Petunia (Evans) Dursley

Petunia (Evans) Dursley

Alias: Aunt Petunia

Age: Unknown (Probably in her mid to late 30s or early 40s.)

House: None.

Special Abilities: None.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Petunia is tall and gaunt with blond hair and an almost abnormally long neck. She has a long, bony, horse-like face with long teeth and large blue eyes. Petunia is nosy and likes to gossip. She has a shrill voice and a brisk, snappish manner. She is an immaculate housekeeper and keeps her home (located at number four, Privet Drive) spotless. Petunia despises magic or abnormality in any form and likes to act as though the magical world does not exist.

Heritage: Muggle. (Her sister, Lily Evans Potter, was a Muggle-born witch. As such, it can be assumed that Petunia has no magical relations apart from Lily and Harry.)

Family: Petunia is married to Vernon Dursley, a large, beefy man who despises the magical world as much as Petunia does. They have one son, an enormous boy named Dudley. Petunia had a sister, Lily, whom she never talks about. Lily was a witch. Petunia considered Lily a freak and had no connections with her. Lily married a wizard named James Potter and together they had one son, Harry. Harry is just a few months younger than Dudley. When Harry was just over a year old, Lily and James were attacked and killed by Lord Voldemort. Harry survived the attack and was sent to live with Petunia and Vernon, his only living relatives.

First Mention: Sorcerer's/Philospher's Stone, chapter one.

General: From the very beginning, Petunia is presented as a nosy, gossiping, unkind woman. She seldom spoke of her sister, Lily, before her death, and was more than willing to deny she had a sister. Petunia and Vernon had nothing to do with Lily, her husband James, or their son Harry. After Lily and James were murdered, Petunia and Vernon were left to care for their nephew, Harry. Harry's upbringing was a task neither of them wanted, and they wasted no opportunity to let Harry know just what a burden he was to them.

Petunia, though cruel to Harry, is overly affectionate to her own son, Dudley. From his early childhood, Petunia doted on Dudley, giving him anything and everything he wanted. She spoiled him with material items, food, and attention. Petunia is naive where Dudley is concerned, refusing to believe him capable of any wrongdoing. She is quick to overlook all of Dudley's faults, but just as quick to point out any and all faults she finds in Harry.

Petunia and Vernon kept the truth about Harry's parents, their murder, and his heritage a secret for the first ten years Harry lived with them. Petunia was unwilling to admit the truth even when faced directly with it in the huge form of Rubeus Hagrid. Eventually she snapped, yelling that her sister was a freak who went and got herself blown up. Petunia resented her sister deeply and that resentment carried over to Harry.

Petunia reluctantly let Harry go to Hogwarts, basically because she had no other choice. Always worried about what the neighbors may think, Petunia told everyone Harry was at St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys to explain away his long absences. She would rather have people think Harry was a criminal than know he was a wizard. As Harry's magical training and abilities increased, Petunia became more cruel and condescending towards him. In contrast, her pride in Dudley increased as he aged and grew larger and more bullying by the day.

Because she cares so much about impressions, Petunia is an immaculate housekeeper. She was dismayed when Vernon's sister, Marge, visited with her pet bulldog Ripper. Petunia did not complain about the mess the dog made, but it was obvious she did not want an animal in her spotless house. She was likewise horrified when the Weasleys blew a hole in the Dursley's enclosed fireplace, effectively destroying half of Petunia's pristine living room. Although Mr. Weasley fixed the mess, Petunia is not one to easily forgive or forget, especially not when magic is involved.

Petunia is quick to blame Harry for anything unusual that happens, particularly if there is a threat of the neighbors noticing anything strange and connecting it with the Dursleys. She and Vernon kept Harry from listening to news reports during the summer of 1995 because they believed he was up to something. When a dementor attacked Dudley, though, a different side of Petunia came out. Although she initially blamed Harry for Dudley's traumatized state, her countenance changed when she learned a dementor had attacked her son. She shocked Harry, Vernon, and Dudley by remembering exactly what a dementor was, leading many to believe that Petunia knows more about the wizarding world than she likes to let on. When Harry told Petunia that Lord Voldemort had been restored to his body and power, she went into a state of shock. It struck Harry then that Petunia really was his mother's sister and he was not the only one who understood what implications Voldemort's return truly had.

After the dementor incident Vernon tried to kick Harry out of the house. Before he could do so, Petunia received a Howler. The Howler said only four words: REMEMBER MY LAST, PETUNIA. While Petunia refused to answer any of Harry's questions about the Howler or its meaning, she did not allow Vernon to kick him out. It is later discovered Dumbledore sent the Howler, leading many to speculate about what previous correspondence had taken place between the two.

Although Harry does not want to stay with the Dursleys, Dumbledore explained he has to stay with them at least once a year because of the blood protection offered to him there. Petunia is his mother's sister and, whether either of them likes it or not, Harry is safe from Voldemort as long as he is with the Dursleys. The blood protection Lily gave her son when she died protecting him extended to her sister. Harry and Petunia are connected by blood, even if they do not want to be. As long as he can call her house "home," he will be safe there.

At the end of the 1995-1996 school year, Petunia and Vernon picked Harry up from the train station, completely unaware that Harry had recently lost his godfather and was emotionally devastated. Assorted members of the Order of the Phoenix confronted Petunia and Vernon at the station. The Order members threatened the Dursleys, warning them what would happen if they did not treat Harry well over the summer. Petunia, terrified that a group of people as "abnormal" as the Order members would show up on her doorstep (and even more terrified about the subsequent gossiping the neighbors would do), seemed to take this threat to heart. Petunia and Vernon seemed to leave Harry alone during his short stay with them in the summer of 1996. Though not outwardly hostile, Petunia was not kind to Dumbledore when he went to collect Harry that summer. During the brief visit, Dumbledore rebuked Petunia and Vernon, chastising them for their failure to do as he had asked, their failure to treat Harry as though he were their own son. However, Dumbledore did remark that however poorly they treated Harry, he was very grateful Harry managed to escape "the appalling damage [Vernon and Petunia] inflicted upon [Dudley]" (HBP, p 55).

Before leaving Privet Drive with Harry, Dumbledore requested that Harry be allowed to return to his aunt and uncle's home just once more. Although Dumbledore was murdered before the end of the 1996-1997 school year, Harry intends to honor Dumbledore's wishes. It can be assumed that Harry will return, for a brief time, to Petunia's home. How long he will stay there and what will become of Petunia and the rest of the Dursley's once he leaves is unknown.