The Dursleys *are* guilty (was : On the other hand )

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 93280

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
  
> And should Dumbledore also have popped up at the Burrow  to 
> stop Fred and George when they turned Ron's teddy into a 
> spider or used his puffskein for a bludger? Should he have 
> written a stern note to Molly about Ron's second hand robes and 
> broken wand? Should he have told Granny Longbottom that 
> while Neville is not dangerously overweight the school would like 
> to see him fed a bit less?

No, because Dumbledore is not responsible for these persons. 
Personally, I wouldn't mind if we learn, that he appeared on Uncle 
Algie's doorstep and gave him the good advice, not to throw Neville 
out of the window, again. But I doubt we will see anything like this, 
because Dumbledore, no matter how powerful he is, isn't all-knowing. 
Therefore he probably doesn't know about all of these details. But I 
am sure he knew how the Dursleys treated Harry, at least through 
Arabella Figg. Also, Dumbledore is not responsible for how everybody 
treats their children. Of course he can't tell the Longbottoms or 
Weasleys or Malfoys how to raise their kids, because a) he would have 
a lot to do, if he would care about everybody's parenting and b) it 
are still the parents who have to raise the children and can decide, 
how. But it is different with Harry. Dumbledore is responsible for 
Harry's upbringing, because he is the one who gave Harry to the 
Dursleys. It was his decision, and others have to take the 
consequences, especially Harry. Dumbledore is the one who brought him 
in that situation (except Voldemort, of course), therefore he should 
at least help him a bit.  

 
> 
>  Dumbledore could not have made any impression on the 
> Dursleys except by force, and that would make him no better 
> than they are.
> 
> Pippin

Well, I think that Mad-Eye Moody made a pretty good impression, 
didn't he? Of course, he's scarier than Dumbledore, but then, I think 
just a nice reminder would already have helped. The Dursleys were 
even afraid of Arthur Weasley, after all.

Hickengruendler