I suppose that the Seer's pressure WAS the only way to get Harry to go back to Hogwarts - Tony Stark was far more likely to enroll Harry in a Stateside school or start up a new one in the US than let his son go back there. Really, Sirius is in no shape to parent Harry right now. AD probably meant to have Sirius take a merely nominal role as parent while Dumbledore actually controlled all Black's interactions with Harry. Getting Sirius out of Azkaban was pretty much the only card Dumbledore had to play.
Harry better beware of attempts to drug him while at Hogwarts - AD might be try to justify a love potion as "for his own good." Stark could consider giving his son some sort of guardian pet to take with him.
(BTW, I can't see a little boy being so cheerful after having put his thumb through someone's eye socket - the ...stuff... was still all over Harry's hand when the rescuers arrived. There should have been at least a little revulsion, even if you think he wouldn't be traumatized.)
Author's response
- Oh I agree, but it was the best I could come up with after I wrote myself into a corner with the 'Hearing' in chapter seven.
- The Guarantee that Dumbles is going to supply will be an Oath (crafted by Agatha Harkness) to treat Harry as a typical student, no better, no worse, no different...
- He didn't rupture the eye, just poked it real good. I caught a thumb like that in a rugby match once, Hurt like hell for about two days, but no real damage.
- It was a challenge between a local Scotish Rugby team and the football players on the ship I was on. American style football had started to become popular in the UK and the Ruggers were feeling a tad put out, hence the challenge.
- We (the american squids) had all been to Rugby matches as observers and recognized what a rough game it was, this semi-pro team took us apart, much pain, much damage, little fun (on our part.)
- The following weekend we played Football. Bearing in mind that the ships team was made up of guy not good enough to play college ball for the most part. Pre-game the Ruggers were feeling good about trouncing us the week before and were making comments about what pussies we were with all our pads.
- So, the lesson of the day was that football is a very different game from Rugby, and that it is just as violent in a slightly different way.
- Three of the mouthier Ruggers ended up in hospital. Shame that.
- Not that you care about that, just one of my sea stories.
- The point is, Harry did some serious damage to the man, but all Harry knew is that he did what Steve taught him to do and it worked. He wouldn't learn precisely what he had done to the man for a few days. Then he felt bad about it.