The Opening Chapter of Book 6

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 102293

JKR has told us via her website that she tried to use a version of 
the forthcoming opening chapter at the beginning of PS/SS, PoA and 
OoP. So of course I've been trying to work it out what it could 
relate to.

The difficulty for me is that PS opens in an entirely different way 
to the other 2 books, as it is not written from Harry's point of 
view. However, as we know that she had several opening chapters, it 
is perhaps possible to assume that one of them at least did follow 
the Harry at the Dursley's pattern.

In both PoA and OoP, Harry is under extreme stress, in PoA, he loses 
control and blows up Aunt Marge, in OoP, he has to stop himself 
performing magic against Dudley: 

"Harry could feel fourteen years' hatred of Dudley pounding in his 
veins – what wouldn't he give to strike, to jinx Dudley so 
thoroughly he'd have to crawl home"

OoP UK edition p.19.

So, an obvious opening could be that Harry loses control – or no 
longer cares enough to control – and performs magic against one of 
the Dursleys. The trouble with this, is that it has already been 
done – Harry released the snake at London Zoo in PS, and he blew up 
Aunt Marge. Surely, there would be no way of preventing serious 
punishment from the MoM if he were to lose control again?

An alternative possibility which would have fitted at the beginning 
of PS as well as PoA and OoP, would by a scenario which revealed 
*why* Petunia agreed to take Harry in the first place. It could just 
be because she couldn't let her nephew be killed, but I am not alone 
in thinking there was more to it. 

When Dumbledore explains why he sent Petunia a Howler in OoP, it is 
because he "thought 
that she might need reminding of the pact she 
had sealed by taking you" p. 737.

I have never thought that the word "pact" was synonymous 
with "charm" – IMO Petunia received something in return for taking 
Harry in. If I'm right, this pact is vital to the plot. I don't 
believe that gold would have been sufficient to make Petunia do it, 
her fear of all things wizarding, and her obvious distaste for Harry 
are too great. The pact must have had something to do with 
distancing her and her family from the WW. My favourite hunch is 
that Petunia agrees to take Harry in as long as Dudley doesn't know 
that he is a wizard.

Now, I know that there has been much debate surrounding the person 
who will find magic late in life, my favourite candidates have only 
ever been Petunia and Dudley. I just have never felt that giving Mrs 
Figg or Filch magic would be anything other than convenient, it 
wouldn't add to the richness of the story. But, there are 
potentially large repercussions for Harry if either Petunia or 
Dudley finds an ability to do magic. 

The question is, how would either Petunia or Dudley find out now 
that they have magical powers? Well, Neville only discovered he had 
magical powers when he was dropped out of a window, Harry only used 
his latent powers when he was upset or angry. Dudley on the other 
hand has had very little cause to get upset or angry. When he has, 
the tortoise has been thrown over the greenhouse and his play 
station has been broken – perhaps there were more to these incidents 
than we have hitherto understood. Supposing, we see Harry at last 
trying to get his own back on Dudley only to find Dudley pushed to 
the limit and responding with magic? Once Dudley became aware of his 
magical abilities, Petunia's pact would be broken. She would no 
longer need to look after Harry, as Dudley's protection from the WW 
would be gone. Hence Harry's swift removal from Privet Drive. I 
suppose the question at this point though would be, would Petunia 
really let Harry go, knowing the danger that she was placing him in? 
I *want* to believe that Petunia has stronger moral fibre than that.

I can see Dudley producing magic at the beginning of PS, when he was 
too young to understand it. I can see it happening in PoA and OoP, 
for me, it does fit the scenario.

If Dudley isn't the person to produce magic in later life, then 
arguably it is Petunia. If Petunia is a Witch, does she know she is? 
Has she always known she is? Did she chose to avoid the WW? My 
personal belief is no: she sounds very jealous of Lily. But of 
course, she could be simply bitter. It's more than a possibility 
that her parents died because of Lily. Perhaps, but unlikely, she 
did discover she was a witch, but the whole idea of the WW terrified 
her, and then she was unable to comprehend why her parents were so 
proud of Lily: I don't believe that this fits with the facts though. 
I don't believe she would have sounded off at Harry if she knew she 
was a witch but had chosen not to go to Hogwarts.

If Petunia does suddenly find herself with magical abilities, would 
this change the pact she has made with Dumbledore? I can't think why 
it would – although of course, I don't know what the pact is, if it 
is not to protect Dudley.  It might change her relationship with 
Harry, Vernon and Dudley, but would it be sufficient to cause Harry 
to spend very little at Privet Drive this time round?

On balance, my favourite opening to OoP would be that Harry has the 
fight he has imagined having with Dudley since the story began. The 
result though is that Dudley realises he has magical powers, and 
Harry loses his refuge at 4, Privet Drive.

Ali

(Writing during half time, and still hoping that England can win)