What does Aunt Petunia know?

[Lizra]

Please people...talk about HP!

My favorite part of OotP happened right off, when Harry's 2 worlds collided in chapts 1 and 2. Mrs. Figg was a squib, but even more goose bumpy was that Aunt Petunia knew what Dementors and Voldemort were!
I could see her knowing of Voldemort, he killed her sister. But why Dementors and wizards prison? She said "I heard --- that awful boy---- telling *her* (Lilly) about them --- years ago." Who was the "awful boy"?

Was Lilly's family strictly muggle till she came along? Or is there some wizard/witch history (skeletons in the closet) besides Lilly. (excuse me if this question might seem dumb ...but just answers will be great! )

Who sent the Howler???? I thought it was from Lilly...from beyond the grave, or something? I know that sounds dumb, but the howler said..."Remember my last, Petunia". But how could Lilly have given *last instructions* to her sister about Harry's care, when she was attacked by suprise and killed on the spot?

Just wondering..

[sun-star]

What does Aunt Petunia know? Well, that is the question, as Hamlet would say

I think the "awful boy" could only really be James. I've heard theories that it's Snape, but I'm not convinced! Maybe Petunia used to hide and listen to Lily and James talking when they were at home... or maybe there is a secret wizarding connection. Who knows?

I'm pretty sure Dumbledore sent the Howler. I thought he said that in the final scene with Harry - I could be remembering wrong though. I never thought it could be Lily - interesting idea!

[Radagast The Brown]

I agree with Sun star about everything - the awful boy is probably James.

Dumbledore said in the end of the book that he was the one who sent the Hawler. (you might've been a bit sleepy then - it was pretty boring, with all the yellings of Harry)

I also think it is said, Lizra, in the first book, that she was the only witch of her familiy (or wizard).


Happy birthday sun start - btw.

[Lizra]

Thanks! I wonder why Aunt Petunia "cared" enough to follow Dumbledore's instructions. It seemed funny for him to call her Petunia (instead of Mrs Dursley) too. That's why I thought it was someone she was closer too. Dumbledore is a total stranger to her ....isn't he??....
Oh, I must have gotten sleepy before noticing when Harry got his wand back from Malfoy. He did, didn't he?

[Elf Girl]

Personally... ever since Book Three I've had a sneaking suspicion that Petunia is a witch who refused to go to Hogwarts. Now I've been thinking that maybe she even did go to Hogwarts, if only for a few years. Then she got scared or got in trouble and quit.

[Radagast The Brown]

Originally posted by Elf Girl
Personally... ever since Book Three I've had a sneaking suspicion that Petunia is a witch who refused to go to Hogwarts. Now I've been thinking that maybe she even did go to Hogwarts, if only for a few years. Then she got scared or got in trouble and quit.

It actually fits... but I'm not sure. It sounds very unlikely, and yet there's nothing wrong with this that I can think of. There's always a logical answer. You know, you might be right.
But what make you think she's a witch in the 3rd book?

[The Ben]

That's wierd. the aunt Petunia being a witch thing never hit me before.

[Lalaith_Elf]

I think it could really fit. Maybe she never got accepted into Hogwarts. I mean they don't accept every witch and wizard in Britian do they? She may have been jealous, thus sparking her hatred for Lily, James and Harry (and pretty much all things magical!)

[The Ben]

I guess.

[Hanza]

I like the idea of aunt petunia being a witch and her being refused. it erelaly would fit and give a real reason for her to hate magical things. shall be interesting ot see if anything is revealed in the next book abotu her.

[Lizra]

Maybe she has power yet is terrified of it...so the big charade of being NORMAL!

[Elf Girl]

My dad's theory- Petunia went to Hogwarts, but then she fell in love with Vernon and stopped witching for his sake.

[Minielin]

It's a great theory, and would explain a lot of things, like how Petunia, even with her memory, could instantly and automatically remember the name of Azkaban and what dementors were after pretending her entire life that her sister didn't even exist. But what about her words in the first book? It sounds like she considers all magic freakish, and as if Lily was the only witch in the family- feeling like her parents played favorites, etc. I don't know. There's a lot of mystery about Petunia and Lily. I have a feeling we'll definitely be hearing a lot more about them.

[Beruthiel's cat]

I think Petunia knows a great deal more than she's letting on. She recognized Dumbledore's voice and knows a great deal about things magical that the other Dursley's are clueless about.

She was jealous of Lily's ability and education because Lily seemed to be the favored child as a result of the attention and recognition it brought her. But is it possible that Petunia had some latent magical ability as well?

Perhaps she did attend Hogwarts, but was unable to graduate (or dropped out) because her ability was less than the other students.

This would, I suppose, make her something of a Squibb, but technically to be a Squibb she would have to be a non-magical child born into a magical family. But don't Squibbs also have some magical ability?

I think that Petunia has kept this part of her life a secret from her husband and son. She seems to have an aversion to magic and wizardry because it was something denied to her. Those who protest most loudly about some things are often protesting because it hits too close to home.

[Minielin]

Originally posted by Beruthiel's cat
This would, I suppose, make her something of a Squibb, but technically to be a Squibb she would have to be a non-magical child born into a magical family. But don't Squibbs also have some magical ability?

Squibs certainly seem to, considering the whole Kwikspell thing... but I think Petunia and Lily's family was definitely nonmagic, because Snape and Voldy both refer to Lily as a Mudblood. There might be some other sort of mystery behind it all, but I'm just not sure. Maybe just one of their parents was magic?

[Beruthiel's cat]

Originally posted by Minielin

...There might be some other sort of mystery behind it all, but I'm just not sure. Maybe just one of their parents was magic?

Good point, Minielin.

Perhaps one of the parents (these would be Harry's grandparents) was a Squibb????

Just a thought.

[Elf Girl]

Originally posted by Minielin
Squibs certainly seem to, considering the whole Kwikspell thing...

IMO, the Kwikspell doesn't work. It's like the 'Lose ten pounds in three weeks' emails one finds in one's inbox: only the gullible and desperate are suckered into trying it.

[Fimbrethil]

I don't think Petunia ever was a witch. I mean...I think I remember reading somewhere that Lily was the only witch in the family. But think about it there are very logical reasons that explain all of this.
1. Petunia's hatred of Lily.
Maybe she didn't always hate her. MAybe they were close as kids and then Lily got into Howarts and their parents couldn't get over how "brilliant!" Lily was and so Petunia got jealous. She still loved her and was hurt terribly when her sister died but conviced herself of all those horrible things shes ever said about her but it still haunts her to this day.
2. Petunia recognition of Dumbldores voice.
Dumbldore did talk to her didn't he? When he brought HArry to live with them he had to talk to her to work the spell that prtects Harry. Maybe Dumbldore has talked to her in the past too. To check on Harry when he was still very young. Or maybe while Lily was visiting her parents wiht James and Harry Dumbldore showed up for one of his weird wizard reasons.
3. The rememberance of Dementors.
Well, she seemed really terified when she was talking to Harry about them. I mean telling them that she had heard it from that awful boy. And the fact that she was terrified seems to suggest that she heard an awful lot about the Demntors and if I had heard that I wouldn't have forgotten it very soon either. I know it was a long time ago but...it wasn't that long ago when she heard it if oyu think about the time scale these books are happening on.
4. Petunia's hatered of all things magical.
Like I said before she loved her sister then became terribly jealous and even started to hate her. But she still loved her and when she dies she blamed the wizarding world for it. She blamed magicand that "awful boy" and even Harry. But she still loves Harry because he is a part of Lily. Something that she misses. But she treats him so badly because it's sort of a love hate relationship. You know?

I'm not saying she coudn't be a witch but that just seems more the way to go.

[Minielin]

Originally posted by Elf Girl
IMO, the Kwikspell doesn't work. It's like the 'Lose ten pounds in three weeks' emails one finds in one's inbox: only the gullible and desperate are suckered into trying it.

You're right, I think I have to agree with you there.

About Fimbrethil's points:

But she still loves Harry because he is a part of Lily. Something that she misses. But she treats him so badly because it's sort of a love hate relationship. You know?

I don't think that's really true; I don't think Lily loves Harry. I think she feels a deep sense of duty towards him because he is her relative (much as she tries to pretend he isn't), but I don't think she loves him. I do, however, think that Lily has never been a witch or a witch-in-training, though I still think there might be some sort of witch or wizard in the Evans's background- maybe one they don't know about or that she's hiding the knowledge of from Vernon?

On another note, I believe that JKR once stated that one character will learn to do magic very late in life. Could this be Petunia?

[Elfmaster XK]

Originally posted by Fimbrethil

2. Petunia recognition of Dumbldores voice.
Dumbldore did talk to her didn't he? When he brought HArry to live with them he had to talk to her to work the spell that prtects Harry. Maybe Dumbldore has talked to her in the past too. To check on Harry when he was still very young. Or maybe while Lily was visiting her parents wiht James and Harry Dumbldore showed up for one of his weird wizard reasons.

Well, there's not actually any evidence of that. In the first book he left her a note explaining why Harry was on the doorstep, and that suggests that he didn't want to talk to Petunia for some reason. Also, one would assume Lily and Petunia's parents are dead. Though we don't know why they should be....but somewhere it says that Petunia is Harry's only living relative. I don't think Dumbledore and Petunia have met before, except maybe when it was discovered Lily was a witch. You know, because we know that those times are special circumstances and people are sent around the the house to explian to the family. I reckon the letter Dumbledore left was very important. Perhaps it was not just a simple letter, but in some way magical and could get across to Petunia the truth about why she should look after Harry.

Perhaps one of the parents (these would be Harry's grandparents) was a Squibb????

Even if that we true, from what we know of Filch and Mrs. Figg I'm not sure that they could then have had a magical child. Mrs. Figg stated she couldn't...what was it...'so much as transfigure a teabag.' On the whole the suggestion is squibs can't do any magic. But also, wasn't it stated magical children to non-magical parents are a very rare thing. Like Hermione for instance who is the first witch in her family. That couls simply be what happened with Lily.

On another note, I believe that JKR once stated that one character will learn to do magic very late in life. Could this be Petunia?

Do you know where this rumour came from, perchance?