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

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 118217


> Del :
(really big snip)
> DD did not HAVE to leave the Dursleys completely unsupervised for 10
> years. Unless of course that was part of the stinking contract.

Ginger:  
I've been watching this thread closely, and I think you may be on to 
something.  What did DD know about the Dursleys?  

Petunia hates (or at least is envious of) Lily.
Petunia and Vernon spoil Dudley.
They have a house that is large enough for a family of 4 and the 
income to support 4 people.  (Not ruling out that they may have been 
compensated.)
They go out of their way to appear respectable.
Petunia wants no wizard contact ruining her respectable little world.

So he has to leave Harry there.  Blood and all that.  He'll be dead 
elsewhere.  He doesn't know for a fact that Petunia will project her 
ill feelings of Lily and the WW in general on Harry.  He knows that 
they are capable of loving and providing for a child, even if they 
spoil him.  I'm sure DD had no illusions that they would spoil Harry, 
but knowing that they liked looking respectable, he would have every 
reason to assume that they would keep up appearances.

Back to what you said, Del.  He arranges to leave Harry.  He says 
that Petunia took him in grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, 
bitterly.  (OoP)  There was more contact than just the letter in the 
blankets.  That seems obvious.  It would be totally in character for 
Petunia to have had an outburst and laid down some rules of her own, 
if only to make herself believe that she had some control.  (She does 
seem like a control freak-the spotless house and all.)  And in 
character for DD to oblige.

I can see her saying something along the lines of:
"All right. We'll take him, but be clear on this:  We'll have none of 
your sort poking around, arousing the neighbours' suspicions.  We're 
a respectable family and we intend to stay that way.  If a witch or 
wizard dares to put one finger over our property line, that boy'll be 
in the nearest orphanage before the hour is up.  Do you hear me?  You 
and your ilk will stay away if you want this boy living here."

It would explain why a squib was needed to keep an eye on Harry 
during the early years.  It would explain why DD never intervened.  
Of course, once the letters came, all that went right out the window 
and right into a flying Ford.

Just a thought.  No canon, just noting that it would be very like 
Petunia, and that it explains a few things.

Ginger, who believes that catnip can be magically enhanced, but it 
wouldn't be good for you.  Not that I eat much catnip.