Why Privet Drive? (was Re: Snape and Harry again.)

[macfotuk at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 114022

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dzeytoun" <dzeytoun at c...> 
wrote:

<snip>

the ONLY reason for Harry to 
> live with the Dursleys was protection.  Any idea that Dumbledore 
> meant to "toughen Harry up" or thinks that the 
experience "prepared" 
> him to meet Voldemort is horse manure.
> 
> Dzeytoun

<endsnip>

Mac: JKR describes a boy 'coming, fully-formed into her imagination. 
He was a wizard, but he didn't know he was a wizard. Work backwards 
and forwards from there' (these aren't the exact words but capture 
the sense of her statement). And no I'm not saying that Privet Drive 
is just a necessary plot device, although trying to get inside 
characters and the way they 'would' think, if it isn't like JKR 
thinks they think is a mistake, but understandable since none of us 
can think otherwise than we do (which is not to say we can't be 
imaginative, empathetic or influenced). 

Harry doesn't know of the wizard world because he's placed with 
wizardphobic muggles who don't hold any truck with magic. He is also 
protected by blood. Both achieve DD's aims though perhaps even more 
so than he intended (though somehow I doubt it - DD' doesn't miss a 
trick - e.g. letters addressed to HP 'under the stairs'). This way, 
Harry doesn't know his destiny (pretty daunting if end of OotP is to 
be taken literally - kill or be killed) until he's approaching being 
mature enough to cope with it.

Ch.1 Bk 1 DD: "... . Famous before he can walk and talk! famous for 
something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off 
he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take 
it? ..."

It takes Harry out of the loop from any who might wish to contact or 
harm him before he is old enough to really expres his abilities 
and/or understand what is going on - LV of course, Trix and crew 
(not averse to a bit of post GH mischief), Sirius, etc. Snape I 
believe must have known (or at least that DD had hidden HP and 
protected him VERY well). It kinda begs the question of why the rest 
of the WW didn't clamour to be told where the 'hero' was - though we 
know that several wizards knew enough to be able to approach him 
during his childhood - perhaps these slipped through DD's mask of 
secrecy (e.g. Diggle who's always been portrayed as immapropriate 
and untrustworthy, if in a harmless way).