Chapter Discussions - Chapter One, Dudley Demented

[Indigo]

No: HPFGUIDX 68505

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Robert A. Rosenberg" 
<rarpsl at o...> wrote:
> At 18:26 -0700 on 07/07/2003, Wendy St John wrote about Re: 
> [HPforGrownups] Chapter Discussions - Chapter One, Dudl:
> 
> >(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. 
But what
> >if he had been able to tell Dudley about what happened in the 
Graveyard?
> >Dudley might not have believed him. Now, however, after 
experiencing the
> >Wizarding World for himself (in the form of the Dementors), 
perhaps Dudley
> >would be able to understand, and it might give the two boys 
something to
> >share - a place to start building a more "adult" relationship. I 
would love
> >to see something like this happen at the beginning of Book 6. This 
also
> >parallels what I'd like to see happen with Snape and Harry, btw.
> 
> This keys in with something that Harry needs to do with the Dudley 
> family. He needs to reestablish a working relationship with them 
> since circumstances have changed and he can no longer "go with the 
> flow" by ignoring them and their mistreatment of himself.

He needs to attempt it, at best, IMO. I don't hold out a lot of faith 
for any such attempt being successful.  Not just because Harry is a 
prideful boy who is willing to let people who hate him continue to do 
so because he has found people who love him to buffer that -- but 
because the Dursleys don't want a better/different relationship with 
him. 

Magic has intruded on their world too many times already in their 
view and caused them difficulty, embarrassment, and harm coming to 
their precious perfect child.


It takes two for that.  The Dursley family started out determined to 
treat Harry poorly and congratulate themselves for their generosity 
in taking in the orphaned freak child.  They made certain from the 
moment Harry was old enough to understand that they considered him 
sub-human and only worthy of doing chores and that he should 
otherwise stay out of the way,  silent, unseen, and not do anything 
to embarrass them.  

If their mistreatment of him does not change [Order 
requested/threatened or not],  what alternative does Harry have but 
to go with the flow?  He can't use magic without the MoM coming down 
on him.  Though the Order says they'll be watching and they'll be 
displeased,  the threat may not really help as much as hinder because 
people resent feeling forced and threatened, and you can bet Vernon 
Dursley resents it.
> 

> In the case of Petunia, he needs to thank her for taking him in and 
> thus protecting him for the first 10 years of his life until he can 
> rejoin the WW by going to school. He might try to ask about Lily 
and  his Grandparents.

I don't see that happening. Lily seems very reticent to admit what 
knowledge she has, and while there is responsibility for Harry -- I 
am not sure there's love.  Thanking her for something Harry had no 
part of, and for something she feels forced and threatened into doing 
by Dumbledore may have no effect.   Especially since she knows full 
well Harry had no choice in the matter.

> 
> With Dudley, he needs to at least try to explain what happened and 
> try to help him with the aftermath of the Dementors encounter 
> (assuming that Dudley is not totally traumatized by now and can be 
> spoken to without freaking out from Harry's Presence).

Dudley of all the Dursleys will be the hardest to get through.  
There's going to be increased fear of Harry added on what was already 
there, plus resentment that Harry _saved_ him from something terrible 
he couldn't see.   Dudley still believes Harry /caused/ the horrible 
feelings brought out of him by the Dementor attack.  There's not 
really any way for Harry to prove differently, and the family already 
regards him as "a nasty little liar" on a regular basis. If his 
parents' modes toward Harry don't change, I have a very hard time 
seeing Dudley change since he rather enjoys his position as ickle 
Diddums, the boy who can do no wrong.

 
> As for Vernon, Harry needs to apologize for the behavior of the 
> "Phoenix Order Welcoming Committee" at the Train Station. 

Eh.  I've always had a problem about apologizing for stuff other 
people do. Harry didn't put any of them up to it. And if the Dursleys 
hadn't treated Harry so badly, there really wouldn't be a reason for 
the Order to loom menacingly.  

The change 
> in Petunia due to the Howler would make a good start (I wonder what 
> has happened in the past 9 months between Vernon and Petunia due to 
> her change in behavior after its arrival - Also interesting is the 
> way she is TOTALLY ignored by the Welcoming Committee at the Train 
> Station). I am sure that Vernon is now aware of the Blood 
Protection 
> Spell and its need to be renewed/recharged by Harry spending (part 
> of) the Summer with the Dudley Family. While the Committee's main 
> objective in meeting with Vernon is to try to make Harry's life 
there 
> a little easier, Harry should point out that removing the 
protection 
> of "Home" from him would amount to a Death Sentence for the Dudley 
> Family (IOW: Harry's Presence there protects them since it keeps 
the 
> spell in effect - getting tossed out or causing him to voluntarily 
> leave by too much harassment would give LV or his DEs the 
opportunity 
> to kill the family and thus prevent Harry from being able to return 
> there to once again use as a Summer "Safe Haven").

Interesting notion that is.  But now he has Sirius' house, which is 
unplottable and has some of the best Dark Wizarding protections on it 
as well as the ones Dumbledore added. 

Indigo