Acceptable Abuses?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 96280

> Alla:
> Dumbledore did interfere with Harry's life. He interfered when he 
> left him with Dursleys at the beginning.
> 
> Although I said before that for the sake of argument I am willing 
to 
> pretend that I believe Dumbledore that Harry is  safest at 
Dursleys, 
> I am not so sure about that.

Jen: I don't see Dumbledore interfering so much as choosing the 
lesser of two evils. Dumbledore knows if Harry stays in the WW he 
will be "Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he 
can't remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing 
up away from all that until he's ready to take it?" (SS, p. 13).

"It" in this case does refer to fame, but given the fact
Dumbledore knows of the prophecy, "It" also refers to Harry being
surrounded by the knowledge of why he was marked & asking questions
before he's ready for the answers. Harry would not be asking
Dumbledore at 11, "why was Voldemort trying to kill *me*?, but rather
at a much younger and more vulnerable age. 

Can you imagine the psychological consequences of growing up with 
the knowledge that your parents were murdered trying to protect you? 
That an evil wizard was trying to kill you and may try again 
someday? That you are the only person who was "born with the power" 
to defeat this evil lord if he *does* come back? That you endanger 
anyone you live with or are friends with just because of who you are?

We see in OOTP the enormous emotional burden Harry is carrying after 
he learns of the Propehcy--kill or be killed. While I tend to think 
that part of the Prophecy isn't literal or is perhaps misinterpreted 
by DD, it's still a huge burden for a 15 y.o. to carry, let alone a 
child.

Some people think DD treats Harry like a weapon, and the Dursleys 
were some form of hideous boot camp.  The way I look at it, 
Dumbledore gives Harry to the Dursleys so he *won't* grow up 
believing he's a weapon, someone to kill or be killed. He wants 
Harry to be a person first and the Chosen One second, not the other 
way around.