[HPforGrownups] The Dursley's

[Diann Recla]

No: HPFGUIDX 2394

Uncle Vernon is the director of a drill manufacturing company.  He is an
over indulgent father who considers that his son is perfect.  He does not
like anything that is not what he considers normal.  He does not want anyone
to know that some of his wife's relatives are definitely not considered
normal.  He is also afraid of the witches and wizards - he bought a gun for
protection when they are hiding from the letters from Hogwarts.  Vernon
likes to think that he is important and feels the need to impress others.
His son is his blind spot.  He wants to blame Harry for everything that goes
wrong at home.
Why is Vernon so scared of the magic community?  Is it possible that Vernon
was related to the Riddles?

Aunt Marge is Vernon's sister.  She lives in the country breeding bulldogs.
There is no reason to believe that she was ever married.  She also indulges
Dudley while antagonizing Harry.  She does not stay with the Dursley's long
not wanting to leave her dogs.  She does bring her favorite (Ripper) with
her.  Ripper does not like Harry either.  Aunt Marge makes the mistake of
not only putting Harry down, but his parents also.  At this point Harry
turns Marge into a balloon.


 I don't know that Marge is a real factor in the series; she does show how
unpleasant and mean the family can be.

 Aunt Petunia is married to Vernon; she was Lily's sister (Harry's mother).
She is a nosy neighbor who wants to know everything the neighbors would like
to hide.  She is everything going on except in her own house.  There she
only sees what she wants to see.  She believes that Dudley is only large not
obese, that he is strong not a bully, that he is highly intelligent not
slow.  All these years later she is still mad that Lily went to Hogwarts.
She has said that Lily came back from that school doing all sorts of spells;
yet she pretends that she knows nothing about the world of magic.  We do not
know is she was the bossy older sister or the baby of the family who was no
longer the pet after Lily was found to be a witch.

 Who was older, Lily of Petunia?
How much knowledge does Petunia have of the magic world?

 Dudley Dursley is Vernon and Petunia's son, Harry's cousin.  He is obese, a
bully, and not very smart (remember in the first book when he counts his
presents then cannot add 2 more and know the total).   Dudley is allowed to
do whatever he wants while Harry is the unpaid help.


Is the overindulgence of his parents a form of abuse?  Dudley appears to
believe that he should always get his way.
Did Dudley learn anything from eating candy from Fred and George?



I am sure that there are many more questions to be answered.



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