Petunia and Dumbledore

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 115171

There has been lots of speculation the last few days about the 'previous' letters Petunia received from DD prior to 'the last' which was left with Harry.  Speculation that one of these letters was about what really happened to Lily and James the night they were killed.  This letter would have had to arrive (by owl?) in the 30 hour period between the attack and the time Petunia found HP on the doorstep "not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door."  

Also, if DD sent this letter to tell Petunia what 'really' happened to Lily and James, despite what she might read in the papers, why did she say "and then, if you please, she went and got  herself *blown up* and we got landed with you!"?  There is no indication in any of the books that an AK 'blows up' anyone.  Cedric, who we *know* was AK'd, was perfectly recognizable "lying spread-eagle on the ground beside him.  He was dead."  Others, who we believe to have been AK'd - the three Riddles - all looked perfectly normal as well, just dead.  While DD may have sent a letter to Petunia previous to the one he left with HP, he either didn't make himself clear, she didn't understand what he said, or it wasn't about James and Lily's deaths at all. 

In the first chapter of PS there is quite a conversation between Vernon and Petunia that would, I think, squash the speculation on a letter of this kind:  
"Er -- Petunia, dear -- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"
"No," she said sharply, "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled.  "Owls ... shooting stars .. and ther were a lot of funny-looking people in town today ..."
"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.
"Well, I just thought .. maybe .. it was something to do with .. you know .. *her lot*."
Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips.  Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare.  Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son -- he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so, " said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.
"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
"Harry. Nasty common name, if you ask me."
"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly.  "Yes, I quite agree." ..... "Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind."

Petunia, although she would have known all about this IF she had received the letter from DD, certainly doesn't appear to know anything about it, and drops off quickly to sleep.  

On an aside, but part of this, I guess, in OotP DD says: "My answer is that my priority was to keep you alive.  You were in more danger than perhaps anyone but I realized.  Voldemort had been vanquished hours before, but his supporters -- and many of them are almost as terrible as he -- were still at large, angry, desperate and violent."  Yet he left baby-Harry, out in the open, on a doorstep, prior to any protective charm taking effect, on a night when it was supposed to rain, for five or six hours?

DuffyPoo - who has a head cold so if any of this sounds garbled, that is why.  And if anyone would like this head cold, please just send along your e-mail addy and I'll pack it right off to you.  All you have to do is ask! ;)

 

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