DD at the Dursleys: Better Manner to Accept.

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 158040

> bboyminn:
> 
> OH MY GOD! Dumbledore annoyed the Dusleys, he should be
> shot!

Alla:

I was about to just nod in agreement with your post and keep reading 
but then stopped myself short. :)
 
> Dumbledore offerred the Dursleys a drink. OH MY GOD! He 
> should be shot! (sarcasm, in case you didn't get it)

Alla:

Heeee, well yes, me too so far, but keep reading for stopping short 
part.

 In
> many parts of the world the refusal to offer hospitality
> or the refusal to accept hospitality is a grave insult.
> Even if the offer is half-hearted and the acceptance is
> equally half-hearted, you do it as a matter of social 
> courtesy.

Alla:

I am sorry, but what? I may be ignorant of many social customs and 
then ready to eat my words, but in what part of the word you are 
obliged to offer hospitality to **uninvited** if not stranger, 
although it does seem that Dursleys and Dumbledore never met in 
person, but definitely the person you are not feeling friendly about 
at all.

I find this to be extremely strange defense of this scene. Let's be 
clear though, don't want to be misinterpreted. I have **no** problems 
with this scene, I enjoyed it tremendously, because as I stated it 
sort of saved Dumbledore for me and the more humiliation Dursleys 
suffer, I am all for it.

But I completely disagree that Dursleys owed Dumbledore **any** 
hospitality whatsoever.

You will get no argument from me that Petunia owed Harry a lot, I was 
brought up that family, especially close family takes care of each 
other and helps each other at the time of need and **no one** can 
convince me that Petunia had a right to treat the child of her dead 
sister as she did. Yes, she owed to Harry in my book and she is in my 
book a disgrace of the human being for not fulfilling her obligations 
as I see it, but as you said **Oh My God**, I see no hospitality 
obligations to Dumbledore here whatsoever.

And this is from someone who was also brought up to have her house 
open to the friends any time basically and would never refuse the 
hospitality to the friend, who drops by (still have hard time to get 
used to american customs of always announce the visit even to the 
friends)

But Dumbledore is **not** Dursleys friend as far as we know, so let 
me ask you again, what hospitality are you talking about?


Bboyminn:
<SNIP>
>> So, let us not lose our sense of perspective here, at worst
> the Dursley were annoyed for a few minutes, not tortured 
> for hours.

Alla:

Yes, me too.

 
JMO,

Alla