How does Petunia know about Dementors?

[jimlaming]

No: HPFGUIDX 97143

Franzi schuerch <amlesis at y...> wrote:
> I was wondering how Petunia knows about Dementors and the prison 
Azkaban. After the attack on Harry and Dudley in OoP she said 
something like, I heard the boy telling her about Dementors guarding 
the prisoners in Azkaban. 

Jim asks:
Does anybody know when the Dementors started working at Azkaban?  Are 
they there in the time when Lilly is at school?  Somewhere I remember 
something about DD disagreeing with Fudge about using Dementors as 
guards.  If they were not in the employ of the MOM when Lilly was at 
school, then Petunia has had contact with the WW since they started...

Franzi schuerch <amlesis at y...> wrote:
> So I am wondering who is Petunia's source of information? I 
personally believe Petunia is a muggle and she must have overheard 
someone other than James and Lilly. 

Jim wonders:
When I was a kid and when my kids were teens, there was always 
someone coming over.  Many were very close friends and some were from 
the larger circle of friends.  Lilly's parents were so proud to have 
a witch in the family that I imagine they would encourage Lilly's 
friends coming to the house.  

Could Petunia's contact with Lilly's friends and their overheard 
conversations have been her education about the WW?  Because she is 
muggle or squib (I'll throw in my own little curve ball) she probably 
feels excluded from their society and could that have fueled her 
hatred of the WW.

JimLaming