Dumbledore's Magnaminity

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 142959


> Valky:
> The problem is that there desire to not be involved in the Magical
> World is not evident all their actions from Dumbledore's point of
> view. It is evident that they want to deny Harry his heritage, and
> that Petunia has had a falling out with her sister. But their 
reasons,
> however we have them, are never given so explicitly to Dumbledore.
> Dumbledore has, in fact, evidence to the contrary since Petunia has
> accepted both his correspondences and Harry who is, by all 
accounts, a
> link to the magical world for the Dursley family.

a_svirn:
Their reasons are never given so explicitly to Dumbledore, because 
they are not acquainted with Dumbledore. I would even go so far as 
to say that their reasons do not interest Dumbledore.  As for the 
Dursleys' "accepting his correspondence", this is simply not true. 
Vernon Dursley even nailed down the mail slot in order NOT to accept 
any letters from the WW. If I get a junk-mail in my mail-box it 
doesn't mean that I "accept" it, now, does it? I'd say that their 
desire "not to be involved" with the WW has been made abundantly 
clear on number on occasions. 

> Valky:
> It could be said that from Dumbledore's point of view, Petunia was
> grudgingly willing to claim her acquaintance with the Wizard world,
> she did so and therefore Dumbledore is no stranger. They do have
> something to do with the Wizard world, and it's not clear exactly 
why
> they do so when they don't want to. 

a_svirn:

Now you leave me practically speechless. I shall have to look up to 
the classic for assistance:

"- Contrariwise, - continued Tweedledee, - if it was so, it might  
be;
and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's 
logic".

 
> Valky:
> No, there is no determination in the text, AFAIK, that the Howler 
was
> a threat of any kind. It was precisely an ominous reminder of 'some
> thing' the nature of which we just do not know.
>

a_svirn:
 "Ominous"
 What an interesting choice of words. You know what my 
dictionary says:  

"Ominous (adjective), threatening, suggesting or indicating that 
something bad is going to happen or be revealed". 


> Valky:
> 
> Dumbledore turns his attention from the Dursleys to speak to Harry
> after he has greeted them, offered some banter for good measure, 
sat
> down and offered the gift of a fine bottle of his favourite drink 
to
> them. He addresses Harry and answers Vernons questions, patiently 
and
> politely until Vernon says greedily "He's been left a House?" - 
this,
> everybody ignores, naturally. <g> Later Dumbledore ignores Vernon's
> muttering "preposterous" at the WW custom of coming of age at 17, 
and
> finally he refuses to answer the ridiculously stupid 
objection "Us..
> mistreat Dudders? What d'you?.." 
> 
> Otherwise Dumbledore gives the Dursley's full and polite
> acknowledgement, and it is they who fail to reciprocate the 
gesture.

a_svirn:
Strange, how Harry saw it all in quite the opposite light.