Redeemable! Dursleys?

[nplyon]

No: HPFGUIDX 40815

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "alhewison" <Ali at z...> wrote:
> 
> JKR has said that we will see them in a different light in future 
> books (sorry I can't find the quote and I have tried), and also 
> that someone will find magic late in life. Obviously, a Dursley is 
> a strong candidate for this.
> 

I have often wondered about the Dursleys.  I think Harry's life with 
them provides a good foil for his life at Hogwarts but it does seem 
strange to me that JKR, whose characters are so fully drawn, should 
have inserted three seemingly disposable characters.  After rereading 
the books, I have started to wonder if the Dursleys have some 
significance that has not yet been revealed.  I was not aware that 
JKR said as much in an interview but I am kind of relieved by that.  
I really feel like there has to be more to the Dursleys than the 
shallow bits we've seen so far.  In fact, I have begun to entertain 
the thought that their conduct is *deliberate* and that they are 
actually in on everything and are treating Harry the way they are for 
a particular reason.  Otherwise, why would they keep him?  My 
personal feeling is that they know about what's going on with Harry 
and are active participants.  Ah, I finally have a crazy theory of my 
own :) .

[snip]
> If Scenario B is plausible, then how will they – and Harry be 
> effected if say, Aunt Petunia suddenly becomes aware of her latent 
> magical abilities.
> 

I really think that it's Petunia that has the latent abilities.  It 
seems to me that her condemnation of all things magic smacks of her 
jealousy with regards to her sister, which I think was perfectly 
played in the film-that-must-not-be-named (and we all know that JKR 
met with the director and actors and gave them information about what 
would happen with some of the characters in yet unwritten novels).  
Sometimes we hate people just because they're different and human 
beings have the habit of fearing things that are different.  And 
sometimes we hate someone because we are jealous of them.  We look at 
them and they have some trait, some attribute that we desire and feel 
is lacking in ourselves and we hate them for having it when we 
don't.  Hey, if my brother got a letter from Hogwarts, I would 
probably grow to dislike him because I'd be jealous that he got to go 
off and be a part of this fantastic magical world and I didn't.  
Isn't it possible that Petunia feels the same way?  Doesn't it stand 
to reason that she wanted to be seen as special and important and 
that Lily's abilities overshadowed those of Petunia?  What do we 
really know about Petunia?  We know she doesn't work, that she 
overindulges her son, and that she likes to spy on her neighbors.  Do 
we know anything about any of her particular talents?  Perhaps she 
felt that her parents didn't notice either because they were too busy 
fawning over Lily.  This may also explain why she treats Dudley the 
way she does.  If she felt neglected as a child, it would stand to 
reason that she would vow that no child of hers will ever feel that 
way.  She has simply carried it to extremes.  I remember my high 
school days.  You just knew which kids had parents who'd felt that 
their parents were too strict and who vowed that they'd be "cool" 
with their kids.  They were always the kids who got away with the 
most, just like Dudley.

~Nicole, who cannot help but feel jealous of her brother because he 
graduated from college with a 3.8 overall GPA, the little brat.  :)