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‘But what does a Ministry of magic do?’
‘Well their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there’s still witches an’ wizards up an’ down the country.’
J.K. Rowling, HPSS, “Diagon Alley”
RIGHT THERE IS WHY THE MINISTRY IS SUCH RUBBISH. This is their primary concern. Not keeping wizards and muggles safe, not keeping wizarding society running smoothly and addressing any problems with the economy or anything. Just making sure Muggles don’t know.
*cries about Harry getting his first birthday cake from Hagrid*
*cries even more about how Hagrid can’t believe Harry doesn’t know about his parents*
*cries about Harry getting his first birthday cake from Hagrid*
Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself– no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.
J.K. Rowling, HPSS, “The Vanishing Glass”
So Harry looks at this snake and his first thought is that it has it worse than him. Harry feels pity for the snake because Harry gets to visit the house outside his cupboard. That’s the high point of Harry’s living situation. He gets to walk through other rooms. This poor snake doesn’t get to do that. HARRY IS SO PRECIOUS HERE.
I’ve never really paid attention to his compassion much in previous reads, so I guess the great thing about it having been so long is I’m going to cry over him a lot now.
So AU where McGonagall puts her foot down in the first chapter and just takes Harry and raises him herself instead of letting Dumbledore leave him with the Dursleys.
Petunia pretending she doesn’t have a sister makes me wonder if there’s any meta/fanfic comparing the Evans sisters to the Black sisters.
(Also the parallel there lends itself to the Harry-is-biracial reading, along with so much in this first chapter.)
SittingOverHereDreaming 