The Dursleys' role (was New/Old Friends?)

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 54347

Martin wrote:

> Apart from providing a safe house I can see the Dursley's playing 
a less
> significant role in the rest of the series. Certainly the joke 
tensions
> between them and Harry have worn thin.

Au contraire, I think it will be aesthetically deeply unsatisfying 
is the final defeat of Voldemort does not depend in a very intimate 
way on some sort of reconciliation or joint action between Harry and 
the Dursleys, most likely Dudley.

For example, to take a speculation at random, we could have a whole 
Heir of Gryffindor red herring involving James Potter.  It would 
then be resolved that JP is not descended from G, and concluded that 
the HoG idea is itself a red herring.  At the last moment it would 
emerge that Lily (and therefore her presumed older sister Petunia) 
are descended from G, and therefore Dudley *is* the HoG.

I'd hate any of that to be true, because I think these heir subplots 
suck - they play into the hands of Voldemortian particularism - but 
you get the idea, I'm sure.

David