More on Dursleys

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 56241

Something that just hit me as I was re-reading the beginning of PS/SS 
to doublecheck another tidbit.

Why on earth did the Durseleys take Harry in? Why not just ship him 
off to an orphanage, or call the proper authorities, pretend you have 
no clue who the kid is, and send him into the system.

Dumbledore left a letter in Harry's blankets. What was in that letter?

My guess? Money and maybe an implied threat. Any other thoughts? 
Surely it wasn't out of family loyalty.

This also brings up a second point. It seems logical that Mrs. Figg 
has been Dumbledore's agent-in-charge on Privet Drive and was making 
regular reports.

Why did Dumbledore allow the abuse, emotional and physical, of Harry 
to continue? And I dispute a recent notion that Vernon did not abuse 
Harry. I believe he did, based on hints we get about "threatening to 
flay Harry within an inch of his life" and Petunia swinging at him 
with a frying pan in CoS after he did pretend magic on Dudley.

And the Dursleys are just too earthy a people not to raise their 
hands to Harry.

As has been pointed out, it's damned lucky Harry didn't grow up to be 
a serial killer, being locked in a cupboard for 10 years and made to 
be a slave. Dumbledore, to my way of thinking, took an awful chance, 
letting that continue.

I for one hope the 17-year-old Harry we see in Book 7 calls 
Dumbledore on that one and demands to know why it was necessary.

And lastly, I don't believe for a second that the Dursleys have done 
Dudley any favors. This diet is indeed a reaction to a letter from 
school, but the real concern, to my read, is not Dudley's health, but 
the fact that the school would have to order a special uniform. 

It would mortify Petunia to think that the school had to take such a 
step and that common people such as the school tailor and ordering 
clerk would be - gasp - talking about her.

Darrin
-- Wonder how many times I can re-read these 4 books (and the school 
books) before OoP comes out?