Dumbledore & Dursleys-What DD Knew

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 123839


SSSusan earlier:
> > That Petunia seemed quite frightened & did *not* kick Harry out 
> > after receiving DD's Howler makes me believe:  1) that DD *has* 
> > provided ongoing protection; and 2) that she still very much 
> > wants that protection.  So *now* DD knows that!  And perhaps it 
> > was only *now* -- when Harry's 15 and more able to fend for 
> > himself, knows what's going on in the WW & with Voldemort -- that 
> > DD could risk issuing a threat which might lead to the Dursleys 
> > backing out of Harry's life.

Magda:
> I pretty much agree with the rest of SSS's post (which I snipped -
> sorry) but I think there's another explanation for Petunia's 
> response to the Howler - the same explanation for Harry's sudden 
> awareness that Petunia was his mother's sister (which he realizes 
> he's never quite thought of before).
> 
> The explanation is that Petunia has just realized that night - after
> Dudders almost gets Demented, the arrival of the Howler - that
> whether she likes it or not, they're all in this together.  That 
> it's just not a matter of "we'll take the brat in until he's 18 and 
> carry on with life as if he's not really around" - there are wicked 
> and evil people out there who are a danger to her family and that 
> family is not safe just because they're not magic.  
> 
> It's not a matter of tossing Harry over the side of the sinking
> lifeboat; they've all got to pull together now because the threat -
> Voldemort's return - is greater than ever and needs everyone on the
> same side.  She can't walk away or pretend it doesn't concern her
> anymore.  Vernon doesn't get it - yet.  But he's aware that
> something's changed for Petunia, and his uncertainty is quite
> obvious.


SSSusan:
But I think this argument falls apart some if there *isn't* any 
protection from DD for the Dursleys.  That is, why *wouldn't* Petunia 
just pitch him overboard at this time if keeping Harry provides the 
Dursleys no protection?  Why would they need to stick together?  
Would she REALLY expect Harry to come to their defense??

If Petunia is not counting on some kind of protection from DD in 
exchange for taking Harry in & keeping him, then why NOT kick Harry 
out and get him as far away as possible?  I'd think his being there 
would be more likely to draw the attention of the "wicked & evil 
people out there," whereas if he were GONE, they could reasonably 
tell any wicked & evil people that they've washed their hands of him, 
have no idea where he is any longer.  Wouldn't the baddies be more 
inclined to leave them alone if Harry were gone?  

The more I think about this, the more I'm convinced that there has 
been a deal with DD.  Up to this time I think that it's been a 
delicate balance for DD in convincing the Dursleys to keep Harry [in 
exchange for a protection for the family] but in not pushing them too 
far or too hard for "perfect behavior," because he knows they could 
say "no more!" and toss Harry out.  At *this* point, with his Howler, 
I think DD is reminding her of the protection he'd provided for 14 
years.  If I'm right, then previously -- before Voldy returned -- it 
would've been MORE tempting for Petunia to have kicked Harry out, 
because the wicked & evil people out there would've seemed less real 
and therefore less likely to come after them.  But now -- now that 
she KNOWS Voldy is back -- she knows she more desperately needs that 
protection DD has offered more.  And the only way she's going to keep 
that is to also keep Harry.

Or so that's how I see it.

Siriusly Snapey Susan