What does Aunt Petunia know? - Page 2

sun-star · 06-18-2004, 11:28 AM

In an interview, JKR said "There is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life"

it's here

Personally I think Petunia's a good bet - though wouldn't it be funny if it were Vernon?

I find it difficult to believe that Petunia really hated Lily even if she was jealous of her and I think she must have been upset - just a little bit! - when Lily died. Maybe her attitude to Harry and the wizarding world does have something to do with that. The problem is, we know almost nothing about Lily or her parents, personality etc, so it's difficult to tell.

Lizra · 06-18-2004, 03:49 PM

You mean....Petunia had a normal curiosity/interest (probably tinged with a litlle jealousy) about the wizarding world till her sister Lilly was killed, then the shock and loss manifested itself as the anger and denial we see today? Seems reasonable.

I would LOVE to see Petunia learn/do magic. I wonder if it will be something learned, or come as a protection instinct when she, Dudley, or Vernon are threatened by Voldemort/DE's trying to get to Harry. I pretty much hate uncle Vernon and Dudley, but I always felt a little sorry for Petunia.

Fimbrethil · 06-18-2004, 05:38 PM

Ok, maybe saying Petunia loved Harry was a bit much. I was rushed but let me try to say that a little better.

Petunia feels obligated toward Harry and feels connected with him because she still loves her sister and feels that Harry is the only way to get a little peice of her back. She treats him so horribly becasue she sort of blames Harry and his Father for what happened to her sister.

Does that make anymore sense? If one of you guys knows what I'm trying to say and has a better to say please do.

sun-star · 06-19-2004, 12:20 PM

It makes sense

She obviously has conflicting emotions about Harry, Lily and magic in general - love and resentment mixed together, perhaps.

Elfmaster XK · 06-24-2004, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the link sun-star.

That's very interesting. I think Petunia's a good bet too.

Quote:

Petunia feels obligated toward Harry and feels connected with him because she still loves her sister and feels that Harry is the only way to get a little peice of her back. She treats him so horribly becasue she sort of blames Harry and his Father for what happened to her sister.

That's a good point of view, but I don't know...I think if that were the case then she wouldn't pretend she didn't have a sister. She does act completely as though Lily doesn't exist, and never has. And in book 1 she called her a freak and said other things that suggest some real anger there. I think that when Lily was a witch at Hogwarts Petunia was jealous, but not wanting to hate her, but something must have happened to threaten Petunia herself, or her family. Something magical must have damaged her in some way. I can't think or say how though.

I'm not sure I made sense. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow when I'm more awake

Tanoliel · 07-13-2004, 05:26 PM

I have to say, I really like the image of Petunia doing spells under desparate circumstances--ooh, maybe to save Harry in Book 7 or something...so Harry can go back out and defeat Voldemort...hee, now I'm just having fun.

But I think of all the adults, she'd be the most...compelling, story-wise, to suddenly do magic.

She's got a lot going on in her character...I get the feeling she was more interesting as a younger person and her marriage to Vernon and subsequent "normalization" turned her into the sort of dull person she is, or pretends she is. I think she has more connections with the magical world than we know of.

Lizra · 07-13-2004, 10:10 PM

I really liked these lines......
"She (Petunia) was looking at Harry as she had never looked at him before. And all of a sudden, for the very first time in his life, Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister. "

The woman's intense!

Tanoliel · 07-14-2004, 07:52 PM

Which were those lines from, Lizra? (Where in the books I mean).

And yeah--I'm expecting even more intensity from now on.

Lizra · 07-14-2004, 08:16 PM

Those were from OoTP. The best Dursley bit!

Right after Harry brings home the messed up Dudley and tells Uncle Dudley about the Dementors and Voldemort.

I hope she does more than clean the kitchen with Clorox in the next book!

Minielin · 07-19-2004, 10:25 PM

I have the feeling that she will.

I mean... with all the stuff that happened with the Dursleys in OotP, things are bound to be extremely different... I'm quite curious as to how the Dursleys are going to handle Harry. I'm also dying to know what the dementor made Dudley relive!

Eowyn, Lady of Rohan · 07-27-2004, 06:14 PM

i think that maybe petunia was a witch and she didnt' get into hogwarts but lily did so petunia was jelous, so she wanted to forget about anything magic to forget about her failure in not gettiing int o hogwarts

btw: good thread

***azalea*** · 07-31-2004, 08:18 AM

I'm with Lizra, I think that in book seven Dudley will be in some kind of immediate, life-threatening danger, and Aunt Petunia will do something magical by accident, in the midst of her horror of watching him about to die, and will thus save him. A case of where a little magic in the blood comes out in a dire circumstance. And perhaps similar to the way Harry made things happen before he knew what he was, unintentional magic.
(Another option would be that someone non-magical is needed to accomplish an important task, and is allowed to learn something or have some magical power transferred temporarily to help the cause. Just a different theory about it.)

Lizra · 07-31-2004, 09:30 AM

The power of "mother love" is awesome indeed!

06-18-2004, 11:28 AM	#21
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	In an interview, JKR said "There is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite late in life" it's here Personally I think Petunia's a good bet - though wouldn't it be funny if it were Vernon? I find it difficult to believe that Petunia really hated Lily even if she was jealous of her and I think she must have been upset - just a little bit! - when Lily died. Maybe her attitude to Harry and the wizarding world does have something to do with that. The problem is, we know almost nothing about Lily or her parents, personality etc, so it's difficult to tell. __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool. Last edited by sun-star : 06-18-2004 at 11:29 AM.

06-18-2004, 03:49 PM	#22
Lizra Domesticated Swing Babe Join Date: May 2002 Location: Reality Posts: 5,340	You mean....Petunia had a normal curiosity/interest (probably tinged with a litlle jealousy) about the wizarding world till her sister Lilly was killed, then the shock and loss manifested itself as the anger and denial we see today? Seems reasonable. I would LOVE to see Petunia learn/do magic. I wonder if it will be something learned, or come as a protection instinct when she, Dudley, or Vernon are threatened by Voldemort/DE's trying to get to Harry. I pretty much hate uncle Vernon and Dudley, but I always felt a little sorry for Petunia. Last edited by Lizra : 06-18-2004 at 03:52 PM.

06-18-2004, 05:38 PM	#23
Fimbrethil My microwave speaks to me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Having conversations with my major household appliances. Posts: 937	Ok, maybe saying Petunia loved Harry was a bit much. I was rushed but let me try to say that a little better. Petunia feels obligated toward Harry and feels connected with him because she still loves her sister and feels that Harry is the only way to get a little peice of her back. She treats him so horribly becasue she sort of blames Harry and his Father for what happened to her sister. Does that make anymore sense? If one of you guys knows what I'm trying to say and has a better to say please do. __________________ Bah, Bah black sheep have oyu any wool? Yes sir, yes sir. Three bags full! One for the master, one for the dame, one for the little boy who lives down the lane! Bah, bah black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir. Three bags full. I'll be gone for a while. But never fear! "I shall return anon!"

06-19-2004, 12:20 PM	#24
sun-star Lady of Letters Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Either Oxford or Kent, England Posts: 2,476	It makes sense She obviously has conflicting emotions about Harry, Lily and magic in general - love and resentment mixed together, perhaps. __________________ And all the time the waves, the waves, the waves Chase, intersect and flatten on the sand As they have done for centuries, as they will For centuries to come, when not a soul Is left to picnic on the blazing rocks, When England is not England, when mankind Has blown himself to pieces. Still the sea, Consolingly disastrous, will return While the strange starfish, hugely magnified, Waits in the jewelled basin of a pool.

07-13-2004, 05:26 PM	#26
Tanoliel Eccentric Chocolate Crow Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The Emerald City--Seattle, WA Posts: 1,861	I have to say, I really like the image of Petunia doing spells under desparate circumstances--ooh, maybe to save Harry in Book 7 or something...so Harry can go back out and defeat Voldemort...hee, now I'm just having fun. But I think of all the adults, she'd be the most...compelling, story-wise, to suddenly do magic. She's got a lot going on in her character...I get the feeling she was more interesting as a younger person and her marriage to Vernon and subsequent "normalization" turned her into the sort of dull person she is, or pretends she is. I think she has more connections with the magical world than we know of. __________________ Wisdom for Short Attention Spans...Ozy and Millie. It rocks. Food Of The Gods: 3,7-dihydro-3,7-dimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione Feed Me.... Another Online Dwelling Place... "All right, I confess. It is my intention to comandeer a ship, pick up a crew in Tortuga, to rape, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out." -Captain Jack Sparrow "The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify." -Amelia Peabody Emerson "Most people obey the orders of someone who is pointing a gun at their head." -A.P. Emerson

07-13-2004, 10:10 PM	#27
Lizra Domesticated Swing Babe Join Date: May 2002 Location: Reality Posts: 5,340	I really liked these lines...... "She (Petunia) was looking at Harry as she had never looked at him before. And all of a sudden, for the very first time in his life, Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister. " The woman's intense!

07-14-2004, 07:52 PM	#28
Tanoliel Eccentric Chocolate Crow Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: The Emerald City--Seattle, WA Posts: 1,861	Which were those lines from, Lizra? (Where in the books I mean). And yeah--I'm expecting even more intensity from now on. __________________ Wisdom for Short Attention Spans...Ozy and Millie. It rocks. Food Of The Gods: 3,7-dihydro-3,7-dimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione Feed Me.... Another Online Dwelling Place... "All right, I confess. It is my intention to comandeer a ship, pick up a crew in Tortuga, to rape, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out." -Captain Jack Sparrow "The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify." -Amelia Peabody Emerson "Most people obey the orders of someone who is pointing a gun at their head." -A.P. Emerson

07-14-2004, 08:16 PM	#29
Lizra Domesticated Swing Babe Join Date: May 2002 Location: Reality Posts: 5,340	Those were from OoTP. The best Dursley bit! Right after Harry brings home the messed up Dudley and tells Uncle Dudley about the Dementors and Voldemort. I hope she does more than clean the kitchen with Clorox in the next book!

07-19-2004, 10:25 PM	#30
Minielin Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: I dwell in possibility. Posts: 247	I have the feeling that she will. I mean... with all the stuff that happened with the Dursleys in OotP, things are bound to be extremely different... I'm quite curious as to how the Dursleys are going to handle Harry. I'm also dying to know what the dementor made Dudley relive! __________________ "...then how shall I Revive the dying tones of minstrelsy, Which linger yet about lone gothic arches, In dark green ivy, and among wild larches?" Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum.

07-27-2004, 06:14 PM	#31
Eowyn, Lady of Rohan The Evil One Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: here, on the moot Posts: 804	i think that maybe petunia was a witch and she didnt' get into hogwarts but lily did so petunia was jelous, so she wanted to forget about anything magic to forget about her failure in not gettiing int o hogwarts btw: good thread __________________ GO RED SOX Evanescence, Green Day, Weezer, the Click Five, Train...The best song artists and singers ever! You laugh cuz i'm different, i laugh cuz ur all the same!!! Last edited by Eowyn, Lady of Rohan : 07-27-2004 at 06:16 PM. Reason: adding a sentence

07-31-2004, 08:18 AM	#32
*azalea* Long lost mooter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,342	I'm with Lizra, I think that in book seven Dudley will be in some kind of immediate, life-threatening danger, and Aunt Petunia will do something magical by accident, in the midst of her horror of watching him about to die, and will thus save him. A case of where a little magic in the blood comes out in a dire circumstance. And perhaps similar to the way Harry made things happen before he knew what he was, unintentional magic. (Another option would be that someone non-magical is needed to accomplish an important task, and is allowed to learn something or have some magical power transferred temporarily to help the cause. Just a different theory about it.)

07-31-2004, 09:30 AM	#33
Lizra Domesticated Swing Babe Join Date: May 2002 Location: Reality Posts: 5,340	The power of "mother love" is awesome indeed! __________________ Happy Atheist Go Democrats!

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