Remember my Last Petunia

[Alice I]

OK Dumbledore sends Aunt Petunia a howler saying
Remember my Last Petunia

My last what?

[jarvan49]

warning? at least thats what I think

[Athena Appleton]

My first thought when I read this was "remember my last [letter]", referring to the letter Dumbledore left on the steps with Harry, explaining what taking him would mean for the Dursleys. Then I realized that he communicates with them at least once (probably much more often) than these two times. In CoS, when Ron and Harry arrive at Hogwarts by flying car, Dumbledore writes to their families. Also, the families are extended an invitation to come to the last Triwizard event. So, says I, what would his last communication with Petunia (and I don't think it's Vernon and Petunia... I think she's been in contact with Dumbledore behind Vernon's back) be about? Then it hits me... naturally, if he were going to send them a boy who has just experienced all that Harry experienced in GoF, he would have alerted them to it before they go to pick him up at King's Cross. So I think at the end of GoF, Dumbledore sent Petunia a letter telling him about what happened to Harry at the last triwizard event, along with his suspicions that Harry now has a little less protection, and reminding her that it's more important than ever that Harry consider Privet Drive his home.

[Jotomicron]

that second chapter gives us a lot of things... Petunia knows about Azkaban (I believe she would had forgot what it was if the last time she heard about it was some 25 years ago), Petunia keeps in touch with DD, and she, somewhat, cares about Harry: would she let Harry stay if he was endandgering them?

But then, it could be "Remeber my last" something else... Like my last visit!

[paintballdecoy]

or may last request, like Lily's last request

[Athena Appleton]

You know, this is such a little nitpicky thing, but......

Unless the charm performed to protect Harry were a planned thing in the event the Potters were turned over to Voldemort and she were put in a situation where she'd have to give her life for Harry's protection, it really wouldn't be Lily's last request... Simply because in the moments before her death, since no one had ever survived Avada Kedavra before, she had to assume that if she died, Harry would be quick to follow... unless I'm mistaken, Dumbledore actually performed the protection charm... he was able to do that only because Lily gave her life, but she didn't think her giving her life would truly protect Harry.... ????? dunno...

[paintballdecoy]

I don't agree, because if you were living in a time when you know you are being hunted by a evil killer all you would be thinking about is your childrens safety, so her last request would be for someone to take care of Harry, or at least thats what I think

[Amon Rê]

Athean wrote:

he would have alerted them to it before they go to pick him up at King's Cross. So I think at the end of GoF, Dumbledore sent Petunia a letter telling him about what happened to Harry at the last triwizard event, along with his suspicions that Harry now has a little less protection, and reminding her that it's more important than ever that Harry consider Privet Drive his home.

I would definitely agree with this because I feel Dumbledore would have told Petunia that Voldemort was back because after all it WAS Voldemort who cause Harry to live there and have the charm made by Dumbledore...

[Athena Appleton]

I don't agree, because if you were living in a time when you know you are being hunted by a evil killer all you would be thinking about is your childrens safety, so her last request would be for someone to take care of Harry, or at least thats what I think

Well, yeah, I agree with that... I just think that Lily would have not had Petunia be the one to take care of Harry in any circumstances EXCEPT the one that happened... but Lily wouldn't have imagined that circumstance, so Lily wouldn't have requested that Petunia take care of Harry...

I still think that "my last" refers to Dumbledore's last communication with Petunia (after all, the howler doesn't say "REMEMBER HER LAST, PETUNIA!"), and I still think that last communication was at the end of GoF when Dumbledore would have let Petunia know what had happened to Harry in GoF, and that room in her home is more important than ever before.

[Alice I]

I don't agree, because if you were living in a time when you know you are being hunted by a evil killer all you would be thinking about is your childrens safety, so her last request would be for someone to take care of Harry, or at least thats what I think

Well, yeah, I agree with that... I just think that Lily would have not had Petunia be the one to take care of Harry in any circumstances EXCEPT the one that happened... but Lily wouldn't have imagined that circumstance, so Lily wouldn't have requested that Petunia take care of Harry...

I still think that "my last" refers to Dumbledore's last communication with Petunia (after all, the howler doesn't say "REMEMBER HER LAST, PETUNIA!"), and I still think that last communication was at the end of GoF when Dumbledore would have let Petunia know what had happened to Harry in GoF, and that room in her home is more important than ever before.

Good grief I had not thought of that. Well that kind of kills what I wrote in my fan fiction. Oh well.
There is a reasonable probability that Athena is close to the mark on this. If that is the case I don't intend on rewriting chapter two in my version and we will probably see the real version (JKR's book six) hopefully very soon!

[Aberforth]

I still think that "my last" refers to Dumbledore's last communication with Petunia (after all, the howler doesn't say "REMEMBER HER LAST, PETUNIA!"), and I still think that last communication was at the end of GoF when Dumbledore would have let Petunia know what had happened to Harry in GoF, and that room in her home is more important than ever before.

I have a question: is Harry protected only when he is inside the grounds of 4 Privet Drive or just living there? Is he safe (Dementors aside) to be wondering the streets or does the protection work outside the house too?

If Harry is only protected inside the house, surely DD would have given instructions that Harry should not leave the house. I know that he was being followed by the order but what good would they be if 5 death eaters turned up, or Voldemort himself?

[pandora315]

I've always thought the Howler was a bit odd also. But its also odd that in the conversation where DD says he sent the howler he says Petunia needed reminding of the pact she sealed. What pack? I mean if Harry was just dropped on the doorstep and was so surprised to find Harry, when was a pack sealed?

[Athena Appleton]

I have a question: is Harry protected only when he is inside the grounds of 4 Privet Drive or just living there? Is he safe (Dementors aside) to be wondering the streets or does the protection work outside the house too?

I think it just means that he's safe as long as he considers Privet Drive his home... so as long as he feels like he can go "home" to Privet Drive, then he's safe wandering around elsewhere.

I've always thought the Howler was a bit odd also. But its also odd that in the conversation where DD says he sent the howler he says Petunia needed reminding of the pact she sealed. What pack? I mean if Harry was just dropped on the doorstep and was so surprised to find Harry, when was a pack sealed?

As Vernon, Petunia and Marge are telling Harry in Prizoner of Azkaban, they could well have refused to take him in and taken him to an orphanage. Yes, he was dropped on their doorstep, but they decided to take him in (even though they treated him badly), so when she made that decision, she made a pact.

[Amon Rê]

As Vernon, Petunia and Marge are telling Harry in Prizoner of Azkaban, they could well have refused to take him in and taken him to an orphanage. Yes, he was dropped on their doorstep, but they decided to take him in (even though they treated him badly), so when she made that decision, she made a pact.

I think the pact was stated in the letter and that it was sealed when Vernon and Petunia decided to take Harry in.

I think it just means that he's safe as long as he considers Privet Drive his home... so as long as he feels like he can go "home" to Privet Drive, then he's safe wandering around elsewhere.

I also agree with this, but then does that limit the protection against SOLELY Voldemort or was it ONLY against Voldemort, I mean look at the Dementors in OotP...

[Athena Appleton]

Yeah, I didn't wanna mention that, cuz, honestly... I HAVE NO CLUE!!!

I think it might be that since love is a mighty part of the protection charm, maybe it protects him from anyone who can't deal with love the way Voldemort can't... since the dementors are most likely created creatures (I think it's mentioned in Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them, maybe in another book I've read) they are kinda excluded, since they aren't a being in the way human beings and animals are beings... have I confused anyone yet (besides myself?)