Redeemable! Dursleys?

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 40833

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "nplyon" <nplyon at y...> wrote:
 
> I really think that it's Petunia that has the latent abilities.>

Hmmm... how do we know for sure that Petunia isn't already a witch?  A 
while back Magda Grantwich (who unsubbed until OoP - I hope she 
remembers us!) came up with a wild theory that it was really *Petunia* 
who blew up Aunt Marge in PoA, and that Petunia did it because it was 
her family Marge was insulting, after all.  We know how upset Harry 
gets when he feels his family is being insulted, but we have no idea 
what Aunt Petunia was thinking in that scene because, AFAIK, we never 
hear her say a thing after SS.

If I am not mistaken, there are quite a few people here who believe 
the Dursleys are more involved in the WW than they seem to be.  
Perhaps Dumbledore has written more than one letter to them over the 
years.  Or maybe Petunia, when she calls Mrs. Figg, talks about a lot 
more than just "can you watch Harry for a few hours?".  

>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.>

I am jealous right now that I can't go to Hogwarts!

> 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?>

Or maybe she's angry at Lily for all of those things and the fact that 
Petunia has the unenviable position of keeping her own abilities 
quiet.  As unpleasant as the Dursleys are to Harry, I'm willing to bet 
that it has taken a hell of a lot of work to keep him that safe and 
anonymous over the years.

What I am really curious about is if Dudley's diet works and he loses 
all the weight he gained at school - and then some.  Will he come home 
next summer better for it, or worse?  JKR did mention (of course I 
can't remember where) that Harry will have an opportunity to use his 
magic on Dudley and I can't explain the feeling in my stomach that 
develops every time I imagine this scenario.  There's a little mean 
piece of me that loved the Ton-Tongue Toffee incident and that same 
piece will love seeing Harry effectively defending himself against a 
much bigger and meaner person.

--jenny from ravenclaw, who hates bullies with a passion 
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