One of the nicest moments in the entire book for me was when Dudley thanked Harry for saving his life and shook his hand before leaving him. At the time, I felt sure we would see the Dursleys again; while we did see Petunia in the Pensieve, I'd thought that she would have some significant interaction with Harry later in the book. Since she didn't, any possibility of reconciliation between Harry and the people he lived with for all those years seems to rest with Dudley. I'd like to think that James, Albus and Lily have at least met him. Obviously he has begun to mature, and hopefully that process would continue. Here's a little poem about the tender moment Harry and Dudley shared.
Dudley's Departure
Dudley, showing thanks that Harry saved him,
Said, "I don't think you're a waste of space."
Harry took the pudgy hand he gave him,
Stunned by the concern upon his face.
This was not the farewell he'd expected
From his cousin. Did he really care?
All those years, and he had not detected
Anything fraternal in his air.
Dudley was a hulking, brutish bully,
All too glad to throw his weight around.
Harry now reflected on him, fully
Flummoxed by the gratitude he found.
Harry's memories of him were bitter;
He'd assumed they'd always be estranged.
Had he been too stubborn to consider
That his childhood nemesis had changed?
Those small gestures made a big impression,
Opening his eyes so he could see.
Touched by Dudley's unprovoked confession,
He sincerely said, "Take care, Big D."
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2 comments:
The surprising humanizing of Dudley was a wonderful touch. I thought we might get an inkling of that from Petunia, and we didn't (at least not in the early scenes...I think we did get a bit of that in the pensieve when we found out that she once "begged" to go to Hogwarts -- shows a longing for magic and a love for her sister when she was young, I think).
But back to Dudley. One does indeed wonder if he turns out differently than his parents. He grew up with Harry, after all, and if he could get out from under the influence of Vernon especially, I think odds are good that he could have turned into a decent person. For his sake, I hope so!
I also think this touch was one of those brilliant JKR moments where she seems to be nodding and smiling at us off in the margins. "See? If DUDLEY can show some humanity, who else in this story might show even more?" Love it.
Yeah, it was really the first in a series of revelations in which "bad" characters showed touches of "goodness". And Kreacher... I'd hoped he might come around eventually, if he could overcome his prejudice against Hermione and Harry could overcome his bitterness against him, but what a complete turn-around! A little kindness goes a long way...
I was glad that we did see the childhood Petunia. Definitely seems to indicate that she did care about her sister, at least at one point, and her slight hesitation upon parting with Harry might suggest that a little of that affection still remains. But Dudley's farewell was a wonderful surprise, and I'm so glad she included it.
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