DD's dilemma (was: Hogwarts Teachers - Lockhart)

[someoneofsomeplace]

No: HPFGUIDX 126411


Alla:
> 
> Yes, I evaluate the "abuse" issue by our, "muggle" standards. :o)
> Personally I believe that even though wizard children are more 
prone 
> to physical injuries, JKR did not drastically change the criteria 
of 
> abuse as though she is writing about alien race. Hence her 
statement 
> in the interview that Harry is abused ( the one where she talks 
> about Dudley being just as abused as Harry), but that is of course 
> just my personal belief. If JKR indeed is writing about the world, 
> where what was done to Harry is considered to be OK, I don't think 
I 
> like the morals of that world that much.



John:
Hmmm. I still feel we're many of us being perhaps a *teensy* bit too 
harsh on DD, in general, not just on this point. 


His priority, remember, was to keep Harry alive; invoking the blood 
protection by giving him to the Dursleys was the best, probably 
only, way to do that.

BTW, I don't think we've by any means been given the full story on 
*that* particular matter—I adhere to that idea which's been floating 
around that Lily left some sort of loving imprint of herself in 
Harry's sub-conscience, so that he would hang on to the feeling that 
he had *some* worth as a human being, in spite of all that Durlsley-
neglect. I also think DD knew about this. How else would Harry grow 
up to be the relatively healthy boy that we are introduced to in 
PS/SS?

But back to my first point, try putting yourself in DD's shoes. The 
burden he bears, as the (very much) self-appointed protector of the 
WW, means that he is under a duty, nay *contract*, to keep alive the 
WW's, as he sees it, only hope of survival. 

Sure he's probably made some mistakes at different stages but it's 
none of our duty IMHO to act as any type of moral authority over 
him. Note that it's essentially a no-win situation DD is in; even if 
Harry and the WW survive, he'll have to live, or die, with the fact 
that he knowingly subjected Harry to some pretty tough times. We're 
obviously pretty lucky that we aren't likely to be faced with these 
types of decisions at any point in our lives.

Not defending the Dursley's behavior, not saying I'm right, but 
that's just the way I see it.

John.