Chapter Discussions - Chapter One, Dudley Demented

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 68230

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Wendy St John" 
<hebrideanblack at e...> wrote:
> (Pip!Squeak)
> >Dudley counter-attacks Harry, by telling Harry that he's been 
crying 
> >out in his sleep `Don't kill Cedric'. Harry's also been calling 
out 
> >for his dead mother and father to save him from Voldemort. This 
> >makes Harry so angry that he pulls out his wand.
> 
> >Why doesn't Harry explain the nightmares to Dudley?
> 
> (Wendy)
> Another really great question! I wonder just what it would take to 
repair
> this relationship. As it turns out, Harry wouldn't have actually 
had the
> opportunity (time-wise) to explain before the Dementors attacked. 

Why *would* Harry explain the nightmares to Dudley?  What reason 
does he have to expect that Dudley would be sympathetic or 
understanding?  Harry's experience at the graveyard was extremely 
painful and traumatic: he was kidnapped, tortured, forced to witness 
a murder he was helpless to prevent.  Many people would need years 
of therapy before they could begin to discuss something like that 
even with people they loved and trusted, let alone with someone 
who'd been victimizing them since early childhood.  I would've found 
it absolutely mind-boggling if Harry responded to Dudley's taunts by 
suddenly taking Dudley into his confidence.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com