Dursley money

[teehee100]

I've read a few fics where the Dursleys were given money for raising Harry. This might be why they could buy Dudley so much stuff. Thoughts?

[physicssquid]

That might be the reason, though I don't know how much they would be paid, and I don't know how much Vernon earned.

[kumainpink]

Makes sense to me. I use this all the time.

[blackroses77]

It wouldn't surprise me at all to find out they were receiving money from the wizarding world(harry's inheritance) but even if they weren't getting money from there they probably would have gotten money from the government to take care of him and since they didn't spend that on harry it was extra money to spend on dudley.

[Kitty279]

Yeah, they could have gotten money either from the magical world by way of Dumbledore, or from the muggle government, if not both. Even if Vernon earned a good sum every month, considering they bought Diddykins nearly 40 expensive gifts, you have to wonder ...

Really wish someone had investigated that and found out that they misused the funds for the baby whale. So I have to be content with fanfics who use that.

[G. Novella]

I highly doubt that Vernon could afford those things on his salary alone. I mean, Diddy-kins smashed up his computer, Play Station and some other random expensive junk during a tantrum, and it was replaced all too soon. And this was in the 1990s. That's oddly suspicious to me. If his salary alone could pay for that stuff, I'd have expected they'd live in a much grander house, own more expensive cars. I mean, my uncle back in the 90s spent money like that, but he was mega-rich. The Dursleys never had that sort of vibe.

[Kitty279]

And that stuff was much more expensive in the early 90's than it is now.

True, Vernon really doesn't give one the impression he's that rich on his own. Makes you wonder who paid - the muggles, some sort of Wizard Child Service or, worse, Harry from his own vault? He obviously never got bank statements, as Albus seems to have allowed only mail through that fit with his Greater Good.

[G. Novella]

*nods emphatically*

This is a guy who bragged about every little new thing. He never showed any kind of richy-rich hobby. His wife was forever cleaning or cooking or gardening. He was constantly sucking up for promotions, and never took his families on holidays to exotic locales. Just another question, but obesity is linked to a loss of libido. Do you think that's why Petunia never expanded her family? Because Vernon became impotent due to his excessive fat? Just thought of it...

I mean, Petunia was so obsessed with her Dudders, you'd think it was because he was the only child she could have...

[Kitty279]

True, when I think about it, the Dursleys would be the type to go on expensive holidays if they could afford it, just so they have something to brag about. Looks like all their money went into food for the two males and into toys for Dudders.

Good point, you could be on to something there. Would have to read up on it, but I vaguely remember hearing something along that line once. Besides, just imagining that skinny horse with the fat whale ... *reaches for brain bleach*

Petunia was obsessed with him when he was just 1 year old, but who knows? They might have had problems to conceive Dudley already. And over time, Vernon certainly didn't get any thinner.

[G. Novella]

Exactly. He talked big things about buying a second home, but since it never happened, I think he liked to brag. Even the school Dudley went to wasn't exactly so prestigious sounding.

And it seemed like a good theory to explore. I mean, women who have trouble conceiving tend to be more obsessive over their kid. And Vernon's weight puts a nice explanation on how it happened.

[unbeastly]

I think his family had money. The way Vernon and Marge act sometimes makes it seem like they were from a more uppercrust background and Petunia is snobbish enough to want to marry someone for their family background. Vernon also seems to be very high up in his company and as he has a company car that would leave him with a large chunk of money to play around with.

[Kitty279]

They must have had to buy food for at least 8 persons, considering what a bottomless pit of a stomach Vernon and Dudley have. And you can't even count Harry there. Must have cost a tidy sum, too.

Yeah, what prestigious school would encourage children to use these sticks? Not to mention that laughable uniform. Could you imagine Eton doing that?

If you ask me, Petunia must have had problems already, with all that poison in her body, lol. Add to that Vernon's obesity and you have a lovely explanation, indeed.

[G. Novella]

See, unbeastly, I've seen quite a few people with money. I'm not rich myself, but my parents have a wide social circle. I've seen the rich billionaires, and the poorest of people. It's weird, I know, but it gives me a good idea of behavior and class, not trying to be rude or sound like I'm bragging, it's just the way I've seen things and I have no idea how to phrase this. Vernon and Marge put on airs. They aren't rich, but they like to act rich. That's why I have trouble believing he wasn't getting financial aid from somewhere. Petunia would have married anyone so completely against magic without a care for money. That's just my opinion.

Exactly. And for a prestigious school, it didn't seem to do much in terms of education and bullying. Dudley never learnt any proper manners, and he went to boarding school as far as I know.

LOL. She probably did, but you never know. Vernon's obesity is a pretty much easier way to point fingers.

[unbeastly]

I wasn't meaning they were rich but that they had a enough to leave them a decent inheritance (I'm not talking hundreds of thousands but back then even five thousand would give them money to play with). I find that it's those that have money but not enough to be considered upper class that act in this way. I'd say they were from a small community where they just happened to be top of the pile which makes them think they're higher up on the social ladder then they are.

Also I'm not saying they didn't receive money but that I don't think they would struggle to spoil Dudley the way they do without it. For being bad parents Dudley is their world and I have no problem seeing them go without a few luxuries every now and then to spoil Dudley. As for replacing electronics do you really think they wouldn't take out cover and insurance for those items.

[G. Novella]

I think we basically agree, but I misunderstood the first part. I can see them fore-going luxuries as well, especially since you never hear of Petunia getting fancy presents and jewellry, or Vernon getting a watch or some luxury item for himself. On the point of warranties however, I doubt they'd be able to cover every break. Especially the extremely deliberate ones.

[unbeastly]

I think most people forget that Vernon is business man. I'm betting he has investments and at the very least is very good at managing his finances.

[Kitty279]

Getting some form of financial aid for Harry would give another reason why Vernon didn't want Harry to leave - do they have the right to get money for him during the time when he's away? (Besides the fact that Harry was their punching bag, scapegoat and slave all the time).

You mean he had enough money left to invest after he had paid for a computer and video games and a TV and a bike and whatever Dudley got for one birthday alone?

[unbeastly]

No I mean he invested and used the incom from them to buy Dudley things. They would have had time before Dudley was born to set things up.

[Kitty279]

Hm ... but before Dudley was born, I doubt Vernon was that high up already. Lily had Harry when she was 20, so how much older was Petunia? Mid-twenty, at most, I'd say. Vernon may be a bit older, who knows. Still not so old that he could have put enough money away to buy a house *and* invest much, you'd think.

[unbeastly]

Yes but from what I can tell both Petunia's and Vernon's parents are dead. I doubt they were left without some sort of inheriatance, Petunia was the eldest and was probably left her parents house (Lily wouldn't of needed it with James's money) selling it would have given them a nice start in life.

[Kitty279]

The Evans lived in Spinners End, not in Little Whinging. But selling it could have been a way, or it might have been Vernon's, yes.

[werewulfking]

I personally consider Vernon to be one of those high ranking employees (not the CEO or anything as high) who earn not millions but enough to be called rich from the definition of the word.
With that he would have had enough money for Dudleys entertainment technology but not enough to buy a second home.
And I always thought that the Dursleys went on holiday during winter and easter holidays to avoid having to pay for Harry too. And of course we don't know how holidays were handled before Hogwarts.

[physicssquid]

Before Harry went to Hogwarts I would assume the Dursleys did go on holiday, but left Harry with Mrs Figg.

[werewulfking]

Yes that was my first thought too but on the other hand it seems that Harry would have come with them to Mallorca in COS in the beginning.

[Kitty279]

True, but why should they take him for a holiday out of the country when they didn't even take him to the zoo? Holidays in Majorca or somewhere else would have really cost money.

[werewulfking]

But leaving a boy behind for two weeks looks much more suspicious than leaving him just for a day at a neighbors.

[Kitty279]

Would still have cost them a pretty penny, so I have my doubts.

To be honest, I wonder about the whole neighbourhood. I mean, they seem to have swallowed all of the Dursley's lies about Harry being the bad boy, while Dudley went around beating younger kids up. Harry, in the meanwhile, was probably doing chores. Why did no one ever notice that there was something seriously wrong?

[werewulfking]

It unfortunately happens sometimes. It is always a great discussion in the media when a child is found dead. Why did the authorities not notice? Why did the neighbours not notice? Why didn't doctors, teachers, social workers notice?
So it is not very unlikely that the neighbourhood would have accepted the lies.

[physicssquid]

I did read a fic once that mentioned a possible reason why no one did anything. I can't remember the title, but in that story, there was the theory that perhaps the teachers and neighbours saw things that made them uncomfortable, but people react in different ways to certain stimuli. Maybe the neighbours and teachers ignored what they saw because they felt it didn't affect them.

[Kitty279]

Yeah, I know it happens all the time, but it still is hard to accept. Harry wasn't just locked away at home, after all.

That's possible, yes. Too often people don't want to be involved in any sort of trouble and just look the other way.

Of course, then there are the evil Dumbledore fics where he always obliviates everyone after people *do* something to help Harry