Only Lving Relative...

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 82914

Let's say for a moment that my name is Harry Potter and my mother's
name is Lily Evans.

Additionally, let's assume that my great great grandfather had one son
and one daughter; the son being my great grandfather.

So the daughter marries a guy named Fish and they have a daughter;
making that daughter first cousin to my great grandfather. 

Now let's assume this second generation daughter marries a guy named
Carp and they have a daughter; making this daughter second cousin to
my grandfather.

Then this daughter marries a guy name Trout, and they have a daughter
who is third cousin to my father. This daughter then marries a guy
named Evans and they have a son named Mark, who is my fourth cousin. 

Let us now assume that if you trace Mr. Evan family tree back through
many generation, it intersects at some distant point with the Lily
Evans family tree. 

Are Mark Evans and I related, or are we total strangers?

For all intent and purpose, we are total strangers. The only reason I
know him at all is because he lives in my neighborhood.

Point, we are all related. Life began in a couple of small 'cradles of
civilization', and we are all the decendants of those 'cradles'. 

So Mark Evans and Harry could share a distant branch of the family
tree, and still not be considered 'living relatives' for any
reasonable or practical purposes.

I'm related to Bakkans, Nelsons, and maybe a few Ellingsons, but for
the most part they are all strangers to me. I'm more closely related
to any Ellingsons I know through my first cousin who married an
Ellingson than I am through any that might be lurking in my family tree.

So, I agree with everyone that Mark Evans is a very significant
character, and will concede that they might share common ancestors;
but, give that, I will add that I don't see that as any conflict in
the statement by Dumbledore that Petunia is Harry's only living relative.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn