"Pampered prince" real reason? / Re: Harry at the Dursleys

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 118468


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" > 
> That aside, let's pretend that Dumbledore could have put Harry with 
> a wizarding family without risking his safety and theirs. Why do 
> you think that Pampered Prince!Harry is just Dumbledore's paranoia?


Actually, I think we in the fandom tend to make far too much of the 
whole "pampered prince" theme.  We have only two mentions of it by 
Dumbledore in canon.  In the first (SS/PS) it is a throwaway line he 
gives to Minerva to deflect her objections, and may or may not 
represent any part of his real thinking and intentions (we certainly 
know he was withholding by far the bulk of the truth).

The second is a line in OOTP where we do not know if he is being 
factual, defensive, sad, self-mocking, or whatever else.

I personally am inclined to think that the first mention really was 
only an excuse he made up hurriedly.  Although he probably did 
believe it would be better to shield Harry from premature fame, I 
don't think that played any part in his decision.

The second mention, IMO, was probably said self-mockingly, as a way 
of ridiculing his own excuses -- especially to himself.

Just my own readings and opinions, of course.  But I will say in 
their defense that they are a way (not perhaps the only way) to 
square all this with JKR's "epitome of goodness" remarks.

Lupinlore