DD and the Dursleys

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 158038

---  "hickengruendler" <hickengruendler at ...> wrote:
>
>  
> > BAW:
> > Dumbledore's making frequent and regular visits to a 
> > Muggle household would have attracted Death Eater 
> > attention to that house.  They would have discovered 
> > who the boy the Dursleys were taking care of was and
> > ---well, you can guess the rest. The Ancient Magic 
> > protects Harry from Voldemort, but not from his 
> > minions.
> > ...
> >
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> 
> Then why didn't the Death Eaters attack Privet Drive as 
> soon as Voldemort returned? Judging by his graveyard 
> speech, Voldemort knew very well, where Harry lived. If 
> the protection only saves him from Big. He could have 
> sent his minions to kill the Dursleys and capture 
> Harry, but he didn't. The protection has to work against
> Voldie's minions as well, otherwise it wouldn't make any
> sense. 
>

bboyminn:

I agree that the protection is against BOTH Voldemort and
his Death Eaters. When Dumbledore is describing the 
'protection', he speak primarily of Voldemort's remaining
supporters, who he says are as terrible and ruthless as 
Voldemort himself. He seems to make it clear that his 
short term goal is to protect Harry from the revenge of
Voldemort remaining supporters, but goes on to say that 
he /does/ think that Voldemort will return. So, the long
term goal is to protect Harry from Voldemort.

So-

Short Term Goal - keep Harry safe from vengeful DE's.
Long Term Goal - keep Harry safe from a returned Voldemort.

I think the first few years of Harry's life, he was not 
likely to stray very far from the Dursley's house where 
his protection seems the strongest. Later, he may 
accompany them on a shopping trip or something, but given
the way they treated him, that would be rare. ALso, while
accompanied by the Dursleys, he would be in the presence 
of his mother's blood, and that much count as some 
protection.

The first potential danger comes when Harry finally goes to
muggle school and he has to be away from the protection of
the Dursley's house. By then the DE's and the danger would
have cooled and the risk would be lower. Plus still being 
very young, Harry wouldn't be very independant. It would be
off to school and straight back to his protected home again. 

I still claim that Dumbledore made the best choice under the
circumstances.

Just passing it along.
Steve/bboyminn