) but why it is that after a period of time with them, 
Harry can be (fairly) safely released into the care of another adult.

Frankly, IMO it is impossible to formulate a theory on this topic as there 
are simply far too many variables involved.

>What if, and I know it's a stretch . . . but what if somehow there's
>another relation there . . . say his parents are somehow still
>involved in the afterlife?  Perhaps this is still referring to the
>protection of his mother dying to protect him?

<snip>

If Harry's parents' protection extends into their afterlife (certainly 
James's does in one way at least, as Harry's Patronus - see recent 
conversations on that subject)  then this protection must be very localised 
to Little Whinging. Note Molly at the end of GoF as outlined above. 
Personally, I don't think the "relations" in the quote in question could 
refer to anyone but the Dursley family.

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who's spent far too much time on this post when there 
are several other interesting ones waiting to be dealt with!