Narcissa , Lunacy, and Petunia Dursley

[Louis Badalament]

No: HPFGUIDX 97303


"Given that Bellatrix is such a lunatic, is it possible that 
Narcissa is as well?"

 -  Jim Ferer


It's entirely possible!  Narcissa's madness might not nessecarily 
take the form of her sister's - (wild and shrieking) - but you do 
have to admit that, if nothing else, those that we've seen of the 
Malfoy clan are certainly an *obsessive* lot.  Draco, especially, 
might've slipped off the deep end already - especially after the 
things he threatened to do after the end of book 5, but I digress.

I have once heard it postulated, (though I can't remember by whom,) 
that the Malfoy family parallels the Dursley family; in effect; the 
Malfoys are a set of magical Dursleys with glamor, prestige, 
distinguished education, and genteel upbringing - while being a 
thousand times more dangerous to Harry's well-being.  Now, Dudley 
and Draco are bad enough, being the spoiled and bullying young sons, 
but it has always been the father-figure whom Harry has suffered 
most from.  Lucius and Vernon are both extremely energetic and 
dedicated wrongdoers, and they are largely responsible for 
inculcating such rotten values in their sons.  

So, by that logic, that would leave Naricssa to play the magical 
counterpart of Petunia.  Passive, yet commited to her husband's 
values, and a willing acessory to his crimes, always coddling her 
rotten son, contemptous of anyone who's not just like her.  We see 
examples of Narcissa's coddling in a few occasions - her sending 
sweets to Draco via owl in the first book, and her protesting the 
idea of Draco going to Durmstrang in the fourth book.  We see her 
passive (and derisive) side in the fourth book, when she doesn't 
deign to speak the one time she is 'on-stage.'  

Yet, let's look further at Petunia's character.  I don't think I'll 
find much disagreement (even from here) when I say there are a few 
bats in her belfry - Petunia has serious issues dealing with her 
family, such as her weird grudge against her sister, her point-blank 
refusal to accept certain basic facts about her son (his weight and 
nastiness,) and the way she treats Harry.  Her passive attitude also 
hides a number of mysterious secrets - such as her part in assuring 
Harry's safety.  

I think we're going to see these same things with Narcissa.  Like 
Petunia, she's been kept out of the limelight a lot, but with her 
husband out of the way, she's going to reveal more about herself.  
Rowling promised it, anyway, in her World Book Chat.

-  Louis Badalament