Dumbledore on the Dursleys in OotP (was:Re: Old, old problem.)

[richter_kuymal]

No: HPFGUIDX 151253

c.john  I think that DD sees Sirius as someone who could have 
seriously derailed his plans. Up until Sirius' arrival, DD had  
managed to control Harry's upbringing quite well.

PAR: this rather implies Puppetmaster!DD.  Surely a father figure 
who can provide HP with comfort and concern (GoF) and who goes to 
the extreme of living as a dog eating rats in order to "be there" is 
something that HP could emulate as a GOOD thing. 


 <Snip> Sirius, however, is impulsive, emotional and often unkind. 
== Actually, I find him rather restrained in many situations. He 
ignores a lot of what Kreacher does to annoy him; he doesn't ever 
physically beat Kreacher -- Sirius picks him up (by his loincloth, 
not by an arm or ear) and removes him from the room when the House 
elf is too annoying and won't leave. Compare to the Malfoy's 
handling of Dobby.  We don't see ironed hands in Kreacher, nor death 
threats.  The worst Sirius does is threaten Kreacher with "clothes" -
- freedom that probably Sirius would dearly LIKE to give Kreacher 
but can't.  As to emotional, he seems to discuss the issues of OOP 
rationally enough and doesn't respond excessively to Molly's 
innuendos.  Yes, he hates Snape.  Tolerates the man insulting him in 
his own house though, for the sake of the OOP. Doesn't like 
Kreacher -- well who would other than Narcissa, who only "likes" him 
for the sake of what Kreacher can bring her?  Has enough courage, 
bravery and yes, LOVE to take risks for Harry.  That is bad?  
Impulsive? Not really.  He didn't obey DD. That isn't impulsive, 
that is disagreeing with DD's orders.  He went to the MOM to rescue 
Harry -- ok, he might not have gotten killed if he hadn't gone, but 
he was a useful member of that rescue party and without a rescue 
party Harry and the others would likely have died or been crucio'd 
to insanity.  He jibes at Bella.  There, I'll grant you, it isn't 
the smartest thing to do when you are in a fight.  Very traditional 
for the old "knight in armor" Arthurian types though.  

I felt Hagrid handled it better with Harry on the subject of 
Sirius.  Hagrid tries to point out to Harry that Sirius' death was 
that of a warrior and honorable.  If Hagrid can recognize it "wasn't 
his nature" for Sirius to sit on the sidelines inactive and worse, 
trapped in a house he hated, I just don't see that DD couldn't.  I 
too, find DD's speech to Harry self serving and inappropriate.  If 
DD is doing it to "prevent" Harry from behaving like Sirius,that is 
even more manipulative and even worse. It just isn't appropriate to 
respond to another person's grief over a death as an opportunity 
to "mold" them into a particular behavior.
PAR