Mary Dorkins

Mary Dorkins is a Muggle television news reporter. Her sole appearance in the series occurs during a broadcast watched by the Dursley family, where her report on a trivial local story serves to highlight the immense contrast between the mundane concerns of the Muggle world and the grave, life-threatening reality Harry Potter is facing at the beginning of the Second Wizarding War.

Mary Dorkins appears only once, in the summer of 1995. While at Number Four, Privet Drive, Harry Potter and the Dursley family watch the evening news in the midst of an oppressive heatwave. The broadcast concludes with a human-interest story presented by Dorkins. Her segment is about Bungy, a budgerigar from Little Whinging, Surrey, who has reportedly learned to water-ski at a place called the “Five Feathers.” This report occurs just after Harry and Dudley Dursley have been attacked by Dementors in a nearby alleyway. Overwhelmed by the magical assault, the threat of expulsion from Hogwarts, and the lack of communication from the wizarding world, Harry pays little attention to the trivial news story, tuning it out entirely. The mundane nature of Dorkins's report underscores the ignorance of the Muggle world to the return of Lord Voldemort and the dangers facing Harry.

Mary Dorkins's physical appearance is not described in the novels, as she is only mentioned by name during the television broadcast. Similarly, no details about her personality are provided.

As a Muggle, Mary Dorkins possesses no magical abilities. Her professional skills as a television reporter are implied by her role in the newscast, but are not otherwise detailed.

No specific possessions belonging to Mary Dorkins are mentioned in the novels.

No personal relationships involving Mary Dorkins are mentioned in the series.

• Mary: A very common English name of Hebrew origin. Its ubiquity suits the character's role in representing the ordinary, everyday Muggle world.
• Dorkins: The surname likely contains the English slang word “dork,” meaning a silly or socially inept person. This could be a subtle commentary by the author on the triviality of the news story she reports—a water-skiing budgie—especially when contrasted with the monumental events unfolding in the wizarding world.

In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the scene where the Dursleys watch the news is present. However, the report focuses solely on the unusual heatwave, and both Mary Dorkins and her segment on “Bungy the budgie” are omitted from the film.