In Sorcerer's Stone

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 177952

> Amanda:
> **Why in the world leave the child with someone who hates all he is
> about?  There was no guarantee at first that the Dursleys would 
take in Little Harry.

zgirnius:
In light of the revelations in "The Prince's Tale", it is not clear 
to me that Dumbledore believes Petunia hates anything to do with 
magic. The last time he wrote to her, he had to very kindly detach 
her from the notion that she, a Muggle, might be permitted to attend 
Hogwarts and learn magic with her sister.

> Amanda:
> **Hypothetically, you would figure they would not know when Harry's
> powers would come to fruition, so why would they treat Harry so bad
> straight away?  How does she think keeping a child she does not 
want makes her look, as that is all the Dursleys seem to think of is 
how things make them look. 

zgirnius:
I think it all boils down to Petunis'a feelings about Lily. Once upon 
a time, she was a somewhat bossy, but loving older sister to Lily. 
But when Lily left for Hogwarts, that changed. I think the 
ambivalence she feels towards Harry is rooted in her ambivalence 
towards her sister. She would not leave her sister's son to starve in 
the street; nor can she love him, especially knowing he is a wizard 
like Lily was, and will be returning to that world.

> Amanda:
> **Oh before I forget why does it take so long for someone who truly
> cares about Harry to step up and say something on his behalf to the
> Dursleys?

zgirnius:
Does Hagrid not do this in the first book? The next time an adult 
shows up at Harry's is GoF, and again Arthur does it (expressing 
shock that Vernon is not even sayng good-bye to Harry).