Lily and Petunia weren't sisters Was: Petunia's Eyes

[anne_t_squires]

No: HPFGUIDX 169828

Anne Squires wrote:

<snip>

  Maybe Lily and Petunia aren't sisters by blood after all. 
> > Maybe one or the other was indeed adopted.  Perhaps DD just assumed
> > that Petunia and Lily were blood sisters.  Would DD have had 
> reason to
> > suspect otherwise?  Maybe DD had assumed all these years that the
> > blood protection was in place at no. 4 when in actuality it 
> wasn't. 
> > What if there isn't any blood protection and there never has been? 
> > When DD makes mistakes, he makes BIG mistakes.  And the eyes have 
> been
> > the clue.  Also, Petunia looks nothing,absolutely nothing like 
> Lily. 
> > In the universe of JKR siblings and other family members almost 
> always
> > look like each other.  Plot wise this would be crucially important
> > because everyone assumes Harry is safe at no. 4 until his 
> birthday. 
> > What if he isn't?
> > 
> > Anne
> 
> 
> 
> Leah:
> 
> The 'no blood protection due to adoption' is an interesting idea. 
> 
> Against the idea:  I believe DD must have explained the blood 
> protection to Petunia to some extent, to explain why she needed to 
> take Harry in.  If Petunia had been able to turn round to DD, and 
> say, "Very sorry, but that won't work" and not have all the bother 
> of taking in Harry, wouldn't she have done so.  

<snip>
> 
> For the idea:  At the end of 'Will and Won't' in HBP, Petunia 
> looks 'oddly flushed' when DD is talking about the blood 
> protection.  Was she lying about being Lily's blood sister in order 
> to get some quid pro quo from DD?  But wouldn't DD have sensed this 
> and any invocation still not have worked?
> 
> Leah 


Anne Squires replies:

I've had a chance to think about this very issue.  I also think DD
would have explained things to Petunia, at least to some extent. 
Therefore, maybe:

1.  Petunia didn't listen/pay attention to DD because she can't stand
magic and didn't want details about a magic spell.  She didn't pay any
attention to "the freak" and just asked him to "get on with it."

Or

2.  Petunia doesn't know that she and Lily aren't related by blood. 
Maybe that information is hidden in her parents' papers in the attic.
 It's something HRH could discover.

Or

3.  She is lying like Leah says.  We don't know the details of the
deal between DD and Petunia to take in Harry.  There has to be a very
strong incentive or Petunia, aunt or not, would never have agreed. 
She is definitely getting something out of the bargain; so, maybe she
lied.

Leah also wrote:

"I would also think  that the blood protection had in some way to be
invoked by DD and if there was no blood link then that invocation
wouldn't have taken"

And Leah wrote:
But wouldn't DD have sensed this and any invocation still not have worked?
 
Anne Squires again:

I think this is a valid point.  If Lily and Petunia weren't sisters
then whatever spell DD did cast to extend blood protection to no. 4
would not have "taken."  Furthermore, wouldn't DD have sensed this?

I believe that DD possibly would *not* have sensed this.  DD thinks  
Lily was Petunia's sister.  He wouldn't be on the lookout for the
spell failing, especially if Petunia was lying to him.  Also, DD is
the most powerful wizard in the world.  Maybe he just assumed his
spell would work because all his spells always work. (Hubris  anyone?)
In addition to this, at the time DD must have been in quite a state; 
he had to find protection for the BWL and he had to find it fast. 
Perhaps he wasn't in the right mindset to pick up on the fact that the
blood protection spell didn't work.

Anne

Karen Wrote:

Ok so Lily and Petunia are not sisters- let's take the leap and make
that statement. Petunia seems to hate HP quite a bit and seems really
jealous in PS/SS when she talks about how her sister was a witch and
her parents were so proud to have a witch in the family. She also
seems so jealous of Harry throughout the books too, part of the many
reasons why she may treat him badly. What if she relates to Harry and
is jealous of him because she came from a similiar situation? What if
she was an orphan or what if her parents left her and Lily's parents
took her in because they had a little girl close to her age... What
are your thoughts on this?


Anne Squires replies:

I think there is merit in this idea.  The series has more than one
orphan:  Harry, Neville (yes, I know his parents are technically
alive, but to me Neville counts as an orphan), Tom Riddle, the other
orphans at Tom's orphanage, Hagrid (whose mother deserted him and his
father died).  "Orphan" seems to be a running motif throughout the
series.  Also, it would be great irony if Petunia were an orphan who
was well-treated by her family, but still resented them because of her
jealousy.

Or perhaps Lily was the orphan and Petunia resented this interloper,
this "freak" who wasn't even "normal" being taken in by her parents.



On a different note, I have been trying to think of clues that the
blood protection is not in place.

1.  Lily and Petunia look nothing alike and their eyes are very
different in a universe where all relatives tend to strongly resemble
each other.  

2.  In the summer before second year Dobby was able to get through the
wards.  A **Malfoy** elf was able to breach the security in place. 
Perhaps the blood wards (if they exist) can somehow read intentions,
but the fact remains that a member of the Malfoy household was able to
get into no. 4 and this elf was actively trying to sabotage Harry.  He
was trying to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts.  Intentions
aside, Dobby was working against Harry and he was able to get in.

3.  In the summers before years four and five Harry was having
disturbing dreams which came from LV.  To me this shows that LV is
able to breach the blood protection.  If he can get in to no. 4
mentally, then maybe he can get in physically.  Also, don't forget
that LV now has Harry's blood inside of him; he was able to touch
Harry in the graveyard.  Maybe that's enough to get him through the
blood wards, if they do, in fact, exist.


4.  We have the examples of Scabbers and Fake Moody not being what we
thought.  I personally expect more of this type of thing.  Something,
or someone will not be what we were told.  And it will be very
important.  When we look back there will several clues to this twist.
  I'm beginning to think this idea that Petunia is not Harry's aunt
might be one of these anticipated plot twists.

Anne Squires