Blood Protection

[u/CapNo106]

I've been thinking about something in Harry Potter that I don't see discussed very often, and the more I think about it, the more questions I have.

We know Dumbledore left Harry with the Dursleys because Petunia was Lily's blood relative. By having Harry live with her, Lily's protection could continue through the blood connection.

But here's where I start having questions.

1. Was 4 Privet Drive even Petunia's house?

Vernon was the one with the job at Grunnings. As far as I can remember, Petunia's employment is never mentioned. She appears to be a homemaker, while Vernon is the primary breadwinner.

We aren't told whose name was on the deed or who legally owned the property, so I'm not claiming it definitely belonged to Vernon alone. But if Vernon was paying the bills and controlling the household, what would have happened if he decided Harry wasn't welcome anymore?

2. What if Vernon had kicked Petunia out?

In Order of the Phoenix, Vernon wants Harry gone after the Dementor attack. Dumbledore sends Petunia a Howler, and she ultimately insists that Harry stay.

But what if Vernon had taken a different approach? What if he had kicked Petunia out of the house

3. Why was Dumbledore's plan so dependent on someone who didn't even want Harry?

Petunia resented Harry, Vernon openly despised him, and Harry grew up in an emotionally abusive household. Yet Dumbledore's plan depended on Harry remaining there.

If Petunia didn't own the house, didn't have control over the finances, and could potentially have been forced out by Vernon, how secure was this arrangement really?

And if Petunia could have taken Harry somewhere else, would the protection have continued in a different home? Or was the protection specifically tied to 4 Privet Drive?

[u/Completely_Batshit]

1. Doesn't matter. Petunia lived there, and as long as Harry lives with her for part of the year, he can't be harmed while there.
2. Then Harry would need to move with her (assuming Dudley wasn't a good enough match). But for all his many MANY faults, Vernon was a true-blue family man and adored his wife.
3. Because while Lily's blood protection had nothing to do with Petunia itself, Dumbledore placed a charm on Harry that worked off the blood protection- so long as Harry lived with one of Lily's close relatives, he couldn't be targeted by Voldemort while with them. The abuse was bad, yes, but it's better than dying.

[u/CapNo106 → u/Completely_Batshit]

yea this makes sense. but you know life happens, and who knows Vernon I agree did love his wife, but who knows he could have despised magic even more, and insisted Harry goes or they both go. I mean Hagrid did not help giving Dudley a tail lol.

[u/ThatEntrepreneur1450 → u/Completely_Batshit]

3: That assumes he'd be targeted at Petunias. He wasn't. 

He wasn't targeted by Voldemort personally until he came to Hogwarts, right under Dumbledore's care, repeatedly. 

The blood wards didn't do shit. 

[u/Completely_Batshit → u/ThatEntrepreneur1450]

That's like saying a fortress is useless because no one attacks it. Of course they're reluctant to attack it- it's a fortress. So long as it deters attacks, it doesn't matter if the attack happens or not. In fact, it's preferable that it doesn't happen.

And Voldemort never attacked Harry at Hogwarts until the last book- at least, not until Harry either came directly to him or was successfully lured away from Hogwarts.

[u/CapNo106 → u/ThatEntrepreneur1450]

I get what you are saying and tbh Voldemort didn't return till goblet of fire and most death eaters were in Azkaban or hiding until he returned so who was Harry needing protection from in his early years. This makes it seem like there was no need for him to have to go through what he went through there.

[u/Simple_Joys]

 Was 4 Privet Drive even Petunia's house?

They're a married couple. Legally, they share the house regardless of the financial arrangement as to who pays the mortgage and/or who owns it. Also, you're thinking in crude economic terms. It's the place Petunia calls home, it's the place she lives. Ergo, it is her house.

What if Vernon had kicked Petunia out?

We don't know. He didn't, though. Presumably, if Vernon kicked Petunia out and Harry went with her, Harry would be safe. The magical protection is about the fact Harry lives with Lily's biological sister, not about the brick and mortar of 4 Privet Drive.

Also, again, they're a married couple. Things don't just work like that, you can't just evict your spouse from a house you have built your lives in and are raising a child in. Marriage is a legal and social institution. If Vernon even tried to kick Petunia out permanently and end the relationship, Petunia could divorce him and reach a financial settlement about taking half the value of the house and buying her own place.

Why was Dumbledore's plan so dependent on someone who didn't even want Harry?

Because the charms Dumbledore used were contingent on one of Lily's blood relatives taking Harry in. There is nobody else. No other aunts and uncles, no grandparents. Dumbledore clearly isn't 100% happy with the arrangement but it keeps Harry alive.

[u/CapNo106 → u/Simple_Joys]

yea I think the conclusion i came to and mentioned earlier fits best. Harry was safe regardless Voldemort didn't return to Goblet of fire and his death eaters were locked up or in hiding. Personally, I don't think Harry had to go through any of that trauma with them in his early years no one was after him.

[u/CapNo106 → u/Simple_Joys]

not trying to get too far off the subject of Harry but shit happens and married people do not always stay married, maybe in a perfect world but this is far from that. And I am not married but if my spouse was to move into my house that I am paying all the bills for and they decide to cheat or whatever you best believe they got to go. If the other person breaks the vow then why should I continue to let them stay in my house rent free. this is not just crude economics its loyalty and commitment. Now trying to relate this back to Harry. Vernon could have said this is to much for him he didn't sign up for the magical world, and he could of wanted no part of it for him or his son, who had to have surgery to get his pig tail removed.

[u/Simple_Joys → u/CapNo106]

I am not pretending that the world is a perfect place where marriages never break down. What I am saying is that marriage is a legal institution which comes with rights and protections for all parties.

While a married couple are living together, you cannot just kick one person out of the matrimonial home regardless of who owns it or who pays the bills. In the UK, that is a legal protection a spouse has, and it has historically existed to protect spouses who just stay at home to raise children or keep the house.

If one person in a marriage owns the home outright and wants to leave the other, they would have to get a divorce and there would be legal division of assets as part of the settlement.

[u/Higherfalls]

I think it was more so that it was tied to the blood relative themselves.

So Harry had to stay with Petunia.

A lot relied on that Petunia really did care for Lily, but her jealousy always got in control first. Some of it spilled over for Harry.

I think Dumbledore probably didn't care much for Vernon. Yes, he could have kicked them out, but his arrogance and love for the perfect family image would probably outweigh the hate. And they did think they could 'fix' Harry originally.

And by that time, I think Vernon knew that he couldn't outplay or over-power the wizards, so he kept it down. In OotP, it was the anger and fear for his family(and the bit of love he did have for Petunia and Dudley) which made him rashly try and kick Harry out.

[u/CapNo106 → u/Higherfalls]

Yes, I think deep down Petunia did care for Lily. She did tell Harry at one point that he didn't just lose a mother, she lost a sister.

[u/No_Sand5639]

1. Yes, I doubt magic really cares about muggle legality. Its her home so it works for the protection

2. Harry would've had to go with her

3. Harry needed protection and no protection was nearly as good as the blood charm.

The blood ties were between harry and petunia *and maybe dudley.

[u/Bobis-Bob → u/No_Sand5639]

Albus had the option to keep the magic alive that had already defeated Voldemort. The only way to keep that magic alive was to tie the family blood together.

[u/No_Sand5639 → u/Bobis-Bob]

Well no, the sacrificial protection was its own thing and not dependent anything

The charm was a seperate piece of magic based on the sacrifices protection