Mark Evans

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 85004

Christal wrote:
>   I am sure there are limitless possibilities as to what exactly is 
> the truth to this riddle, but until J.K.R. tells us beyond a shadow 
> of a doubt what it is, I am going to assume Dumbledore's comment 
> meant nothing more than Petunia was the only remaining living 
> immediate member of Lily's family. If it is Lily's blood that was 
> protecting Harry, then it seems resonable to assume that in order for 
> whatever spell Dumbledore used to be most effective, he would want to 
> be as close a match in the blood as was possible <i.e. Lily's 
> parents/siblings>.

Carol:
I think you're correct here. That would allow JKR to bring in Mark as
a second cousin or whatever, a muggle-born child who's really a wizard
but doesn't know it (shades of Harry at the same age) and certainly
doesn't have a wand yet.


Christal again:
 It is possible that 
> Mark Evans is a distant relative, or even a second cousin, but as far 
> as the "late-comer" we are all looking for, my money will still be on 
> one of the "squibs" or either Petunia or Dudley. <snip>


I think you're confusing two different ideas here. My impression is
that the "late-comer" is someone who learns to do magic late in life
(weren't those JKR's words?), in which case it can't be either Mark or
Dudley. Even Petunia is probably only in her thirties, which hardly
qualifies as "late in life."  To repeat what I've said in more detail
elsewhere, I don't think Petunia is a squib because as far as we know
her parents were both muggles, but there is clearly a squib or two
farther back in the Evans line and some wizards before that since only
witches/wizards can have squib children. Hence, magic is in the Evans
blood and will probably show itself in Mark Evans, who seems to have
been planted in the story in much the same way that Mrs. Figg and
Sirius Black were and is exactly the right age to show up at Hogwarts
in Book 6.

As for the person who shows a talent for magic late in life, my
candidate is Mrs. Figg, whom we know to be a squib and who saw the
dementors. The only other person I can think of who fits the "late in
life" category is, heaven forfend, Filch. Remember the book Harry saw
in his office? His jealousy and malice make Petunia's pale in
comparison. Put a wand in his hand (with the ability to perform a
spell) and he could wreak havoc. (I hope it's Mrs. Figg and not Filch,
for obvious reasons.)

Carol