The Magical Squib

[Ferrus]

Hagrid would be a dangerous oponent if he could do magic, after all Umbridge and a few other couldnt do it due to his giant blood.

[Athena Appleton]

What if Petunia went to one of the un-mentioned smaller schools and was so horrible at magic when compared to Lilly that she just shunned the community until now?!?

Nope, I don't think so... sounds like Ron, taking what started out being a good theory and then taking it just one step too far.

She knew about the dementors from when James just happened to mention them more then 15 years eariler.

I don't even sort of believe that she just remembers what Azkaban is from one little passing comment made by James 15 years ago. I think she heard it from either her parents (who I don't think were really Muggles, but squibs or wizards in disguise) or Dumbledore (who apparently has been communicating with her a little bit).

They never did say how she kept her house so clean .

hahaha... I would agree with you, except I grew up in my mother's house, and my mother makes Petunia look like a slob.

The whole time she is acting to be horrible to Harry, just like Mrs. Figg

Once again, I doubt it... if for no other reason than there is a glimmer of real fear and caring for Harry when she realizes the meaning of Dementors in Little Whinging.

Well, Mrs Figg was horrible to Harry too and she turned out okay.

But Mrs. Figg wasn't horrible in the way Petunia was horrible. I mean, making Harry look at pictures of her cats is one thing. Treating him like slime for 11 years is quite another. Not to mention all the horrible things she's said to Harry about Lily and James and Harry's "abnormalty".

or she is acting with Dumbledore

Nope, Dumbledore seems to have been a bit disappointed in how Petunia and Vernon treated Harry (he says that Harry was safe and alive, though not as nourished and loved as he would have liked him to be). Dumbledore almost always prefers truth to lies, so I believe him when he tells Harry that, so it wouldn't make sense that she was working in cahoots with Dumbledore when she was being a royal-pain-in-the-rear-end.

[hbic3]

Petunia being a witch.

If Lily and Petunia are Pure Muggle, why then would their parents be soooo proud when they recieved Lily's letter of acceptance? Wouldn't they have been confused, thought it was some kind of practical joke? They had to have atleast KNOWN someone who was a witch or wizard to be excited about the idea that their daughter was.

The fact that Petunia is much less cruel to Harry than Vernon might suggests a "soft spot" for Harry. Maybe it's Vernon who has the prejudice, and Petunia just pretends for her marriage's sake?

Petunia expresses to Harry in book one that she was the only one to see Lily for the freak she was. And then she went and got herself blown up.
Why would Petunia care if the sister she hated had gotten blown up, other than getting stuck with Harry? Was she angry at her sister for dying? Did she blame the fact that she was a witch for Lily's death? Is that the reason she is so angry, and so afraid of Harry being a wizard? That Lily would never have died if she had not gone off to "that....that school?" That it would end in Harry's death also? Did she possibly love her sister that much?

And in all the years that they had Harry, why didn't they put him out if they hated him that much?

*******SPOILER******


Dumbledore told Harry that the letter he left the Dursley's that Petunia knows that by allowing him "houseroom" that Voldemort can't hurt Harry. Why would Petunia care if Voldemort hurt Harry if she wanted him out of her life so badly? She would have gladly broken the pact, then wouldn't she have? They had 11 years to break the pact. Yet, they did not. Why? Haven't you ever wondered why they wouldn't just put Harry out on the street? Being afraid of Dumbledore wouldn't explain it. Because he further tells Harry that he thought the Dementor attack would have "awoken her to the dangers of having[Harry] as a surrogate son." All the more reason to get rid of Harry, right?
Some part of Petunia loves Harry. Why else would she protect him?

I think because we have seen a hint of Petunia's softer side, and her vast knowledg of the wizarding world, that we will see Petunia being to use her magic.

[Athena Appleton]

welcome to BaO! I never thought someone more long-winded than me would show up here!

a lot of parts of that last post hits on a MAJOR theory I have (see the "the howler - a spinoff" thread) that says that Petunia has been communicating with Dumbledore some for the last 15 years.

it's a little too in depth to go into here, though.

The fact that Petunia is much less cruel to Harry than Vernon might suggests a "soft spot" for Harry. Maybe it's Vernon who has the prejudice, and Petunia just pretends for her marriage's sake?

This hits the core of my howler theory.

Why would Petunia care if the sister she hated had gotten blown up, other than getting stuck with Harry?

Well, they were sisters, after all... even sisters you hate are your sisters. You at least notice and somewhat care when they get blown up by evil wizards.

Was she angry at her sister for dying? Did she blame the fact that she was a witch for Lily's death? Is that the reason she is so angry, and so afraid of Harry being a wizard? That Lily would never have died if she had not gone off to "that....that school?" That it would end in Harry's death also? Did she possibly love her sister that much?

no i don't think so... in fact, i don't think it was any "soft spot" that kept Petunia from kicking Harry out in OotP. fear. plain old fear. and a realization of what would happen if anything happened to Harry (once again, see the howler spinoff theory... it goes on forever)

Dumbledore told Harry that the letter he left the Dursley's that Petunia knows that by allowing him "houseroom" that Voldemort can't hurt Harry. Why would Petunia care if Voldemort hurt Harry if she wanted him out of her life so badly?

Okay, to sum up, I think Petunia knows about the prophecy. Therefore, I think she knows that if anything happens to Harry because she and Vernon kicked him out, it would be on their heads if Voldemort made a full return, as they had the opportunity to keep safe the ONE person who could get rid of Voldemort once and for all and didn't do it.

I think because we have seen a hint of Petunia's softer side

...not really a softer side...

and her vast knowledg of the wizarding world

vast knowledge? she was able to tell what azkaban was. while i think she has a general idea of what's been going on in the wizarding community, i dont think her knowledge is vast at all...

[Nobby]

GO ATHENA GO!

[Athena Appleton]

hahahahahah thanks Nobby... how is it we are ALWAYS on here at the same time?

[Nobby]

must be fate! And you live in Texas and I live in Plymouth (England) thats like a 5/6 hour time gap...maybe more!

[Athena Appleton]

haha... maybe it's just that we're both on BaO entirely too much.

[Nobby]

that's probably it!

[Athena Appleton]

okay, back on topic, or broccoli or violet will get on to us for spamming.

[Nobby]

i don't spam spam spam

hehehe

[Athena Appleton]

*in the voice i use to get my little boy to behave himself* Nobby! No sir!

anyway... despite my arguments with hbic3, i still think the Magical Squib is Petunia...

[Nobby]

i still think the Magical Squib is Petunia...

i agree but i've still got a little voice in my head saying DUDLEY!

[Athena Appleton]

ugh... yeah............

but what situation would call for Dudley doing magic? i mean, if it was protection, like Harry's early ones were, i almost would think no situation would call for accidental protective magic more than what happened in "Dudley Demented"... even if he couldn't repel the dementors, maybe he could have found himself on top of a roof, or something like that... wonder if he realizes the only way he can really torture harry anymore is through magic? wouldn't that be interesting? Dud learns magic as a kind of continuing learning thing in torturing Harry.

[Ferrus]

I think the odds point at Petunia, even if its because there is no other person we know about that could concievably do magic... I think.