ECFC Discussion topic # 4 ~ Petunia and Vernon Dursley

[i m a potter fool ^_^]

What do you all think about the Dursleys?

How do you think that they could be as cold and hard as they seem? How do you think Petunia truly feels about her sister and nephew?

I will enjoy this topic emmensly! One of my favorites so far. I'm sure this will grow to be a biiiig thread. Let's get to it!


Thanks to Phoebe for suggesting.

[LadyNerd]

*cracks knuckles and stretches*

I believe that Petunia loved her sister and was afraid for her life when she heard that Lily was in trouble. I have wondered if Petunia was angry with Harry and taking out her frustrations on him because she believed him to be the one that helped kill her sister. I know that we will find out more about Petunia in the last book and I cannot wait to see what the outcome is.

As far as Vernon, he is mean and ruthless if you ask me and Dudley is a spoiled brat! *giggles and snickers*

I believe that deep, deep, deep, deep *takes deep breath* deep, deep, down inside, Petunia loves Harry and doesn't want to see him killed. I wonder if she will be the one to rescue him with her love?

[Nienna]

I agree with Stacey.


Petunia must really love Harry. And maybe when she looks at him, she sees her sister through his eyes. Which breaks her heart. She blames and is bad to Harry because he just reminds her of her sis. Another thing, she may love Harry, but can't show it because of Vernon. You know, maybe Vernon doesn't want her to be nice to Harry.

Dudley. I see something happening to him in the 7th book. I just can't wait

[Slytherin Fox]

You guys raise a very interesting point about Petunia actually having loved Lily, and really loving Harry, too, deep deep deep down inside. I always thought Vernon was a lot worse, nothing but a complete jerk in every way possible. If it were up to him, Harry would have never lived with the Dursleys to begin with, we already know that. Dudley isn't much better, and I hope something nasty happens to him in the last book! But your point makes sense, Petunia loves Vernon and she has to go along with what he says, at least in her mind. Perhaps we'll see more backbone from her, finally, in the Deathly Hallows. I certainly hope so!

[i m a potter fool ^_^]

Originally Posted by LadyNerd

*cracks knuckles and stretches*

I believe that Petunia loved her sister and was afraid for her life when she heard that Lily was in trouble. I have wondered if Petunia was angry with Harry and taking out her frustrations on him because she believed him to be the one that helped kill her sister. I know that we will find out more about Petunia in the last book and I cannot wait to see what the outcome is.

As far as Vernon, he is mean and ruthless if you ask me and Dudley is a spoiled brat! *giggles and snickers*

I believe that deep, deep, deep, deep *takes deep breath* deep, deep, down inside, Petunia loves Harry and doesn't want to see him killed. I wonder if she will be the one to rescue him with her love?

Yeah, but I think it's more than the fact that she was afraid for her sister's life and saw Harry as an accessory to that.
In the first chapter of the first book, she had a very sour reaction to Vernon when he mentioned the Potters. I think that this goes deeper than Lily's death.

I think that Petunia was jealous of her sister for being a witch. I think that SHE wanted to have an equal-time deal with her sister. And because Lily was so different, and interesting, to their parents I think that they unknowingly treated Lily with more enthusiasm. Perhaps they just had a bit of a "been there, done that" attitude with Petunia, and that made her jealous of her sister. Then, over time, the jealousy rose to anger that she hadn't been chosen as a witch herself. Then it rose to rage, then hate, at the entire wizarding world. Until she cut both her sister and the wizarding world off completely.

I think that she never wanted to have the Potters mentioned in her house because that would remind her of the jealousy of her sister, and it would be painful. And she didn't want Harry to go to Hogwarts, because she was afraid that it would put Dudley through the same jealousy as she went through. Which is also why she doesn't like to mention the mere word "Magic" in the house.

I also think that Vernon escalated the whole situation. I think he miss-took her jealousy for fear of the wizarding world, and her jealousy of Lily to hate of her family. So, he took those miss-read feelings and multiplied them within himself. And he did his best to shield his wife from those things that he thought she feared and hated. He, of course, was wrong. He took it way too far. Not to mention that those feelings spread to his sister.....

But I think that Petunia is currently sad that she let her sister die, thinking that she hated her. I don't think that the ill-feelings that she held for Lily were personal... I think that deep-down she knows that Lily never asked to be a witch. So, yeah, that's where she gets the fire at Harry. She thinks that he took her away before Petunia could tell her sister that she didn't truly hate her.

Originally Posted by Linda Black

You guys raise a very interesting point about Petunia actually having loved Lily, and really loving Harry, too, deep deep deep down inside. I always thought Vernon was a lot worse, nothing but a complete jerk in every way possible. If it were up to him, Harry would have never lived with the Dursleys to begin with, we already know that. Dudley isn't much better, and I hope something nasty happens to him in the last book! But your point makes sense, Petunia loves Vernon and she has to go along with what he says, at least in her mind. Perhaps we'll see more backbone from her, finally, in the Deathly Hallows. I certainly hope so!

Now, I don't really hope that something bad happens to him. And I'll tell you why:

I really don't think that it's all his fault that he turned out the way he did. His parents never put their foot down. The lack of discipline is why Dudley thinks the world revolves around him.
I think that he still might be salvageable if someone just takes the time with a bit of "tough-love." See, I think the the Dursleys were so tripping over themselves to keep Harry down, that they didn't take the time to see that their own son was intolerable.

Yeah, I think that with a bit of "go and sit in the corner" time, he could pull through. If Petunia snaps out of her 18-year-stupor, and really sees the light, she can turn him around.