Harry Potter's Grandparents

[Nurvingiel]

Harry Potter's grandparents on both his mother and father's sides have been noticeably absent from the series. Now, J.K. Rowling has mentioned at least two characters (Blaise Zabini and Dean Thomas) whose backstories she had to unfortunately delete.

However, not having Harry's grandparents in the story at all leaves some serious questions. They are his family, don't they care about him? The Evans grandparents are briefly mentioned by Petunia, who sounds bitter that they were proud that Lily was a witch. They seem to have had a falling out with Petunia, but why would they abandon Lily's child? Harry has to live with the Dursleys because of Lily's protection, but they could at least attempt to be a part of his life.

Then we have James's parents. As far as I can tell, they were both wizards, and fairly wealthy. And as wizards, they have even less reason to not be in contact with him, since Harry is at Hogwarts and they could easily send him an owl. Nothing suggests that they would abandon Harry either, but we know even less about James's parents than we do of Lily's. The Potters seem to have been a presence in the wizarding world though - Draco seems to know about them. I get the impression he didn't just want to be friends with Harry because of the Boy-Who-Lived thing, but also because his parents are wealthy purebloods (stupid term, but Draco would use it).


I have a few theories about their absence, but all these ideas have holes:

1. The Evans and Potter grandparents have both been killed by Voldemort's followers, and neither the Dursleys nor Dumbledore see fit to tell him.
Problem: Lupin, Sirius, and possibly Hagrid would have known, and IMO would have told him.

2. James and Lily went into hiding before Lily had Harry, and thus their parents never knew about him. The Dursleys wouldn't care to contact anyone in the wizarding world, nor would they do something on Harry's behalf (unless forced/scared into it).
Problem: Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, and other members of the wizarding community would know both the Potters and Harry, and put them in touch.

3. Speculate. Discuss. What do you guys think? What does the almost complete absence of Harry's grandparents say to you?

[EarthBound]

The holes are a bit too large in your theories there, Nurv, BUT you've hit the nail on the head concerning what for some of us is a HUGE hole in the story.

Unless in JKR's world grandparents dissolve into small vats of butterbeer and are completely dismissed from thought and sight through quaffing by binge drinking frat-boys 'gone wild' at Virginia Beach. :p there really should be an explanation why Harry's parents' families have completely disappeared from existence. :mad: :confused:

[Pytt]

I think both pair of grandparents died before Harry was born. At least on his mother side, or else I think the Dursleys would have had some contact with them. Maybe Harry's fathers parents are dead, or else they don't want to, or can't get in touch with him. But I think they would have tried, if they were alive.

[Radagast The Brown]

About the second - I can't see how this could be... as far as I remember the Dursleys knew about Harry and his name when they were murdered, therefore it only makes sense that his grandparetns from both sides would've known. If they were alive..

I think the only logical explanation would be that they're dead, maybe from old age.. maybe were killed by Voldemort/death eaters. But even then I'd expect some kind of remnant of ther family.. that would gladly contact him. I don't know... just sounds unlikely that all of his family died.

[EarthBound]

Yeah, it's weird to think that there was never ANY relations (great uncles/aunts), 2nd cousins, shoot how about a long living pet sea turtle named Jeffery. ;)

[Nurvingiel]

I agree that my theories have issues.

But I just can't fathom, even if they are all dead, why Lupin or someone wouldn't have told Harry about the rest of his family. Also, Harry hasn't even asked about them. Maybe he's afraid to know the worst..?

What if there's some dark family secret people don't want Harry to know? What if the Evanses are dead, or want nothing more to do with the wizarding world, and the Potters have joined forces with Voldemort or something? Nah... that last one's too far fetched.

The Harry Potter Lexicon (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html) (a highly reliable and detailed, and JKR-sanctioned HP encyclopedia) makes no mention of any grandparents (that I have found), nor does it speculate about the abscence.

Discintcly odd.

[Radagast The Brown]

I agree- the 'dark side' in the family would start to repeat itself if she adds it to Harry's relatives.

I wonder what Rowling would say if someone asked her of his grandparents. Maybe she has thought about it already.

[Ragnarok]

If Rowling had placed Harry's grandparents into the series it would have changed alot of things. Rowling wanted Harry to be an orphan in her story for whatever reason/motif that we may not know until the end of the series or perhaps never know. However, since they aren't mentioned, I think its obvious that they were deceased when James and Lily were alive. Voldemort killed Harry's parents and so he became an orphan.

[durinsbane2244]

on order of the pheonix sirius mentions staying with james and that james' parents (harry's grandparents) were very nice. . . . :)

[Ragnarok]

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/JKRWorldBookDay2004.html

Heres a link answering that question....

Rita: What happend to Harry's grandparents? Will we ever learn about them?
JK Rowling replies -> They're all dead and not particularly important to the story, although you will find out a little bit more.

[Nurvingiel]

Oh thanks Ragnorak. :) I liked your theory too.

I'm excited to "find out a little more" though. :D

[inked]

Excellent link, Ragnarok! Thanks!

I also note that JKR says the morality grew out of the tale naturally as the tale grew AND that the mirror Sirius gave Harry has yet to play an important role. This confirms my two major contentions on various threads.

[durinsbane2244]

the mirror is a good point, i certainly hope it wont just die out, all the magical items harry get are cool, and im dissappointed the knife broke. . .

[Nurvingiel]

the mirror is a good point, i certainly hope it wont just die out, all the magical items harry get are cool, and im dissappointed the knife broke. . .
Refresh my memory, what knife? For some reason, I just have a mental image of the blade of the Morgul knife disintegrating when Aragorn picked it up.

[sun-star]

I think he's talking about the knife Sirius gave Harry for Christmas, which melted in the Department of Mysteries.

About Harry's grandparents, in another interview JKR said:

Q:What happened to Harry's grandparents?"

J.K. Rowling: Um ... various interesting things, but again, I'm not gonna share.

That sounds a bit more promising... *clutching at straws*

[durinsbane2244]

yes, it could open any lock, butnot the door in the department of mysteries.

[inked]

Did Deathly Hallows answer these questions more than adequately? I think so. Ignotius Peverell goes way, way back!