When Harry was a very young child, they must have taken care of him to some degree, otherwise he would not have survived. The Dursleys probably didn't start taking a dislike to Harry until he started showing signs of magic, as young wizard children are apt to do. Once Harry was old enough to take care of himself they probably shoved him in the cupboard. Also, I agree with the person who said someone at school probably noticed Harry needed glasses. And as far as Harry's clothes and whatnot, as far as I know, it isn't nice to dress your child that way, but it's not abuse either.

You make a very interesting point about the Dursleys' treatment of Harry prior to his signs of showing magic. I don't think they were as mean to him, but they always suspected he would be magical. That reason is enough for them to mistreat him.

DeSs, Petunia certainly took care of him. His care would have taken a backseat to Dudley's, but she would not have completely neglected him. As you said, he could not have survived otherwise. Plus, the Dursleys are sticklers for appearances. They would not want to appear to be abusing a baby.

I think when he was a baby he was probably in his own room and they took care of him. I can't imagine the Dusleys doing other things like playing with him with toys, and tickling him. They probably fed him, changed his diaper, and then just dumped him in his crib. I kind of imagine him staying in that room until him and Dursley got to about four, then they told him he had to live in the cuboard(spelling?) under the stairs. I think they were probably afraid of him because they knew he would be a wizard. They probably did the necessary things for him, like taking him to the doctor for check-ups, feeding him. They gave him Dudley's old clothes, but they never did anything more.

I definitely think that when he was a baby, they had to have taken proper care of him. They also must have given him at least some interpersonal, real, human contact, or he would have grown up a lot different. Maybe even unable to talk or interact with other people. That's what children do if they don't get any affection when they're babies.

I also wonder about the abuse. Definitely emotional, almost definitely physical...and I question about whether the neighbors would have actually noticed. I mean, there have been enormous atrocities committed against children all around the world, where the neighbors should have seen, they should have noticed, and they inexplicably...didn't. So the Dursleys could have abused him all they wanted, in all likelihood, and the neighbors probably would have been blind to it all...even if willfully blind. After all, you don't want to admit that your neighbors are child abusers, now do you? Regardless of what's really happening.

I do think that at least Petunia cared about Harry, though. Even if she did hate Lily for being a witch, Harry was her link to her sister...I mean, he was Lily's son! So he was a connection back to her sister. And ya know, even if you really dislike your family, blood is blood. There's a reason everyone knows the saying "Blood is thicker than water."

It also seemed like, in general, most of the fear Harry exhibited was because of Vernon, not Petunia, which would fit with her really caring about him, even though she hid it.

That is a very good point. Here are two links to a little girl that was ignored by her mother while the mother tended to the two older boys. The girl is considered a feral girl and at age ten still can not speak. She is an example of what happens to an ignored child. Harry would have to had some contact and interaction with the Durleys to be what he was when the first book started.

Link 1

Link 2

I warn you. Her story is sad and nothing rates lower than the woman who called herself the girl's "mother".

That's actually who I was thinking of, gaburdette, was that girl. Protective services were even called on that girl's mother, and yet she STILL wasn't taken away when she should have been. So if that can happen, then I don't have much of a problem believing that Harry could have been badly abused and nothing would have happened.

I would not be surprised if someof the things, Harry got for care might not have come from prompting from the school, such as "Harry appears to have vision problems" I also wonder if he got to the dentist..surely not enough sweets if any to cause cavaties. His clothes sound awful. I'm surprised the school principal never wondered why he was dressed so shabbily in comparison to Dudley. I am wondering if they just told the school that he was "unmanageable". However, then surely someone should have checked all this out.The part that bothers my is the shoving of food into a slot, like he was a dangerous animal. ALso only allowed to use the bathroom twice a day???

I think that they put him in a crib, maybe they believed that they could make the magic in Harry be gone or diminish. Or possibly they thought that there was a chance that he wasn't a wizard.

For most of his childhood he probably slept on a cot in the cupboard. Hes probably slept on it since he was 3. When he was a baby he couldve slept in a crib in dudleys room or in the other bedroom. Either way he probably wasnt very comfortable.