DD at the Dursleys: Better Manner to Accept.

[ornadv]

No: HPFGUIDX 158070

>Abergoat offers:

>Dumbledore, OoP
>"But she took you," Dumbledore cut across him. "She may have taken 
>you
>grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took 
>you,and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. "

>'grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly' sounds very similar 
>to force, although there is a fine distinction - clearly there was
>choice. But that choice was compelled in some way. But WHY was she
>able to be 'compelled', why did Petunia HAVE to take in Harry?

Orna:
I understand this particular sentence to mean – that she had a 
choice and she was compelled – she didn't like it - but it was her 
choice. She was compelled because she found she couldn't wholly rid 
herself from family ties - her sister's baby. (That's why IMO it 
sealed the charm - it was because of her sister's blood that she 
took him in). She found (just like Draco found he wasn't a killer – 
and didn't like it), that she couldn't make herself ignore this 
baby, or put him in an orphanage. She might have thought it would 
look bad in the neighbors eyes – her putting him in an orphanage, 
but she might also found out that hating her sister, not wanting to 
hear anything about her, being afraid of magic under her roof, all 
those didn't take her as far as ignoring her sister's helpless baby, 
when she was perhaps told in the letter, that his very life depended 
on her taking him in. So she was stuck there, and hated him 
for "forcing" her to do it – but it was her choice – not to seal his 
fate for death.  
Orna