Dumbledore the Counselor (was: Dumbledore the General)

[whizbang]

No: HPFGUIDX 124374


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03"
<horridporrid03 at y...> wrote:
> 

> Betsy:
> Yeah.  Folks keep saying that.  Funny thing is - they're never able 
> to quote much proof.  And I'm not talking about Harry hating life
at 
> the Dursleys, and I'm not talking about their less than stellar 
> behavior (cupboard, bars on window, excessive chores, etc.).  Quote 
> me something from canon that shows just how screwed up and damaged 
> Harry is because of his life at the Dursleys.

snip

 I'm not saying he's this amazingly strong *because* of 
> the Dursleys, but if you argue that Harry is a victim of child
abuse, 
> you really need to be able to point to some scars - physical or 
> emotional, if you have any hope of making your case.
> 
> Betsy, who admits to getting a little snarky about this particular 
> subject

Whiz:

Perhaps it's not the subject, per se.

We have no clue what was in the letter to the Dursleys.  For all we
know, Dumbledore may have told Petunia not to tell Harry about his
parents and to do everything possible to prevent him from discovering
his abilities.  Worrying about the neighbors may well be a symptom of
worrying about Death Eaters or Voldemort finding Harry under her roof.
Whenever Harry shows signs of unusual behavior, he gets locked in a
cupboard under the stairs and kept on a starvation diet.  (BTW, think
there's a connection from the cupboard to the London Underground? ;) )

Why does Petunia want to squash the magic out of Harry?  Or is that
just what she told Vernon?  

The pattern of keeping Harry uninformed, if not frankly lied to,
continued at Hogwarts.  It was not a Privet Dr. phenomenon.  Was this
part of Dumbledore's instructions?  It does seem as though, for good
or evil, keeping Harry uninformed and unaware of his own potential is
part of Dumbledore's plan to protect him.  Harry is not only hunted
by DEs and Voldemort, he also has Voldemort's transferred powers.  How
does one protect a child from that double whammy?  

I'm sure Dumbledore would give anything for Harry's childhood to have
been kinder, but circumstances being what they were.......

Until we know what was in the letter, I think we have to wait on
judging Petunia.  Dudley's and Vernon's behavior is deplorable.  I
have no excuse for them.  But, they may provide the smoke screen that
helps to keep Harry unnoticed by DEs.  

The goal of all of this is to protect Harry. Petunia knows what
happened to her sister.  She may not love Harry, but we have no idea
what impact Lily's place in the magical world had on her family.  Why
does Harry have no grandparents?  Why does she so spoil Dudley?

Petunia also seems to believe that Harry is capable of blowing up the
house.  She was alarmed to realize that whoever sent the Hogwarts
letter knew where Harry slept and presumably, how he was being
treated.  

What often surprises me is that Harry was allowed to go to school.

As for Dumbledore, it wouldn't surprise me if he did leave
instructions to that effect.  For reasons I don't understand,
Dumbledore also thinks it's good for students to have a psychopathic
potions master who tortures Harry and Neville. ???