[ SECRET POST #1509 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #1509 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 16 pages, 376 secrets from Secret Submission Post #216.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 2 3 4 - too big ], [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom.livejournal.com]

26. http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6822/talef.png

[(Anonymous)]

Dude, Snape was a prick to Petunia in those flashbacks. He probably contributed to her horribleness.

But, hmmm... I don't know. Petunia's treatment of Harry and all, yeeeaaaahh. I don't think much of her or Snape, outside of them being interesting characters.

[kelincihutan.livejournal.com]

Petunia deliberately abused Harry and would have cheerfully fed him to Voldemort if Dumbledore hadn't scared her into not doing so. Snape was deliberately cruel to Harry and tried to make him miserable, but also tried to save his life when he was endangered and to keep him out of trouble where possible without prompting or coercing.

They're both bad people, but Petunia really is worse.

[ninety6tears.livejournal.com]

I found both of them both despicable and sympathetic at times; I just can't say I ever thought of Petunia as a hero who did anything to make up for it. In Petunia's case, that's her sister we're talking about, not an estranged childhood friend, so I can't help finding her treatment of Harry much less forgivable. It just seems to me that when Lily died, she became a worse person rather than a better person, but I wouldn't really condemn her for reacting to her grief that way, only for abusing Harry.
Still, you raise a good point. I do think Petunia's a very intriguing character and JKR made me feel almost guilty for never thinking too much about her situation by the end of the last book by adding a dimension to her (and people might think it's sloppy writing, but I think it's killer writing to make me react to a character like that).

[threnody.livejournal.com]

I think motive is the difference. Snape did the things he did to protect Harry out of love for Lily- which outweighed his hatred for James even as he punished Harry for looking like his father.

Petunia's hatred of magic is born of jealousy, her deeds dictated by the fear of Dumbledore. IMO, that's what makes the difference between Snape and Petunia. Take away Dumbledore's intimidation, and I think Snape could be reasoned with do protect Harry for Lily's sake. Petunia would have turned her back in a red hot minute. That's what makes Snape- already a tragic figure- better than Petunia.

[miakun.livejournal.com]

I actually agree. I feel like the one of the biggest regrets for me in the series is that Petunia was never given more insight to her motivations or that she looked back at Harry, but never said anything. I understand why, but it's still kind of terrible. Because she did take Harry in. She did ascribe to what Dumbledore had told her about him staying there. So I don't know. It's really hard to nail down her character from the little glimpses we got.

[imshort123.livejournal.com]

This is so true, and great food for thought.

[clodia-risa.livejournal.com]

Hm. I will think on this. You definitely have a point.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think that's mostly because Snape is a more important character, has fans, and therefore more people motivated to forgive him, than Petunia does.

[miss_prince.livejournal.com]

It certainly doesn't absolve her of the way she treated Harry, but I honestly felt really bad for Petunia. I mean, how would you feel if you found out yep, magic is real! There's a whole other world out there full of dragons and castles and spells and excitement and all those things you've always secretly wished were real, and guess what? You'll never be a part of it!

[wldcatsprstr-14.livejournal.com]

They're both awful people but I think Petunia would be considered worse (in regards to Harry) because she treated him like shit because she was jealous that her sister got all the attention for being magical. She hated Lily for that and she hated James and, by virtue of him being their son, she hated Harry too. The way I see it, she kept him because Dumbledore made her. She would have thrown him out in the later books if not for that owl from Dumbledore reminding her of the promise she made to him. If she'd thought he'd forgotten about that, she would have let Vernon toss Harry out on his ass.

Petunia's "care" of Harry (if you even wanna call not giving him a proper bed, barely feeding him, and letting him be physically abused by your husband and son "care") was born out of a promise to Dumbledore that she was afraid to break because she feared the magical world and felt guilty. Her own nephew and she treated Harry terribly. Lily never treated her badly or gave any reason for Petunia to hate her other than having magic and marrying James (who Petunia didn't even know) and those aren't proper reasons. Harry wasn't even a bad kid or a rebel or anything. He was just a normal kid and he didn't warrant the treatment he got.

Snape looked out for Harry because he loved Lily and was grieving her loss. He hated Harry because he was James' son (the man responsible for making his teenage years absolutely miserable and the man who he saw as stealing away a childhood friend, probably his best friend). But he took care of him because he loved Lily. He didn't have to worship the ground Harry walked on or dote on him and treat him specially; every time he looked at Harry, he saw James, someone who tortured him simply for existing. He puts his life in constant danger and then gives it up in the end just to keep Harry alive.

Petunia acted out of guilt and fear. Snape out of love and grief. Snape was an awful person in all other regards but when it comes to the treatment of Harry, I'd say he's the one more deserving of any possible forgiveness.

[la-petite-singe.livejournal.com]

Fair point. That line in OotP when Harry "appreciates for the first time that she was his mother's sister" always breaks my heart a little. They obviously weren't close, but I have to think it hurt her badly when Lily died. And she obviously didn't go to the funeral or anything...and yeah, I mean, Petunia was pretty bad to Harry, but Snape was arguably way worse in some ways. But I guess you have to consider the whole woobie/fangirl factor. :P

[forever-alone.livejournal.com]

I agree with this secret so hard.

[steph313.livejournal.com]

Interesting parallel that I'd never thought of; I actually very much agree with this.

[(Anonymous)]

This book has a huge problem with the ladies, so it's no surprise the fandom does too. She is pretty horrible, but so is Snape.

[verschreibsel.livejournal.com]

Well Petunia choose to turn away from Lily without Lily doing anything really. Except having magic.
Lily confronted Snape and ended their friendship. Of course Snape could have just apologized before he called her a mudblood and stopped hanging out with Death Eaters. But he also had a bad childhood and lots of issues.
Petunia just choose to hate Lily because she was jealous.

[wrestlingdog.livejournal.com]

...Huh. I hadn't thought of that.

[gabzillaz.livejournal.com]

Good point.

[micromyni.livejournal.com]

Huh. I forgave Petunia, but not Snape, oddly enough.

[foxybanana.livejournal.com]

I think you make an interesting point.
And part of me suspects it might have to do with someone whose name rhymes with Shmalan Wickman

[(Anonymous)]

Petunia had the more sympathetic backstory. Snape did penance for his sins, but his "love" was creepy infatuation, while Petunia was someone who probably felt like her sister chose magic over her.

[cykstar.livejournal.com]

I just wish there was more insight on the Dursleys in general. They were horrible people (though I think the son was more stupid than horrible, but I can't remember the books too well), and it felt so weird that they were so horrible all through out without anything more beyond that.

It's really just curiosity on my part.

[(Anonymous)]

Speaking as a person who suffered abuse as a child, I think they're both equally bad. Petunia was Harry's caretaker so abuse from her was probably much more painful for him than abuse from a teacher. Snape, on the other hand, has seen thw whole thing in Harry's memories, yet he doesn't show any sympathy or understanding. He's completely indifferent to a child reliving the memories of his abuse right before his eyes and that's absolutely disgusting.

[letmypidgeonsgo.livejournal.com]

I think they're both atrocious.

[xxerebxx.livejournal.com]

Hmh, interesting! I never thought about it like that.

One point that let me forgave Petunia a bit:
"Petunia walked towards the door to leave, looked back at Harry and opened her mouth to speak, but shortly after she pursed them back up and walked out. Petunia wanted to wish Harry luck, but decided against it because of her resentment to the wizarding world and she thought it showed weakness."
I didn't quite understood this passage until I read an "interpretation" of Rowling about it.