Clue for the "ancient protection?"

[Tammy Bianchi]

No: HPFGUIDX 57702


  Susan Snow <snowwy54 at y...> 
  wrote:
  > 
  > 
  > I have been following this thread and I seem to have
  > gotten a different inmpression of Petunia.  In PS/SS
  > in the first chapter Vernon is upset by the wierd
  > people but not apoplectic.  Vernon seemed more worried
  > about Petunia's reaction.  It almost seemed like he
  > feared her reaction.  He started to dial home from
  > work and decided not too.  Then after he got home he
  > still didn't tell her everything he had heard that
  > day.  In fact he only asked what the childs name was. 

  Then Noel wrote:

  True, although I find it interesting that JKR focuses on Vernon (one 
  of the few scenes in the whole series *not* narrated from Harry's 
  perspective) rather than Vernon and Petunia, or on their separate 
  experiences.  Why did she not, for example, add a scene where Petunia 
  ventures into the High Street with Dudley, and is met by a witch or 
  wizard telling her to rejoice on this happy, happy day?  Or have 
  Petunia notice owls or the kittified McGonagall throughout the day 
  (she would, of course, know what the owls meant more than Vernon). My 
  point is that I read Petunia's silence as significant, somehow (write 
  me after June 21 and see if I'm correct!)

  BTW, I read Vernon's ambivalence about calling Petunia coming from a 
  different motivation: he's deeply unnerved himself, and wants to 
  discuss this with the only other person in the world who would 
  understand why he's having kittens, but he doesn't want to worry 
  her.  I'm not sure that's fear, but rather protectiveness (as has 
  been noted, he moves to protect her from Arthur Weasley, too.)  In 
  the grand scheme of things, of course, Vernon's protectiveness could 
  be a subtle irony: of the two, Petunia is the one with more 
  experience of the WW, having had a witch sister and all.  Vernon's 
  nervousness seems driven by self-centredness: he's deeply worried 
  that somehow this wizard activity will involve him, so when he hears 
  the name "Harry Potter" he tries to convince himself that it's not 
  the *same* Harry Potter, &c. &c.  <snip>

  Now me (Tammy):

  While this does seem important, I believe that these observations are only true until baby Harry arrives with the letter.  I'm sure that Vernon got his impression of the WW from Petunia.  I think that he genuinely does worry about her reaction in the first chapter.  I think that they do still have this opinion of the WW. But, I believe that "the letter" somehow has forced her to do certain things (like use Mrs. Figg and never leave Harry alone at home).  I am in the camp with those that believe Petunia is keeping most of the contents of the letter from Vernon.  She probably just told him that Harry's parents were killed and that Harry might have magical abilities.

  Tammy

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