DD and Harry in Book VI. The Dursleys or the WW?

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 123439


Geoff wrote:
You may consider it silly, but it has been an integral part of
British culture for many years; I was brought up in that way - though
I sometimes regret it - and it still plays quite a strong part in our
tradition.

So, whatever you may think of it, Hogwarts is characterising an
essentially English approach.

vmonte responds:
There is also something else that people are forgetting. Dumbledore
placed Harry in Petunia's home because he felt he had no choice. He
needed Petunia's blood protection, and he needed to keep Harry away
from the WW until he was old enough to defend himself. I personally
don't think that Harry would have been safe anywhere else. I think
that Voldemort's defeat at GH created a kind of Harry "myth" (of epic
proportions!). Harry became someone to be feared by the DEs, and
respected by the rest of the WW. The fact that the WW did not see
Harry for 11 years also helped with creating the Harry "mythology."

If Harry had been living in the WW, how long would it have taken for
somebody to realize that Harry was just a cute little baby, and
nothing to fear? How long before someone realized that "there was
nothing special nor important" about Harry at all. Lucius would have
eventually paid the new parents a visit, don't you think? And how
difficult would it have been to toss baby Harry into a lake do you
suppose?

I think that Dumbledore needed to keep Harry away from the WW--
Period. Although, it makes me sad to think of a child (thank God it's
just a story) living with people like the Dursley's. I do however 
think that his experience with them made him tough and strong willed. 
These are important traits necessary to beat Voldemort IMO. I hope 
that Lily's spell also had the ability to make Harry feel that he was 
somehow loved, despite the Dursleys.

Vivian