Chapter Discussions - Chapter Two Questions, "A Peck of Owls"

[bookraptor11]

No: HPFGUIDX 72148

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kelley" <kelleythompson at g...> 
wrote:
> Discussion Questions and Topics: 
> 
> Q9: When Vernon rails against the magical world, Petunia never 
> demurs; but while he rants and raves, she stays in the background. 
> The concern has always been that they want to live a normal life, 
> that they maintain a proper and respectable appearance among the 
> neighbors, among family, in Vernon's career; this is probably true 
> for Vernon, and maybe to some degree for Petunia as well. But does 
> Petunia have another reason for keeping their connection to the 
> Wizarding World a secret? Is her behavior all this time is just a 
> facade? Is she just playing a role?
> --Kelley

My question is if she does know more about the WW, and we know she 
was told about the protection Harry gains by living with her, why she 
doesn't welcome Harry's eleventh birthday. She goes along with Vernon 
completely, yet this is her chance to get Harry out of the house for 
ten months out of the year. She'd know it was permissable for H to 
leave for Hogwarts since the invitation is signed by Dumbledore. I 
know Vernon tore up all the letters, but she'd remember this from 
when Lily got hers. 

One answer might be that she figured while Harry lives with them, 
they are protected also. Perhaps she knows about the Longbottoms?  Is 
she afraid if the DEs who went free learn about the protection they 
would kill her (and Dudley) to remove this? That when Harry is at 
Hogwarts the wizards won't be paying as careful attention to the 
Dursley household?

Donna