This book continues the themes of things not being as they seem. Particularly in the first chapter, where the gardener is not only mistakenly assumed to be guilty, but the dead people appear to be quite well (despite being dead) and no harm appears to have come to them; and in addition there is Frank's assumption that Voldemort is a criminal and a spy and uses the wizarding world's words as codes -- misinterpretation based on incomplete information is after all what Rowling's books thrive on (and precisely what that scene attempts to make the readers do).

Already in the opening chapter there is also the tendency of people in groups to form an opinion independent of facts. This has cropped up in all the books so far (mostly directed against Harry), and it will of course show up again later in this book (when the whole school (including Ron) thinks Harry has entered the competition voluntarily).

Again, we see that the intrusion by the wizarding world on the muggle world is one of (inexplicable) violence. Both in the cases of the Riddles and Frank the result is death and bafflement. But Harry considers the idea of Voldemort lurking in Privet drive absurd and impossible. And I would tend to agree with him.


I do wish Rowling could stop with the recaps, though. Surely all her readers by now know that Harry is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts? And that the Dursleys don't like him? And that Voldemort killed his parents? It is not as if she is recapping the subtle points that we are likely to have forgotten.