Is Petunia older or younger than Lily?

[Sharon]

No: HPFGUIDX 118401


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Amanda Coleman <spherissa at g...> 
wrote:
> Imagine her disappointment if they had been planning what they would
> do when Petunia got her letter, and then it never came.
> 
> Disappointed dreams do turn to bitter resentment.
> 
> Or she might have been older and everyone's favourite, and then Lily
> marries James, who is from an old family, has money, and even in 
term
> of the muggle world that has a certain cachet. Vernon is a salesman,
> and doesn't have any of the style or grace of the impression of 
James.


No, Rissa, I would agree with both the theories.  I do think that 
Petunia is probably a little younger than Lily, although all the 
signs sure point to her being older.  (After all, Petunia's child is 
a bit older, and Lily was fairly young to begin with when Harry was 
born, if you go by the 1960-1980 birthdates.)

But regardless of whether Petunia was the older or younger sibling, I 
do think that the two weren't that far apart in age (maybe a year or 
18 months max) and that they were fairly close as youngsters.  

It's not something that's ever been in canon, or asked in any of the 
interviews with JKR, and you can bet it's at the top of my list 
should I ever get to ask JKR anything!  

--azriona