======Vernon Dursley======
=====Introduction=====
Vernon Dursley is a [[Muggle]], the husband of [[Petunia Dursley]], the father of [[Dudley Dursley]], and the uncle of [[Harry Potter]]. As the director of a drill-manufacturing firm called [[Grunnings]], he is a man completely devoted to a life of utter normalcy, order, and material success. He harbors a deep-seated fear and hatred for magic and the entire [[Wizarding World]]. For the first sixteen years of Harry's life, Vernon acts as one of his primary antagonists, subjecting his nephew to neglect and abuse in a constant, furious effort to suppress his magical nature and maintain the perfect, ordinary façade of his family's life at [[Number Four, Privet Drive]].
=====Biography=====
====Early Life and Marriage====
Vernon Dursley established himself as a successful director at [[Grunnings]], a company that manufactures drills. He met [[Petunia Evans]] at their workplace in London, and they began dating. On one fateful date, Vernon was horrified when Petunia tearfully confessed that her sister, [[Lily Evans]], was a [[witch]]. Despite his shock, his affection for the supremely "normal" Petunia led him to continue their relationship. He later met Lily and her then-boyfriend, [[James Potter]], an encounter that ended disastrously. Vernon found James's magical background and cavalier attitude towards his [[Gringotts]] fortune deeply offensive, solidifying his view that [[wizards]] were jobless layabouts. Vernon and Petunia were married and eventually settled in Little Whinging, Surrey. He did not attend the Potters' wedding.
====Raising Harry Potter====
In November 1981, following the murder of James and Lily Potter by [[Lord Voldemort]], the infant [[Harry Potter]] was left on the Dursleys' doorstep by [[Albus Dumbledore]]. Vernon was enraged by this intrusion of the magical world but reluctantly agreed to take Harry in, partly out of fear of what might happen if they refused.
For the next ten years, Vernon and Petunia raised Harry with cruelty and neglect. They forced him to live in the [[cupboard under the stairs]], gave him Dudley's oversized hand-me-downs, and lied about his parents' deaths, claiming they died in a car crash. Any unexplainable event around Harry—a result of his accidental magic—was met with severe punishment. In stark contrast, they lavished their son, [[Dudley Dursley]], with affection and gifts, encouraging his bullying and greedy nature.
====Confronting the Magical World====
On Harry's eleventh birthday, Vernon's carefully constructed world began to crumble with the arrival of Harry's [[Hogwarts]] acceptance letter. His attempts to destroy the letters grew increasingly desperate as more and more arrived via the [[Owl Post]]. This culminated in him fleeing with the family to a remote hut on a rock at sea. His efforts were futile, as [[Rubeus Hagrid]] arrived at midnight, revealed Harry's magical heritage, and gave Dudley a pig's tail after Vernon insulted [[Albus Dumbledore]].
Throughout Harry's school years, Vernon's hostility remained constant. He would lock away Harry's [[wand]], spellbooks, and [[cauldron]]; put bars on his bedroom window to prevent his escape; and explode with rage at any mention of magic. A notable incident occurred during the summer before Harry's third year, when Vernon's sister, [[Marjorie Dursley]], visited. After she repeatedly insulted Harry's parents, an enraged Harry accidentally caused her to inflate, forcing him to flee the house.
====The Second Wizarding War and Departure====
As [[Lord Voldemort]]'s return became public, the danger to Harry and those associated with him grew. Members of the [[Order of the Phoenix]] warned Vernon that the magical protection granted by his home would expire on Harry's seventeenth birthday. Reluctantly, Vernon agreed to have his family taken into hiding. He remained suspicious until the end, accusing Harry of plotting to take their house. In his final moments with his nephew, Vernon hesitated as if to shake hands but ultimately could not bring himself to do it, leaving [[Privet Drive]] forever with a final, contemptuous glance.
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
Vernon is consistently described as a "big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache." When angry, his face often turns a shade of purple, and he is said to resemble a walrus.
His personality is defined by his obsession with normalcy and appearances. He is profoundly narrow-minded, materialistic, and prejudiced against anything he deems "improper" or different. Vernon is prone to loud, explosive fits of rage, especially when confronted with magic or when his authority is challenged. He is emotionally and verbally abusive towards [[Harry Potter]], viewing him as a dangerous freak whose presence threatens his orderly existence. Conversely, he is an overly indulgent and proud father to [[Dudley Dursley]], completely blind to his son's many flaws.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
As a [[Muggle]], Vernon Dursley possesses no magical abilities whatsoever. He has a complete inability to understand magic and reacts to it with only fear and anger. His skills are entirely mundane, centered on his successful career as a company director and his ability to maintain a spotlessly normal suburban household.
=====Possessions=====
  * **[[Number Four, Privet Drive]]:** His immaculate and obsessively ordinary home, which served as a form of protection for [[Harry Potter]] due to [[Lily Potter]]'s sacrifice.
  * **Rifle:** Vernon purchased an air rifle to defend his family from the influx of [[Hogwarts]] letters. [[Rubeus Hagrid]] famously tied its barrel into a knot with ease.
  * **Company Car:** As a successful director, he drove a company car, a symbol of his status and normality.
  * **Drills:** His profession as the director of [[Grunnings]] associates him strongly with drills, an object that perfectly symbolizes his mundane, boring, and conventional nature.
=====Relationships=====
  * **[[Petunia Dursley]]:** His wife, with whom he shares a deep-seated fear of magic and a commitment to a normal life. They are united in their doting on [[Dudley]] and their mistreatment of [[Harry]].
  * **[[Dudley Dursley]]:** His beloved son. Vernon spoils Dudley endlessly and sees him as the model of a perfect, strong boy, proudly ignoring his bullying tendencies.
  * **[[Harry Potter]]:** His nephew, whom he views as a dangerous and unwelcome burden. Their relationship is characterized by Vernon's abuse, neglect, and constant attempts to suppress Harry's magical identity.
  * **[[Marjorie Dursley]]:** His sister. They share a similar brutish and prejudiced worldview. Vernon enjoys her company and supports her torment of [[Harry]].
  * **[[James Potter]] and [[Lily Potter]]:** He held Harry's parents in complete contempt, viewing James as an arrogant layabout and Lily as a freak. He forbade Harry from asking questions about them.
  * **[[Albus Dumbledore]]:** Vernon harbors a particular resentment for Dumbledore, blaming him for saddling him with Harry and for being the "head of the pack" of magical freaks.
=====Etymology=====
  * **Vernon:** A traditional English name of French origin, meaning "alder tree grove." It has a somewhat formal and old-fashioned sound, fitting for a man obsessed with propriety.
  * **Dursley:** The name of a real market town in Gloucestershire, England. J.K. Rowling has stated she chose the name simply because she found its sound unattractive, much like the characters themselves.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations of the series, Vernon Dursley was portrayed by the late British actor Richard Griffiths.
  * J.K. Rowling has described the Dursleys as "reactionary, prejudiced, narrow-minded, ignorant and bigoted," representing some of her least favorite human traits. (J.K. Rowling interview)
  * On the Pottermore website, J.K. Rowling wrote that Vernon and Harry's relationship never improved. They maintained minimal contact, such as exchanging [[Christmas]] cards, but Vernon continued to fear magic and dreaded visits from Harry's children. (Pottermore)
  * A deleted scene from the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1// shows [[Petunia]] expressing a flicker of remorse over [[Lily]] before leaving, a moment of softness that contrasts with Vernon's unyielding hostility. (film)