What's the point? (was RE: making up our own book)

[dungrollin]

No: HPFGUIDX 114143

Finwitch wrote:
I just wonder, will Harry do like Sirius and leave home at 16, live 
with his friend (Ron, Hermione - or maybe the Weasley twins have 
appartment above their shop at Diagon Alley, so Harry as their 
financial backer could stay there) for a year and get his own place 
once he turns 17 (and is thus of age by wizarding standard.) It's 
not like he lacks the money to purchase a house - and maybe he even 
already has inherited one!

sad1199 replied:
Interesting as that may be, Harry must stay at the Dursley's while 
Voldemort is alive for his own protection. Since we know that one 
way or another the books end when Harry is seventeen he can then 
live (or be dead) where ever he wants. But, I am sure that 
Dumbledore will enforce the blood protection thingie and persuade 
Harry to go back to the Dursley for that one last summer.

Now Dungrollin wonders:
But what is the point of making sure that Voldemort can't hurt him 
at the Dursleys?  He's never *at* the Dursley's except when 
Dumbledore forces him to be.  Is it really just so that there's 
somewhere he can run to if all else fails and Voldemort gets too 
close?  I mean, he's at Hogwarts for most of the year, it's a bit of 
a trek from Scotland to Surrey, plenty of things can go wrong on a 
journey like that if you've got the worlds darkest wizard on your 
tail...

Has anyone come up with a decent theory as to why Dumbledore wants 
him protected at Privet Drive?  Was it mostly for his protection 
before he went to Hogwarts, and now DD thinks that one little month 
a year can't hurt, if, through that, he can be sure that there's 
somewhere safe for Harry?

I wonder I wonder I wonder...
Dungrollin.