A Theory about Harry's Continued Placement With the Dursleys

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

Some of us have questioned why Harry had to continue to spend several weeks with the Dursleys each summer after Voldemort returned at the end of GoF. If sharing Harry's blood allowed Voldemort to touch Harry, then it seems logical that it would also allow him to bypass any magical blood protections on #4 Privet Drive. So here's an idea, inspired by Arsinoe de Blassenville's The Best Revenge.

Dumbledore could argue that the Dursleys should have custody of Harry, even though they were Muggles, because Petunia was Harry's closest living blood relative. However, his argument probably would not have been especially valid unless Harry had actually lived with the Dursleys for at least a few weeks each summer. If Harry never actually spent any time with the Dursleys, then more distant wizarding relatives might have been able to present a good case for why they should have custody of him instead.

For example, let's suppose that Harry was the grandson of Dorea Black and Charlus Potter on the Black Family Tapestry. In that case, it's quite possible that, in the summer of 1995, Harry's closest living wizarding relatives (who were not convicted criminals anyway) were his second cousins Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy. In the summer of 1995, Andromeda Tonks had long since been disinherited from the Black family, and Lucius Malfoy had the ear of the Minister of Magic. So, if Harry hadn't continued to live with the Dursleys for part of each summer, then the Malfoys might have been able to gain custody of the Boy-Who-Lived.

In a sense, then, the Dursleys did provide Harry with a "blood" protection, even after Voldemort returned. But it wasn't necessarily a magical protection; it was a legal one.

Comments

[sunnyskywalker]

Also, I think your point about the ww not caring much about children's welfare is likely on the right track. When have they ever done anything to improve children's welfare, especially going so far as to try to improve custodial arrangements? They don't seem to so much as give Muggleborns' parents an overview of the ww and a support group so the kids will have a more supportive environment during their summer holidays, never mind try to keep an eye on things like whether a kid is regularly being dropped off piers and out of windows by relatives. (Neville didn't seem to think anyone would find this unusual, and indeed no one seemed at all surprised at his story, so this sounds like unexceptional wizarding childcare.) So I don't think the Ministry would worry over-much that Harry wouldn't get as much love and attention in a house with an elderly caretaker and two boys instead of one. (Though they might draw the line at sending him to the Weasleys' even if they are also cousins of a sort, if blasted-off ones - 8 kids would be enough to trip even their "over-commitment" meters, I should think.)

Anyway, we know Augusta has at least some help from Algie, so she's not entirely single-handed. We might consider having two relatives in St. Mungo's a major commitment, but I'm not sure they would in the ww. They're not much for paying attention to mental health generally, so they probably figure the Longbottoms will visit Frank and Alice when they like and that's that. As far as money, Hogwarts isn't fee-paying, and we never hear about the Weasleys needing to pay for Arthur's care, so it's possible the Malfoy donations are paying for the Longbottoms' care. And as far as we know the Longbottoms are doing fine financially; at least we never hear about any money trouble (Neville seems to get the legacy wand for legacy reasons, not lack of funds, as in Ron's case).

Neville never mentions either way, but being an old pureblood family, they may also have a house-elf. That would lighten Augusta's load considerably.

But there's so little evidence of any kind of system for these situations, who knows. All we know is that they do think family matters a lot.