Why did Petunia Dursley accept Harry at the beginning?

[Rebecca M]

No: HPFGUIDX 99924

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at e...> 
wrote:
> 
> Jen: We know Petunia accepted Harry "grudgingly, furiously, 
> unwillingly, bitterly" so she seemed fully aware of the contract 
she 
> entered into and did it anyway. It makes you wonder, what did 
> she/they get in return?  

Perhaps what she got was *protection* from something she feared, 
rather than a reward for her action.  The whole way the scene plays 
out makes it clear that DD convinced Petunia to accept Harry and 
that she then prevailed on Vernon.  She knows the motivation, but 
Vernon doesn't.  I'd go further and say that she was convinced to 
take Harry because of something that could be revealed that would 
wreck her life as she wants it and has created it if *Vernon* knew.  
I suspect that Petunia had more involvement with and knowledge of 
the magical world than she lets on and she at some point chose to 
reject that world -- and her relationship with Vernon is predicated 
on her being completely normal and different than her 'deviant' 
sister.  What if she's not so different?

Rebecca