Harry left at the Dursleys (Was Re: Plot in OotP)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 118203


Carol:
> Harry had to be hidden, and the blood protection made possible by Lily's sacrifice (not to be confused with any charm Lily herself may have put on him before GH) was his best, if not his only, chance for survival.

Okay, I can go with this.

> Yes, Harry's survival was the best, the chief, the wholly sufficient
> reason for placing him with the Dursleys.
<snip>
> And everything he has undergone so far, from the cupboard at the
> Dursleys to Occlumency with Snape to the dragon in the TWT will help
> him to prepare for that ordeal. Had he been indulged like Draco (by
> his mother), he would be overconfident and far less prepared than he
> is even now. And it will get worse before it gets better, if it gets
> better at all. We have JKR's word for that.


Well, okay.  I can go with this on the premise that "Dumbledore has 
no choice in these matters and makes the best of a terrible situation 
by saying that Harry is learning some skills he needs."  What I CAN'T 
go with, and what I think Alla rejects as well, is the idea that 
Dumbledore deliberately allows the abuse for the purpose 
of "toughening Harry," etc.  I think that even in the situation with 
Snape there is a large element of "no choice."  It would be better if 
there were somebody else to teach Harry potions, but there isn't so 
Dumbledore reluctantly has to make the best of a very bad situation.  
And he has told us that it wasn't because of any quality of Snape's 
(other than his Occlumency skills) that he chose the Potionsmaster to 
teach Harry Occlumency, but because he thought it would harm Harry if 
he (Dumbledore) did it.

Otherwise I think we slide into an "ends justify the means" argument, 
which is slippery at best and downright pernicious at worst.  And I 
really don't think that is where JKR is trying to go.

Lupinlore