Harry at the Dursleys - Dumbledore's deal

[amanitamuscaria1]

No: HPFGUIDX 118570


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kjirstem" 
<stonehenge.orders at v...> wrote:
> 
snippety snip snip
> I mean,
> really, who gives someone a tissue as a present?  Most people seem 
to
> think they are horrible, as I do too, but I also think they are
> horribly funny.
> 
> kjirstem - who once thought she had been given a *box* of tissues 
as a
> gift...

AmanitaMuscaria now - Hmmm - I once thought I'd been given a box of 
matches as a Christmas present ...
But seriously, I believe that all the Dursley ludicrousness is to do 
with their keeping to 'Dumbledore's rules', without letting Harry 
enjoy himself.
Why, indeed, would you give a child 1. a tissue 2.coathanger 3. old 
pair of socks 4. a 50 pence piece? Because you'd made a deal saying 
you _had_ to give the child presents -  no stipulation on what they 
were.
Why would you give a child cold tinned soup or 2 slices of bread and 
a chunk of cheese? Because you _had_ to feed the child, presumably 3 
meals a day, without stipulation on what the food was.
Why would you put the child in the cupboard under the stairs when 
you've got a couple of rooms hardly used? Because you _have_ to give 
the child a bed, no stipulation on where the bed is.
Thus, also, the fact that they never physically abuse Harry - I don't 
think they can. When Vernon finally tries, he gets an electric jolt.

I believe the converse of this deal is shown when Hagrid gives Dudley 
the pig's tail - I don't think he can touch Vernon and Petunia with 
magic. But they maybe didn't think to cover Dudley, just assumed he'd 
be under the protection as well.

Whether the deal was done with Vernon and Petunia, or just Petunia, 
I'm pretty sure a deal was done hence the odd nature of the abuse of 
Harry.
Cheers. AmanitaMuscaria