CHAPDISC: DH3, The Dursleys Departing

[faithvsion at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 177163

QUESTIONS

<<1.  The way Vernon calls to Harry speaks volumes about their 
relationship.  What strikes you about this and what do you think it 
means?  Is Vernon's behavior here consistent with that in the other 
books? >>

Answer: It shows me that Vernon has not changed or grown as a character at all.  His one and only concern remains himself. If anything his treatment of Harry gets worse as the series progresses.  he still would prefer that Harry and "his Lot" simply did not exist. 

<<2.  Although Vernon is the chief disciplinarian at Privet Drive, 
clearly it is Petunia who sets the tone of the family's relationship 
with Harry.  We learn in Book 1 that it is her rage and resentment 
towards Lily that is playing out in her treatment of Harry.   What do 
you think Petunia sees when she looks at Harry, and how does it make 
her feel?>>

Answer: Like all that knew Lily she sees her sister's eyes.:-) Harry is a reminder ( especially after he gets HIS Hogwarts letter) of what she missed out on and keeps all those feelings of jealousy and resentment alive in Petunia. 

<<4.  What do you think she would have said to Harry had she chosen to speak at this time?  Will Harry and Petunia ever see each other 
again?  Is there unfinished business between them? >>

Answer: I think she might have wished him good luck.  I doubt she will ever be able to apologize.  I think Harry  will avoid ever seeing any of the Dursleys again if at all possible ( providing they survived--we aren't told).  I do hold a secret desire to have them meet  on Platform 9 3/4 with Dudley delivering his child to the Howarts express:-).there is so much unfinished business there one can't begin to summarize it.

<<5.  After Dudley's encounter with the dementors in Book 5, fans wondered what experiences Dudley relived.  From Harry's point of view, Dudley had never had a moment of fear, doubt or sadness in his entire life.   But something life-changing happened to Dudley during that encounter, as we see in DH.  What do you think Dudley saw, and 
how did it change him? >>

answer: I wonder if he relived some of the horrible treatment of Harry at his parents hands. prehaps some of his bullying of his cousin was an attempt to stay on his parents good side and ensure that he remained pampered and spoiled.  I do think that he questions whether his parents really love him.  Most of the relationship we see between Dudley and his parents involves them buying him off.  Maybe deep down Dudley feels as lonely and rejected as Harry, he just expresses it differently

<<6.  What was your reaction on reading Dudley's unexpected defense of Harry?  >>

Answer:I think he has grown up some and has started to realize his cousin could in fact die. Upon re-reading the series I also caught a parallel from Book 1 . "I don't want him to come with us" has become "why isnt he coming with us".  And prehaps he realizes that his parents need to get a clue:-)

<<7.  Do you see Dudley and Harry having any further contact throughout their lives?   >>

A: Not really, see answer to #4:-) I don't think Harry would ever initiate contact but I can see Dudley maybe in 10 or 12 years trying to get in touch with Harry.


<<8.  How would Dudley's worries about Harry affect his relationship 
with his (Dudley's) parents?>>

A: They would tell him to be quiet and stop talking nonsense.  He would not be able to have that conversation with his parents as a couple.  Alone petunia might actually tell Dudley the truth about her sister and how she died.

<<10. The ways in which Harry arrives at and leaves Privet Drive every year are significant.  What are your thoughts on this?  Think of the way he first came to the Dursleys' home in PS and the way he left in DH.   Think also of the ways he leaves and returns in each book.  What can we learn about Harry from this?  >>

A:  Well  again there is another parallel between arriving in book1 and leaving in Book 7--in  both those instances he travels with hagrid on Sirius' motorcycle. In between he is dumped at the train station ( where he meets the Weasleys), rescued  by Ford anglia, runs away, rescued by the Weasleys again, rescued by the Order, and retrieved by Dumbledore himself.  He only returns every year because he knows he has to, I think if his mothers protection didn't exist there he would have jsut gone to Ron's house every summer:-)the only years he is actually packed and ready to leave are years  1 and 7, in between he is resigned to the fact that he has to spend time there, is suprised when he is informed he can leave early and packs last minute ( he does get some notice that the Weasleys are coming to get him in book 4)  he doesn't quite trust that there is a way out of his horrible existence at Privet drive.
 
<<11. How the Order was operating since Dumbledore's death?  It didn't seem to be much of democracy while he was alive.   How would 
decisions be made without him?>>

A: I think Mad-Eye, Kingsley and Arthur have taken over running the order and it is run as more of a democracy.


<<12. Did you wonder what would happen to the Dursleys' lives while 
they were in hiding?  Would Vernon lose his job?   How would their 
bills get paid?  Or were you happy to see the back of them?  *grin*>>

A: I wondered briefly if they survived, but I realized the story is Harry's POV and he probably doesnt really care if they lived.  I can picture Hestia and Dedalus magically silencing Vernon out of necessity several times a day:-)


<<13. In PS and CS, Hedwig travels directly from Privet Drive to 
Hogwarts on the train along with Harry.  In books 3-6, she is free to 
fly about on her own for a while before meeting Harry and returning 
to school.    Here, she is confined to her cage and not happy about 
it.  Did you see this as a foreshadowing of her fate in the next 
chapter?   Was it meant that way?  >>

I did wonder briefly why she wasn't sent ahead to the Burrow, then I 
realized that Harry was probably told by the Order to keep her confined so she wouldn't be followed.  It was mentioned that there were probably Death eaters watching the skies in the area and Hedwig is obvious.  Her death caught me completely by suprise.
 
Nancy