Privet Drive (was Harry and starvation)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 123658


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dungrollin"
<spotthedungbeetle at h...> wrote:
> 
> > > Dungrollin:
> > > I've never found a satisfactory reason for this continued 
> > > protection at Privet Drive malarkey. If Grimmauld Place isn't 
> > > safe, why does Harry get to stay there for a month? If it is 
> > > safe, then why does Harry have to go back to Privet Drive at 
> > > all? 
> > > 
> > > Yes, yes, to renew the blood protection - so that he can still 
> > > call Privet Drive 'home'.  But why not call 12GP 'home' if it's 
> > > as safe?

 
> > bboyminn:
> > 
> > Just because you have a new fortress doesn't mean you burn down
> > the old one, and just because the old fortress exists doesn't mean
> > the new one is worthless.
> > 
> <snip>
> > Grimmauld Place is well protect and safe. ... there are wizards 
> > and witches at Grimmauld Place who are able to protect Harry ...
> > 
> <snip>
> > But when Harry has his greatest level of pretection at the 
> > Dursley's, it would be poor strategy to abondon that and let the 
> > Blood Charm be broken. ...


> Dungrollin:
> Yeah, that was the only reason I could come up with too - that DD 
> wants a place of last resort where Harry will be safe. But it seems 
> so unsatisfactory.
> 
> Harry is clearly *not* safe at Privet Drive; he's already been 
> attacked by Dementors there, ...
> 
> He was so *not safe* at the Dursleys' that DD had to assign a member 
> of the Order to guard him all day every day.  ...
> 
> I'm not convinced that Harry *is* better protected at Privet Drive 
> than he is at GP; ...edited...
> 
> But, on the point you made that it's worth having a last resort, I 
> suppose I have to agree.  I just don't like it much, the benefits 
> don't seem to outweigh the costs and risks.
> 
> Dungrollin


bboyminn:

You are intermixing two /separate/ things as if they were one and the
same; they are not.

Privet Drive is NOT the /house in which Harry's blood dwells/. It is
merely the neighborhood in which we find the house in which Harry
blood dwells. Harry may have some general protection while in the
vicinity of #4 Privet Drive, but he has his greatest protection in the
house in which his blood dwells; that is in Petunia's home. By his own
admission, even Voldemort can not touch him there. 

For the record, I think Harry is protected not only in the house, but
also on the grounds (yard, garden, etc) of that house. Those grounds
equally constitue his /home/. In addition, although not specifically
supported by the books, I think Harry's protection fades the farther
he wanders from the Dursley's house and grounds. 

So he may have some protection on Privet Drive, but less than when in
the house. Once he wanders from Privet Drive, the protection fades
quickly. That explains why Dumbledore felt the need to provide Harry
with a personal guard.

Without a doubt, having that 'protection of blood' covering such a
limited area (the house and possibly grounds) is a problem, but in
that house, Harry has the ultimate protection. There he is untouchable.

I think Dumbledore and the Order see exactly what you see. They are
aware that now that Harry is a teenager and not incline to spend all
his time in the house or yard, and now that Voldemort is back and the
DE's are active, they can't protect him as well as they previously
could. That's why Harry's stay at #4 Privet Drive will be the shortest
ever, because they realize he has outgrown that protection.

But, given that at that one location, the Dursley's house, Harry has
the highest possible protection, it would be foolish to abondon it and
let the Blood Protection Charm be broken. 

So, Dumbledore will only require Harry to say for a couple of weeks,
just long enough to maintain the protection, before he pulls Harry out
and let's Harry get on with more pressing, more important, and more
vital business. In addition, given the severe loss and trama that
Harry has just been through, Dumbledore and/or the Order have taken
steps to make sure Harry short stay at the Dursley's is at least a
more pleasant one.

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn