A Thought About Petunia Dursley (Harry's Aunt)

[anne_t_squires]

No: HPFGUIDX 161208

Bruce Alan Wilson wrote:
>
> Annie, when was Petunia forced to take Harry in?  DD said that she
agreed to do
> so--which implies that she could have refused.  We don't yet know
all the terms
> and conditions he set, but presumably she agreed to them, too.

<snip>


Anne Squires responds:

Bruce, on page 836 of OotP (US hardback edition) Dumbledore tells
Harry, "I delivered you to her sister, her only living relative."
(Refering to Lily's sister, Petunia, of course.)  When Harry protests
that she doesn't love him, Dumbledore responds, "But she took you."
Dumbledore cut across him. "She may have have taken you grudgingly,
furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing
so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you."  To me, if someone is
doing something "grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly" that is
tantamount to saying they are being forced against their will to do it.


Bruce also wrote:
>From HBP we do know that she agreed to raise him as her own child,
which she has NOT done

 <snip>


Anne Squires responds:
I would say that we know for a fact that Dumbledore "asked" Petunia to
raise Harry as a son.  I would not say that we know for certain that
Petunia agreed.  Dumbledore could have **assumed** that by taking in
the child she had agreed to everything he had asked of her.  The exact
quote from HBP is, "You did not do as I asked.  You never treated
Harry as a son." (p 55, US hardback) Nowhere does it say that Petunia
"agreed" to raise Harry as a son, only that it was "asked" of her. At
any rate, clearly Petunia does not raise Harry as a son.  She's being
forced to take him in.  Perhaps it was just going too far for her to
actually treat him as a son in addition.  I think she is too bitter
and resentful about having to take her nephew in to turn around and
then love him.



In my original post I stated that Petunia was forced to take in Harry.
 I still believe that is the case.  I think DD may be holding
something over Petunia's head, almost blackmailing her, if you will.
Do I have any proof of this "blackmail".  No.  But, I think she is
getting something out of the whole deal.  Maybe a promise of
protection for her family. Maybe a promise that no Hogwarts letter
would ever come for Dudders.  I don't know, but I still strongly
believe that her hand has been forced in this matter.  Right before
Petunia receives the Howeler from DD Vernon was on the verge of
throwing Harry out.  He had told Harry to leave and was getting ready
to enforce that order.  And Petunia was not protesting.  By keeping
silent she was tacitly agreeing with her husband.  Then suddenly,
after the Howeler, Petunia does a complete 180, "The boy ---- the boy
will have to stay, Vernon," she said weakly."  (OotP, p. 40, US
hardback edition) This scene implies to me that DD has some means of
forcing Petunia to keep Harry in the house.

Furthermore, I believe that  just because someone "agrees" to do
something or that they are "asked" to do something that does not imply
necessarily that they have any real choice in the matter.  It depends
greatly on the circumstances. Recently I "agreed" to pay a traffic
ticket.   The police officer gave me a ticket, so I sent in a money
order.  I did not wake up one day and decide to go to the court house
and volunteer to pay $142. I "agreed" to pay when I was "asked" to do
so. I did have other options.  I could have gone to court, appeared
before a judge, and fought the ticket.  But, frankly that would have
been way too much trouble.  I could have ignored the ticket
altogether.  But, that would have been against the law and my license
would have been revoked.  So, I paid the stupid thing.  And, I might
add, I felt forced to do so even though I "agreed" to do it.


Anne ~ who does not like to be called Annie