Petunia why care? (spoilers)

[Boycey]

Now after reading the lost prophecy chapter there was a part in which explain that petunia knew that Harry had to stay at her house in order to keep Harry safe once a year, but im sorry why would Petunia possibly care about Harrys safety. I mean why would that stop her throwing him out when she got a letter, cos Harrys safety from the impressions I got mean nothing to petunia. I have a theroie that maybe the dursleys life may also be in danger if Harry is deserted, I mean "remember the last" tell me how that could mean anything about reminding her about harry being in danger, cos it means nothing to me on that subject. It could however mean the last sentence of the letter given to petunia explaining that any breakage of the curse would mean the lost of a family member, see that would make her scared and would also explain why the durleys have him back every summer (which was always a mistery to me), and thoughts on this subject please reply.

[Nothlit]

The "REMEMBER MY LAST" Howler was explained in the end... Dumbledore sent it to remind Petunia of the letter that he had tucked in with Harry's blankets when he left Harry with the Dursleys as a baby. No deep mysteries there, I think.

However, I think there is more to Petunia than meets the eye. She knew that the dementors were Azkaban guards. I really have a hard time believing that she just "accidentally" remembered that. Heck, when I was re-reading the first four books last week for the first time in three years, I couldn't even remember that they were called dementors. I think Petunia may be hiding the fact that she might once have not been quite as vehemently opposed to the magic world as she now claims. Even though she herself never had any magical abilities, maybe she only turned her back on the wizarding world after Voldemort killed her sister...helped along, of course, by Vernon's stubbornness about anything out of the ordinary.

Needless to say, the bond of blood relationship goes deeper than her present hatred of magic. She keeps Harry around for his safety, because he is her sister's son, and despite what she says, I think she loved Lily. She may hate that Harry is a wizard, but I don't think she really hates Harry.

[werebane]

I think she cared about it because she knew that voldemort was not after just wizards. The boks always talked about his mass muggle killings. so that means he would eventually ruyle all off them too. I think that is why at least

[Colin]

It occurred to me that Petunia's hatred of all things Magical might be because she is a squib.

She sure knew what a Dementor was.

[werebane]

That actually wouldnt suprise me that much if she did

[Sara Bumpkin]

I think we will learn much more about Petunia in the coming books... I've always felt that she certainly did love her sister, and as magic and being in a magical situation killed Lily... I can see how she could hate anything to do with it. *shrugs* It could be that she is a squib... But it could simply be that it took her sister away.

[Kamoku]

I don't think Petunia's a squib, because we're Lily's parents muggles? In the first book, Petunia said something about them being proud there was a wizard in the family... why would they have been "proud" if they were expecting wizards in the family? I think Petunia was just really jealous of Lily, like extreme sibling rivalry, but was still fascinated by their world... becoming a Dursley probably made her keep a lot of it in, but I think it would be cool if Rowling developed this side of her character more in 6 and 7.

[Colin]

I am of two minds on this subject. I have seen two references in the stories that make me think that Harry is Muggle Born. Book 2 and 5.

How this seemingly impossible event happened, I have no idea. Were Lily and James Muggle Born?

You may be right about Petuna though. I just can't figure it out.

I reread the last 100 pages of book 5 three times trying to gain a sense of it. It's puzzling.

[June]

I think Rowling is setting up Petunia for something mjor too... probably revealing something crucial about her when Lily is better introduced in the future books.

As for why Petunia keeps Harry in her home, i agree with Boycey... ir might be that harry's presence is keeping the Dursley's safe too.

And Colin... James is from a wizrding family... he inherited the invisibility cloak from his father and a fortune in wizarding gold too... while Lily seems to be established to be froma Muggle family... otherwise, why would Snape call Lily a "mudblood"?

[Colin]

Thanks June, that is interesting.

[Holly Golightly]

Sometimes I get the feeling that one of Lily and Petunia's parents was a witch/wizard... which would still make Lily a mudblood, and that Petunia just might be a Squib... And they were 'Proud' when Lily got her litter because well, being one magical one muggle parent, and already having one non-magical child, maybe they were expecting Lily not to be magical either...

And why would they be proud if they didnt' know more about what the letter meant... If I was to have a child, and recieved a letter one day saying they were a witch/wizard, I'd be kinda freaked out not proud... unless I already knew about the wizarding world that is!!!

They also, maybe that will cuase Dudley to be the one who finds out alter in life that he has magical powers... *which I have always kinda been inclined to believe...*

[Enchanter]

i think Petunia only pretended to hate her sisterbecause of vernon. She only became terrified of magick when she found out about lilys murder. i also think she tried to "stomp out" harrys magick because she thought if harry became a wizard harry would be killed and petunia wud loose the last remaining reminder of her sister

[gecko]

If Dudley has magical powers, wouldn't he also have got a letter from Hogwarts? I thought I read in one of the books that a record is kept of all the children born in England with magical powers, so that they can be enrolled into Hogwarts...

[Enchanter]

even IF dudley had powers and didnt show them until a late age would hagwarts except him? i dont think it would work with him being 16 or 17 and being in year one.he would be in his 20s by the time he graduated.

[Hermione Weasley]

I am not sure of what a squib is but i am inclined to believe it is some person who is semi-magical right??well I don't think dudley will have any magical powers.I agree with whoever said that petunia keeps harry to protect her family but i also think part of it is she loved her sister and harry is a reminder of her sister so it is like lily never died in a way.