[HPforGrownups] CHAPDISC 3: HPB 3, WILL AND WON'T (long)

[fuzzlebub85 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 142652


Kaylee replies to Jen's post: 
 
Jen: (Waves a 'thanks!' to Ravenclaw Bookworm, wonders vaguely whether  
SSSusan and Petra left a few brownies....)
 
Kaylee: (rather hopes the First Mate on the DRIBBLE SHADOWS is willing  to 
share a few brownies with her shipmate if there ARE any  left...)

<snip Q15, as Jen adequately answered it and I have nothing  to add>

> Q16: Why was Petunia "oddly flushed"?

Jen: My first thought  about the flushing was Petunia felt embarassed-
-that's what causes me to  flush! But I don't know if Petunia is 
capable of feeling that about Harry.  Fear for her family would be 
more in keeping with what we know about her  character. 

Kaylee: Hmm. Embarrassment, yes, and fear...yes, I agree...at the risk of  
this being a "me too" post, I hope I find other things to say!

Jen: Dumbledore's reminder that Harry's protection will end soon, and  his 
request for Harry to return one last time, brought about the odd  
flushing. How would that particular set of events affect *Petunia*?  
Shouldn't she be glad to be done with it all? 

Kaylee: Ah! Yes, that'd be good enough to make her flush. You know, I  
wonder...wasn't there a time JKR said Harry hasn't performed magic on Dudley  "yet"? 
I'm still supporting Petunia as the "magic-late-in-life" person!  <g> Maybe 
she's embarrassed that she forgot the WW kids came of age at 17,  since Lily 
must have too. Come to think of it, do we know YET which one was  older? 
<puzzled> Anyone have canon on that?

Jen: Then I remembered the point JKR made that Petunia and Dumbledore  had 
private correspondence prior to the letter left on the doorstep.  
Dumbledore may have been warning her that Voldemort was targeting 
the  Potters, and had somehow learned about Petunia along the way. My 
guess is  this was one piece of information passed by Pettigrew which 
found its way  back to Dumbledore, and caused him to suspect a spy 
close to the Potters.  

Kaylee: Okay, totally OT for this thread, but I was remembering something  
about a "Peter-gets-the-girl" theory on Hypothetic Alley, and I was wondering if 
 the girl he (almost) got was *Petunia*. Perhaps *he* was "that awful boy" 
that  Petunia was discussing? MWPP may have come to the Evans home in Lily's 
seventh  year over a break or something and Peter could have met Petunia, he 
might have  loved her but then he found out about Petunia loving Vernon (ew...) 
and in  revenge, staged a loud conversation with Lily about Dementors and how 
they were  dangerous to Muggles (to frighten Petunia and Vernon). Am I way off 
base? Oh  well. Pass me a SYCOPHANTS badge, someone? I'm in the mood for one 
right now. I  think Pettigrew will be redeemed, although he's no doubt vengeful 
and angry  enough to cast the AK...okay, I'm getting WAY OT. <squeak> Sorry, 
List  Elves! (and anyone else...)

Jen: To conclude (and this isn't a new idea), I think the blood  
protection goes both ways and protects Petunia and Dudley as well as  
Harry--notice how Petunia snaps to and mistakenly corrects 
Dumbledore  that Harry will be an adult at 18 instead of 17? I think 
she's already been  considering what they will do when Harry leaves, 
and is alarmed to hear the  separation will come a year sooner, and 
likely before Voldemort is  dead.

Kaylee: I think so too. You know, I'm willing to bet that Vernon,  who 
probably ISN'T protected by a darn thing, will be dead before Book 7 gets  any real 
start. Petunia will freak, Dudley will go ballistic, and Harry will  pity his 
half-orphaned cousin that now knows (halfway) how Harry feels. Aww,  poor 
Dudders. He needs a hug. Not. *snort* Well, we'll see. I think the death of  
Vernon would be a big enough event to bring the late-in-life magic out of  
whichever Dursley it is (although I'm betting on Petunia, since I barely  remember JKR 
saying with Dudley "what you see is what you get"...)
 
Kaylee, replying to Jen's post and saluting the First Mate of the DRIBBLE  
SHADOWS, reminding her that Amber's invited the entire crew over for  
Thanksgiving
Jen
 


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