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Re: The Dursleys. Seriana Sedai Send a noteboard - 26/07/2010 06:02:14 AM
Another, related, thing that struck me was that the Dursleys' preoccupation with keeping Harry from Hogwarts seems to suggest they actually care for him, in a warped, twisted way -- if not they would just leave him to magical life, surely? It would be less of a liability for them to have him at Hogwarts 10 months out of the year, than locked up in his room in their house (where he might suddenly lose control and start magicking the neighbours?


I don't think they want to keep him away from Hogwarts as a way of caring for him. I think it's all about themselves. What if people found out that the boy who has lived with them for 11 years was one of Those Weird People? It's (strangely) better for people to think that he's just a wild, disturbed child than someone who is part of a world so outside their understanding. And I think there's some malice in it as well: trying to prevent Harry from doing something he enjoys.

Petunia's a bit more complex than that. I think there is some love for Harry deep (deep) down. (Of course, we do see a glimpse of that later in the series.) But any love she does have for him is only because he's her sister's child.

I agree with all. I just wonder about Petunia. I don't know why she is so at war with herself about caring for Harry. I know she was very conflicted about her sister being a witch. I wonder if Petunia was going to mend the rift with Lily "one of these days" and then Lily died and Petunia was left with all that guilt or something like that.
I know I'm rambling, but I've always wanted to understand her better. I understand Vernon's motivations for why he treats Harry badly and I agree totally that he is trying to keep Harry from Hogwarts because it is something he enjoys, but Petunia I just don't understand.
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The Great Harry Potter re-read: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:32:22 AM 3139 Views
Chapters 1-3 Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:32:52 AM 2041 Views
Dobby Dark Knight - 19/07/2010 02:39:06 PM 1963 Views
Re: Dobby Seriana Sedai - 20/07/2010 06:42:21 AM 2117 Views
I hate Dobby. Rebekah - 20/07/2010 11:32:58 AM 2060 Views
I'm not a huge Dobby fan either. *spoilers from end of book* StormCrow - 20/07/2010 03:18:27 PM 1971 Views
Me too. Camilla - 20/07/2010 05:56:27 PM 1863 Views
Boo! Dark Knight - 21/07/2010 12:44:33 AM 2013 Views
I hate "movie Dobby." Book Dobby I'm neutral on. *NM* Deadsy - 21/07/2010 03:42:29 AM 1220 Views
I don't like him either. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:26:47 PM 1987 Views
It looks like all us cool kids hate Dobby Monkey - 23/07/2010 07:13:19 PM 2006 Views
Excellent. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:17:16 PM 2053 Views
Monkey - 24/07/2010 12:35:44 AM 1942 Views
Stuff Camilla - 20/07/2010 05:54:26 PM 2027 Views
The Dursley's and the Twins StormCrow - 21/07/2010 02:22:41 PM 1931 Views
The Dursleys. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:35:31 PM 2028 Views
Re: The Dursleys. Seriana Sedai - 26/07/2010 06:02:14 AM 1877 Views
she reminds me a bit of snape Deadsy - 26/07/2010 01:01:35 PM 1964 Views
Re: The Dursleys. Camilla - 26/07/2010 02:58:31 PM 1909 Views
Chapters 4-6 Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:33:18 AM 1948 Views
Another character we love to hate! Gilderoy Lockhart. Plus Weasley vs Malfoy. StormCrow - 20/07/2010 03:29:39 PM 2045 Views
Yes! Seriana Sedai - 20/07/2010 09:41:09 PM 2070 Views
Re: Yes! Camilla - 21/07/2010 07:05:13 AM 2026 Views
I can't remember how much I hated him the first read Deadsy - 21/07/2010 03:44:15 AM 2102 Views
You're right. It's not as bad the second (or third) time around with him. StormCrow - 21/07/2010 01:54:01 PM 1903 Views
I don't think I ever truly "hated" Lockheart Seriana Sedai - 26/07/2010 06:09:20 AM 1915 Views
My problems with Dobby are very different from my problems with Lockhart Camilla - 21/07/2010 07:02:55 AM 1989 Views
I can see that and I understand completely. StormCrow - 21/07/2010 02:06:27 PM 2173 Views
Exactly. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:20:33 PM 2053 Views
More stuff Camilla - 21/07/2010 07:00:04 AM 1957 Views
I really noticed this time around aria - 21/07/2010 03:10:43 PM 1859 Views
Yeah. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:15:21 PM 1966 Views
This section really brought home to me how well Rowling writes about love and relationships. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:22:43 PM 2014 Views
That last remark made me check out the names in the French translation... Legolas - 26/07/2010 05:18:36 PM 2050 Views
Don't get me started on the Norwegian translation. Camilla - 26/07/2010 09:52:09 PM 1983 Views
Ahahahahaha! Rebekah - 26/07/2010 09:55:17 PM 1818 Views
That is indeed genuinely awesome. Legolas - 27/07/2010 12:24:07 AM 1998 Views
Re: That is indeed genuinely awesome. Camilla - 27/07/2010 09:07:35 AM 2005 Views
McSnurf? MCSNURF?? WTH? *NM* fionwe1987 - 27/07/2010 08:47:55 PM 1162 Views
Nono. McSnurp. Camilla - 27/07/2010 08:48:58 PM 1951 Views
Read it wrong. fionwe1987 - 27/07/2010 09:15:07 PM 1792 Views
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Deathday Party - seemed like filler to me. Not a big fan. StormCrow - 21/07/2010 02:33:53 PM 1988 Views
Yeah, I didn't like that either. Rebekah - 22/07/2010 06:56:39 PM 1897 Views
It is a plot device Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:11:45 PM 1911 Views
Heh. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:16:48 PM 1859 Views
Colin Creevey. Rebekah - 22/07/2010 06:55:17 PM 1982 Views
I don't know. He's always annoyed me. StormCrow - 22/07/2010 09:23:36 PM 1963 Views
Re: Colin Creevey. Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:13:33 PM 1977 Views
Suspect I'm more patient with young people than you are. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:18:24 PM 1939 Views
Infinitely more so, I think Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:21:09 PM 1937 Views
Even more stuff Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:10:39 PM 2022 Views
Mrs Norris. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:13:51 PM 2022 Views
Re: Mrs Norris. Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:15:18 PM 1970 Views
Re: Mrs Norris. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 10:17:41 PM 1894 Views
Chapters 10-12 Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:34:13 AM 1846 Views
Three good chapters StormCrow - 22/07/2010 02:28:20 PM 1890 Views
Re: Three good chapters Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:34:40 PM 2007 Views
Yup. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:32:03 PM 1946 Views
Re: Yup. Camilla - 26/07/2010 03:01:15 PM 1964 Views
I agree. And plain jealousy that Harry's hogging the spotlight time and again. Legolas - 26/07/2010 05:28:09 PM 2054 Views
And then some... Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:31:56 PM 1785 Views
Hermione Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:29:22 PM 1947 Views
Another example aria - 24/07/2010 12:56:26 AM 1849 Views
Re: Hermione Camilla - 24/07/2010 04:58:14 AM 1750 Views
Something I don't like: Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:24:59 PM 1812 Views
I disagree. aria - 24/07/2010 01:01:17 AM 1734 Views
Re: Something I don't like: Camilla - 26/07/2010 03:01:54 PM 1801 Views
Those students are 12 years old, though. Legolas - 26/07/2010 05:35:13 PM 1786 Views
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Heh. I'd forgotten how near the end of the book the spiders are. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:26:43 PM 1781 Views
"Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." StormCrow - 26/07/2010 01:58:25 PM 1778 Views
Re: "Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." Camilla - 27/07/2010 08:50:34 PM 2096 Views
Re: "Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." Seriana Sedai - 27/07/2010 09:08:24 PM 1844 Views
And... Camilla - 26/07/2010 02:54:54 PM 1904 Views
Chapters 16-18 Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:35:20 AM 1889 Views
Lockhart & Dobby get what's coming to them. StormCrow - 26/07/2010 02:26:42 PM 1890 Views
Finally... Camilla - 26/07/2010 02:55:39 PM 1922 Views
He is one indeed, sort of anyway. *NM* Legolas - 26/07/2010 05:39:12 PM 1145 Views
Harry was a horcrux Deadsy - 27/07/2010 02:57:42 AM 1758 Views
Yes Camilla - 27/07/2010 09:09:38 AM 1858 Views
Voldemort's (sometimes) hilarious names in translation. Legolas - 26/07/2010 06:14:58 PM 4212 Views
Rebekah - 26/07/2010 06:45:55 PM 1972 Views
Overall thoughts Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:36:06 AM 1983 Views
Character development Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:37:01 AM 1804 Views
Re: Character development Seriana Sedai - 20/07/2010 06:45:43 AM 1796 Views
Similar to the first, but a nice step up in complexity. Nate - 19/07/2010 07:56:45 PM 2340 Views
I found an error i the POA preview in the back of my book Deadsy - 20/07/2010 10:51:42 AM 1775 Views
Yeah i have that edition too *NM* Dark Knight - 21/07/2010 12:43:12 AM 1053 Views
Thoughts on the movie quality Deadsy - 21/07/2010 04:15:20 AM 1701 Views
I always felt that the first two movies were the best, and the others bungled the atmosphere. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 21/07/2010 03:08:29 PM 1079 Views
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I think this book isn't as deep or as thoughtful as the first. Rebekah - 23/07/2010 11:36:17 PM 1844 Views
I feel the same way. aria - 24/07/2010 01:04:39 AM 1752 Views
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Suggestions for the re-read? Rebekah - 19/07/2010 09:37:32 AM 1812 Views
Re: Suggestions for the re-read? Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:37:37 PM 1876 Views
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Re: OK. Camilla - 23/07/2010 10:43:56 PM 1916 Views
Do we want a wee break before the next book? Rebekah - 24/07/2010 10:47:07 AM 1769 Views
I'm indifferent 'cause I can't find my copy of POA *NM* Deadsy - 26/07/2010 01:27:05 AM 1139 Views
Nonononono! Camilla - 26/07/2010 03:12:56 PM 1787 Views
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we need an impatient smiley that taps its foot while looking grumpy. *NM* Camilla - 27/07/2010 08:51:30 PM 1071 Views
More than anything! *NM* Seriana Sedai - 27/07/2010 09:01:33 PM 1092 Views
It's not Wednesday yet! *NM* Legolas - 27/07/2010 09:26:21 PM 975 Views
But it was a question: Camilla - 27/07/2010 10:25:27 PM 1746 Views
Yes, but the two possibilities in Rebekah's post were either Wednesday or next Monday. Legolas - 27/07/2010 10:33:10 PM 2102 Views
Aaaah Camilla - 27/07/2010 10:34:51 PM 1836 Views
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