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.
*MySmiley*
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
The Great Harry Potter re-read: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
19/07/2010 09:32:22 AM
- 2451 Views
Chapters 1-3
19/07/2010 09:32:52 AM
- 1676 Views
Dobby
19/07/2010 02:39:06 PM
- 1627 Views
I hate Dobby.
20/07/2010 11:32:58 AM
- 1745 Views
Stuff
20/07/2010 05:54:26 PM
- 1672 Views
The Dursleys.
23/07/2010 11:35:31 PM
- 1713 Views
Chapters 4-6
19/07/2010 09:33:18 AM
- 1615 Views
Another character we love to hate!
Gilderoy Lockhart. Plus Weasley vs Malfoy.
20/07/2010 03:29:39 PM
- 1669 Views

I can't remember how much I hated him the first read
21/07/2010 03:44:15 AM
- 1740 Views
You're right. It's not as bad the second (or third) time around with him.
21/07/2010 01:54:01 PM
- 1559 Views
My problems with Dobby are very different from my problems with Lockhart
21/07/2010 07:02:55 AM
- 1655 Views
More stuff
21/07/2010 07:00:04 AM
- 1599 Views
This section really brought home to me how well Rowling writes about love and relationships.
21/07/2010 07:22:43 PM
- 1676 Views
That last remark made me check out the names in the French translation...
26/07/2010 05:18:36 PM
- 1703 Views
Don't get me started on the Norwegian translation.
26/07/2010 09:52:09 PM
- 1629 Views
That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 12:24:07 AM
- 1635 Views
Re: That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 09:07:35 AM
- 1627 Views
McSnurf? MCSNURF?? WTH? *NM*
27/07/2010 08:47:55 PM
- 971 Views
Chapters 7-9
19/07/2010 09:33:44 AM
- 1588 Views
Colin Creevey.
22/07/2010 06:55:17 PM
- 1641 Views
Re: Colin Creevey.
23/07/2010 10:13:33 PM
- 1597 Views
Even more stuff
23/07/2010 10:10:39 PM
- 1657 Views
Chapters 10-12
19/07/2010 09:34:13 AM
- 1490 Views
Three good chapters
22/07/2010 02:28:20 PM
- 1568 Views
Yup.
23/07/2010 11:32:03 PM
- 1609 Views
I agree. And plain jealousy that Harry's hogging the spotlight time and again.
26/07/2010 05:28:09 PM
- 1693 Views
Chapters 13-15
19/07/2010 09:34:50 AM
- 1372 Views
Heh. I'd forgotten how near the end of the book the spiders are.
23/07/2010 11:26:43 PM
- 1454 Views
"Goodbye friends of Hagrid..."
26/07/2010 01:58:25 PM
- 1456 Views
Chapters 16-18
19/07/2010 09:35:20 AM
- 1543 Views
Overall thoughts
19/07/2010 09:36:06 AM
- 1630 Views
Thoughts on the movie quality
21/07/2010 04:15:20 AM
- 1371 Views
I always felt that the first two movies were the best, and the others bungled the atmosphere. *NM*
21/07/2010 03:08:29 PM
- 888 Views
I wonder if Rowling ever looks back and wishes she could change some stuff
21/07/2010 06:44:41 PM
- 1486 Views
Suggestions for the re-read?
19/07/2010 09:37:32 AM
- 1442 Views
Do we want a wee break before the next book?
24/07/2010 10:47:07 AM
- 1421 Views
we need an impatient smiley that taps its foot while looking grumpy. *NM*
27/07/2010 08:51:30 PM
- 867 Views
It's not Wednesday yet!
*NM*
27/07/2010 09:26:21 PM
- 788 Views

But it was a question:
27/07/2010 10:25:27 PM
- 1439 Views
Yes, but the two possibilities in Rebekah's post were either Wednesday or next Monday.
27/07/2010 10:33:10 PM
- 1783 Views