Secrets of Harry's past - At the Last Moment

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 190108

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, June Ewing <doctorwhofan02 at ...> wrote:

Geoff:
> > I read this as Hagrid doing the collection and collating all
> > on the day before, Dumbledore in his wisdom thinking "What
> > can we do to make something up to Harry".
> >
> > I don't see Hagrid being organised enough to collect photos
> > during the year and also keep them under wraps without letting
> > something slip. Anyway, if that was the case, why wait until
> > almost the last moment before the end of term to give them?

Steve:
> > And again, just before Harry left seems the perfect time to
> give him the book. Harry is all down about having to leave
> Hogwarts for a couple of months, and the books would be good to
> > keep him occupied and distracted while the time whiled away.

 June:
> I agree with Steve on this one. I think Hagrid probably got the
> idea when he learned that Harry knew nothing of his parents
> (because the Dursleys didn`t tell him) and felt bad for him and
> sent the letters off perhaps even before start of term. 

Geoff:
Good enough. I just read it as a sudden thought on somebody's part. 
Your interpretation and Steve's, hadn't occurred to me but it's perfectly 
valid; there's nothing else in canon, as far as I can remember, to 
confirm the event one way or the other. And it's not vital to the plot 
line. At the time, it is a very pleasing gesture for Harry's who is about
 to be pitched back into the Muggle world and all the hassle that that 
implies.