... muggle-borns... off the radar? St. Brutus Academy of Naughty Boys

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 127864


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "quigonginger" 
<quigonginger at y...> wrote:
> 
> a_svirn wrote:
> > > I always thought that St. Brutus was invented for the sole 
> benefit 
> > > of Marge who, judging by her firm belief in existing of 
corporeal 
> > > punishment in schools, seems to live in a time-wrap. I don't 
> think 
> > > that his neighbours would buy the story much less that he 
would 
> > > attempt to sell it. 
> > 
> > Geoff:
> > I would agree with you completely. As Steve pointed out, Harry 
was 
> > supposed to go Stonewall High.
> > 
> > St.Brutus' is a cover story for Marge - and possibly for anyone 
who 
> > troubled to ask Vernon. Considering the sort of area the 
Dursleys 
> > live in, I think that would be unlikely; Vernon would probably 
be 
> > steering conversation with the neighbours in the direciton of 
the 
> > weather and the lack of rain for the gardens or the state of the 
> > Footsie (FTSE = equivalent of the Dow Jones) or whether John 
Major 
> > was making a better job of things than Maggie Thatcher (bearing 
in 
> > mind this was in thee arly 1990s).
> 
> 
> Ginger now:  I agree that Vernon wouldn't encourage conversation 
> about Harry or his school and would most likely divert the 
> conversation.  
> 
> One point from OoP struck me.  Ch. 1 US page 11:
> Neighbourhood children all around were terrified of him (Dudley)- 
> even more terrified than they were of "that Potter boy", who, they 
> had been warned, was a hardened hooligan who attended St. Brutus's 
> Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys.
> 
> So not only did the story get around, it worked for both Vernon 
and 
> Harry's benefit.  No worries about what to say when people ask 
about 
> your coursework or anything related to school at all.  They just 
make 
> themselves scarce.  Better than a Muggle repelling charm.
> 
> Ginger, who thinks the Hardened Hooligans would be a great name 
for a 
> band.

a_svirn:

M.b. it was Dudley who spread the St.Brutus' rumours? After all it 
was children who were terrified.
a_svirn