Petunia is not Harry's only blood relative ... Duddles adopted?

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 96787

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sue White <susanawhite123 at y...> 
wrote:
> Janet Anderson <norek_archives2 at h...> wrote: But what about Dudley? 
He is Harry's cousin by blood -- Lily's nephew. That  still counts as 
a blood relation on his mother's side. Even if Petunia were murdered, 
Harry would still have a home at Privet Drive if *Dudley* lived there 
and allowed him to stay.
> 
> ...When I first encountered the notion that Petunia was Harry's 
only relative it struck me that it's altogether a possibly that 
Dudley was adopted (atleast by Petunia):
>  
> 1. He looks nothing like Petunia; he are Harry are physical and 
emotional opposites Rowling always makes a concerted effort to show 
the physical similarities between family memebers. Why wouldn't this 
be the case if Petunia and Duddles were mother and son?
>  
> 2. He is doted on in a way that seems quite over the top, as if 
compensating for something. I just find it curious why the two boys 
are treated so differently... since they were both babies when they 
entered the family. 
>  
> Sue
>  
> 


Potioncat:
Sorry, I decided not to snip because I couldn't tell which part 
belonged to Sue and to Janet.

I hope adoption won't play into it unless it is the magic of the 
blood connection that is emphasized or unless JKR really understands 
the process.  I've found that authors who have no connection to 
adoption do it up wrong. 
Potioncat