Does Aunt Petunia Teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts?

[Defyeverything]

I think this is a nice fresh theory about Petunia and what we have yet to learn about her. However I think it might be a bit of a reach for her to be teaching at Hogwarts only because she would have to go home every night to take care of her son and make dinner for her husband. And I think with her fear of him finding out about any knowledge of magic she has, she would want to be home before him. That's a lot to work a class around that not a lot of people want to take in the first place.

[capella_black]

Originally Posted by DeathlyHabitue

Even if Dumbledore made Hermione promise not to tell Harry about Aunt Peutunia teaching Muggle Studies, Harry could still find out from any other student taking Muggle Studies or even a student who knew someone taking Muggle Studies. It would be bizarre if the whole school was involved in a conspiracy to keep the idenity of the Muggles Studies teacher a secret from one student.

It's not like the whole school would recognize her as Harry's aunt ... and if she used an alias, nobody would, pre-PoA. Fred, George, and Ron saw her in GoF, but none of them took Muggle Studies as far as we know. And Hermione only saw her at the end of OotP, two years after she'd dropped Muggle Studies.

Originally Posted by DeathlyHabitue

Then you mention thabt Peutunia is always absent when Vernon picks Harry up which isn't true, she's there in OotP.

I said this in the opening post. See:

I always thought it was a bit suspicious that, except for OotP, he's the only one ever mentioned as showing up at the station to collect Harry at the end of the year....

Originally Posted by DeathlyHabitue

Plus, it's hard to believe she seaked employement from Dumbledore, considering she gave a speech about how his school bred freaks in SS/PS.

I think it would be more him talking her into it than the other way round.

Originally Posted by DeathlyHabitue

Anyways, it would be irresponsible of Dumbledore to let someone with such a dismal child abuse record near kids.

He made Harry live with her. You could also argue that it was irresponsible of him to let a werewolf teach, let Hagrid turn blast-ended skrewts loose on the students, let Harry fight Voldemort, and so on. Most of what he does seems irresponsible because he's willing to take risks. Oh, and he lets Snape be nasty because, according to Jo, he thinks there are all sorts of lessons in life and horrible teachers are one of them.

Originally Posted by Defyeverything

However I think it might be a bit of a reach for her to be teaching at Hogwarts only because she would have to go home every night to take care of her son and make dinner for her husband.

Dudley's away at Smeltings all year, it's only Vernon we have to worry about. And I'm confident that Dumbledore has the mental prowess to outsmart Vernon Dursley, if he really puts his mind to it.

[Defyeverything]

Originally Posted by capella_black

Dudley's away at Smeltings all year, it's only Vernon we have to worry about. And I'm confident that Dumbledore has the mental prowess to outsmart Vernon Dursley, if he really puts his mind to it.

Is Smeltings a bording school and if so where in the book does it say so? Outsmart him in what way? I mean I think he would notice if his wife wasn't home when he got there or the cleaning wasn't done.

[HedwigOwl]

Originally Posted by capella_black

It's not like the whole school would recognize her as Harry's aunt ... and if she used an alias, nobody would, pre-PoA. Fred, George, and Ron saw her in GoF, but none of them took Muggle Studies as far as we know. And Hermione only saw her at the end of OotP, two years after she'd dropped Muggle Studies.

But that doesn't mean that Hermione wouldn't have recognized Petunia in OotP as her former Muggles Studies teacher. She took the class the whole year, only dropping out after she already passed her final with 123%. I find it doubtful that Hermione wouldn't recognize Petunia after seeing her every weekly for nearly a year.

Also, I don't think Hermione would have continued the class if a muggle had been teaching it, she would have dropped it sooner. She was taking it to see how wizards view muggles (quote below).

PoA, page 57, U.S. edition "What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!" "But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.

[capella_black]

Originally Posted by Defyeverything

Is Smeltings a bording school and if so where in the book does it say so?

I can't remember if it's stated explicitly, but it's certainly implied in several places, like:

GoF, p. 26, US Dudley glowered at her. His life had taken a most unpleasant turn since he had come home for the summer with his end-of-year report.

"Home for the summer," suggests that he is not home during the year. I have a feeling there are other places too, I'll look for them later.

Originally Posted by Defyeverything

Outsmart him in what way? I mean I think he would notice if his wife wasn't home when he got there or the cleaning wasn't done.

My favorite plan is still to have him cryogenically frozen for the year, with false memories implanted right before everyone gets home for the summer. But it could amount to just coming up with a very clever cover story or something.

Originally Posted by HedwigOwl

But that doesn't mean that Hermione wouldn't have recognized Petunia in OotP as her former Muggles Studies teacher. She took the class the whole year, only dropping out after she already passed her final with 123%. I find it doubtful that Hermione wouldn't recognize Petunia after seeing her every weekly for nearly a year.

Yeah, but she wouldn't tell if Dumbledore asked her not to, just like she kept the Time Turner secret, and all information about the Order at the beginning of OotP.

Originally Posted by HedwigOwl

Also, I don't think Hermione would have continued the class if a muggle had been teaching it, she would have dropped it sooner. She was taking it to see how wizards view muggles (quote below).

Took her months to drop Divination (I don't think she did until spring), and she thought Trelawney was a fraud basically from day one.

[meesha1971]

It's an interesting idea, but it's unlikely. Petunia's knowledge of the wizarding world is too sketchy for this to be true.

If she was a teacher at Hogwarts -

• She would have known about the Hogwarts Express and Platform 9 3/4. Both Petunia and Vernon stared at Harry in confusion when he first mentioned Platform 9 3/4.
  .
• She would have known that Harry was not allowed to do magic outside of school. There is no way that Petunia would have allowed Harry to carry on that charade - particularly when it terrified her ickle Duddiekins.
  .
• She would have known what dementors were and what they did - beyond just knowing that they were guards at Azkaban. Petunia did not know that a dementor could suck out someone's soul. If she were teaching at Hogwarts she would have seen them and learned a lot more about them than just what their job was.
  .
• She would have known what a howler was and what would happen if she didn't open it. If she were a teacher at Hogwarts she would have seen - or at least heard about - howlers.
  .
• She would know that witches and wizards come of age at the age of 17 instead of 18. Petunia had no idea that Harry would be coming of age that soon and actually went so far as to stand up to Dumbledore to say "no" when he told them that.
  .
• Last - but certainly not least - she would have known that Voldemort had returned because of the events in Harry's fourth year. Petunia was surprised, shocked, and terrified to learn that Voldemort had returned in OOTP.

On top of that, there's simply too much evidence against the idea.

Hermione would have recognized her and there is simply no reason for Hermione to lie about something like that - nor do I believe that Dumbledore would have ordered her to. There is no reason for Dumbledore to hide something like that from Harry either. Plus, Hermione is a horrible liar - she didn't tell them about the time turner but they could tell she was keeping something from them.

Dumbledore was very clear regarding Harry's two protections. The protection at Privet Dr. exists only at #4 Privet Dr. and serves to give Harry a safe place to live when he is away from the wizarding world. He doesn't need that at Hogwarts. What protected him from Voldemort in his first year was the protection Lily gave him - which is in his blood and is with him wherever he goes. They are two separate things. Petunia did not have to be present for Lily's protection to work. Hogwarts would not qualify as Harry's home regardless. It is a school - not a home. Even if Petunia did work there, it would not be her home any more than it would be Harry's.

And Petunia does come with Vernon to pick up Harry at King's Cross.

PS/SS “Ready, are you?” It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

GOF Harry winked at them, turned to Uncle Vernon, and followed him silently from the station. There was no point worrying yet, he told himself, as he got into the back of the Dursleys' car.

Petunia and Dudley were waiting with Vernon in the station at the end of PS/SS. There's no mention of who picked him up in COS - it ends with them walking through the barrier.

In GOF, Vernon comes into the station alone, but Harry gets into the back of the car. That tells us that Petunia was waiting in the car - otherwise, Harry would have sat in the front. That takes us back to POA. Vernon came in to get Harry alone, but it is likely that Petunia was waiting in the car like she did at the end of GOF. OOTP was already acknowledged so I didn't quote that.

Basically, we are shown in some form or other, that Petunia has come with Vernon to pick up Harry every year. She doesn't always go into the station, but she is there.

All in all, I have to say that there is no way that Petunia is a teacher at Hogwarts.

[Shewoman]

Yes, Meesha. I agree with your points: there's no reason for Petunia to be at Hogwarts and too many ways for her to have been "discovered."

DefyEverything, your posts are hard to read (at least for me) because the font color is so light.

Smeltings is a boarding school: Petunia doesn't like the food they offer Dudley and so tries to fatten him up while he's at home (this is before the diet).

capella black, if Vernon was frozen during the school year he'd lose his job. That hasn't happened.

[ID824]

I hve a hard time believing that Vernon and Petunia would have spent SO MUCH effort punishing Harry for being born a wizard, if Petunia was going to just turn around and teach at the very school they try to defy Harry from attending. No amount of wizard gold could change that, in my opinion.

[Schlubalybub]

Originally Posted by ID824

I hve a hard time believing that Vernon and Petunia would have spent SO MUCH effort punishing Harry for being born a wizard, if Petunia was going to just turn around and teach at the very school they try to defy Harry from attending. No amount of wizard gold could change that, in my opinion.

I agree. Even though Dumbledore was always in contact with Petunia all along, I don't think that Petunia will be able to cope with working and teaching in a magical school

[lil_snuffles]

I dont think she does. We all know she hates magic and she wants to be as far away from it as possible. The only thing she has to deal with that is magic is Harry coming home every summer. Vernon and Petunia have spent most of Harry's life belittling Harry and trying to squash the magic out of him that Petunia wouldnt even think about teaching at Hogwarts. Besides, what would Vernon think of the whole thing?

[ginny_freak]

I seriosly doubt that bshe could evn tEACh in hogwarts with out passing out.

[Pat4891]

Hagrid respects all of the hogwart teachers, so if Petunia was teaching at hogwarts surely he would be more friendly to her. Then of course why would she need to teach at hogwarts, bvernon has a well paid job and she detests wizards. How would she travel to and from hogwarts each day if she doesn't like magic?

[HedwigOwl]

Originally Posted by ginny_freak

I seriosly doubt that bshe could evn tEACh in hogwarts with out passing out.

[JJFinch]

I agree with Meesha's points - ther's no way she could have acted all that.

[lil_snuffles]

Originally Posted by JJFinch

I agree with Meesha's points - ther's no way she could have acted all that.

ya, she too much of a gossiper. She would have given it all away

[Schlubalybub]

Ah, I'd never thought of that...but Petunia HATES magic, even if she did teach there I don't think that she would be able to gossip about it because she doesn't want anyone to know what is going on, or even that there IS a wizarding world

[JrDumbledore]

i think hermione would have mentioned to harry because she has seen petunia many times!

[HedwigOwl]

meesha1971 - I agree, and in fact have also previously posted similar to your points -- except for Harry's sitting in the back seat of the car. Even if Vernon came without Petunia, I could see his insisting that Harry sit in the back seat anyway, Vernon's so unpleasant.

But I completely agree, there are many things that point away from the possibility of Petunia's teaching at Hogwart's.

[meesha1971]

Originally Posted by HedwigOwl

meesha1971 - I agree, and in fact have also previously posted similar to your points -- except for Harry's sitting in the back seat of the car. Even if Vernon came without Petunia, I could see his insisting that Harry sit in the back seat anyway, Vernon's so unpleasant.

But I completely agree, there are many things that point away from the possibility of Petunia's teaching at Hogwart's.

Well, Vernon is so concerned with appearances and what other people think, I can't see him making Harry sit in the back unless Petunia was sitting in the front. They were in a public place and that would not be "normal" behavior. And he wouldn't want anyone to think he was Harry's chauffeur or anything like that either.

But I think we agree on the important issue - Petunia cannot be a teacher at Hogwarts - which is a really nice change!

[Jessica]

I think this thread has gone as far as it can. I'm going to shoot it over to the reference books so it can retire with dignity.