HBP Chapters 27 - 30 post DH look LONG SORRY

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 184520

> > > Alla:
> > > 
> > > I am no Montavilla, but I think she meant asking Petunia in 
person 
> > > and **before** she finds a child at her house. And why exactly 
the 
> > > onus of looking for Dumbledore should be on her? Since when the 
> > host 
> > > should be looking for somebody who put unwelcome gift and left? 
> > > Shouldn't it be backwards?
> > > 
> > > Again, not justifying Petunia at all. As far as I am concerned 
the 
> > > only fact that Harry is a helpless baby who is her family 
should 
> > have 
> > > been enough for her to welcome him. But the more I think about 
it, 
> > > the more I think that by dropping Harry on their doorstep 
without 
> > as 
> > > much as by your leave, Dumbledore behaved as obnoxious rude 
bully.
> > > 
> >   
> > Hickengruendler:
> > 
> > And not only that, I assume it must also have been a 
very "unusual" 
> > way to find out, that your only sister just died. Even for 
Petunia. 
> > Whatever Petunia's sins towards Harry are, and I agree that there 
are 
> > plenty, at the time the first chapter took place she wasn't yet 
> > guilty of anything except holding an extraordinary strong grudge 
> > towards Lily and cutting ties with her. So I think that she very 
well 
> > deserved to be told in person, that her sister just died. I mean, 
> > just imagine finding a letter on your doorstep, where it says, 
that 
> > your closest remaining relative just died. Some kind words from 
> > the "Epitome of Goodness" wouldn't have been out of place I 
think. 
> > Not even for Petunia.
> 
> Montavilla47:
> Not to mention that she hadn't exactly broken all ties to Lily.  
After
> all, she had sent her sister an ugly vase.  So, they were at least
> on an ugly Christmas present basis. :)

Ceridwen:
I'm leaving the comments in because I completely agree with them and 
don't want to repeat the good points brought out.

When I first read this scene, it struck me as some sort of pseudo-
divine intervention, a fairy-gift, or something of that nature.

As the series progressed, the whole Statute of Secrecy thing tended 
to justify not approaching the Muggles.  But as the series wound 
down, as well as retroactive notice of mentions throughout that 
Petunia, as Lily's sister, knew about the WW, and Vernon knew about 
it too, I believe that Dumbledore acted rudely here as well.  
Petunia, Vernon and, later, Dudley, have things they need to answer 
for, but at this point they do not.  Dumbledore was the last person 
who was qualified to pass judgement on them.

I think this is one of those things that are looked back on in a 
different light after the complete revelation at the end.  This was 
one of Dumbledore's huge mistakes, and it's one he never seems to 
recognize judging by his treatment of the Dursleys in HBP, and by his 
never intervening during Harry's first ten or so years with the 
Dursleys.  I think he went to his grave completely clueless about at 
least this one huge, glaring wrong.

Ceridwen.