[HPforGrownups] Redeemed!Dudley?

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 56250

From: herm - own - ninny
Now, as for Wizard!Dudley, I think this would also work well with the
"someone developing magical powers later in life" hint that JKR dropped. I
had always thought that someone would be Filch, but I see no reason why
Dudley can't be a late blooming wizard. However, if you're suggesting that
he -already- has magic powers, hence the Dursley's being afraid of him, then
I would disagree. If that were the case, then why didn't he get a letter
from Hogwarts? Also, Dudley himself seems frightened of magic. In CoS, when
Harry does a faux spell on him out in the garden, he runs away terrfied.

Me:

The thought had crossed my mind, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.
After all, Petunia did grow up with Lily.  Maybe she remembers Lily as a
little kid and what she could do when provoked, that making Lily mad brought
about unexpected results.  Although Petunia herself does not have these
abilities, maybe she is afraid that Dudley might exhibit them, so she does
what she can to pacify him.  Dudley, of course, would not know about this.
As for my thoughts about maybe he HAD shown some ability, I was thinking it
would've happened as an infant, somewhere in the first couple years of life.
Dudley would have no memory of this either, and therefore could be taught by
his parents to be afraid of magic so he would never seek it out in himself.

herm - own - ninny:

I've never gotton the impression that Petunia and Vernon are afraid of
Dudley, just afraid of upsetting him. Not because he can do any significant
harm, but because they love him to death and don't want to bring on a temper
tantrum of screaming and crying. They cannot deal with these temper tantrums
because they have lost their position of authority over Dudley, so they try
their best to avoid them. Also, based on the way they treat Harry and refer
to Lily and James as "freaks," I would think they'd be less enthusiastic
about their son had he displayed any inclination towards magic.

Me:

I can see this, too.  I liked a post I read earlier today about how Dudley
is really an unhappy boy who might be afraid of things because his parents
have never set limits for him.  I guess this theory of Dudley came to me
because I was thinking about JKR's comment about a few discovering magic
late in life, coupled with watching the SS movie and the way Petunia in
particular treats and reacts to Dudley.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova/