Acceptable Abuses?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 96262

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
! I actually find your explanation to be quite likely. Petunia 
> and Vernon did act very surprised when Hogwarts letter 
arrived.
> 
> How do you explain though that even after Harry entered 
Hogwarts  Dumbledore waited five years before he said 
something to them?<

What could he say? If Dumbledore could make the Dursleys 
genuinely kind and loving people just by giving them a good 
talking to, then I agree, he should have said something. But 
heck, why stop with Privet Drive, he should be addressing the 
UN <g>  

Sure, he could have made them *act* nicer, out of fear. But it's 
one thing for  to put the fear of magic in the Dursleys once Harry 
isn't dependent on them for anything except house room and 
he's not in the slightest danger of taking them for role models.

But earlier in life? If they were only good to Harry out of fear,
what kind of an example would that be? Particularly if he were 
too young to tell whether they really meant it or not? Harry may 
not have experienced very much love in his life, but at least he 
has no trouble recognizing it. I doubt that would be the case if the 
Dursleys had been made to pretend that they loved him.

Pippin