It's Petunia's sisters son. Regardless how much they hate him and stuff, Harry is always going to be her nefiew. It's that annoying "Doesn't make since it just happens" kind of thing. Plus... in the 5th book you find out that Dumbldor told her that if Harry doesn't stay with them that he would die... that would make it her fault if she chooses not to let him stay.

they have might of thought dumbledore would put a spell on them becuse they are afraid of magic .

Petunia knows something the others in her family don't. I think we will find out what that is in book 7.

We know she has gotten more than the letter left with Harry when he arrived on their door step and the howler. What did her and Dumbledore say to each other???

When Dumbledore decided to place Harry in the safekeeping of Vernon and Petunia, knowing that Harry would be protected by the special magic caused by his mother's sacrifice, after he cast the "Bond of Blood" spell and Petunia Dursley sealed it by accepting Harry into her home. Petunia agreed because she knows more about the wizzarding world then her family knows.

In OoTP after Harry & Dudley's dementor attack. Petunia knows what dementors are and says, "I heard...that awful boy...telling her about them o years ago."

So maybe she thought taking Harry would potect her family too!

I think the problem between Petunia and Lilly was jealousy. Lilly had the power and Petunia didn't. Petunia had to have knowledge of the magic world. She had to know of the danger of LV, the prophecy and that Harry was the only way to avoid the consequences. Her reluctance to take Harry was to keep her family out of harms way and to keep her secret.

I would like to think that it has something to with the blood bonding as well as Aunt Petunia has a connection to the Magicial World somehow someway we don't know of and are lead to believe. I think that Aunt Petunia will help Harry in someway it may be small but I think she will help him anyway.

Maybe the dursleys are really kind at heart, or maybe dumbledore made them.

The Dursleys keep Harry beacuse Dumbldor told them to. Since the Dursleys are afraid of magic they really don't have a choice. They may be under the impression Dumbledor would turn them into something unnatrual.

Part of it has to do with Petunia, I think she may know all about Voldermort and how Dumbledore suspected he wasn't dead, also maybe she knows about the bloodline protection. I always wondered moreso why Vernon puts up with it. I mean does he know these things, he obviously must know something. Or does he just go along with his wife?

I think Vernon goes a long with his wife iwantapurpledragon. They are British and I dated a Britsh woman once. You tend to go along with them. This is in know way meant to be offenesive to British women at all. I had a wonderful experiance with her after all.

You made me laugh with that comment, no offence taken.

I remember reading an interview with JKR, where she mentions that Vernon Dursley is her least favourite character. It may be because he has no shread of decency. In OOTP, Vernon was ready to kick Harry out when he knew he was in danger. It was Petunia who stepped in and put her foot down. She was the reason why they kept Harry when he was a baby and she was the reason that he stayed after the Dementor attack.

As JKR said, there is more to her than meets the eye and I bet it is something to do with the letters that Dumbledore sent her. She knows more about the wizarding world than she has been letting on. Maybe she has more family loyalty than she has been letting on too, something that will be revealed one way or another in book 7.

But I am a firm believer that it was Dumbledore that ensured that the Dursley's kept Harry, through his correspondence with Petunia.

They are afraid something terrible will happen to them if they don't!

I think it must have something to do with Dumbledore, remember that Howler he sent to Petunia "Remembe my last"? I guess he must've told her something that scared her really bad, or something, but maybe, just maybe she cares about his existance.

Fear is a powerful thing in my opinion. The Dursleys are scared that if they don't take Harry in then they won't get any protection against the Dark Wizards. You can't take and take and take, you have to give something back. Taking care of Harry is payment for protection? And it just so happens that they protect Harry at the same time.

I've seen many stories and theories that say the Evan's line is a squib line but I don't believe it. I think there is more to Petunia than we know, perhaps more to Lily as well, but I haven't the foggiest idea as to what it is.

Waaah! I was gonna say this! So instead of repeating other people, I will quote them and add my own witty comments afterwards . Dumbledore was the one who left Harry with them, and I agree that he must have done something into scaring the Dursley's into keeping him. They wouldn't have kept him without some form of threat.

I think this was explained by Dumbledore in the fifth book. It was something about how love is the greatest magic of all. Because Lily died to save Harry that as long as he stayed with Aunt Petunia (who shared blood with Lily), he would be protected from Voldemort.

I really don't know. If I were them (which i'm way more awesome ) I wouldn't have kept him at all. I probably would have fed him to a snake or something.

edit: 2,500 POSTS!

Remember my last! DD menaced the Dursleys in HbP as if they had not followed his orders to the letter.

The letter in the basket must have been a threat. Unless Dursleys lock Harry in the cupboard, then...
DD will apparate to Privet Drive and do magic tricks in front of the neighbours.
OR Dudley dies on the day that Harry dies.

They were threatened, because they Hated Harry.

I think that Petunia really did love her sister and did it in favour of her. She was just extreamely jelous of her.
Vernon didnt want to keep him but Petunia forced him, thats why Petunia isnt quite as evil to Harry as Vernon is.
Also , I think the letter persuaded them.

Dumbledore told Petunia that Harry had to stay there untill he was of age (17) because Lily died to save Harry and since Lily and Petunia share blood, the house was like a protective zone for him.
voldemort couldnt get him there.
and im sure Petunia was scared of the magic Dumbledore could use on her, so she agreed.
and i guess she didnt want to be responsible for Harrys death..
and in OoTP when they got really upset with Harry and i guess were saying get out, the howler scared her into keeping him.

easy one. when harry was left on the door step to the dursleys, dumbledore left a note. dumble dore obviously found some way to influence the dursleys to have them keep harry. this is revealed in the fact that in the fifth book Dumbledore sends petunia a letter saying "remember my last petunia" which implys that he had sent her a letter before. another way may be that she secretly loved her sister and decided that she wanted to take care of her son but those chances are very slim