Threatening the Dursleys at the station (was Re: Why not BRIBE ...)

[meriaugust]

No: HPFGUIDX 123083


 > > kjirstem:
 The problem is we don't know that the charm requires
> any "willingness."  It may or may not.  It may have required
> willingness at the first instance but not later.

Meri now: I think we do know whether or not there was willingness on 
at least Aunt Petunia's part. IIRC in Order DD says something to the 
effect that Aunt Petunia took Harry in "furiously" but willingly. He 
is there at the Dursleys because Aunt Petunia wants him there to 
some extent. She keeps him and that keeps him alive. Whether or not 
financial recompense would negate that is up for debate, but he 
stays at the Dursleys because Aunt Petunia at least allows it. 

>Lupinlore:  
> However, this raises another very important point.  If bribing the
> Dursleys undermines the "willingness" factor, surely threatening 
them
> does so even more.  And yet this is precisely what Lupin and the
> Weasleys and MadEye did at the end of OOTP.  Now, if they couldn't 
be
> threatened or bribed before, why is it suddenly all right to do it
> NOW?  And if it is all right to do it now, why in the world didn't
> Albus get off his be-robed butt and do it a looooong time ago?

Meri again: Again, IIRC, Mad Eye and Lupin weren't threatening the 
Dursleys to keep Harry, just to treat him better, and they probably 
weren't doing this with DD's knowledge or permission, but I don't 
see why their actions would negate the protection. OTOH, I would 
imagine that after what happened last summer the Dursleys probably 
wouldn't be able to treat Harry any way they wanted. After all, he 
saved Dudley's life. Now I know the Dursleys are Muggles, but there 
may very well be some sort of debt between them now. 

Meri