Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Dudley's Gang====== =====Introduction===== **Dudley's Gang** was a group of [[Muggle]] boys from [[Little Whinging]], led by [[Dudley Dursley]]. The gang was primarily known for its bullying and acts of minor vandalism throughout the neighbourhood. Their favourite target, particularly during their younger years, was [[Dudley]]'s cousin, [[Harry Potter]]. The gang served as a constant source of torment for [[Harry]] during his childhood at [[Number Four, Privet Drive]], representing the mundane cruelty of his life before he discovered the [[Wizarding World]]. =====History and Activities===== The gang formed around [[Dudley Dursley]] during his primary school years and consisted of his closest friends. Their main pastime was a cruel "sport" they invented called "Harry Hunting," which involved chasing [[Harry Potter]] down and beating him up. Because [[Harry]] was always smaller and outnumbered, he was rarely able to escape them. On [[Dudley]]'s eleventh birthday, his best friend and gang member [[Piers Polkiss]] accompanied the [[Dursleys]] and [[Harry]] to the zoo. When [[Harry]] inadvertently caused the glass of the Brazilian Boa Constrictor's enclosure to vanish, [[Piers]] was present and later claimed [[Harry]] had been talking to the snake. As the boys grew older and began attending [[Smeltings Academy]], their activities escalated from bullying [[Harry]] to terrorizing the wider neighbourhood. They were known to smoke on street corners, vandalise the local park, and assault younger children. Following [[Harry]]'s second year at [[Hogwarts]], the gang largely avoided him, as they had become frightened by his known [[magical abilities]]. In the summer of 1995, the gang's influence was still strong over [[Dudley]], who had become an inter-school boxing champion and used his physical prowess to bully others, such as a ten-year-old boy named Mark Evans. Shortly before the [[Dementor]] attack in [[Little Whinging]], [[Dudley]] and his gang crossed paths with [[Harry]]. After the other members left, [[Dudley]] proceeded to taunt [[Harry]] about his nightmares concerning the death of [[Cedric Diggory]], demonstrating the cruel nature fostered within the group. This encounter immediately preceded the arrival of the [[Dementors]], an event which profoundly changed [[Dudley]] and likely marked the end of his association with the gang. =====Membership===== The gang was composed of [[Dudley Dursley]] and his circle of friends, all described as big and stupid, though [[Dudley]] was considered the "biggest and stupidest of the lot." * **[[Dudley Dursley]]**: The undisputed leader of the gang. He directed their bullying activities and was the most physically imposing member. * **[[Piers Polkiss]]**: [[Dudley]]'s best friend. He was described as a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was often responsible for holding a victim's arms behind their back while [[Dudley]] punched them. * **Dennis**: A known member of the gang who attended [[Smeltings]] with [[Dudley]]. * **Malcolm**: A known member of the gang who attended [[Smeltings]] with [[Dudley]]. * **Gordon**: A known member of the gang who attended [[Smeltings]] with [[Dudley]]. =====Role in the Story===== Dudley's Gang is a significant element of [[Harry Potter]]'s oppressive childhood. They symbolize the peak of his isolation and suffering in the [[Muggle]] world, functioning as a constant physical threat that complements the psychological abuse he endured from the [[Dursleys]]. The "Harry Hunting" game established [[Harry]]'s status as a perpetual victim and outcast long before he knew of his fame in the [[Wizarding World]]. The gang's actions provide a stark contrast between the ordinary, brutish cruelty of non-magical people and the dark, magical dangers [[Harry]] would later face, showing that malice is not exclusive to [[wizards]]. Ultimately, [[Dudley]]'s journey away from the gang's influence after the [[Dementor]] attack is a crucial step in his own moral development and his eventual reconciliation with [[Harry]]. =====Behind the Scenes===== * In the film adaptation of *//[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]//*, the gang is seen briefly at the zoo. [[Piers Polkiss]] is portrayed by actor Jason Boyd. The "Harry Hunting" game is not explicitly shown. (film) * In the film adaptation of *//[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]//*, the gang appears with [[Dudley]] in the pedestrian underpass. They taunt [[Harry]] about the [[Dementors]] (a subject they should have no knowledge of) before their departure, leaving [[Dudley]] and [[Harry]] alone for the attack. (film)
