OOP In defense of Harry...spoiler

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 66568

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "fridwulfa" <rubeus_hagrid at w...> 
wrote:

>don't forget the first chapter, when Harry meets Dudley before the 
Dementor's attack. He really wants his cousin to give him an excuse to 
fight him, to use his magic wand against him, he's so angry and 
frustrated that he feels the only thing that would help him is jinxing 
Dudley, and had the Dementor's not appeared I'm not so sure he 
wouldn't have cursed Big D. He would have taken advantadge of his 
powers, his magical ability against a poor muggle, and yes I'm talking 
about Dudley, he can be whatever you want, but he's still totally 
powerless against a wizard, Harry is more powerful and he knows it, so 
it really worried me when I read it. He's not aware of the true extent 
of his powers, or maybe he is (and that's even more scaring) and yet 
he's willing to use these powers against weaker people.>

Oh, yeah - Dudley is so weak.  Poor Duddy Dinkums!  Look, if Harry 
didn't have a wand, Dudley would beat the shit out of him probably 
daily.  Isn't he already going around the neighborhood and beating up 
kids younger and smaller than he is?  The *only* thing that stops 
Dudley from attacking Harry is Harry's wand, so thank God for that 
wand!  Harry lived for 10 years being tortured by Dudley; I can't get 
angry at Harry or even call him sadistic for taunting Dudley just a 
little bit now.  

I'm not saying Harry should continue to go after Dudley, but I do 
understand it.  I also have to agree with those who said Harry 
wouldn't really use the wand on Dudley anyway.  As Hermione put it, 
Harry has a "saving people thing".  He doesn't have a thing for 
hurting them.

--jenny from ravenclaw ********************