Theory od Dudley and Theory on Petunia

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 156532

Kelly wrote:
> Why do you think this eliminates Dudley as a candidate to do
magic later in life? That question is from a Barnes and Noble
interview from 1999. The entire interview can be found on the Quick
Quotes Quill site, but here is the exerpt:
>
JKR: <snipped> In my books, magic almost always
> shows itself in a person before age 11; however, there is a
character who does manage in desperate circumstances to do magic quite
late in life, but that is very rare in the world I am writing about.'
>
(Kelly resumes:)
> I interpret this as: whether or not any students come into
their magic potential as adults and then go on to attend Hogwarts. JKR
answers "no". This means that there are no adult students in the
school. I also think it is fair to say since JKR states that magical
ability almost always shows itself by age 11 that someone who realizes
their magical ability at 17 or 18 years old would be considered to
blossom quite late in life.
> IMO the only thing we are sure of is it will not be Petunia.
Dudley is just as likely as Filch, Ms Figg or any other non-magical
character we have seen. <snip>

Carol responds:
I don't think seventeen or eighteen qualifies as "quite late in life
by any standard, especially giving the wizarding lifespan. However, if
that quote doesn't convince you, maybe this one will:

[Question:] Is there more to Dudley than meets the eye?

[JKR:] No. [Laughter]. What you see is what you get. I am happy to say
that he is definitely a character without much back story. He is just
Dudley. The next book, Half Blood Prince, is the least that you see of
the Dursleys. You see them quite briefly. You see them a bit more in
the final book, but you don't get a lot of Dudley in book six—very few
lines. I am sorry if there are Dudley fans out there, but I think you
need to look at your priorities if it is Dudley that you are looking
forward to. [Laughter].

The excerpt is from the 2004 Edinburgh Book Festival:

http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2004/0804-ebf.htm

Carol, not wanting to step on any toes but pretty darn sure that
Dudley isn't going to show any magical tendencies (and still betting
on Mrs. Figg--doesn't anyone besides me love the way she swings those
catfood cans at Mundungus for letting the Dementors get near Harry?)