Clue for the "ancient protection?"

[shihtouji]

No: HPFGUIDX 57682

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ali" <Ali at z...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kelly Grosskreutz"  > 
> 
>  
> >>> I did wonder about how well Harry would've been protected had 
he 
> been being watched by Marge or Yvonne.  If Petunia knew they would 
> be incapable of protecting him, I find it interesting that she 
would 
> not just say so to Vernon.  If she isn't saying so to Vernon, then 
> there is at least one thing she is keeping from him.  I'd love to 
> know what else she knows but hasn't told anyone, even her husband.  
> Because for some reason, I find it hard to believe that the 
> protection would extend so far as to one of Petunia's Muggle 
> friends, even if Petunia did entrust Harry to her care.<<<
> 

Hello to all--my first post to list!

This may be a minor point, but it fuelled my Petunia-is-squib idea 
for a while (I've now disposed of it, thanks to this list), and may 
be relevant to this thread: I can't seem to find too many instances 
where Petunia actively abuses Harry--much of the blustering and 
meanness come from Vernon or Dudley.  Petunia is certainly complicit 
in their brutality, and is certainly no friend of Harry's, but she 
stands by rather passively while her husband and son do the active 
torturing.  I don't think this is Petunia's maternal instinct kicking 
in: she has no qualms about putting him in wretched clothing or 
nearly starving him. I wonder whether she's all that thrilled about 
abusing Harry, but is unable to stand up to her husband and far too 
involved with her Diddydums to risk shaking up the family.  But yes, 
her silence is intriguing...

Does she, for example, know the truth about Mrs Figg?  I believe she 
does.  She no doubt would have been the principal child-care arranger 
for Harry; if so, it begs the question why the appearance-obsessed 
Dursleys, who are mortified to have the Weasleys even come to the 
house to fetch Harry, would choose such an obvious eccentric as Mrs 
Figg to be his babysitter?  Yes, I know Dumbledore might have left 
explicit instructions to that effect in the secret letter, but if the 
Dursleys really are as intent as they say they are at stamping out 
Harry's magicalness, then putting Harry in the care of a known witch 
would be the last thing they would choose to do.  

I wonder, then, if Petunia, while no fan of the WW herself, 
nevertheless is less vehement in her rejection of the WW,to the point 
where she would even risk having Harry in contact with a witch.  
Or, along the same lines, is Petunia only going along with Vernon's 
apoplectic anti-wizarding sentiments to a point: Harry is, after all, 
her blood-relative, not Vernon's, and blood does seem to be so 
important in the HP books, after all.

"Noel"