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Say that Aunt Petunia and Dudley were to live in separate houses (or alternatively, Petunia had an unfortunate motor accident, so Uncle Vernon and Dudley are his only living relatives).

Because Dudley is the blood nephew of Lily Potter, would the place where Dudley lives also count as "where his mother's blood dwells" for the purpose of the blood wards?

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  • 2
    Lol - I bet there's a fanfiction about that.
    – Gallifreyan
    May 23, 2017 at 16:08
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    This seems like it will only get very speculative answers at best, though my gut tells me that if JKR weighed in on this, she'd say yes.
    – BlackThorn
    May 23, 2017 at 16:19
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    This seems like it will only get very speculative answers at best, though my gut tells me that if JKR weighed in on this, she'd say no
    – NKCampbell
    May 24, 2017 at 2:24
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    @NKCampbell - Can you close a comment as duplicate? ;)
    – Adamant
    May 24, 2017 at 2:37
  • :D - I think Prof. Slughorn knows how to do that but he's really reluctant to just fling around that info
    – NKCampbell
    May 24, 2017 at 2:54

1 Answer 1

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No.

Technically a blood relative is someone who is a first, second or third degree relative.

According to the National Genetics and Genomics Education Centre, blood relatives are classified as first-, second- and third-degree relatives.
reference.com

However, Rowling meant a first degree relative.

First-degree blood relatives include parents, siblings and children. First-degree relatives share approximately half of their genes with one another.
reference.com

We can see this in the following quote where it specifies Harry and Petunia (emphasis mine).

"While you can still call home the place where your mother’s blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister."
Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 37

So the protection charm would have extended to Lily's parents (Harry's grandparents if they had still lived), siblings (Harry's aunt/uncles if Lilly had brothers), or children (Harry's siblings if he had any).

So Dudley, as a second-degree relative would not have counted.

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    Is there anything from the Harry Potter books which suggests the charm was limited to first-degree relatives?
    – The Dark Lord
    May 23, 2017 at 23:58
  • @TheDarkLord - Yes. I added it to my answer.
    – amflare
    May 24, 2017 at 2:19
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    amflare - no you haven't added it to your answer. You merely state: "However, Rowling meant a first degree relative.". You don't quote any source from the novels or word of god to indicate that Rowling meant what you claim she meant. Until you do I will just assume that if a 17th cousin once removed is related closely enough to inherit a throne he is related closely enough to be considered a blood relative by magical forces.
    – M. A. Golding
    May 24, 2017 at 3:09
  • @M.A.Golding - ...uh. Yes I did. The third quote is from the books. Directly following that "we can see this..." Dumbledore clearly states sister and son. Those are first-degree relations.
    – amflare
    May 24, 2017 at 3:13
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    While JKR did say that Lily's blood lives on in Harry and Petunia, she did not say that was an exclusive list. Common usage says that her blood lives on in Dudley.
    – Blackwood
    May 24, 2017 at 3:48

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