Petunia and Dumbledore

[sophierom]

No: HPFGUIDX 115177


Duffypoo writes:

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."
<snip>
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.

Sophierom:


Duffypoo - some interesting points, and please don't send me your head
cold. :-) 

For some reason, when I read this scene, I'm more, not less, convinced
that Petunia has indeed heard from or about Lily lately.  Petunia
answers "stiffly" and "sharply" and she "snapped" at Vernon when he
spoke to her.  Given Petunia's behavior in the rest of the books (she
seems to fawn over Vernon and Dudley), her posture here seems
suspicious.  Of course, she could be upset at having to talk about her
hated witch sister, and I think this is what JKR wants us to think. 
But I wonder if there's not something more to it? Petunia's sharp
retorts make me think of someone who is lying and is very
uncomfortable doing it.  So, her telling Vernon that she hasn't heard
from/about Lily in a while isn't, to me, convincing enough to suggest
that she's telling the truth.  

I think the most damning piece of evidence against my suspicions is
the fact that she goes to sleep so quickly.  That does make it seem
like she's not worried about anything, and if DD had just written her
a letter that said, Your sister is dead, be prepared to take the boy,
I'd imagine that she'd have a hard time sleeping, like Vernon. 
However, perhaps she's faking it - I know if I were Vernon Dursley's
wife, I'd have lots of practice at faking sleep! :-)  

Seriously though, I am suspicious of this scene. Is anyone else? I
also think the fact that JKR told these events through Vernon's POV,
and not Petunia's, is telling.  Petunia has secrets to keep from us;
Vernon does not.

Sophierom, who is shuddering once again at thinking of Vernon as
husband!