From Pottermore ~ James Potter Meets the Dursleys
This post has Pottermore Spoilers so . . . stop now if you want to find these things for yourself.
Snitchseeker has a full transcript from Pottermore about the Dursleys and their relationship with Lily and James. Read it Here
Upon meeting Lily's sister and her husband, what does James decide to talk brag about?
His racing broom and his vault full of gold in Gringotts of course.
The first meeting between Lily, her boyfriend James Potter, and the engaged couple, went badly, and the relationship nose-dived from there. James was amused by Vernon, and made the mistake of showing it. Vernon tried to patronise James, asking what car he drove. James described his racing broom. Vernon supposed out loud that wizards had to live on unemployment benefit. James explained about Gringotts, and the fortune his parents had saved there, in solid gold. Vernon could not tell whether he was being made fun of or not, and grew angry. The evening ended with Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant, while Lily burst into tears and James (a little ashamed of himself) promised to make things up with Vernon at the earliest opportunity.
This never happened. Petunia did not want Lily as a bridesmaid, because she was tired of being overshadowed; Lily was hurt. Vernon refused to speak to James at the reception, but described him, within James' earshot, as 'some kind of amateur magician'. house at number four, Privet Drive. She was secure, now, from objects that behaved strangely, from teapots that suddenly piped tunes as she passed, or long conversations about things she did not understand, with names like 'Quidditch' and 'Transfiguration'. She and Vernon chose not to attend Lily and James' wedding. The very last piece of correspondence she received from Lily and James was the announcement of Harry's birth, and after one contemptuous look, Petunia threw it in the bin.
Okay, I've highlighted a few things there.
1) James was amused by Vernon
No big surprise there. It fits with the James/Sirius Prequel ( Read It Here) that James would find any overweight Muggle to be an object of derision, especially in the name of "amusement."
2) James brings up his own inherited wealth.
Of course he does ~ and I hope people who say that his wealth "doesn't matter" or "shouldn't matter" should realize that it matters to James. He is defining himself by his wealth - not his work as a member of the Order, or his magical ability. And he doesn't mind rubbing it in to Vernon that he is wealthy and doesn't need a job.
3) James is "a little ashamed of himself" and promised to apologize.
Where have we heard this before? Oh yes, from Sirius Black talking to Harry in OotP:
"Yeah, well," said Sirius, "you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes... that was something..."
But . . .
4) It. Never. Happened. James never apologized to Vernon.
That's what it says: "it never happened." Why? Because it is James's apparent policy never to feel guilty for very long and never to apologize. That goes for Snape as well as Vernon. People who never change never apologize.
5) Once again JKR has a chance to build James up better than the books, and instead he just seems shallow.
Maybe because ... he is shallow. And he's still a bully. And he doesn't make things easy for Lily either, since she is in tears due to James's behavior, and cut off from her only Muggle relations.
Maybe that is inevitable, and we have the same thing happening in the story of Minerva McGonagall posted on Pottermore. She wanted to marry a Muggle, but realized it wouldn't work, so she left him behind. But James knew he was going to marry Lily and still didn't try to make things easy for her, because it's all about him and the fact that he deserves to be "amused" at all times.
Also posted in the comment thread to my essay on Harry Potter Network:
James Potter's Cloak and the Vault of Immeasurable Wealth
Snitchseeker has a full transcript from Pottermore about the Dursleys and their relationship with Lily and James. Read it Here
Upon meeting Lily's sister and her husband, what does James decide to talk brag about?
His racing broom and his vault full of gold in Gringotts of course.
The first meeting between Lily, her boyfriend James Potter, and the engaged couple, went badly, and the relationship nose-dived from there. James was amused by Vernon, and made the mistake of showing it. Vernon tried to patronise James, asking what car he drove. James described his racing broom. Vernon supposed out loud that wizards had to live on unemployment benefit. James explained about Gringotts, and the fortune his parents had saved there, in solid gold. Vernon could not tell whether he was being made fun of or not, and grew angry. The evening ended with Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant, while Lily burst into tears and James (a little ashamed of himself) promised to make things up with Vernon at the earliest opportunity.
This never happened. Petunia did not want Lily as a bridesmaid, because she was tired of being overshadowed; Lily was hurt. Vernon refused to speak to James at the reception, but described him, within James' earshot, as 'some kind of amateur magician'. house at number four, Privet Drive. She was secure, now, from objects that behaved strangely, from teapots that suddenly piped tunes as she passed, or long conversations about things she did not understand, with names like 'Quidditch' and 'Transfiguration'. She and Vernon chose not to attend Lily and James' wedding. The very last piece of correspondence she received from Lily and James was the announcement of Harry's birth, and after one contemptuous look, Petunia threw it in the bin.
Okay, I've highlighted a few things there.
1) James was amused by Vernon
No big surprise there. It fits with the James/Sirius Prequel ( Read It Here) that James would find any overweight Muggle to be an object of derision, especially in the name of "amusement."
2) James brings up his own inherited wealth.
Of course he does ~ and I hope people who say that his wealth "doesn't matter" or "shouldn't matter" should realize that it matters to James. He is defining himself by his wealth - not his work as a member of the Order, or his magical ability. And he doesn't mind rubbing it in to Vernon that he is wealthy and doesn't need a job.
3) James is "a little ashamed of himself" and promised to apologize.
Where have we heard this before? Oh yes, from Sirius Black talking to Harry in OotP:
"Yeah, well," said Sirius, "you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes... that was something..."
But . . .
4) It. Never. Happened. James never apologized to Vernon.
That's what it says: "it never happened." Why? Because it is James's apparent policy never to feel guilty for very long and never to apologize. That goes for Snape as well as Vernon. People who never change never apologize.
5) Once again JKR has a chance to build James up better than the books, and instead he just seems shallow.
Maybe because ... he is shallow. And he's still a bully. And he doesn't make things easy for Lily either, since she is in tears due to James's behavior, and cut off from her only Muggle relations.
Maybe that is inevitable, and we have the same thing happening in the story of Minerva McGonagall posted on Pottermore. She wanted to marry a Muggle, but realized it wouldn't work, so she left him behind. But James knew he was going to marry Lily and still didn't try to make things easy for her, because it's all about him and the fact that he deserves to be "amused" at all times.
Also posted in the comment thread to my essay on Harry Potter Network:
James Potter's Cloak and the Vault of Immeasurable Wealth
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