Dumbledore's Magnaminity

[colebiancardi]

No: HPFGUIDX 142981

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at y...> wrote:
>
>  > colebiancardi
> > arrgg...you are making me chew up my posts! Dumbledore HAS 
> mentioned
> > them, and there are plenty of references in the last 2 books: 
> <snip>
> 
>   And yes, she
> > is afraid of what the WW will do to them if they don't let Harry 
> stay
> > - Petunia, once receiving the *reminder* from DD, states to Vernon
> > that Harry stays.  And that is that.
> > 
> a_svirn:
> Apart from the "reminder of the pact" all the other quotes you cited 
> do not mention any terms or agreements.  I've yet to know 
> that "expressing the hope" means outlining the terms of 
> contract.  "You did not do as I asked" again – "asked", not you "did 
> not do as we agreed". Strange isn't it? If there was any contract 
> signed then why didn't Dumbledore mention it in his little homily? 
> 
> Yes, we know that by taking Harry Petunia sealed the charm.  She 
> agreed to provide a protection in a form of a houseroom. She did not 
> agree to love him as her own. She did not agree to raise him as a 
> wizard. On the contrary she and Vernon swore that they won't have 
> anything to do with the WW. We don't know why she took Harry, but if 
> you are right and she's indeed afraid of reprisals in case she 
> violates the terms of this hypothetical contract the most obvious 
> conclusion we can make is that she was intimidated into "sealing the 
> pact" in the first place. 
> 
> So I would like to repeat my question: what *terms* did Dumbledore 
> outline in his letter according to you?
>

well, I thought I had covered the terms in my post at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/142976.  I am not
sure what else you are looking for - I don't have DD's letter - all we
have is what we read in the book.  The terms outlined in the letter
was the request that the Dursley's take Harry in and the wish that
Harry be raised as the Dursley's own son.  DD also explained that if
they agreed to take Harry in(and there may be more, we don't know),
Petunia sealed the agreement and Harry must be allowed to stay over
for at least one night in the Dursley's home until he is 17.  

I don't think Petunia was forced into doing this.  I never stated
that.  What I stated is that once she agreed to DD's terms in the
letter - and see above for my paragraph of the terms, plus the post
that lists the canon - she had to abid to it, otherwise, there might
be ramifications by breaking the pact.  Perhaps something out of DD's
control - perhaps LV could target the Dursley's if the pact, once
made, was broken.  The wish bit about Harry being treated as their own
son, was just that - a desire that DD hoped they would do.  But they
did not.  Nor did I state anywhere that the Dursley's had to raise
Harry as a wizard, nor did DD ask them to.  I am not sure where that
is coming from, as I never stated that.  Perhaps you are confusing me
with another poster?  

The Dursley's did only what was necessary once they agreed to take
Harry in.

And yes, my quotes did state that DD explained it in the letter.  The
quote from OotP goes over the pact, which were the terms IF Petunia
took Harry in.  and from HBP, page 35 - DD also mentions the letter
that was included with baby Harry, explaining his parent's murder and
expressing the hope that they would care for Harry as one of their
own.  What more do you need?  

It is like a job - if you only do what is required to skate on by, you
will not get a raise - matter of fact, you may be out of a job soon. 
However, if you go above & beyond what is required of you, you get a
raise, you get the promotion.   Dumbledore is not the type of person
who "forces" anyone to do anything that they do not wish to do - he
gives them a choice.  The Dursley's chose unwisely with their
treatment of Harry.  They were subhuman in their manner towards Harry,
despite DD's plea to them in the letter to treat him in a good manner,
like their own son.  That was DD's admonishment to them.  They didn't
treat Harry as a son.  They didn't behave as decent human beings and
he let them know it.  In America, people like the Dursley's get thrown
in jail for the indifference and mistreatment of children.  A few
glasses of mead knocking on the Dursley's heads, pales in comparsion
what RL would have done to them.  At DD gave them a choice there too -
they didn't have to drink the mead, just acknowledge the drinks and
hold them in their hands. 

colebiancardi