The Dudley Theory

[smtopliff]

No: HPFGUIDX 92751

Sue wrote:
> Aha!  Happy day.  Mrs. Figg (apparently) saw the Dementors. 
> We know Harry and other magical people can see them for sure. 
> Dudley did not see the Dementors.  In fact, he ran right at 
> one of them trying to get away and only described the incident 
> as feeling "cold, really cold."   OotP US pg. 31.  Therefore, 
> he cannot be magical.  


Having re-read the "Dudley Demented" chapter of OOP and the following 
chapter "A Pack of Owls," I came to the conclusion that there is no 
direct wording that states conclusively that Dudley did not see 
Dementors.  If he is running blind through the dark, maybe looking 
over his shoulder while he is running, it is entirely likely that he 
never saw the approach of a Dementor; or perhaps he saw the Dementor 
over Harry's shoulder and did not realize there was a second one in 
the alley.  Dudley actually does state that he "heard...things. 
Inside my head...) (Am.ed. p.30), which contradicts what Lupin said 
about Dementors in POA.  Lupin asserted that Muggles can FEEL 
dementors, but never elaborated further as to whether Muggles HEAR 
voices --sorry, don't have POA with me; Lupin was explaining 
Dementors to Harry when he was teaching him the Patronus Charm in his 
DDA classroom.  So, my impression is that the question still is 
unanswered--does Dudders have *the power!* or is he a boring old 
Muggle?  
 
One more burning question--who and when and where did Petunia hear 
tell of Azkaban and Dementors?  She never elaborated in "A Pack of 
Owls"  pg.32 Am.ed.--somebody ain't tellin' somethin', and I wanna 
know!

smt.