Appearances[]
Description[]
- Big, beefy man with hardly any neck
- Very large black moustache
Mentions[]
Notes[]
- Lives at Number four, Privet Drive
- Director of Grunnings
- Wife of Petunia Dursley, father of Dudley Dursley
- Uncle of Harry Potter
Trajectory[]
At the beginning of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, Vernon Dursley is living a normal life and trying to avoid his wife's sister and her family. One day he witnesses many odd events and hears the name of Harry Potter; the next day the infant Harry Potter turns up on their doorstep.
Ten years later, Harry is living in the cupboard under the stairs and treated shabbily, especially compared to Dudley, who is indulged by his parents. Vernon is vigilant for any signs of odd behaviour or events. He punishes Harry severely for an incident with a boa constrictor(HPPS 2)on Dudley's eleventh birthday.
Shortly thereafter, mysterious letters begin arriving addressed to Harry--only a few at first, but in ever-growing numbers. Vernon knows this is something to do with the Potters' folk, and refuses to have anything to do with it. He eventually flees with the family(including Harry), trying to get away from the letters. The night before Harry's eleventh birthday, he takes them to a shack on an isolated island at sea, with a newly-bought rifle.
That night at midnight, the door is smashed open by a giant of a man, who is not afraid of the rifle. He introduces himself as Hagrid, and, much to Vernon's fury, tells Harry about his magical heritage and the true fate of his parents. He gives Harry his own copy of the letter, which is from the Hogwarts school. Vernon declares that Harry will not go to Hogwarts, and Hagrid gets angry and gives Dudley a pig's tail. Vernon and the Dursleys retreat at that point to the other room of the shack.
Harry returns to their house for the last month of summer, which the Dursleys spend giving him the silent treatment. Vernon does consent to give Harry a ride to King's Cross Station, mostly because he finds the whole idea of Platform Nine And Three Quarters ludicrous and finds it amusing to leave Harry there.
Vernon has all of Harry's school supplies locked up as soon as he returns from Hogwarts, and refuses to let his owl out of her cage in case he contacts any other wizards. He and the rest of the family are oversensitive to any mention of magic on Harry's part.