[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry¹s Summer Holiday

[Robert A. Rosenberg]

No: HPFGUIDX 69546

At 00:23 +0000 on 07/11/2003, Claire wrote about [HPforGrownups] Re: 
Harrys Summer Holiday:

>--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Melinda Leydon
><melindaleo at m...> wrote:
>
>>Okay, so where do we go from here, do you think?
>
>Me:
>I believe the fact she didn't yell at Harry, but quietly ordered him
>to his room, is telling.
>
>Also, look how the status quo has changed in another way--at the end
>of OoP, when Harry leaves Kings Cross after the "meeting" between
>members of the Order and the Dursleys, Harry *leads* the way and the
>Dursleys follow.  Subconsiously, they're now "following Harry's
>lead", instead of Harry meeking coming when Uncle Vernon tells him
>to.  I think that's significant.
>
>Claire


At 00:29 +0000 07/11/2003, sjlupin wrote about [HPforGrownups] Re: 
Harrys Summer Holiday:
>I also thought the final scene with Harry leading the way was VERY
>symbolic. I think it will be quite fascinating to see what his summer
>is like and what his interactions with the dear old Dursleys is like.
>It could take many different turns. I felt that even his interactions
>with them at the beginning if OoTP was a little different. He seemed
>a little less scared, or intimidated by them. I really, really hope
>we learn more about what Petunia does or doesn't know and *who* or
>*what* she really is (i.e. squib, etc).
>
>sjlupin


I am happy to see that I am not the only one to view Harry's Leading 
the Exodus from the Train Station as Symbolic/Foreshadowing (a point 
that I made in my reply which crossed with these two).

Note that this is not a NEW Phenomenon since he also lead the Exodus 
at the end of PoA and at the start of GoF was using Sirius as a 
weapon to keep Uncle Vernon in line. The change in the interpersonal 
relations have their roots in those actions and did not spring full 
blown from the Dementor Incident (which only brought things to a 
head).


At 13:40 -0400 07/11/2003, DBoyken at aol.com wrote about 
[HPforGrownups] Re: the Order's chat with the Dursleys:
>In a message dated 7/11/2003 11:43:34 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
>HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com writes:
>
>Carolyn said:
>>But I also wonder if it was that vague guilt that perhaps prompted 
>>him to suggest to the Order that a little chat with the Dursleys 
>>might be in order. After all, Snape now knows a lot more about 
>>Harry's childhood than the rest of them, and might see it as a way 
>>of making up a little bit (otherwise, I wonder why Harry's friends 
>>didn't act before).
>
>If anyone, I tend to think that Dumbledore would have been the one 
>to urge the Order to have that nice little chat with the Dursleys. 
>Dumbledore has known what Harry's home life has been like, but I 
>don't think he let himself feel badly about it until this year. Now 
>that he spilled so much to Harry (including his own feelings of 
>guilt and remorse--and the reason he wasn't picked as a prefect), I 
>think that Dumbledore's trying to make it up to him. (Assuming, of 
>course, that it wasn't Lupin or Arthur or Moody or Tonks who thought 
>of this! Or--who knows--maybe Sirius mentioned sometime that he was 
>going to have a talk with them himself, and they did it for him as 
>much as for Harry?)
>
>--Deb


Given the in-progress realignment of the interpersonal relationships 
referenced in my reply above, I think that the heavy handed but well 
intentioned intervention by the Order did more harm than good. As I 
noted, Harry had the situation well in hand (and has had it since the 
"My Godfather is a Criminal and Dangerous" comment at the end of PoA 
just prior to his leading the Exodus for the FIRST time and his 
invoking of Sirius in GoF to get Uncle Vernon to allow him to go to 
the Q Match).

Thus my comment (in the Harry's Summer Thread) where I suggested 
(only to get stomped on) that Harry should apologize to Uncle Vernon 
for the tongue-lashing and threats from the Order. Note that their 
intervention prevented Uncle Vernon from showing how/if he has come 
to terms with the events of OotP Chapters 1-3 (he HAS had 9 months to 
think about the change in the status-quo and might have been ready to 
"turn over a new leaf" if he had not been attacked for PAST behavior 
that he was no longer going to repeat). Telling HARRY that they would 
watch out for him in the potentially explosive environment with the 
Dursleys is one thing. Injecting themselves into the situation by 
telling VERNON this and making threats is something-else. Harry had 
the situation in hand and the Order just made his job harder (he has 
to live there not them, so offering assistance IF REQUESTED is one 
thing. Making a Threat BEFORE there is any evidence that it will be 
needed, is another thing. They should wait to see if there is any 
need for them to interfere).

--

Bob Rosenberg