What will we learn about Petunia in Deathly Hallows? v.2

[SageThyme]

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This is the place to discuss Petunia and her future role in the books. A few oft repeated quotes from the first version:

David Moulds for the News of the World EM: How does Aunt Petunia know about dementors and all the other magical facts she knows? JK Rowling: Another very good question. She overheard a conversation, that is all I am going to say. She overheard conversation. The answer is in the beginning of Phoenix, she said she overheard Lily being told about them basically. EM: Is that true? JK Rowling: Yes. The reason I am hesitant is because there is more to it than that. As I think you suspect. Correctly, but I don't want to say what else there is because it relates to Book 7.

JKR website, Rumours Aunt Petunia will start exhibiting magical tendencies No, she won't. Aunt Petunia has never performed magic, nor will she ever be able to do so.

JKR website News, Edinburgh Book Festival Is Aunt Petunia a Squib? Good question. No, she is not, but—[Laughter]. No, she is not a Squib. She is a Muggle, but—[Laughter]. You will have to read the other books. You might have got the impression that there is a little bit more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye, and you will find out what it is. She is not a squib, although that is a very good guess. Oh, I am giving a lot away here. I am being shockingly indiscreet.

JKRwebsite, Section: F.A.Q. What did Dumbledore's Howler to Aunt Petunia mean? ('Remember my last'?) Well, it is a relief to move on after the Mark Evans fiasco. This time, two out of the three poll questions had interesting answers (or so I think) and thank goodness you chose one of them. So: Dumbledore is referring to his last letter, which means, of course, the letter he left upon the Dursleys' doorstep when Harry was one year old. But why then (you may well ask) did he not just say 'remember my letter?' Why did he say my last letter? Why, obviously because there were letters before that… Now let the speculation begin, and mind you type clearly, I'll be watching… P.S. It has been suggested that I am wrong in saying that Dumbledore's last letter was the one he left on the doorstep with baby Harry, and that he has sent a letter since then concerning Harry's illegal flight to school. However, both Dumbledore and I differentiate between letters sent to the Dursleys as a couple, and messages directed to Petunia ALONE. And that's my final word on the subject - though I doubt it will be yours.

Please continue the discussion.

[RWeasleysgirl]

Yay, version two!

[missjanepotter]

ok so let´s continue... I think that aunt Petunia has a very big background there is so much to know about her, I think she has always been very interesting, I always thought that if she didn´t had a story to tell it would very much suck´cause she is great, I think that we will find out that she really does care about Harry after all, perhaps not in the begining but after having Harry in her house all those years she did started to love him too.

Obviously as many of us think she is going to tell all that she really knows about the magical world, perhaps so that Harry will finally stop hating her and all the Dursleys, (or maybe not su much Dudley ) I think it would be great that she could heve been involved in the fight against voldy in some how...I don´t know that perhaps she was a spy or something, that we learn that she really is brave after all, and not just a boring housewife...we´ll see I cant wait

[daniel2099]

who lily was talk to that she over herd
why she keep harry ,what did she get out of it

[RWeasleysgirl]

I think she was likely a spy, we know she loves watching the neighbors, perhaps there’s a reason for it.

[Ruby12]

I'm SO interested in this topic. I really like the idea of the Petunia loves Snape who loves Lily who loves James. That could definitely be verrrrrry interesting. It would also explain why Petunia is so bitter towards the magical world... she loved a wizard who didn't love her back. Anyway I think that would be interesting. As to what role she'll play... well I can only assume we will learn something VERY interesting about her. I just have no idea what! But I'm SO excited to find out... because we all know it'll be GOOD!

[HGHPRW]

I think we'll learn exactly how much she knows about the magical world, and how much of that could help Harry. Maybe we'll also learn how she learned it. I think it will be more than just "overhearing" conversations. I think she may also have liked one of Lily's friends, and was a bit more than mad when they took no notice of her because she was a muggle. I think something like this may have been what caused strife between the Evans sister. Who knows?

[Hinoema]

Originally Posted by HGHPRW

I think she may also have liked one of Lily's friends, and was a bit more than mad when they took no notice of her because she was a muggle.

I can't see Sirius being that rude. (Best guess. I can't see her thinking Peter or Remus were cute.)

I definitely want to know what she overheard that day. I think it will be very important.

[Beerchick]

I think there is going to be more about Petunia in the next book rather than just more information she holds and how that can help Harry.

[Yoana]

I suppose we'll lean how she got all her information, the particulars about her correspondence with Dembledore and her role in the blood protetion. There's definitely something more to it, since we saw Dumbledore send her a Howler about it - "Remember my last!" - the last evidently dealt with the issue. And we see her flustered and flushed when Dumbledore talks of the blood protection that needs to be emplyed the summer in HBP.

And my personal usupported by canon guess is that she'll be a source of information about Snape as well - in reagrd with Lily.

[HGHPRW]

Originally Posted by Beerchick

I think there is going to be more about Petunia in the next book rather than just more information she holds and how that can help Harry.

Such as?

Originally Posted by Hinoema

I can't see Sirius being that rude. (Best guess. I can't see her thinking Peter or Remus were cute.)

I definitely want to know what she overheard that day. I think it will be very important.

Maybe James. I wasn't really talking...uh, typing,... it to be like that, I mean, like they didn't like her, but she liked them. Or, maybe, she was younger than them, and they considered her beneath them, or maybe it was Snape. I don't know, it's just, I think they (whoever it was) didn't really pay attention to her, because they were there to be with Lily... does that make sense?
Note: I am not attacking you, I'm just trying to correct what I meant.

[RWeasleysgirl]

I think that does make sense.

[DeplorableWord]

Petunia's behaviour always intrigued me. She's just too much a muggle. She's hiding something, or she is hiding herself. I think her great quality (spying) got her into trouble somewhere in the past. The question is: whom did she spy for?
And then there is another thing ( I posted this in the first thread), it's her kitchen. Why all this excessive cleaning? In OOTP Tonks is curious about her 'very clean kitchen and house'.( UK Children's ed. page 51) And why is she cleaning her kitchen at twelve o'clock at night? (HBP, chapter 3) What's cooking?
Just a wild guess: There are some rumours about a Petunia/Snape connection. Has Petunia read Eileen Prince's copy of advanced Potion-making?

[RWeasleysgirl]

*is interested* What significance would that have?

[sweet1gurl]

i think in book 7 that we will learn a lot about petunia and that she knows more than we think she does and that her letters from dumbledore were probably about a lot of things

[RWeasleysgirl]

Oh I definitely think she knows more than we think! She already knew more than we thought in OotP.

[YellowPoofBall]

Originally Posted by Hinoema

I can't see Sirius being that rude. (Best guess. I can't see her thinking Peter or Remus were cute.)

Yes, but considering her husband and child, her idea of "cute" is questionable.

[DeplorableWord]

Originally Posted by RWeasleysgirl

*is interested* What significance would that have?

I can't say exactly what, but by the looks of it Petunia is constantly getting rid of evidence (cleaning kitchen surfaces, HBP page 49). What evidence, magical evidence?
Or have I just seen too much CSI?

[RWeasleysgirl]

Lol, we probably all have. But I do think that’s an interesting theory, even if it isn’t true.

[dill]

Originally Posted by DeplorableWord

I can't say exactly what, but by the looks of it Petunia is constantly getting rid of evidence (cleaning kitchen surfaces, HBP page 49). What evidence, magical evidence?
Or have I just seen too much CSI?

Welcome DeplorableWord

I think you are right in thinking that she is trying to wash off something we don't see with her compulsive cleaning. Great modern reference with CSI to illustrate a 20th century Lady Mcbeth.

You got anything to explain her long neck and constant nosiness? I think it is more than supporting Vernon's desire to evade the hose pipe ban.