questions about HP (Evans?)

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 82468

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "scoutmom21113" 
<navarro198 at h...> wrote:
> A point about the Evans that I have not seen discussed before.  
> Dumbledore said, "They're the only family he has left now." (SS/PS, 
> p 13 US)  What if he meant "...the only *immediate* family..."?

Assuming that Mark Evans' name is significant, that would be my 
interpretation too.

> Adding in the consideration of the blood protection, Petunia is the 
> closest blood relation to Lily, so is the logical choice for 
> Dumbledore to consider as Harry's guardian.

Yup. If the protection is based on shared blood (genes), then the 
nearest relative is the best choice. Petunia is the one - she shares 
1/4 of her genes with Harry (if my memory of genetics is correct) 
followed by Dudley (1/8 of his genes). A distant relative would share 
very little - clearly not a good candidate.

> Lily's parents were proud to have a witch in the family, which 
> indicates to me that they were either squibs, or the children of 
> squibs – close enough to know about the WW.

No. It is said in many places that Lily was muggle-born. Squibs are 
not muggles - they are descendents of wizards with magical ability 
that is too limited to perform spells (but note they sre not muggles, 
as they do have some magical characteristics, e.g. see dementors or 
communicate with magical cats).

> Lily's ability was evidence that the magic gene was still 
> there in the family.

There obviously is a genetic component to magic - children of magical 
parents are almost always magical themselves (it is mentioned in CoS 
that a squib is very rare). It seems to be a dominant gene - children 
of mixed pairs are wizards too (Voldemort, Seamus, Tonks). And having 
one magical child increases the chance that other children in the are 
also magical (the Creevy's).

But this is no proof that for the Evanses to have a witch in the 
family they themselves had to have magical anscestors.

> So it is possible for Mark Evans to be Harry's cousin without 
> contradicting Dumbledore's statement.

I too think that Mark Evans is a distant relative of Harry's and will 
show up in Hogwarts for book 6. In fact, I think that his 
significance in the story will be exposing the Dursleys lies about 
Harry to the neighborhood, thus leading to Harry's expulsion from the 
Dursleys' home (or them disappearing from the neighborhood without 
leaving a return address - both for fear of Voldemort and of their 
damaged reputation). This will end his protection there, of course.

Salit
(who wonders if the Dursleys will show up to pick Harry at the end of 
book 6).