User blog comment:Trumanator/New to Harry/@comment-68.226.202.135-20120129144515

The Ministry of Magic (Wizarding Government of Great Britain) institutued a law saying that underage (not yet 17) witches and wizards are not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts (school). If Harry breaks the law, he risks expulsion from Hogwarts. The Durselys imprisoning Hedwig, however, is because they are the most 'normal' people one would ever meet. They want to keep up appearances as being normal, so they lock up Hedwig so the neighbors won't wonder why an owl is flying around their house during the day. Harry is being morally correct, while the Durselys are doing what they think is right, rather than accepting a wizard in their 'normal' Muggle (nonmagical) home.

Also, if you are taking an ethics calls (class?) then shouldn't you be doing this yourself? (Not trying to be mean or anything, but it seems like you want us to give you a thesis statement for an essay on moral conflicts in fiction.)