Chapter Discussions - Chapter One, Dudley Demented

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 68429

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "John Gabriel" 
<jgabriel66 at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "flower_fairy12" 
> <flower_fairy12 at y...> wrote:
> 
> > > Is Harry rescuing Dudley a sign of Harry's inner goodness? Or 
> > > does Harry care for his cousin more than he thinks he does?
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> 
> wrote:
> 
> > Even though Dudley is a bully, Harry is not likely to stand back  
> > and let the dementors get to his cousin and as good as kill him.  
> > But I still don't think he cares for Dudley either.
> 
> That sounds like it might be a pretty good description of Snape's 
> attitude toward Harry. Maybe his attitude is no more complicated 
> than that. Hates the parents, doesn't like the kid, but now that 
> he's no longer a death eater he's not going to let anyone kill him 
> on his watch. In other words, Snape acts to save Harry not because 
> he secretly likes him, or thinks he's important to the cause, but 
> simply out of self-pride; i.e., Snape considers himself one of the 
> good guys now and good guys don't let other people kill kids, even 
> the ones they dislike.
> 
> John Gabriel

Simpler still:

If Harry had let the Dementors have Dudley, the Dursleys would've 
blamed Harry himself for not having acted, and Harry would've taken a 
blow to the confidence and to the conscience.

But Harry's curiosity about Dudley also indicates he doesn't wish the 
horrible empty never-be-happy-again feeling of being Demented on 
anyone, not even Dudley.

He tried to keep Dudley safe even before Dudley hit him, took off, 
and thus ended up in even greater danger.

Harry is just a good kid who does the right thing.

Indigo