Could Petunia be a witch that got expelled from Hogwarts?

[m0nkeydump]

I think she's a muggle

[swirlctw]

i also thought that she could be a witch but then it ocured to me when i reread the first book the last time that it couldn't be, because she said that her mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. her parents would have been proud of her too i supose. maybe it skiped a generation or family memeber.

[Wimsey]

Originally Posted by swirlctw

i also thought that she could be a witch but then it ocured to me when i reread the first book the last time that it couldn't be, because she said that her mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. her parents would have been proud of her too i supose. maybe it skiped a generation or family memeber.

Petunia's statement does not preclude the same thing from happening for her - it only says that they were proud when Lily got here letter. If they had been proud on both occassions, then Petunia's statement is no less true than it was.

Of course, this in itself might be a hint: how did the Evans know about Hogwarts to be proud? JKR has written that Ministry members visit Muggle families with potential witches/wizards, but it is not clear whether that occurs with the letter or afterwards.

Originally Posted by m0nkeydump

I think she's a muggle

Originally Posted by halfbludprince

It is not a possibilty. JKR said shes a muggle, and thats certainly enough for me. Is Hagrid a muggle? certainly not.......

Petunia most certainly is a Muggle. However, that does not make it impossible that she could have become a witch. The question is whether Petunia is a Muggle by choice or because she never had the ability. It's like comparing three people, two of whom have outstanding athletic potential and one of whom is a physically inept buffoon. Suppose further that one of the potential athletes is too lazy, scared, whatever to make anything of him/herself and remains a couch potatoe whereas the other one puts his/her skills to use and becomes an athlete. We have two couch potatoes now, but one of them could have become the athlete.

Given the very important theme of choice, and how it is not our abilities that make us who we are, but what we do with them, the self-imposed Muggledom of Petunia would be particularly poignant. The theme of bravery also enters into this, as it is quite possible that Petunia was so afraid of wizards that she simply fled from them altogether, and thus doomed herself to a mundane Muggle life.

Also, one must not think of Muggles and Wizards as "races" of some sort, i.e., where you either are or are not. One of the primary themes of the Harry Potter story is that this view is nonsense - people are what they make of themselves given their abilities.

Stepping outside of the books, we also need an explanation for why JKR said that a Squib was a very good guess for Petunia, but not quite right. A Squib is a failed wizard born to a wizarding family. Petunia would be a failed wizard born to a Muggle family. Both are failed wizards, which would be why JKR considered the Squib guess to be a near miss.

[Prisoner08535]

i dont think she was a witch that was expelled because she would have known more about the wizarding world and where hogwarts is

[dr_hermione]

I think she is a muggle. She has had lots of opportunities to have "wierd" things happen when her emotions are strong and no hint of magic.

[Jesus_is_Good]

She could be a witch that got a letter from hogwarts but turned down the offer and returned to muggle life. She saw what her sister did while at school and decided she didn't want to be like that.

[Xayla]

Well, as has been posted previously, JKR has said Petunia is a muggle, so I doubt she ever went to Hogwarts, let alone got expelled. There just isn't anything to backup this very popular idea.

[timnew]

Yep JK said she is a muggle but that there is more than what meets the eye.

[ComicBookWorm]

Petunia knows exactly the amount about the wizarding world a muggle sister would hear from her witch sister who lived with her for seven years of Hogwarts schooling. She also knows exactly the amount about Voldemort she would have heard from her sister and Dumbledore. How is it a mystery she would be fearful of Voldemort? He killed her sister.

[codswallop]

Originally Posted by Xayla

Well, as has been posted previously, JKR has said Petunia is a muggle, so I doubt she ever went to Hogwarts, let alone got expelled. There just isn't anything to backup this very popular idea.

Remember Hagrid talks about being chucked out and made to live as a muggle. I believe this is possible, but my personal belief is Petunia is the Late-bloomer.....

http://www.cosforums.com/showthread....highlight=late

[PhoenixWand02]

i dont think she was expelled because j.k. said she is a muggle, but there is more to her than what meets the eye...i would try to pay more close attention to her now..!!!

edit: oh sorry this was already said...everyone is saying the exact same thing!!!

[invisinudnik]

Originally Posted by elperuaan

It doesn't matter. She clearly states "she is a muggle"
Of course there is more to her, and she knows more than we know so far, but if JKR says she is a muggle, she is a muggle.

Exactly!!! Just what I was about to say!!! Aunt Petunia is a Muggle because JK said so.

[codswallop]

Originally Posted by invisinudnik

Exactly!!! Just what I was about to say!!! Aunt Petunia is a Muggle because JK said so.

She said she is a Muggle but.....and we do not know what the But means.....It is all in how you interpret the quote. I personally do not believe she was a witch expelled from Hogwarts but I believe the theory is possible.

[invisinudnik]

Originally Posted by codswallop

She said she is a Muggle but.....and we do not know what the But means.....It is all in how you interpret the quote. I personally do not believe she was a witch expelled from Hogwarts but I believe the theory is possible.

Actually, i don't believe the theory is possible. Let me explain:

- a Muggle is a non-magic person...someone who can't do magic and doesn't come from a wizard family.

- You have to be a witch/wizard to attend Hogwarts

- Hogwarts sends theirs students letters by looking at a magic operating book that writes down the name of anyone who is a witch/wizard. Those people are then sent letters inviting them to Hogwarts.

So, if Petunia is a Muggle, she's not a witch. So, if she's not a witch, her name didn't appear in the book that Hogwarts uses as it's mailing list. If she didn't appear there, then she never got a letter, so went to Hogwarts and couldn't get expelled from it.

Now, i wish i had a good theory for that but in JK's quote...but I don't. But this is why this theory doesn't cut it for me.

[Xayla]

Originally Posted by codswallop

Remember Hagrid talks about being chucked out and made to live as a muggle. I believe this is possible, but my personal belief is Petunia is the Late-bloomer.....

http://www.cosforums.com/showthread....highlight=late

Sorry, no, I don't remember Hagrid saying he had to live as a muggle. I do remember him saying he was kicked out, though. Obviously, he's not a muggle because he's quite capable of doing magic...he's just not supposed to, which IMO, is completely different.

As to the late bloomer theory. I've posted my opinion elsewhere, but the short version is that the term "late bloomer" was used by someone asking JKR a question. JKR never used that term herself. In fact, she pretty much squashed any hope that someone could turn out to be a witch/wizard later in life.

What she does say is that someone will use magic under desperate circumstances. I guess I'm alone in my theory that it will be Petunia who uses magic, but that she will not become a witch. It will be an isolated incident. However, I'm sticking to it until I read differently from JKR herself.

[codswallop]

Originally Posted by invisinudnik

Actually, i don't believe the theory is possible. Let me explain:

- a Muggle is a non-magic person...someone who can't do magic and doesn't come from a wizard family.

- You have to be a witch/wizard to attend Hogwarts

- Hogwarts sends theirs students letters by looking at a magic operating book that writes down the name of anyone who is a witch/wizard. Those people are then sent letters inviting them to Hogwarts.

So, if Petunia is a Muggle, she's not a witch. So, if she's not a witch, her name didn't appear in the book that Hogwarts uses as it's mailing list. If she didn't appear there, then she never got a letter, so went to Hogwarts and couldn't get expelled from it.

Now, i wish i had a good theory for that but in JK's quote...but I don't. But this is why this theory doesn't cut it for me.

Good points, I respect your interpretation of her quote and the explaination of how you interpreted it....I hope this is resolved in Book Six, if I have to wait 3 years for this....it will drive me into the ward with Lockhart....

Originally Posted by Xayla

Sorry, no, I don't remember Hagrid saying he had to live as a muggle. I do remember him saying he was kicked out, though. :

In SS/PS when he talks to Harry in the Infirmary he says :" I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a muggle" Page 303 American

[ximperfection]

That's a very interesting question that has obviously sparked some thoughts.

I don't think that Petunia is an expelled witch or a squib or anything like that. I think that she's an ordinary muggle and a jealous sister because of the adoration that her sister recieved when she recieved her Hogwarts letter from her parents.

I think it's quite nice that people are thinking out of the box...

[Xayla]

Thanks, codswallop...I'll check it out!

EDIT: Oh OK, I get. He's talking about what should happen to him for telling Quirrel how to get past Fluffy. I sort of didn't think that was really possible though. Just Hagrid feeling guilty.

I guessed I missed something because I'm not sure what that has to do with Petunia being a Muggle. Sorry, I guess I'm slow tonight.

[codswallop]

Originally Posted by Xayla

Thanks, codswallop...I'll check it out!

EDIT: Oh OK, I get. He's talking about what should happen to him for telling Quirrel how to get past Fluffy. I sort of didn't think that was really possible though. Just Hagrid feeling guilty.

You know JKR, I thought when Dumbledore mentioned the Room of Requirement at the Yule Ball that that was not possible either or Aberforth and the Goats

[Dracosgal]

I think it is curious that I am seeing in many threads thoughts of Petunia being a witch or a squib, or something of that sort. I must say, that in my opinion, I think Petunia is just Petunia. I don't know what everyone is basing these theories on. The only reason she knows alot about the wizarding world is because of Lily. In Ootp she basically says that when she knows what a dementor is -- and also when she alludes to some other knowledge that most muggles wouldn't know. But personally, I don't see any indication from Petunia's character or from any comments JK has made that would lead us to believe Petunia is a witch. JK has basically said that the Dursley's role in book 6 is quite small -- Harry's time on Privet Drive is the shortest yet -- which would lead me to believe that anyone who is hoping for a big Petunia storyline will be disappointed.