Petunia and Dumbledore (was: SPOILERS. Re: JKR site update)

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 114832


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "redlena_web" 
<redlena_web at y...> wrote:

> 
> RedLena:
> As intriguing as some people's theories have been to read, I 
> don't think Petunia's going to turn out to have any magic powers.  
> My support for this opinion comes from JKR's talk at the 
> Edinburgh Book Festival this August (find full transcript here: 
> http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/news_view.cfm?id=80).
> 
> In answer to the question, "Is Aunt Petunia a Squib?" JKR says 
> "No, she is not, but—[Laughter]. No, she is not a Squib. She is a 
> Muggle, but—[Laughter]. You will have to read the other books. 
> You might have got the impression that there is a little bit more 
to 
> Aunt Petunia than meets the eye, and you will find out what it is. 
> She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh, I am 
> giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indiscreet." 
> 
> Granted she does cloud the issue with all the "but--" business 
> but she does explicitly say "[Petunia] is a Muggle."  And, afaik, 
> that by definition means she's not magical.

Finwitch:

Squibs don't have magic either (as far as wizards are concerned), but 
they can see Dementors, and some of them can do simple spells (as 
shown by the Kwick-spell course, and Mrs Figg in OOP). Squibs are, by 
simplest definition, non-magical people born in wizard family. Yet 
they have little magic.

There are wizards & witches born of Muggles. I think that squib-like 
abilities born of Muggles are much more common than witches or 
wizards. Wizard would consider this "Muggle-born squib" as a Muggle. 
(Why would they deem otherwise?) I think that this is sort of person 
very likely to be successful in his/her career. For one thing, I 
think that Hermione's parents are such, both being dentists with the 
firm - (and such a pair is most likely to produce a witch, I'd say).

And since Lily is Muggle-born witch, and her sister is a Muggle - 
well, I'd say that she has *some* ability, just not enough to be a 
witch herself (and she *does* keep her house miraculously clean).

Oh and it seems that Petunia alone has been in contact with 
Dumbledore before she took Harry in, but not after that...
 
> > Dungrollin:
> > PS what odds are you giving on Petunia's house?  I can't see
> > how she'd fit anywhere, perhaps the hat spat her out again.
> 
> RedLena:
> My above opinion about Muggle Petunia aside, *if* she *were* a 
> witch and sorted into a Hogwarts house, I'd expect her to be put 
> into Hufflepuff.  Here's why... she's not brave enough to be a 
> Gryffindor, she's not smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, and she's 
> clearly not a pureblood which seems to cut Slytherin out of the 
> running.  Though I'd expect she'd be unlikely to be very popular in 
> any case.
 
Finwitch:

Petunia... is she brave? I think so - at least when she's defending 
Dudley against Harry's magic. (Never underestimate the mother) Or 
facing down Vernon after that Howler.

I don't know how we should see the way they explain away all Dudley's 
misdeeds? Loyalty? (and that doesn't include anyone with magic)

Smart - well, I don't know where that would come up, considering how 
little of her we see. But I think she shows great intellect in 
explaining away all unpleasant things - just because she pretends not 
to see magic is no indication of being stupid...

Ambitious - well, as a house-wife and mother who spends most of her 
time spying on neighbours... not for herself, anyway - unless tip-top 
conditioned house counts.
She'll use any means to ignore magic...

I think the sorting hat wouldn't know where to put her.

Finwitch