Theory on Petunia

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 156671

> Carol:

> Carol, asking for a canonical alternative to the toffee memory rather
> than uncanonical speculation about Petunia being Dudley's worst
nightmare
>
 
Ken:

Maybe not in so many words but I believe that DD has also stated that
Petunia and Vernon *should* be Dudley's worst nightmare. Why do I need
canon to question whether we know what Dudley's worst memory is? Canon
reveals to us about one third of Harry's life at the time this
dementor attack takes place. Canon reveals to us perhaps 0.1% of
Dudley's life. That is very slim knowledge from which to speak with
authority about Dudley's worst fear. We know Harry, we don't know
beans about Dudley.

I would not expect any canon support for what Dudley saw or heard
unless that knowledge is critical to future events. I find that a
little unlikely and I find it extremely unlikely that a toffee will be
the key to book 7. The obvious purpose of the dementor attack is that
it sets up our introduction to Dolores Umbridge, it reveals at the end
of the book that she is far worse than even her reign of terror at
Hogwarts would indicate, and it reveals to us that Petunia knows more
than she lets on. We've gotten hints that the last *will* be important
in book 7.

You want to know what my worst nightmare is? I've had the usual array
of nasty things happen to me in life. Nothing terribly tragic but
certainly as frightening as a ton tongue toffee on several occasions.
None of those things ever bother me in a nightmare. My nightmares are
always about *giant spheres*. Yes, giant spheres, and I have no idea
why or why they are frightening when I am asleep. The reason for this
always excapes me when I wake. The odd thing is that I am not the only
one. I've read the true account of an early US attempt to build an
atomic powered rocket and one of the project scientists could not bear
to look at the rocket's goal, Jupiter, in a telescope because of a
fear of spheres! The difference between us is that he was affected in
waking life too. 

You certainly could not look at the canon of my life and predict my
worst nightmare. You'd never guess it if I had not told you. If
Dudley's fear is significant to the plot then, yes, there should be
canon support for it. Otherwise, if we are to treat him as a real
person (to the extent we ever do with fictional characters) we have to
realize that we can only determine his worst fear by asking him. When
asked he was unable to relate it just as I am unable to relate exactly
what my nightmares are about even though I can tell you that giant
spheres are involved. If a dementor attacked me I am sure that giant
spheres would go through my mind.

But, you want canon, I'll give you canon. I've already given you some
which you seem to discount. How about Harry conversing in Parseltongue
with a snake who then "attacks" Dudley at Harrys' urging? And not just
any snake but one who is known to eat wild pigs, a species to which
young Dudley is said to bear a certain resemblence. Would that not fit
the description of "*things* talking inside my head" far better than
his own parent's well known voices? If it were the latter in a memory
of the toffee incident wouldn't he just say that he heard "you and mom
screaming" or something like that? I don't think that is too hard to
say in the immediate aftermath of a dementor attack and some time has
gone by since the attack took place. Dudley, after all, had seen two
incidents where magic had been undone with no lasting harm by the time
of the toffee caper. His mother may have been confused but Dudley knew
it was his own tongue that was swelling to gigantic (for a tongue)
size. The toffee had so little affect on him that it did not even put
him off bullying others even though I am sure he remembers it.

Being set upon by a large mammal eating constrictor at the behest of
your hissing, spitting weirdo cousin, the same one you now imagine is
attacking you with a dementor, that seems a more plausible fear to
have at that moment to me. I think you are just trying to give the
toffee more traction than it deserves.

But at least we can agree that a "tongue" may have been involved.

Ken

You say ton-tongue,
I say Parsel-tongue.
You say po-tay-to,
I say po-tah-to.
Ton-tongue -- Parsel-tongue,
po-tay-to -- po-tah-to,
let's call the whole thing off.
Let's
call the whole 
thing 
off.