The e-book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows revealed Petunia Dursley’s largest secret, however Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films did not contact on any of it. This considerably modified the story surrounding the character, making it in order that Petunia’s on-screen persona would contribute little however the occasional comedian reduction. Nevertheless, the canon backstory of Harry’s aunt makes for a much more tangible character — although nonetheless not fully sympathetic. The upcoming Harry Potter HBO reboot has the prospect to appropriate downplaying her character, and her secrets and techniques, because it guarantees to discover one e-book per season.
Within the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Half 2 film, Harry witnesses some vital moments in his mom, Lily’s, childhood. Amongst them was a minor altercation between Petunia and Lily, through which the previous screams that her sister is a freak and runs away. This helps Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films’ earlier declare within the setup of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that she had been the one one within the Evans household to acknowledge that Lily’s magical expertise was nothing to be praised. As an alternative, it made her a “freak.” Whereas Harry’s aunt made the identical assertion within the e-book, Snape’s reminiscences in canon contradict this.
Petunia Dursley Had Been Determined To Go To Hogwarts
Whereas Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films did not discover this, in Harry Potter, the reminiscence of Lily and Petunia revealed the older sister had as soon as been delighted by Lily’s magic (although a bit of fearful). Nevertheless, when Lily is invited to Hogwarts, Petunia turns into jealous. She wrote to Professor Dumbledore, begging him to permit her to accompany her sister to high school. The headmaster responded kindly to Petunia and knowledgeable her in a letter why that was not possible. When Lily and Snape later discovered this letter, Petunia grew to become so embarrassed that she lashed out and claimed that she would by no means wish to go to a faculty for quote-unquote “freaks.“
The phrase broke Lily’s coronary heart, and it was the final the 2 sisters had been proven collectively in Snape’s reminiscences. This second within the e-book considerably modifications Petunia’s seemingly real proclamation in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that she hated Lily. It as a substitute implies that Petunia hated the wizarding world and magic not as a result of it disturbed her however as a result of she had been rejected by it. Not solely that, but it surely had taken her sister away — first to Hogwarts, then to a spot that denied Petunia. Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films by no means acquired this arc, one thing that the reboot present might probably embrace.
Did Petunia Love Lily (Or Harry)?
Figuring out exactly why Petunia hated magic does not excuse her therapy of Lily and Harry. By marrying and having Dudley with Vernon Dursley, a person who despised something out of the bizarre, Petunia was rebelling so far as she might from the wizarding world. When her sister died previous to the occasions of Harry Potter, she was pressured to acknowledge that her life wasn’t regular and that she’d must take care of her nephew. The wizarding world and Petunia’s new life collided, and Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films was caught within the center.
Very possible did Petunia love Lily in Harry Potter, however her willpower to be regular for her husband led her to abuse and neglect her nephew. Harry grew to become a logo of the wizarding world and every little thing Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films hated, however she ought to have acknowledged that this wasn’t the fault of an harmless youngster. By treating Harry so poorly, she was burying something which may have been left of her love for both of them. It made her one of the vital despicable characters by the ending of Deathly Hallows — even worse than her husband.
Why Harry Potter Skipped Petunia’s Story
The groundwork for Petunia’s huge revelation is subtly laid out all through the books, with the Harry Potter reboot hopefully paying extra consideration to it. In Order of the Phoenix, Petunia surprises Harry by revealing that she is aware of what Dementors are. When he tells her that Voldemort is again, they share their first look of understanding, and Harry realizes that Lily’s loss of life had affected her. In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore introduces himself to Petunia and reminds her that that they had as soon as corresponded. In fact, Aunt Petunia within the Harry Potter films did not do any of this stuff, so Petunia’s reveal wouldn’t have had the identical impression had been it included.
Severus Snape’s reminiscences had been filled with earth-shaking revelations. The brand new data that Snape and Lily had been childhood greatest buddies and that Dumbledore had been elevating Harry to die left little time for extra minor divulgences. Whereas Petunia’s full story added considerably extra depth to her character within the books, it did not have an effect on the plot of Harry Potter, one thing the reboot present ought to rectify. Actually, whether or not Petunia had a great purpose to hate the wizarding world or not, it did not change the truth that she was horrible to Harry — which was her most vital character trait, so far as the plot is worried.