Dursleys or Death (was:Re: Christian Forgiveness and Snape...

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 164472

Betsy Hp:
> Um...me?  This is the other side of the argument I really don't get.
> I can only assume that the assumption is that Harry wasn't in all 
> that much danger.  But if I were given the choice between a warm and
> loving home for a few years, then my son in Bellatrix's hands for a
> few hours, then death, I'd take the blood protection with the 
> Dursley's thank you very much.  Sure Harry suffered, but he's alive.

Jen:  I was sort of speaking rhetorically but since you mention it, I 
do think a parent can rationally make a tough choice in the face of 
immediate danger that would would be harder to make when considering 
possible future danger, i.e.,  Harry enduring the Dursleys year after 
year to ensure the blood protection.  I'm not saying parents 
*shouldn't* make this choice, just that it's easier in immediate danger 
or hypothetically than if you have to watch your child suffer in the 
hopes that one day they may need the benefit you're providing them.  

Betsy: 
> Seriously, I would send my child to the Dursleys in a heartbeat if 
> the choice was that or death.  And many, many, many other parents 
> have made that sort of decision before.  My heart aches for them, but 
> I totally understand and agree with their thinking.

Jen:  I don't know if I could...I'd *want* to, I do believe rationally 
it would be the best protection.  It's just sometimes parents are 
overcome by emotion in the face of logic and Dumbledore exemplifies 
that for me.  The only way he seemed able to carry on with his 'plan' 
was to rationalize to himself it was for the greater good.  Once he met 
Harry, his logic started to fail and emotion took over.  The speech in 
OOTP was Dumbledore explaining exactly what his rationale was and the 
technical correctness of his plan, but how he couldn't sustain even the 
most logical plan once he felt connected to Harry as a real person.  

Mostly I empathize with Dumbledore in that scene, that's the bottom 
line when I think about it.  Empathize with both of them:  Harry for 
having lost so much and Dumbledore for making the choice to contribute 
to some of Harry's suffering.  I suppose at times I overlook the way DD 
chose to deliver his information and notice only the stuff between the 
lines <g>.