Dumbledore's Magnaminity

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 143005

 


>  Valky:
> In an attempt to wrap
> the whole thing up I'll just say  that I meant the howler was
> frightening, but I hold short of  translating that into an overt 
threat.

a_svirn:
Very well, it  was a covert threat. Does it make it any  better?





Julie:
I don't see any proof that the howler is conveying a threat, covert
or overt, not *from* Dumbledore. I think it's more of an unpleasant 
reminder of the facts. I.e., the Dursleys are living under Wizard 
protection, be that Lily's original protection or Dumbledore's  added
charm. If they throw Harry out, then they become accessible to 
Voldemort. Voldemort knows who they are and where they live,
and there's nothing to stop him from paying a little visit. And
I'm thinking he'll dispose of any niceties Dumbledore employed,
sardonically so or not!
 
I am assuming that Petunia agreed to take Harry in mostly 
for the protection it conferred on her family. Petunia, being Lily's 
sister and Harry's aunt, would certainly be a likely target of the
DEs, just like Neville's parents. This situation wasn't Dumbledore's
doing, though he offered protection to the Dursleys for taking Harry. 
This also explains much of Petunia's (and via her attitude,  Vernon's)
dislike and fear of the WW. And her knowledge of certain Dark parts
of the WW, like Dementors. 
 
Truth be told, if I were Petunia I'd be happy if the WW never  darkened
my door again! I might even avoid telling my nephew *anything* about
the world that got his parents murdered, in hopes that he would never
know of its existence (a reasonable assumption or not). After all,  what
good could come of it, and what evil have I already seen from it?
 
So I don't blame the Dursleys for despising the WW, though of  course
that doesn't excuse their treatment of Harry in any way. 
 
Julie 


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