The wedding of Vernon Dursley and Petunia Evans took place sometime in the last third of 1977.[1] The wedding celebration marked not only the beginning of Vernon and Petunia's marriage, but also Petunia's final estrangement from her sister, Lily.[2]
History[]
Prelude to the wedding[]
At some point in the early 1970s, Petunia left her home in Cokeworth to pursue a typing course in London. This led to her getting a clerical job, where she met Vernon Dursley, a junior executive whose complete ordinariness she found appealing. Vernon also took a fancy to Petunia and the two went on a number of dates, which mainly involved Vernon discussing himself and his narrow views of the world.[2]
Vernon proposed to Petunia in his mother's sitting room[2] in late 1977.[1] Petunia gladly accepted, but secretly worried what Vernon would think when he met Lily, who was then in her seventh year at Hogwarts. She eventually told Vernon about Lily being a witch on a date and while he was shocked, he assured her he would not hold it against her.[2] The couple's first meeting with Lily and her boyfriend, James Potter, went poorly. Vernon tried to impress James with the car he drove and when James responded by describing his racing broom, Vernon assumed he must be living on unemployment. James told Vernon about his parents' fortune in Galleons, but since Vernon could not tell whether he was being had on or not, he became angry. The evening ended with Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant and Lily bursting into tears.[2]
Wedding[]
Wedding of Vernon Dursley and Petunia Evans
Petunia and Vernon married by sometime during the last third of 1977.[1] Fearing that she would be, yet again, overshadowed by her sister, Petunia refused to have Lily as a bridesmaid: which upset Lily. Marge Dursley was probably a bridesmaid. Both of Petunia and Lily's parents may have attended the wedding. Vernon refused to talk to James at the reception, but described him as 'some kind of amateur magician' within his earshot.
Aftermath[]
By the end of that year, Vernon and Petunia had already settled at 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey. Petunia and Vernon's only child, a son named Dudley, was born on 23 June, 1980. The couple took pride in being a "normal" family, unlike Lily, who married James Potter.
Participants[]
Appearances[]
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
- Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 In a deleted scene on disc two of the Blu-ray edition of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Petunia tells Harry, "I have lived in this house for twenty years", indicating she settled at 4 Privet Drive in 1977, since the scene is set in 1997. Since the Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Vernon and Petunia Dursley" at Wizarding World mentions Lily was still in her final year at Hogwarts during Vernon and Petunia's engagement and Lily's final year was 1977-1978, the engagement must have thus occurred on or after 1 September, 1977 and the wedding and moving in together by 31 December, 1977.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pottermore - "Vernon & Petunia Dursley"