Gilding the Lily

[Matt]

No: HPFGUIDX 114751


I wrote:
>> [T]he bit about the Evans parents being victims of 
>> Voldemort or his minions strikes me as likely.

Hickengruendler replied:
> 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. 

I took that comment to mean that the GPs would not figure into the
plot prominently, not that they aren't part of the backstory.  If
Kneasy's speculation -- with which I agreed -- is correct, the
information about the Evanses deaths is not terribly "important" to
the story because it simply confirms things we already know (VM and
his band were violent and didn't shrink from attacking the families of
those who opposed them).  

>From my post:
>> 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.

A fair point, and part of the reason I said "arguably." The argument
on the other side is that if you already both resented your sibling
and thought that her entanglements with those "weirdos" were
dangerous, it would be easier to rationalize that she brought her
death on herself, and that everything would be different for you.

>From my post:
>> 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.  

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....

I wasn't suggesting that the Dursleys were protected by the same charm
that Dumbledore says he used to protect Harry.  Just that it was part
of Petunia's deal with DD that he would offer her some form of
protection as well.  

Or, alternatively, maybe there is something specific that Petunia has
to fear from Voldemort, and so she is willing to cooperate in his
downfall by keeping Harry safe.  

Hickengruendler:
> 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.

I agree with your observation, but am suggesting that there are two
possible inferences from it.  One could infer that Petunia loves Harry
so deeply that she is willing to put Dudley at risk.  Or,
alternatively, one could infer that Petunia is getting something else
out of the deal.  I am suggesting that the second possible inference
is more credible.

-- Matt