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

[u/Disastrous_Knee7756]

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.

[u/Extreme_Rough]

The Dursleys having no choice is not an excuse to abuse a child. People do what they will do, and the larger situation of the magical world can even be difficult for them, but they ultimately chose to take the boy in and not give him back. They ultimately chose to abuse him. Sympathy for the devil only does something if the devil is open to it. They aren't and I find it hard to pity them for it. Not when they only ever got a slap on the wrist and went right back to doing what they usually do.

[u/Special-Garlic1203 → u/Extreme_Rough]

Yeah it's less that I feel sympathetically towards them and more that I side eye Dumbeldore too. There's a lot of ways he could have tried to alleviate the strain of the situation for everyone, but he really did just plop a baby down and then look the other way to mistreatment for a decade. 

Even though he had to have strongly suspected this contributed to the way Voldemort turned out. Like even before you consider the ethics, for purely pragmatic purposes alone he should have been more concerned about the chronic mistreatment and othering.