Many sleepless nights

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 124702


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Elizabeth G" <Bazile2OO3 at h...>
wrote:
> As the reader, we have the opportunity 
> to see that Petunia and Lily are estranged from one another, and
appear to 
> have been for some time.

I am not sure they did not have contact. In SS chapter 1 there is an
interchange between Petunia and Vernon where Vernon asks Petunia what
was Lily's son name and she immediately answers. Petnuia did not like
her sister but I think she had more contact than we know with her.

> With that in mind, I do think that Dumbledore should have arranged
to have 
> Harry removed from there custudy as soon as he knew how they were
actually 
> treating him, blood protection or not.

Not if removing him was placing him in mortal danger. According to his
comments at the end of OoP that was the case.

> And according to my mother the social 
> worker who used to work Child Protective Service, she would have
removed 
> both Harry and Dudley from the home if this had been an actual
situation.

Then she would have overstepped her boundaries. Harry is certainly
abused there, but Dudley? As others said, he is indulged, but mostly
as a result of ignorance and stupidity and the Dursleys, when
presented with a treatment plan do follow it (as in making Dudley diet
and enrolling him in sports, i.e. boxing or wrestling). They do have
the best intentions for their son, at least, but they are stupid and
ignorant. Mandated family councelling would have been more helpfull
than outright removal.

As for Harry, they clearly do not love it, are scared to death that
his true heritage and abilities will come to the surface and believe
that keeping him downtrodden will snuff his magical ability. So from
their perspective they are doing it for his own good. I believe their
attitude towards him is abusive but keeping him with them is the
lesser of two evils (the other being the risk to his life).

Salit