On the other hand (was Re: Disliked Uncle Vernon)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 92495

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Barry Arrowsmith 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:
> All well and good. Young Dudders appears on the scene. Everything
> in the garden is lovely and then  - calamity. A bundle on the door-
step
> one night with a covering letter. Just what the letter said we 
don't 
> know,
> but you can bet your boots the Dursley's hearts sank into theirs.
> 
> A cuckoo child, foisted on to them by those they most fear. "Look 
after
> him." -  was the additional phrase "or else" plainly stated or 
just 
> implied?
> Naturally Harry is not welcome and with his presence their fear 
returns;
> is he going to be like his parents, showing powers that the 
Dursleys do
> not comprehend and so dread? 


Jen: Personally, I'm hoping the Dursley's decision to take Harry in 
will be a little less fear and loathing and a little more 
manipulation and mayhem. "What's in it for us?" Vernon asked, 
quietly. 

You make a persuasive point, though, Vernon-as-poster-child for the 
Muggle Protection Act is really a compelling idea when you think 
about it.


Kneasy: 
> They give Harry a hard time, well, fairly hard, it's not as if 
he's 
> thrashed
> thrice weekly. An old instinct to try to drive out evil by 
imposing 
> virtue?
> "Best pretend we know nothing about it" is the attitude they take -
 
> "with
> luck he may not be a changeling after all, and if we forbid all 
> references
> to this horror perhaps it won't show itself." But one day their 
hopes 
> come
> crashing down,  felled by  the weight of a letter through the 
> letter-box.

Jen: Or they figure a little starvation, occasional thrashing and 
the locked cupboard make it bearable for themselves while they have 
to offer houseroom? In return, they can live completely Wizard-free 
lives! Maybe they will even get their memories erased of this whole 
shebang if they just keep Harry alive until a certain age! The 
possibilities for their bribery are endless, since they are after 
all bribing Wizards.

Hey, I can dream can't I ?!? A few threats back and forth and some 
blackmailing would be more exciting.

Jen, hoping Vernon doesn't wind up on a pedestal in the end....