What Happened To The Dursleys After Harry Potter Ended
Daniel Foster The Dursley family wasn't very well-liked in the Harry Potter franchise. But what happened to the Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley after the series ended?
What happened to the Dursley family after Harry Potter ended? The characters of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley appeared throughout the movie franchise portrayed by Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, and Harry Melling, respectively. Since the Harry Potter series ended, author J.K. Rowling provided tidbits regarding the fate of the dishonorable Dursley family.
The Dursleys were the Muggles that took in Harry Potter after Lord Voldemort killed his parents, Lily and James. Harry's Aunt Petunia was the older sister of Lily but she held much contempt for the young boy. Vernon and Petunia were afraid of Harry's connection to magic so they hid the fact that he was a wizard. They also greatly neglected Harry, forcing him to stay in the cupboard under the stairs. They treated their son, Dudley, far better by spoiling him and giving in to the boy's constant demands.
Hagrid eventually rescued Harry and revealed the truth about his magical ancestry. After Harry attended Hogwarts, the Dursleys were forced to accept Harry's true identity. They started to make minor improvements in their treatment of Harry but they remained reluctant in encountering anyone from the wizarding world. Harry's relationship with the Dursleys didn't change much when he got older but it did start to take a positive turn in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley were forced from their homes to be placed under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix due to the threat of Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Dudley was the only member of the Dursleys to show any interest in reconciling with Harry. Before the family left their home, Dudley left out a cup of tea for his cousin. Although, Harry initially viewed it as a prank. Dudley then shook hands with Harry, bidding him farewell on his next journey. Petunia almost wished Harry well before the family departed but she was unable to get the words out. It always seemed that, deep down, Petunia held a sense of loyalty towards Harry but she locked those feelings deep inside.
Prior to the Second Wizarding War, Rowling shared that Dudley went on to marry and had two children. Harry was supposedly on amicable terms with the Dursleys, claiming they were on his Christmas card list. Vernon and Petunia didn't see much of their nephew, for obvious reasons. Dudley, on the other hand, reunited with Harry a few times so that their children could play together. Their relationship was awkward, but it was a major change from when they grew up.
The Dursley family didn't appear in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, though they were mentioned. It was revealed that Petunia passed away sometime before 2020, but the reason for her death was never shared. Harry Potter fans were always hopeful that Petunia would embrace her connection to the wizarding world. However, those dreams have been dashed. At least Dudley eventually found the courage to change his behavior towards Harry.
