Dursley family

"*Mr and Mrs Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.*"
— *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*
 The **Dursley family** are a Muggle family in the *Harry Potter book series*. They live in Little Whinging and are the only surviving relatives of Harry Potter. Vernon Dursley is married to Harry's aunt, Petunia Evans and they have one child, Dudley Dursley. They are the guardians of Harry when Voldemort kills James and Lily Potter.

## History

"*When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family.*"
— Harry and the Dursley family

Marjorie and Vernon Dursley were born in the 20th century. Vernon attended Smeltings Academy. He eventually proposed to and married Petunia Evans and they purchased 4 Privet Drive. They had their only child, Dudley Dursley in June of 1980.

In November 1981, Petunia's sister Lily Potter and her husband were killed by Voldemort. Albus Dumbledore entrusted Harry Potter into the Dursleys' care. Vernon and Petunia did not want to be Harry's guardians because he was a wizard and they preferred a "normal" life. They chose to raise him without telling him about the wizarding world, hoping they could stamp any "nonsense" out of him.

They emotionally abused Harry for many years while also letting Dudley bully him. They did not give him the same love and affection they gave to Dudley, neglecting him and making him sleep in the Cupboard under the Stairs. They hated spending money on him and avoided doing so, giving him Dudley's second-hand clothes. They punished Harry for the smallest of things, even withholding food from him.

Dudley was sent to Vernon's school, Smeltings Academy. They tried to stop Harry attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Vernon took a great effort to stop acceptance letters getting to Harry, even leaving Privet Drive for the Hut-on-the-Rock. However, Rubeus Hagrid found them. They only saw Harry every summer holiday for the next six years.

Vernon and Petunia tried to keep magic away every summer but failed every year. In 1992, Dobby ruined Vernon's business meeting and Harry later escaped their house in a flying car driven by friends in the Weasley family. In 1993, Harry inflated Marge when she insulted the Potter family and then he run away. In 1994, the Weasley family caused havoc collecting Harry when they discovered they did not have their house connected to the Floo Network. In 1995, Harry and Dudley were attacked by Dementors. In 1996, they were visited by Albus Dumbledore.

Unknown to the Dursleys, Harry was not their only connection to the wizarding world. Their neighbour, Arabella Figg was actually in the Order of the Phoenix. In 1997, during the Second Wizarding War, the Dursley family were in danger due to their connection to Harry and were sent into hiding and protection under the Order. Dudley tried to make things up with Harry before they parted ways. They stayed under protection until the war ended in 1998.

In later years, Vernon and Petunia returned to and stayed at Privet Drive. Dudley married and had two children. He was on good enough terms with Harry to send cards to each other on special occasions, and Harry was known to take his children to spend time with them whenever they were in the neighbourhood.

## Behind the scenes

* J.K. Rowling took the name Dursley from a town of the same name in Gloucestershire. She noted going to the town when she was a child and that she hated it. She thought the word sounded "dull and unforbidding" and that was a good name for the ordinary Dursley family. She also noted that she does not think she is very popular in Dursley.
* The Dursley family always knew what day it was because of their TV schedule.

## Notes and sources

1. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 1
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 2
3. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*, Chapter 3
4. ↑ *Harry Potter book series*
5. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 2
6. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, Chapter 3
7. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 3
8. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Chapter 4
9. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, Chapter 4
10. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Chapter 1
11. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Chapter 2
12. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Chapter 2
13. ↑ *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Chapter 3
14. ↑ J.K.Rowling.com - Extra Stuff (now archived)
15. ↑ J.K. Rowling at Carnegie Hall