Magical Petunia?

[usergoogol at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24579

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., katzefan at y... wrote:

> From:  Bente13 at p...
> Date:  Mon Aug 20, 2001  7:30 pm
> Subject:  Re: spells: hard not to think like a Muggle
> 
> >...but I would enjoy seeing the Dursleys become more open to 
> >the magical world, even if their dislike of it makes for very funny 
> >reading. What makes you think that Petunia  doesn't like Aunt  
> >Marge, though? Did I miss something?
> 
> I think if Petunia Dursley is a witch, she is not likely to admit it 
> even to herself ... except under extreme duress or in a really, 
> really serious jam. I don't think she was just anti-Lily; in Ch. 4 of 
> PS/SS, when she loses her cool, one of the things she says is, "I 
> was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak!" Yes, 
> there's definitely sibling rivalry there - and plain jealousy - but 
> also someone who definitely fears/hates anybody `different.' And 
> she has certainly not been lax in trying to stamp out Harry's 
> `dangerous' heritage.
> Which would, of course, make it all the more fascinating if she 
> does turn out to have latent magic powers.
> I did get the impression Petunia wasn't all that fond of Marge, but 
> mainly because Petunia doesn't like animals and Marge insists 
> on bringing the drooling Ripper with her, who splatters tea all 
> over Petunia's clean kitchen floor. However, as prefectmarcus 
> pointed out, Marge had just used a really nasty term in 
> connection with Lily, and Petunia may be one of the legions of 
> people who can criticize their own family till the cows come 
> home ... but just let someone else do it!
> 

Hmm. I'm gonna have to look over the Aunt Marge scene again.

Perhaps, Petunia subconciously senses that she is a witch, but believes, mu=
ch like many real life muggles do, that Magic is evil, because the bible kin=
da says that it is. Therefore, she subconciously supresses her magic, becaus=
e it is (in her mind) a sinful thing. Much like homosexuals sometimes supres=
s their homosexuality. (I've often thought that its genetic... but lets not =
debate religious issues.) It's actually quite logical. It explains why Petun=
ia wanted to supress Harry's "oddity." As a "good" (actually, she's a bad on=
e) Christian, she feels she should make Harry a good person. (Um, although P=
etunia spies on her neighbors.)

I am not sure if this is something Joanne Rowling would actually put in, bu=
t I personally lve the theory. By the way, if you agree that Homosexuality b=
eing a sin, please don't argue. It's just an analogy, and I think a pretty g=
ood one at that.