The Dudley Theory

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 92703

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "paulaboo1013" <paula at j...> wrote:
>  --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, tyler maroney <tmar78 at y...> 
> > That is certainly interesting! In another yahoo HP group someone
> suggested that Dudley 
> > would be the one to learn magic "late in life." (I believe that was
> something JKR said with 
> > regards the the 6th book, although I can't cite my sources. All I
> know is that it was said 
> > before the most recent chat.)
> 
> the actual quote is :
> 
> Barnes and Noble Interview
> 
> March 1999 
> 
>
(http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/1999/0399-barnesandnoble.html)
> 
> Question: Will there be, or have there been, any "late blooming"
> students in the school who come into their magic potential as adults,
> rather than as children? By the way, I loved meeting you, and hearing
> you speak, when you came to Anderson's in Naperville. I can hardly
> wait until you tour again.
> 
> Answer: Ahhh! I loved the event at Anderson's. It was one of my
> favorites. That is completely true. No, is the answer. In my books,
> magic almost always shows itself in a person before age 11; however,
> there is a character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do
> magic quite late in life, but that is very rare in the world I am
> writing about. 
> 
> I put the emphasis on _quite_ late in life.  16 doesn't seem to fit
> that time frame.  I lean more towards Petunia to be the late bloomer,
> in an attempt to save Dudley in some way.
> 
> I also theorize that the reason JKR dislikes Vernon the most is
> because he will do something horrible when he finds out that he's
> married to a *gasp* witch.
> 
> just a theory.
> 
> Paula


Petunia is about forty or thereabouts, not exactly "late in life." The
phrase fits Mrs. Figg much better, and I think seeing Dementors is
only the beginning of what she'll find she's able to do. Also JKR said
in another interview that she doesn't have much hope for the
redemption of Petunia or Vernon, though she feels sorry for Dudley,
whom she sees as abused. So Dudley, though he can't be the person who
does magic "late in life" (even at seventeen, which he'll be in Book
Seven), there may be hope that he'll repent his bullying of Harry.

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/2000/1100-garcia-dateline-1.html

Interestingly, she says that we should "keep an eye on Dudley," which
is the same thing she says about Snape. Is that a code phrase for
"this person will be redeemed"? Or how about Dudley sacrificing his
life to save Harry, as many listees have predicted for Snape?

Here's the quote:

"A question also surfaced surrounding Harry Potter's non-magical
relatives, the Muggles who have always tortured or mistreated Harry,
because of their fear of magic. For revenge, Harry has magically
tortured his cousin Dudley. `I like torturing them,` said Rowling.
`You should keep an eye on Dudley. It's probably too late for Aunt
Petunia and Uncle Vernon. I feel sorry for Dudley. I might joke about
him, but I feel truly sorry for him because I see him as just as
abused as Harry. Though, in possibly a less obvious way. What they are
doing to him is inept, really. I think children recognize that. Poor
Dudley. He's not being prepared for the world at all, in any
reasonable or compassionate way, so I feel sorry for him. But there's
something funny [comic] about him, also. The pig's tail was
irresistible.`"

There we are: Poor Dudley, abuse victim and possible candidate for
redemption. Not a hint, though, of magical ability on the part of any
Dursley.

Carol, who will believe the narrator's repeated assertions that all
three Dursleys are Muggles till she's proven wrong by Book Six or Seven