I hate to say it, but that popular Harry Potter Dursley theory doesn’t make any sense. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with theorizing and establishing personal headcanons around this beloved fantasy series. This is all fiction, after all. If you have your heart set on believing that the Dursleys were cruel because Harry was a Horcrux, then nothing I say should take that away from you. Still, allow me to offer some things to consider.
This theory came into prominence after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when we all saw, through Ron Weasley in particular, how Horcruxes can impact a person. Being in close vicinity to a mutilated piece of Voldemort’s soul caused Ron to become delusional and uncharacteristically abandon his friends. This brought up the question of how Harry being a Horcrux might have affected the Dursleys. Perhaps all their cruelty was simply the fault of Lord Voldemort.
The Dursleys Weren’t Mean Because Harry Was A Horcrux
This is certainly an interesting theory to consider. However, upon closer inspection, it really doesn’t hold up. First and foremost, Deathly Hallows established that an individual must be in direct contact with a Horcrux for it to have a significant effect. In the book, Harry would feel immediate relief when he took off Slytherin’s locket. It took a long time in direct contact with the Horcrux for Ron to fully give in to the lies it fed him.
Of course, we know that the Dursleys never got close to Harry in that way, either physically or emotionally. They felt no attachment to him, and Vernon and Petunia certainly weren’t giving out many hugs. Even when Harry was a baby, there was significant neglect. For argument’s sake, we could say that the Dursleys had no choice but to have direct contact with Harry when he was still too little to feed or dress himself. However, this still doesn’t quite check out.
Throughout the Harry Potter series, plenty of people grew close to Harry. Ron and Hermione were his best friends, and they were never negatively impacted by Voldemort’s soul. Ginny and Harry had plenty of direct contact while dating in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and we didn’t see her begin to act as she had while under the effects of Tom Riddle’s diary. Instead, we can confirm that Lily’s love, which kept Harry from being corrupted by Voldemort’s soul, kept the fragment’s evil from seeping out into others as well.
Dudley’s Redemption Proves That Vernon & Petunia Were Just Terrible People
Perhaps the most poignant argument against the Dursley Horcrux theory is Dudley’s redemption. Vernon and Petunia, through their behavior, had taught Dudley to hate Harry. He abused his cousin because his parents abused him. However, after Harry saved Dudley’s life in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dudley began to think for himself.
Dudley had just as much exposure to Voldemort’s soul as his parents. However, he managed to improve morally as a person—something impossible while under the influence of a Horcrux. Vernon and Petunia Dursley were, simply, bad people. Vernon’s POV in Philosopher’s Stone, before he had even met his nephew, proves this. So, while this Harry Potter theory is fun, there is just too much evidence against it.
- Cast
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Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Matthew Lewis, Bonnie Wright, Evanna Lynch, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Richard Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alfred Enoch, Harry Melling, Gary Oldman, Robert Pattinson, Warwick Davis, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, David Bradley, David Thewlis, Katie Leung, Jason Isaacs, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, Jamie Campbell Bower, Timothy Spall, Robbie Coltrane, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen
- Movie(s)
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
