Occlumency VERY VERY LONG

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 191727

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, sigurd at ... wrote:

Otto: 
> Perhaps J.K. Rowling felt that as part of her backstory Dumbledore picked the Dursleys simply because any wizzarding family would be the first place Voldemort would look. Perhaps raising him in Hogwarts rom infancy is not possible, perhaps-- perhaps-- perhaps-- perhaps---

Geoff:
How would you therefore interpret the following quotes from canon?

'[Dumbledore speaking]
"Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to 
tell me why you're here, of all places?"
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family 
he has left now."'
(PS "The Boy Who LIved" p.15 UK edition)

'"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on 
the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? 
These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I 
wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in future - 
there will be books written about Harry = every child in our world will 
know his name!"
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-
moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before 
he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! 
Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that 
until he's ready to take it?"'
(ibid. pp.15-16)

Otto: 
> My own belief is that you cannot explain this from the internals of the book, but that JK Rowling was simply assuring marketing success by weaving into the story one of the most powerful tropes that appeals to immature readers, that they are special children with magical mystical powers marooned among a family of boorish toads who do not recognize their greatness and insist on them doing things like homework, shining their shoes, brushing their teeth, studying, and not running with scissors.

Geoff:
I'm not convinced that that was her real incentive. JKR has explained how she 
started writing the book when she was out of work and wanted to pass the 
time and  to develop the story of Harry. She certainly wasn't thinking of 
publication from the word go and had considerable trouble finding a 
publisher.