Is there any canon support to know whether Petunia Evans had any magical ability at all? Obviously, she had almost none otherwise she'd be accepted to Hogwarts.
But it's hard to believe that she had precisely zero, being Lily's sister.
asked Oct 3, 2012 at 22:02
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
I think the only thing that would demonstrate Petunia had some sort of fortitude (I hesitate to call it magic, because I think one is either magic or they're not) is that she managed to get a letter to Dumbledore at Hogwarts as a child. Dumbledore wrote back a very kind letter to Petunia, but it must have somehow ingrained in Petunia that she was not magical while Lily was. And her bitterness built accordingly.
‘Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn’t believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that’s all!’
‘Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!’ said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed. ‘Freak!’ she spat at her sister, and she flounced off to where her parents stood ...
Deathly Hallows - page 538 - Bloomsbury - chapter 33, The Prince's Tale
I do not believe Petunia is magical and aside from what I wrote above I don't believe there is any canon information to indicate otherwise.
What if she's a Squib, though? A Muggleborn Squib. Is that even possible? ETA: Petunia's not a Squib. I happened to find this question and answer while looking for something else:
Is Aunt Petunia a Squib?
J. K. Rowling: Good question. No, she is not, but — [Laughter]. No, she is not a Squib. She is a Muggle, but — [Laughter]. You will have to read the other books. You might have got the impression that there is a little bit more to Aunt Petunia than meets the eye, and you will find out what it is. She is not a Squib, although that is a very good guess.
EDINBURGH BOOK FESTIVAL - AUGUST 15, 2004 - BLOOMSBURY
Petunia's a Muggle.
answered Oct 3, 2012 at 22:16
-
she could have send the letter using the post office in diagon ally Oct 4, 2012 at 8:01
-
@ratchetfreak -- I don't know if Petunia would have been able to find Diagon Alley! I think they would have memory charmed her if she had. :) Oct 6, 2012 at 3:39
-
What was JKR talking about that we'd find out later? Just the "protection factor," or something else? Oct 6, 2012 at 4:16
-
I seem to recall the original plans for Hallows had a muggle managing to perform some magic under great stress or need, but that eventually got dropped. It seems to me that Lily would have been a logical candidate..– K-H-WOct 6, 2012 at 4:54
-
1@Gabe Presumably the whole story in Deathly Hallows about Petunia knowing Snape as a kid and wanting to go to Hogwarts herself. That is basically what explains her entire character throughout all seven books, and it wouldn’t have been known at all back in 2004 when the interview was given. Sep 28, 2015 at 21:22