harry's grandparents

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Ok, I'm trying to think of the Evan's bloodline without actually having to write it on paper to figure it out...So Lily's father could have had a brother and of course he would be an Evans. Then he had a son and his surname is Evans. And he has a son named Mark Evans. All those Evans folk wouldnt really be as close to Harry blood wise as Petunia is. But then the fact that this Mark Evans lives in Little Whinging close to Harry is pretty far-reaching. Although we don't really know exactly where all the old Evans lived so I guess it could work. 8)

[Athena Appleton]

EWPZ, if you want to, there's a thread about Mark Evans (there's a newer one that got locked, but it has a link to the old one), and we've talked all about possible Evans relations... but, believe it or not, we hadn't thought of that one, which would actually be the simplest...

[Jotomicron]

Yeah... It would actually solve something out! How would you refer to the familiar relation between harry and Mark, then? Would they be second cousins?

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

yeah, I guess it would be something like that. I don't really know how all that 5th cousins twice removed thing works. Second cousins are about as far as my knowledge reaches

[Athena Appleton]

mark and harry would be third cousins, based on EWPZ's theory:

harry's grandfather and mark's grandfather = brothers
lily and mark's father = first cousins
lily and mark = second cousins
harry and mark = third cousins

In the "Mark Evans" thread, we managed to come up with a way for Harry and Mark to be as close as first cousins and still follow the rules...

Petunia and Lily have a half-brother on their father's side they don't know about
half-brother had mark
Petunia and Lily would be aunts (their half-brother's son), and Harry, Dudley and Mark would all be first cousins

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Ah, I see. Thanks, that clears up alot!

All that makes sense to me. Well, somewhat, my brain isn't functioning right now. But if all those family members are muggles then it would be right that they're not mentioned often.

[Nobby]

that's assuming that mark evans is of any relevance

[Athena Appleton]

i just don't see how mark evans could possibly NOT be of any relevance... I mean, I just can't imagine that being a coincidence...

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

i just don't see how mark evans could possibly NOT be of any relevance... I mean, I just can't imagine that being a coincidence...

Yeah, I mean JKR could have used ANY other last name, but the one she picks just happens to be the same as Lily's maiden name. I don't think its coincidence. Mark Evans has to come up next book somewhere.

[Ferrus]

Ditto. The Evans surname is too much of a coincidence, and more than that, its mentioned in passing, which (with JKR) makes even more suspicious

[pandora315]

I agree that its probably significant and that he probably is a relation, I don't think, however, that he could be a wizard. Not if we follow everything in the books that is. I mean, all wizards are registered as t where they live etc. We also know that when a witch or wizard is born their name gets written down by some magical quill etc... Well, in book 5 at Harry's hearing someone says that "there are no other witches or wizards in the area because we have had it closely monitored given the situation" (Or something like that). If the Evans boy was a wizard he would have been recorded as living in the area. Right?

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

We also know that when a witch or wizard is born their name gets written down by some magical quill etc...

Does the quill write the names down when the witch or wizard is born or when they turn 11? I thought it was when they turned 11, anyone have a link for that interview?
Because if it is when they turn 11, there would not yet be any record of a magical person living nearby.

[Athena Appleton]

Rowling said in a chat with Scholastic that it's when they're born...

HOWEVER, yes, Fudge says in OotP that they keep an eye on the situation of magical folks, but then again, the Ministry of Magic isn't as well-informed as they claim to be, are they? I mean, they "know" every animagus, but we know there are four unregistered animagi (Sirius, James, Wormtail and Skeeter). So it could be that the ministry may think they know all the wizards in the area, but don't...

[pandora315]

Yes, I think thats true the Ministry doesn't know everything and can be fooled, but I doubt and 11 year old boy would be going to the trouble of fooling them. Like I don't think the Ministry knows that Mundungus and others were spying on Harry but thats because DD is a lot smarter than everyone at the ministry and Dung and everyone where watching Harry on his orders. The other thing is that it specifically says that they keep the area Harry lives in closely monitored for magic, so if their really keeping an eye out I don't see how and 11 year old boy could hide from them. Maybe we'll find out differently. I don't think theres enough evidence either way.

[Evil Wizard Petting Zoo]

Rowling said in a chat with Scholastic that it's when they're born...

thanks!

Yes, and I believe there is still some predjudice (sp?) in the Ministry. They don't see them as much of an importance or threat, especially a 10yr old one. So if the Ministry is aware of him, they probably don't make too much of it.