Only Lving Relative...

[Arya]

No: HPFGUIDX 82922

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
> 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

There's a slight problem with this:  Dumbledore NEVER says  "only living 
relative", he SAYS:

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle.  "They're the only family he 
has left now."  (US paperback, p13)

It may seem like perhaps the same thing, but I don't necessarily think it is.  I 
think that *family* may mean blood relation close (bloodwise to Lily) enough 
to offer a home for Harry.  I also think it may be a clue that it's NOT said in a 
way to mean 'the only living relative'.  I can't find it now on the QQ site (it 
seems to be down) but I seem to recall reading/hearing in an interview with 
JKR that in her first draft of PS chapter 1, she actually explained almost the 
entire story--current mysteries and all as part of her narrative.  She, obviously, 
edited it outlater to make the story more of a mystery and thus, the epic it is 
today.  Anyway, this sticks with me whenever I read anything in that first 
chapter of PS.  If it's in there--it's for a very good reason and worded, I believe, 
in a very particular way on purpose.  If it's NOT in there, then that's a clue, as 
well.  I really wish I could find this quote to make sure it wasn't imagined or 
misquoted.  If someone else remembers this, please let me know I'm not 
going nutters.

Arya