Hogwarts letters Re: Choosing sides

[snow15145]

No: HPFGUIDX 118757



Del replies to Kneasy:
I commented on this a few weeks ago.
Many people seem to assume that Muggle-borns are necessarily happy to
discover that they are wizards and witches, and that they all choose
to go to Hogwarts. But the fact is : we don't know how many
Muggleborns who receive the letter actually come to Hogwarts. Most of
all, we don't know *why* they decide to come to Hogwarts. And we don't
know why their parents let them come.


Snow:
I don't know whether the parents or the child would be ecstatic over 
the offer to attend Hogwarts but it would, after many years of 
unusual happenings with the child, give both the parents and the 
child a reason for the child's strange behavior. The child itself has 
probably realized and wondered why they can make things happen
and 
may have felt surprised, guilty, ashamed or confused by their own 
unexplainable behavior
Harry did. The average muggle parent of a 
child would not be utmost suspicious of magic being involved and 
would be puzzled over what they should do about this behavior from 
their child. If the parents were to contact a doctor about their 
suspicions or apprehensions, it could be misconstrued as their own 
psychological abnormalities. 

If you have a child that produces behavior beyond their control you 
would most naturally seek out professional advice in an attempt to 
help the child harness this behavior. As an example let's use 
Hermione's situation, being the bright witch that she is, most likely 
exhibited unusual behavior at an early age. These early happenings 
from Hermione would have been unexplainable to an average muggle 
doctor but a bit concerning to her parents. I'm sure the highly 
regarded dentists would be a bit apprehensive in seeking advice about 
suspected magical behavior from their child, that could also damage 
their reputation, instead it would be best to wait it out, after all 
they could be mistaken. Finally after eleven years of telling 
themselves that she would grow out of it, they receive a letter from 
Hogwarts that Hermione was detected as a witch and is invited to a 
school that would be suited to her talent. Relieved that there was an 
answer to the unexplainable activities that they had quietly endured 
with this youngster, they would be more apt to consider Hogwarts a 
proper setting, which would meet their child's needs as well as their 
own considering they may have to explain to a muggle teacher why 
Hermione had... What would be the alternative to accepting this 
invitation to Hogwarts? For the child to realize their magical 
potential but be denied nurturing of that ability would only 
infuriate the child, it would not stop the ability that the child 
has. (I am assuming that, like Harry, the child themselves are to 
receive the Hogwarts invitation) 

This has brought to mind a new controversy. Who received the Hogwarts 
letter for Tom Riddle; Tom or the institution? What might the 
orphanage have observed of Tom's earlier magical abilities? Did Tom 
realize his gift early on? The orphanage has guardianship over Tom 
soooo who granted permission for Tom to attend Hogwarts? I suppose 
that the orphanage could just realize the offer from Hogwarts as one 
less mouth to feed but only until summer break. What did Tom do over 
the summer; did he make any friends in his dorm in Slytherin house 
for correspondence from the orphanage? We can at least assume that if 
Tom didn't make any friends he did examine his fellow students to the 
degree that he could use them to his benefit, such as Hagrid. Tom had 
such a fear of going to the orphanage that he incriminated Hagrid and 
his pet spider. 
Why does Tom appear to be more reluctant to go back to the orphanage 
over the summer than Harry does to go back to the Dursley's
is it 
Tom's hatred for muggles?

COS The Very Secret Diary
"My dear boy," said Dippet kindly. "I 
cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you 
want to go home for the holidays?"
"No," said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go 
back to that –to that-"

Harry, even after his worst encounters with Voldemort, did not 
inquire to the headmaster as Tom did, of an alternative summer 
location. Although Harry had thought about why he had to go back to 
the Dursley's, Harry did not retaliate over going back to the 
Dursley's even after all he had endured
as Tom had; why, what could 
be worse for Tom at the orphanage, than what Harry endured at the 
Dursley's?

Snow