Gilding the Lily

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 114356

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Matt" <hpfanmatt at g...> wrote:
> While I found most of the speculation about Lily's backstory a bit
> weak (at least in canon support), the bit about the Evans parents
> being victims of Voldemort or his minions strikes me as likely: 

Hickengruendler:
I agree, but like some other posters pointed out, the chat last March 
where she said that the grandparents are not very important to the 
plot sort of contradicts the theory. On the other hand, we don't know 
what JKR considers important. Maybe the death of characters who never 
appeared in the books is not important for her, even if they were 
Harry's grandparents.
 
> 
> * They certainly wouldn't be expected to have died of old age when
> their daughter was only 20-something. 

Hickengruendler:

I agree, and therefore I think it's likely that at least one of 
Petunia's parents felt victim to the Death Eaters. Especially because 
James parents are missing as well. And there where still alive when 
Sirius left his home. It just seems unlikely for me that all four of 
them died of natural causes, especially because they were closely 
related to the baby Voldemort wants to kill. 
 
> We know that James and Lily had "defied" LV three
> times, which presumably did not endear them to his heart.

Hickengruendler: 
And maybe the grandparents died during one of the times the Potters 
defied Voldie.
 
> * Petunia appears to be terrified by the idea of Voldemort, arguably
> moreso than a single murder (of her allegedly hated sister) would
> explain.  

Hickengruendler:

There I disagree with you. No matter how much you might hate your 
sister, the idea that her murderer is on the loose is terryfying. 
Especially, because the reason why Lily and James were killed is now 
living under Petunia's roof. I would be afraid, as well.

> By way of contrast, the Dursleys do not appear terribly
> scared at the news about mass-murderer Sirius Black in PA -- Vernon 
is
> principally indignant, while Petunia takes the suggestion that he
> might be on their street somewhat in stride, peeking outside to see 
if
> she might be the one to turn him in.

Hickengruendler:

Here is a pretty beloved fandom-theory. I'm not sure if I agree with 
it, but it certainly is interesting. Harry misinterprets his Aunts 
behaviour in PoA. Petunia really recognised Sirius during the news. 
She knew who he was and ran to the window, because she thinks he's 
after Harry and knows that he has a reason to appear in Little 
Whinging.
> 
> Certainly this is an area where JKR must have thought about the
> backstory, and it presumably ties in in some way with the issue of
> Dumbledore's bargain with Petunia and her odd behavior in OP.  
Unless
> Petunia's portrayed character is a complete red herring, she must be
> getting something out of the arrangement other than the satisfaction
> of knowing that Harry is protected.  And the simplest explanation
> (yeah, I know, never a safe bet with Rowling, but...) would be that
> she or Dudley or the whole family is being protected as well.  
> 
> -- Matt

Hickengruendler:

And here I don't really agree with it as well. The only safe place is 
the Dursley's home, and even assuming that Petunia and Dudley are 
safe their as well, at the very least Dudley isn't safe while he is 
at Smeltings, which is most of the year. Surely he would have been 
safer, if he hadn't got to do anything with Harry at all. And Petunia 
clearly loves Dudley, no matter how nasty she is otheriwse. And still 
in this case she seems to put him in danger to keep Harry safe.