[HPforGrownups] Clue for the "ancient protection?"

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 57619

> Kelly Grosskreutz <ivanova at idcnet.com> wrote: I was rereading the first
two chapters in PS/SS last night, when I came> across this passage.
>
> <snip>
> "Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.
> "And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled." <snip>
>
> It's interesting that Petunia uses that particular phrase to describe how
> disastrous it could be if they left Harry home alone.  Maybe part of his
> protection is to not be alone outside of the WW.  <snip>

> Maria:I've always assumed that Petunia referred to the Potters' house in
Godric's Hollow that was left in ruins after Voldemort tried to AK Harry.
Basically, it fits to description of "blowing up the house." But as a
different explanation, we could speculate that Harry is safe in Privet Drive
No. 4 only when the Dursleys are there with him. Maria
>
Yeah, she was alluding to the state of the Potters' house, I agree.  I was
just thinking she might think that if Harry were left alone while they went
to the zoo, they might come home to find the same thing done to their house.
Meaning that someone would come to take out Harry if he were alone.

Another line I came across in Chapter 3 jumped at me just now.  Harry has
just had his first letter intercepted, and Vernon and Petunia are in the
kitchen alone discussing it.  Harry and Dudley are listening at the door.
At the end of the recorded conversation, Vernon says, "I'm not having one in
the house, Petunia!  Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that
*dangerous* nonsense?"  (US hardcover p. 36, emphasis mine)

It seems the Dursleys, or at least Vernon, believes that the reason James
and Lily were killed was because they were meddling where they shouldn't
have.  I can see Petunia thinking Lily didn't belong in the WW, considered
her a freak, and was majorly opposed to Lily wedding a wizard.  When they
found out what had happened to Lily, Petunia's beliefs were confirmed.  In
her mind, if Lily had just not been involved with that witch stuff, this
powerful wizard wouldn't have come to kill her and blow up the house.  One
of the things I suspect DD mentioned in that letter was that Voldemort
wanted Harry in some way (not 100% positive he was originally planning to
kill Harry, although he ultimately decided to do so), and the Dursleys are
now afraid that if Harry gets involved in the WW world in any way, shape, or
form, that wizard will come back for him and the Dursleys, too.  What
happens when the WW tries to contact Harry?  First they try to treat Harry
nicely, probably figuring that if he's treated nice, they will be left
alone.  When the letters keep coming, Vernon becomes increasingly desparate,
boarding up everything in sight and ultimately fleeing.  Yes, he did read
the letter, which would let him know it's simply people trying to get Harry
to enter the WW, just like Lily once received, but I also think Vernon does
become afraid for his family.

Ok, I think I've just degenerated into rambling, so I'm going to stop.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova