Privet Drive alternatives - any ideas?

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 124552


Becky:

Reading up the list, there is a lot of back and forth of the same 
arguments about the Dursleys under various threads.
 
I agree that the Dursleys are far from ideal, and I agree that Harry 
has been abused (as has Dudley, just in a much less obvious way).
 
I further agree with arguments from the other side regarding the 
fact he was put there due to the blood protection.
 
What I want to know though is related to alternatives. Those who see 
an alternative, what is it? I just don't see it. Here is my list of 
alternatives, and the reasons I don't think they work in any way.
snip.

So

 
Dumbledore maybe? - No. He is headmaster of a school. I can't see a 
Hogwarts being a good place to bring up a one year old. Plus, as 
headmaster (and someone very high up in other wizard institutions) 
he would have far too many other pressures on his time to give a one 
year old the attention needed. Not realistic. (Pretty much the same 
goes for MM. What would she do with him when she was teaching 
classes?)

snip.
I really do think that this is a case of the lesser of evils. I'm 
not excusing their treatment, but I see it more as that of someone 
who is scared. Sort of `push him down, that way he can't harm us`. 

snip

Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent. I just wanted to show the lack 
of alternative, and ask what other people thought. Where would you 
have him grow up instead?


Alla:

Hi, Becky! I agree that most likely JKR wanted to portray placing 
Harry with Dursleys as the case of lesser evils.

I am very glad though that JKR thinks about Harry as "abused" child, 
because regardless whether it is lesser evil or not, I still view it 
as abuse.

If we are to play alternatives list, I LOVE the option of sweeping 
Harry away to another country. Surely, Dumbledore has plenty of 
acquiantances around the world, who could take Harry in.


I agree that most of the people you named do not sound as plausible 
alternatives, except I would disagree about Dumbledore himself.

He IS after all the only one whom Voldie fears. I think it is 
possible that he could have protected Harry just as strongly as blood 
protection does.

See, I cannot stop thinking that nowhere in the books Dumbledore says 
that blood protection was THE ONLY option available to him, just the 
one "he put his trust in". Who knows, maybe it would have been wiser 
to put Dumbledore trust in himself?

It is especially wierd if you consider the hint that Dumbledore and 
Potters were quite close ( James did leave his invisibility cloak 
with Dumbledore) It seems to me that they had closer relationship 
with Dumbledore that simply former students with their Headmaster, 
therefore it does not look to me as that much of a stretch to ask 
Dumbledore to care for Harry.

I also loved Finwitch' question as to why Dumbledore put his trust in 
Harry's parents blood, but not their choice. There was that moment, 
when Hagrid sees Sirius . Why exactly Dumbledore won't let Sirius to 
take Harry right away? Who knows, maybe that would forced him out of 
his grief and made him not go after Peter?

Endless what ifs and speculations and yes, I realise that we woudn't 
have the same story, had different choice been made by JKR. 

JMO,

Alla