Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. In this video, we’re going to be
discussing The Dursley’s- Harry Potter’s cruel and unusual ‘adoptive’ (I use that
term loosely) family. When Harry’s parents were murdered on Oct 31st 1981, the decision
was made that Harry would be raised by his aunt Petunia and her family.
Though they hated any and all things magical, and were perhaps the antithesis of the sort
of family that should adopt Harry, they were the safest option. When Lily died she cast
a loving sacrifice, protecting Harry, and this sacrifice lived on in her sister. As
long as Harry could call the home of the Dursleys his own, then he was safe.
The Dursleys were always massively critical of Harry- they didn’t like anything that
was out of the ordinary- and all of a sudden Petunia was faced with raising her magical
young nephew. Almost immediately they were hard on him, and showed clear and obvious
favouritism toward their actual son- Dudley. They forced Harry to live in a cupboard under
the stairs, tried to prevent him from attending HOGWARTS, and had always hid Harry’s past
from him. While he did eventually end up attending Hogwarts (thanks to Hagrid), and was able
to get away from them for a good portion of the year, he did still have to return to their
tormentous home year after year. He really didn’t have a choice - he would HAVE to
return there until he was finally old enough that his mother’s loving sacrifice would
serve him no more. This is one of the primary reasons that Harry never went to live with
the Weasley’s- where he was provided with a much more caring and nurturing environment.
So, year in year out Harry returned to their home out of necessity- but when we get to
the final book/film, The Deathly Hallows, a bit of a shift occurs. This is for 2 reasons:
1. Harry is now 17 years old, meaning the loving protection from his mother is no longer
present, and 2. The wizarding world is in complete and utter turmoil - with the danger
even spilling over in to the Muggle world. Harry, who knows that the Dursleys will be
targeted- eventually explains to them that their lives are in danger:
"The Order is sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture you to try and find out
where I am, or because he thinks by holding you hostage I'd come and try to rescue you.
You've got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help. You're being offered serious
protection, the best there is."
But Vernon Dursley doesn’t take this news lightly, and vehemently questions both Harry’s
proposition as well as the danger that he’s in:
"I thought there was a Ministry of Magic?" asked Vernon Dursley abruptly. "There is,"
said Harry, surprised. "Well, then, why can't they protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent
victims, guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government
protection!" Harry laughed; he could not help himself. It was so very typical of his uncle
to put his hopes in the establishment, even within this world that he despised and mistrusted.
"You heard what Mr. Weasley and Kingsley said," Harry replied. "We think the Ministry has
been infiltrated."
This eventually leads to the Dursleys leaving their beloved home, 4 Privet Drive, in search
of a new, safer and more secure location. It’s the end of an era as they bid goodbye
to the famous home, the original house with the bedroom under the stairs. But, where do
they go next? What is next in store for the Dursleys? What happens to them after the fall
of Voldemort and the end of the second wizarding war?
Interestingly enough, very little is revealed about the Dursleys after they pack up and
head off. However, there is a segment from the book, and a deleted scene in the film
that sort of suggests that there may be a future for Harry and Dudley.
The scene depicts a moment of redemption for Dudley- who, in an effort to make things right
with Harry, shakes his hand just before they depart. Harry’s bully, the boy who tormented
him for years, finally made an effort to set things straight-and this single act did wonders
for their relationship in the years to come.
In fact, it is later revealed by Rowling that, despite Dudleys years of abuse toward Harry,
they were later on Christmas-card terms. As he grew older, Dudley developed in to a decent
man- very much unlike the tyrannous force of nature that he embodied in his youth. Dudley
even eventually got married and had a family of his own - raising two muggle children.
"Harry and Dudley would still see each other enough to be on Christmas-card terms, but
they would visit more out of a sense of duty and sit in silence so that their children
could see their cousins."
This suggests that they were never quite ‘friends’, but certainly cordial to one another- perhaps
stemming from the mutual respect that they gained for one another later in life.
As for Vernon and Petunia- it seems as though Harry may not have seen them again, as their
relationship was never particularly good. Though Petunia certainly harboured affection
for Harry, deep within, she never made the same attempt that Dudley made to reconcile
with him, which was likely the reason for them never reconnecting. It’s also been
suggested that, after the fall of Voldemort, the Dursleys were simply escorted back to
their home in Little Whinging- where they remained for the rest of their lives.
But, what do I think happened to the Dursleys? I think that, after the chaos that was the
wizarding war- the Dursleys would have wanted to travel far far away. Vernon had been working
at Grunnings for 30 years at that point, and I think that this unique circumstance may
have presented him with a good opportunity to retire. Vernon was always awful to Harry,
and that never changed- he disliked ‘the boy’ or ‘boy’ as he would frequently
call him, and I’m sure that he had no desire to see Harry after the war had ended. Though
Petunia treated Harry in a similarly awful fashion, I think that deep down she did truly
care for Harry. However, even if she did want to go and visit him, she would never, as it
could potentially reveal to Vernon that she actually cared for him to some extent. At
the end of the day, the Dursley’s relished in everything that was normal, predictable
and easy- and I don’t think that they would have been able to look at 4 Privet Drive in
the same way ever again, or Little Whinging for that matter. It was the same place that
their house was assaulted with letters, and where their son was attacked by Dementors.
Harry had finally moved out, and they no longer had to care for him, but so much had happened
in that house- and I think that this may have been a good opportunity for them to simply
start anew elsewhere. As I anticipate that Vernon retired at this stage, I can completely
imagine the Dursley family, or at least Vernon and Petunia, retiring in some tropical climate-sitting
on the beach complaining and drinking pina coladas. Vernons safe, predictable job as
director at Grunnings, who made drills, would have allowed him to save up just enough money
to buy a beachfront property on an island Majorca- allowing him to live in a tropical
climate but with access to all the uk food and drink with which he was familiar.
One other thing that’s worth mentioning, and I’m NOT saying that it’s canon, is
that in the Cursed Child it’s suggested that Petunia actually died at some point before
Harry’s son began attending Hogwarts. This is when Dudley returns Harry’s blanket to
him - the same blanket that he was wrapped in when he was left at 4 Privet drive.
“This... is the last thing I had from my mum. The only thing. I was given to the Dursleys
wrapped in it. I thought it had gone forever and then, when your great-aunt Petunia died,
hidden amongst her possessions, surprisingly, Dudley found this and he kindly sent it on
to me, and ever since then — well, anytime I’ve wanted luck I’ve found it and just
tried to hold it”
This tells us that by the time Albus is a 3rd year Petunia had actually died- which
is tragic in a weird sort of way given that she likely never revealed her true affection
for Harry.
And that’s it for this video! What do YOU guys think happened to the Dursleys? Did Vernon
and Petunia ever reconnect with Harry? Or had that chapter simply closed? Let me know
down in the comment section below.
Until next time
YER A WIZARD ARRY