For a family that hates Harry... - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Discussion

[–] ADBruns 10 years ago

That's because Petunia insists on it, because she knows how important it is for Harry's safety. This is explained more in the last two books. She proves that you can severely dislike someone and not want them to die a horrible death, based on being a young relative.

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[–] pc-daisy 10 years ago

I think it is more that Dumbledore extracted a promise from her to keep him under her roof until he was of age. In DH we find out that Petunia wrote to Dumbledore and asked him to allow her to attend the school with Lily, but of course that wasn't permitted. So that leads me to think that Petunia was very jealous of Lily and Harry suffered for that.

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[–] Jingizu (30) 8 years ago

Exactly! Petunia was jealous of Lily and bitter. She alluded once that her parents thought Lily was "perfect" and was obviously the favourite sister. So not only was Petunia jealous of Lily being a witch, she was also jealous of her being the favourite daughter.

In a way I can empathise with Petunia. I would have been jealous as hell if I were her and my sister could do magic and I couldn't! It was wrong of course to take it out on Harry, but I understand where Petunia is coming from.

Dumbledore extracted a promise from Petunia, and she also knew that staying with them was the thing that kept Harry safe (i.e. the blood magic).

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[–] Daenerys-Stormborn 10 years ago

Harry's safety is their responsibility. Even though, they didn't like his company, they had to keep him safe until he grew up.

When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.

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[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Every thing about Petunia that is mentioned above is true. But it is finally revealed late in the series, that in spite of all, she did feel she owed something to her dead sister. 🐭

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[–] Daenerys-Stormborn 10 years ago

Not just cause she owed her sister. Social Services would come knocking in on their door if he went missing.

Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas.

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[–] Skibidido 10 years ago

I dont buy this. I felt like the family wanted to deprive Harry from anything that made him happy, and keeping him around was worth it.

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[–] chilone 10 years ago

Ol' Petune had a pretty kickin' body!!!

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

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[–] Daenerys-Stormborn 10 years ago

hahahaha...oh my! *falls off chair*



Do you think flattery will keep you alive?

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[–] samhmd-7489 10 years ago

Petunia is worried that Dumbledore would do some awful stuff to them if they let him run off.

Basically, they do what they want to Harry short of the really abusive stuff. You pay attention, you'll notice they're all bark and no bite. No physical beatings or anything.

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[–] Sewaat 10 years ago

But The Dursley's did physically abuse Harry. In the first film Dudley pushes/shoves Harry around. Uncle Vernon not only threatens to starve Harry but afterwards when they come back from the Zoo, he grabs Harry by his hair and shoves him back into his closet under the stairs.

In the 2nd film there isn't as much of this, but Vernon does make a strong threat towards Harry ("One more sound and you'll wish you've never been born, boy") which is essentially the promise of physical abuse if Harry didn't behave himself.

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[–] samhmd-7489 10 years ago

In the first film Dudley pushes/shoves Harry around.

Well, he's a kid. Kids fight, it's gonna happen.

cle Vernon not only threatens to starve Harry but afterwards when they come back from the Zoo, he grabs Harry by his hair and shoves him back into his closet under the stairs.

Keep in mind that this was right after Dudley fell into the Snake room with a snake. Vernon was probably still stressed out from the terror of his son being in danger. He never does anything like this ever again.

In the 2nd film there isn't as much of this, but Vernon does make a strong threat towards Harry ("One more sound and you'll wish you've never been born, boy") which is essentially the promise of physical abuse if Harry didn't behave himself.

Yeah, but he never follows up or goes through with it.

The only time Vernon gets actually physical with Harry (in OOTP) he's instantly repelled by Harry's magic.

So even if they had tried to physically hurt Harry (which is probably rarely) they actually couldn't do it. His magic would've stopped them.

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[–] fyfytj 10 years ago

Vernon and Petunia keep him around for several reasons. Petunia hates Harry in a way similar to Snape in that he reminds them of people they hated/envied in the past (Lily Evans and James Potter), but is obligated to keep him in her home as long as possible due to the protective charm placed on the house against the Death Eaters. The Dursleys were given this task by Dumbledore, and since they show an ignorance and fear of magic, this probably kept them from protesting.

Vernon not only has this in mind, but I feel like he also hates Harry so much that he also wants to make him miserable by keeping him from his friends and Hogwarts, even if it makes Vernon miserable in the process.

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[–] jajceboy 9 years ago

As Harry's only living relatives they had to take care of him. Dumledore made sure of that. Petunia felt it as her responsibility to take in Harry because she knew what would happen if she didn't. Despite not being magical herself she most likely have heard of Lord Voldemort and his powers so even if she hated her sister she wasn't willing to sacrifice Harry. I think it was mentioned in the last book that she despite all felt a tremendous loss for losing Lily and felt she owned it to her to take care of her son.

But despite promising to take care of Harry he still reminded her of everything she hated and therefore treated him bad. Until she started to fear him:)

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[–] Jingizu (30) 8 years ago

Yes, that is right. Harry is also struck at one stage, in OOTP I think, by the fact that Petunia is his actually mother's sister.

One point that I noticed in the first book while rereading the other day, is that Vernon and Petunia laugh at Harry about platform 9 and 3 quarters. Yet Petunia did know about the platform (she was there to see Lily off the first time) and that it existed, so I can only conclude that she was pretending to Vernon to spite Harry.

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[–] NobodymournstheWicked 9 years ago

Yeah go figure that, even with Uncle Vernon baring his door and window

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[–] Mattfinbell 8 years ago

its because the aunt allowed him to come in. read the order of the Phoenix

Look like Tarzan talk like Jane! HAHA

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