The Dursleys (possible book 5 spoilers!)

[Moggy]

Firstly I reckon that JK got the name from the small town called Dursley near me. ;) As JK was born very near here it could be possible. :D

Now I love the Durleys as characters (obviously it would be horrible to live with them!). They are very funny and so nasty (they remind me of something out of a Rauld Dahl book :D) to be true.

But who are they really? Vernon and Dudley are obviously normal Muggles without any magic in them. But Petunia? She knew of Dementors, Azkaban, howlers and many other things. And I dont think it can all be explained by overhearing her sister and getting a letter from Dumbledore.

Personnally I reckon she may have been to Hogwarts and got expelled or something. Then so bitter and twisted that her sister was a sucess and she wasnt, she turned against magic and her own sister.

I am probably totally wrong though!

[PhoenixSong1031]

Moggy - you are definitely not alone in that assumption. I was thinking that myself.

Petunia seems to know too much from just "hearing it from her". I don't know whether or not that's true or not -- but I guess we all have our speculations.
It would have been very interesting indeed to find out that see actually did attend Hogwarts. ;)
Originally posted by Moggy:
Personnally I reckon she may have been to Hogwarts and got expelled or something. Then so bitter and twisted that her sister was a sucess and she wasnt, she turned against magic and her own sister.
I never thought of it that way!! :eek: And its entirely possible.... It would explain her bitterness and the reason (if she's a witch) that she can't use magic anymore. But wouldn't someone like Dumbledore have told something of that kind of importance to Harry before?? Would that have been in the letter?

Something to think about I guess! :D

~Phoenix

[Fleurdelacour]

I've always thought there was something else about Petunia too...

I thought, she may have been to Hogwarts, but met Vernon during her summer holiday, and, well decided to throw Hogwarts away (not in Fred and George style ;) ) for a life with Vernon...

[Colli]

Petunia...

Out of curiosity, I looked up flower meanings.

The flower Petunia stands for resentment and anger, go figure.

(And Moggy, you're right. She said in an interview that she took "Dursley" from the town. As well as "Snape." ;))

I kind of doubt she has any magical blood in her, but that's just a personal feeling. And I can ALMOST see how she'd know that Azkaban was the wizards' prison, from hearing James tell Lily. But over 14 years ago?

And the way she whispered "He's back?" when Harry said that Lord Voldemort had returned... she didn't gasp at Harry saying the name, so the thought that she was ever a part of the wizarding world doesn't feel right, but she was definitely afraid.

[Mirdan]

Originally posted by Colli
And the way she whispered "He's back?" when Harry said that Lord Voldemort had returned... she didn't gasp at Harry saying the name, so the thought that she was ever a part of the wizarding world doesn't feel right, but she was definitely afraid.
judging from Petunia's reaction, maybe the Evans family were attacked by Voldemort? maybe Petunia was the sole surviving member of that family (that is, if she's not at all related with that Evans boy Dudley had beaten up :D) after they were attacked by Voldemort or his Death Eaters. hey...maybe that's what that cryptic Howler meant! "Remember my last, Petunia!" what exactly did Dumbledore mean by that? a rescue from the Death Eaters? from Voldemort? it could explain why there aren't any Grandfather/mother Evans...maybe they were also attacked!

[lizz]

I´m very curious about Petunia. I think she must know more about the wizarding world. After all her sister was a witch and even if they didnt get along, she was bound to pick up some things. Considering her reaction to to "Voldemort is back" it seems she knows a lot.

Judging from PS she was very jelous of Lily, but why? Maybe she didnt think being a witch is being a freak, and she wanted one to be one too. Or maybe she wasnt magic enough to go to Hogwarts. Or she is a witch didnt like it and didnt go to Hogwarts? But that doesnt seem likley since wizards can do magic in moments of stress without meaning to do it. As an idea how often was harry punished for something Petunia did. ;)

What do you think, did she know Sirius, or at least about him. she must have known he was James best friend. I´m just thinking about that little scene in PoA when Sirius is on the news and she goes to the window looking out. Maybe she was really looking for him.

Edit: to Mirdans post: I took the "last" much simpler and thpught of the letter he gave Harry when he put him on the doorstep. Interesting ideas
:)

[Colli]

You know Mirdan, that's a really interesting theory, one I hadn't thought of. We know that the Dursleys are Harry's only living relatives, and I've always wondered what happened to all the grandparents. (And cousins, for that matter. But we were supposed to find that out in OotP. Grr.)

I kind of took "my last" to refer to his last letter, because in his last letter, he instructed Petunia to keep Harry at the house. Because that was the only thing that would for sure keep Harry safe.

"You sent that Howler. You told her to remember -- it was your voice --"

"I thought," said Dumbledore, inclining his head slightly, "that she might need reminding of the pact she had sealed by taking you."

[owl]

Well Dudleys a cousin, but we haven't found out if Aunt Marge has any children have we?
Dudley almost gets killed by the dementors administringtheir kiss.But we haven't actually found out why, or why the dementors went for him not Harry.
Well thats all I know anyway.;)

[lizz]

I doubt she has childrens, doesnt just sound like it,

The Dementors went for both of them

[lithorose]

Maybe Petunia was extremely jealous of her sister because her parents were so proud of 'having a witch in the family'? Not of her sister's powers so much as her parents' misplaced attention?

[Moxie]

I'd love to see Dudley make himself useful for once and punch out a Death Eater who thought an unarmed Muggle would be easy prey. :D

[lithorose]

:D

That reminds me. While I was reading the fight in the ministry I kept imagining them punching each other and karate kicking in addition to using their spells. Can you imagine Lucius Malfoy thinking he's all gonna kill you and then he gets a huge punch in the nose that knocks him out?!:LOL: Or Voldemort, right as he's giving a speech to the newly conquered wizards, being taken out by a sniper, when he had all this magic to protect him?

[Elwen]

Lithorose - I had the same effect, too.... a bit like the showdown in the entrance hall of that government building in the Matrix :D



Concerning Petunia: I don't think that she was ever at Hogwarts. That doesn't sound right, somehow.

And if no-one in the wizarding world (except Dumbledore and Harry - and now Hermione) ever says the word Voldemort - and I think Hagrid said it once when he came to fetch Harry? why does Petunia understand that this si something to be frightened about? :confused:


There must be more to this and I am curious!! Am I the only one who heard that allegedly writing HP5 only took 8 months or so (She didn't write much earlier on)? Perhaps we have a chance to get the next one sooner....



Elwen

[ChianaWeasley]

I am really into the idea that Petunia Dursley is and always will be a squib. Thats why she hates the wizarding world so much, and why she never liked her sister. She was jealous! Jealous of Lily, jealous of Harry, jealous of anyone who could fit into the wizarding world. Poor Petunia....wow, I really dont mean that:devil:

[Colli]

:) Actually, McGonagall said "Voldemort" in the first chapter of TSS. And Lupin (it might have been Sirius) said it at dinner with the Order. But that's just trivial. ;)

The problem with the Petunia-is-a-Squib theory is that for her to be a Squib, her family would have to have been magical, and the book makes it clear that the Evans family was Muggle. (My previous theories about Harry "technically" being pure blood were incorrect, Rowling called him a half blood in an interview)

[Mirdan]

Originally posted by Colli
The problem with the Petunia-is-a-Squib theory is that for her to be a Squib, her family would have to have been magical, and the book makes it clear that the Evans family was Muggle. (My previous theories about Harry "technically" being pure blood were incorrect, Rowling called him a half blood in an interview)
too true, Colli. there's not much evidence to support that Petunia-is-a-Squib theory, other than what we have seen so far in OotP. the only thing we know is that Petunia is somewhat familiar with Dementors, but that info she knew from James and Lily. and since the books made it clear that the Evans were Muggle, and Squibs are only anomalies inherent in wizarding families (e.g., Filch), then that would mean the Petunia-is-a-Squib theory is false. Lily's case of being a witch from a Muggle family is similar to that of Hermione's, whose family is as Muggle as it can be. and even moreso, if Petunia was ever a witch but was expelled from Hogwarts, then why doesn't she know any of the basics about witchcraft and wizardy? if Petunia even attended Hogwarts but was expelled, then at least she would have known enough about the wizarding world to have noticed any signs of Harry's emerging magical abilities. but there hasn't been any indications that i could think of that Petunia knew much about the wizarding world, other than whatever she heard from James and Lily...and even then, we still don't know exactly how much Petunia knows...

which makes me wonder...it makes a lot of sense, though, that the Death Eaters would've gone after the Evans. i suspect the Evans were prime targets for Voldemort, because not only were they Muggle, but the Death Eaters must've thought they were James and Lily's Secret Keepers. maybe that's why JKR never mentions them; they must've been killed. probably why Petunia wants nothing to do with wizards and witches...

[PhoenixSong1031]

Originally posted by Mirdan:
which makes me wonder...it makes a lot of sense, though, that the Death Eaters would've gone after the Evans. i suspect the Evans were prime targets for Voldemort, because not only were they Muggle, but the Death Eaters must've thought they were James and Lily's Secret Keepers. maybe that's why JKR never mentions them; they must've been killed. probably why Petunia wants nothing to do with wizards and witches...

That makes a lot of sense Mirdan. ;)
I suppose that with this new evidence our Petunia-is-a-squib theory is basically finished.... :( I liked that idea too. I guess that we all want the person to come to magic to be Petunia so bad that we're coming up with bizarre ways for her to already be in the wizarding world (myself included!). I think that the information she knew about the wizarding world just caught us all by surprise ... and with that we jumped to conclusions. :rolleyes:
There are still dreams ... :D

~Phoenix

[Monkfish]

Could Petunia be Harry`s secret keeper?

[Mirdan]

maybe. it could even be Dudley :devil: :p

[ChianaWeasley]

Petunia as a secret keeper is a possibility......

[lithorose]

I thought secret keepers were for unplottable places? Like 12 Gimmauld Place and Godric's Hollow(?). The Dementors at least already know where Harry lives, they just can't get inside the house because of the Evans' blood.

[Mirdan]

i didn't think that Secret Keepers were specifically for unplottable places. i've always thought that the secret was hidden inside a person, and the only time that secret is divulged is when the Secret Keeper chooses to reveal that secret...? so with that, i'm assuming that location doesn't really matter all that much...:confused:

[Colli]

But why does Harry even need a secret keeper? Dumbledore said they were using "ancient magic" to guard Harry while he was at Privet Drive, and that was Lily's love. That magic which Voldie can't understand. So what would a secret keeper be used for?

[Elwen]

To be sure, a secretkeeper would have to be a wizard? I can't see a muggle take on this role!

I think we should mot make too much of this. Just think of Hermione's parents (as I have said before). They are at least used to Hermione sending owls to them, and I assume that they have seen the Daily Prophet with its moving images since hermione subscribes to it.

It is of course a question how much hermione would tell her parents about the dangerous sides to her school life but the Grangers would certainly know quite a bit (a question that has never been satisfactorily answered in the Potterverse, that of Muggles related to wizards. Why would people who don't like wizards or wiches ALL keep quiet about that compelete manipulative world among them?).

Of course, if the Grangers knew just what sorts of things happen to hermione at Hogwarts they'd probably be thinking about sending her to the local comprehensive instead (or a good public school, assuming that they are not NHS dentists ;) ).


Anyway - I am curious about what Petunia knows and remembers, but I would not push the theories too far.

Elwen

[Athelas]

Originally posted by Elwen
I am curious about what Petunia knows and remembers, but I would not push the theories too far.

Elwen

But, but, but...I love to take theories too far, especially when we have who knows how long for Book 6.;)

[Mirdan]

yeah, theories, no matter how bizarre they may be, are fun! besides, they give everyone some things to think about, long enough so that we can argue over them, possibly even debunk. and the beauty of it all is that theories keep us occupied until the next book gets printed ;)

hmmm...i've never thought far enough about the use of a Secret Keeper for Harry in Privet Drive...especially now that we know there's something about Petunia that keeps Harry protected all these time. but then again, the Dementors did come close. and that's another thing; why ever did Umbridge send those Dementors to Harry?! i must've missed reading the explanation for that part, but i'm a little confused :confused:

Why would people who don't like wizards or wiches ALL keep quiet about that compelete manipulative world among them?).well, probably for the same reason that the Dursleys never tell anyone about Harry's magical abilities -- other Muggles would think they're crazy. who would actually believe that wizards and witches exist in this scientific world? (in terms of Potterverse, that is)

[AldureLusiha]

I get the feeling that wizards (and witches) aren't really supposed to discuss the wizarding world with muggles, even if they are extended family. My guess is that JKR would describe these family members as the "oddballs" in the family, such as a crazy old aunt or that uncle that no one wants to admit is really in the family. Otherwise, I don't think that there is really a solid explanation for this; it seems unreasonable to assume that they would use some sort of Befuddlement charm all the time, but I suppose a wizard would if they had to erase something from a muggle family member's mind. We know that Hermione's parents know, but I doubt they are calling up every cousin that she has to spread the news. Well, those are just my views on the whole matter...

[Pippin]

Originally posted by lithorose
That reminds me. While I was reading the fight in the ministry I kept imagining them punching each other and karate kicking in addition to using their spells. Can you imagine Lucius Malfoy thinking he's all gonna kill you and then he gets a huge punch in the nose that knocks him out?! :LOL: indeed. Well, there is some action of that kind going on, isn´t there? I seem to remember that Sirius shoulders someone out of the way to get at someone else. That might not be state of the art karate :D but the main point in a duel is to disarm your opponent, and if you can do that with a well aimed kick or punch quicker than you could say "Expelliarmus!", that´s fine, isn´t it? :p



by Aldure
I get the feeling that wizards (and witches) aren't really supposed to discuss the wizarding world with muggles, even if they are extended family. My guess is that JKR would describe these family members as the "oddballs" in the family, such as a crazy old aunt or that uncle that no one wants to admit is really in the family. I think so, too. Well, some families might be content with the "oddball" solution (like the Dursleys). Other (more sensible) muggles like Hermione´s parents can maybe be persuaded to keep quiet about it all. But yes, it´s kind of inconsistent.


A little story to go with this: A while ago I saw a little kid on the bus, pointing and laughing rudely at a strange guy (a tramp, funnily dressed and muttering to himself). The mother was very embarrassed and told her son "don´t make fun of him, he might be a wizard for all you know!"´The boy immediately shut up and just stared at the tramp in complete awe until he got off. :)




So how exactly does the protection of Harry at the Dursley´s work? It´s not like the house is impenetrable for wizards, quite a few of them have been in there by now. It could be "unplottable". Maybe the Dementors just swoop down out of nowhere when they spot their victims, they don´t need to know where they live. Plus, it´s very likely the Ministry always knew where Harry was over the holidays, so that´s how Dolores found out.

[Marchwarden]

Originally posted by Pippin

A little story to go with this: A while ago I saw a little kid on the bus, pointing and laughing rudely at a strange guy (a tramp, funnily dressed and muttering to himself). The mother was very embarrassed and told her son "don´t make fun of him, he might be a wizard for all you know!"´The boy immediately shut up and just stared at the tramp in complete awe until he got off. :)


So how exactly does the protection of Harry at the Dursley´s work? It´s not like the house is impenetrable for wizards, quite a few of them have been in there by now. It could be "unplottable". Maybe the Dementors just swoop down out of nowhere when they spot their victims, they don´t need to know where they live. Plus, it´s very likely the Ministry always knew where Harry was over the holidays, so that´s how Dolores found out.

1) That's a wonderful story. Clever Mom. :D

2) I imagine that if anyone were to use the Dark Arts (or perhaps any kind of magical attack, or even any attack at all) against Harry while he was at "home", it would rebound, just like 15 years ago.

[Pippin]

Originally posted by Marchwarden
I imagine that if anyone were to use the Dark Arts (or perhaps any kind of magical attack, or even any attack at all) against Harry while he was at "home", it would rebound, just like 15 years ago. But that puts all the Dursleys in danger, the same danger Harry´s parents were in and died as a result! I don´t think Voldemort would mind blasting all of them out of the way to get at Harry, and I don´t think Dumbledore would be willing to put them to that. I see no way they´d have kept Harry if they knew of that danger. And I can´t see Dumbledore lying to them, not explaining about it in the letter.


All the same I firmly believe that the Final Showdown at the end of book 7 will take place in the Dursley´s living room. :D

[KillerBunny]

I can't help but wonder what Dudley heard from the dementors? :confused:

[Kristin]

I wonder that, too. I'm sure it must have some significance. Dudley must have some emotional pain somewhere in his past. (I'm just frustrated that it wasn't revealed in OotP.)