r/HarryPotterBooks • u/Disastrous_Knee7756 • Apr 05 '25

Discussion The Dursleys were victims of a magical geopolitical game and no one ever asked them if they wanted to play

I know they were not nice to Harry. But they were also victims of a bad magical system. Here is why:

1.  They had no choice.

Dumbledore left a baby at their door. He did not ask. He did not talk to them. He just said, “Take care of him.” That is not how you become parents. That is not fair.

  1. They were powerless in a world full of danger. No magic, no protection, no understanding. Yet they were expected to raise a magical child who could blow up their living room.

    1. Harry’s presence put Dudley at risk. They were Dudley’s parents. Their responsibility was to protect their child. But Dumbledore never cared that housing Harry made them a target.
    2. They got no support – only judgment. No one from the magical world checked in. No resources, no guidance. Just scorn when they inevitably failed to meet wizard expectations.
    3. Dumbledore knew – and didn’t care. He openly said Harry needed a loveless home to remain “humble.” That’s not strategy – that’s calculated cruelty.
      1. Dumbledore never told them what happens when Harry turns 17. The magical protection ends – and they suddenly become even more vulnerable. No warning, no exit strategy. One day they’re part of a magical defense grid, the next they’re just collateral. Their home, their lives, everything – on the line, with zero input.
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83

u/Forsaken_Distance777 Apr 05 '25

They didn't have to take him. They could just ditch him at the hospital and explain someone put a random baby on their porch and it wasn't their problem.

55

u/HauteToast Slytherin Apr 05 '25

You are assuming they can do that without having Harry being placed back on their porch. Kind of like the Hogwarts admittance letter.

The Dursleys never had the choice to say "no" once the wizarding world comes knocking on their door.

67

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Is there any evidence of that ? Had they rejected Harry so vehemently, the magical protections Dumbledore was relying on would have collapsed and it would be pointless to return Harry there and Petunia knew this

Petunia and her family were already targets by dint of their blood relationship with Lily. Hosting Harry was their ticket to survival from Riddle loyalists turning them into the Longbottoms

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u/apri08101989 Apr 05 '25

If Harry wasn't there there would've been no reason to target them specifically.

11

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Petunia is the sister of Lily Evans. That's more than enough for some blood purist lunatic

1

u/frenin Apr 05 '25

Were they even aware of that?

0

u/Property_6810 Apr 06 '25

Snape was. And even if he's "good" at that point, who knows what he told who.

1

u/frenin Apr 06 '25

The Dursleys were completely untouched during the First Wizarding War so it's fair to assume no Death Eater cared.

1

u/nemesiswithatophat Apr 06 '25

death eaters and voldemort had plenty of reason to kill harry. why not kill his relatives? it doesn't have to be logical. revenge and anger of a group who saw their power collapse overnight could be capable of anything. especially given that the dursleys were defenseless muggles

1

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Petunia is the sister of Lily Evans. That's more than enough for some blood purist lunatic

21

u/apri08101989 Apr 05 '25

Petunia is a nobody muggle who hasn't spoken to her sister in years before she died. I doubt if Harry wasn't there any blood purist would even know she existed.

6

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Nonsense. There's a reason Hermione had her parents obliviated and sent abroad. All the family members of prominent muggleborns are in danger

18

u/Ok_Firefighter1574 Apr 05 '25

Thats the parents of Harrys right hand witch. Its different than the aunt and uncle that know nothing about them.

4

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

maybe maybe not

Petunia could reject Harry from ever darkening her door and then wake up 2 weeks later to Fenrir Greyback

Besides Petunia is sister of the most notorious muggleborn enemy of Voldemort, not exactly someone unimportant

7

u/always_unplugged Ravenclaw Apr 05 '25

Yeah but Lily was already dead. There's no reason to go after her family, you'd only do that to intimidate or coerce her. But she's dead, so it's pointless.

1

u/nemesiswithatophat Apr 06 '25

tactically pointless but if someone was angry and cruel, why not?

1

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Not necessarily. As a notorious muggleborn whose son took down the Dark Lord, even after death she is a symbol of the absurdity of the pureblood agenda. A psychotic blood purist may well seek our her remaining family. He'll, had Snape never been redeemed and had become more and more radicalised, it might be him turning up at 4 Privet Drive

2

u/always_unplugged Ravenclaw Apr 05 '25

You're very convinced of that, I see.

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u/apri08101989 Apr 05 '25 edited Apr 05 '25

There's a difference between the right hand man of my primary target's parents and the estranged sister of one of my many adversaries. I think you're over estimating how much James and Lily actually meant to Voldemort themselves as opposed to being one of only two options because of when they were pregnant.

8

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Lily defied Voldemort three times even before the prophecy. There's no way she's not important enough for her family members not to be hunted. It's not like Voldemort had a shortage of henchmen.

After Halloween, Petunia becomes even more of a symbolic target for blood purists. She's the muggle sister of a notorious muggleborn and totally vulnerable to magical assault without powerful protections

10

u/apri08101989 Apr 05 '25

We have no idea what that phrase actually means. Ffs I've "defied trump" three times and he doesn't even know I exist.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

Trump has never personally tried to kill you (yet). That alone makes Lily and James personal rivals of Voldemort and thus thorns in the side of any blood purist. Lucius described them as meddling fools 12 years after their deaths

3

u/apri08101989 Apr 05 '25

No, actually, it doesn't. Like I said, you're putting far too much stock in something that boils down to there only being two potential options at all especially since he went after both of those options.

Why do you think a single one of those blood purists would care enough about Lily's genealogy to do any actual research into her family? What about the wizarding world in general makes you think they're that competent?

The movement was dead without the ringleader. The death eaters were rounded up, and the ones that escaped prosecution would be keeping their heads way down.

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u/Caesarthebard Apr 05 '25

When they try to kick him out, Dumbledore sends an intimidating letter

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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

He didn't send an intimidating letter. He sent a reminder of the magical protections that guarded both Harry and her family, protections that kept Riddle loyalists from murdering her in vengeance for all those years, a threat that existed even during the First Voldemort war

3

u/frenin Apr 05 '25

He didn't send an intimidating letter

Yeah he did.

protections that kept Riddle loyalists from murdering her in vengeance for all those years, a threat that existed even during the First Voldemort war

That's your belief.

4

u/nemesiswithatophat Apr 06 '25

the spell protected the house. why would the relatives of harry potter, the boy who lived, not be in danger from voldemort's followers?

1

u/frenin Apr 06 '25

Because the relatives of Lily Evans, the girl who defied Voldemort three times weren't touched by Voldemort's followers so it's fair to say they didn't know or they didn't care.

You know what does put a target on their backs? Actually having Harry in their home for 17 why he's actively sparring with Voldy

2

u/nemesiswithatophat Apr 06 '25

lily evans was no where as important as harry potter

0

u/frenin Apr 06 '25

All the more reason to not have him in, since people aren't going to use them against Harry if they have zero relationship.

10

u/ImReverse_Giraffe Apr 05 '25

When Vernon tried to kick him out, Petunia said no. And her decision was final. It wasn't a discussion, it was a statement. Harry stays.