Which "One liners" do you think most beg for an explanation ?

[Karen Barker]

No: HPFGUIDX 131291

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "amis917" <amis917 at h...> wrote:
> When reading OOTP, I question this one each time..
> 
> (Aunt Petunia's just heard the howler) "'What is this?' Uncle Vernon 
> said hoarsely. 'What -- I don't -- Petunia?'"

> I'm not sure why he's so confused. When they took Harry in, was he 
> not included in all of the details? The message clearly makes sense 
> to Petunia, because she made Harry stay. I'm just interested in 
> knowing what actually happened when Harry was taken in by the 
> Dursleys.

My personal theory on this is the following (and it's pure 
speculation):  Petunia is a witch, but an untrained one.  She received 
a letter to Hogwarts, but being a straight-laced little girl and 
convinced her parents would not approve, she declined to go.  A couple 
of (or however many) years later her little sister also got the same 
letter.  She accepted.  Her parents were delighted to have "a witch in 
the family".  Petunia, astonished and upset by her parents obvious 
delight made a point of strongly disapproving and making a 
totally 'normal' life for herself, even down to marrying the most 
straight-laced and narrow-minded man she could get her hands on.

At the beginning of PS and owl is seen in Privet Drive, just after 
Vernon had left for work.  This was from Dumbledore telling her that 
her nephew was now an orphan and needed to stay in her home in order 
to receive the protection of living where his Mother's blood resided.  
Anticipating her almost inevitable refusal, he says he'll tell Vernon 
that she is a witch if she says "No" and asks how her husband would 
react to the news that he is married to a witch.

I believe that Harry was left on the doorstep so that his arrival 
would be 'a complete surprise' to them both and Petunia could insist 
that they couldn't possibly stick a baby in an orphanage because what 
would the neighbours think?

I think "Remember my last" is a sharp reminder that Vernon is even 
less likey to take the news that his wife is a witch well, and Veron 
is totally baffled as he has no idea that Petunia has had previous 
correspondance with "his sort" other than the original note that came 
with baby Harry on the doorstep, which probably said little more than 
his parents were dead and he was in need of a home.

JMHO

Karen