The Dursleys really didn't like Harry Potter or his parents, and JK Rowling has finally detailed why.

Writing on the Pottermore site, Rowling shared the backstory of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia before Harry was born.

By the time the pair were engaged, Petunia wanted to know what Vernon would make of her wizard sister, who was in her final year at Hogwarts at the time.

So, a get-together was arranged at a restaurant but things quickly turned sour.

"James was amused by Vernon, and made the mistake of showing it," Rowling explained. "Vernon tried to patronise James, asking what car he drove. James described his racing broom."

She went on: "Vernon supposed out loud that wizards had to live on unemployment benefit. James explained about Gringotts, and the fortune his parents had saved there, in solid gold.


"Vernon could not tell whether he was being made fun of or not, and grew angry. The evening ended with Vernon and Petunia storming out of the restaurant, while Lily burst into tears and James (a little ashamed of himself) promised to make things up with Vernon at the earliest opportunity."

Unfortunately, a make-up was never to be - Petunia didn't want her sister as a bridesmaid at her wedding "because she was tired of being overshadowed" and neither she nor Vernon wanted to go to Lily and James's wedding.

In fact, the last time the Dursleys heard from Lily and James before their death was to announce the birth of Harry.

"Uncle Vernon's dislike of Harry stems in part, like Severus Snape's, from Harry's close resemblance to the father they both so disliked," Rowling said.

The author also revealed that she toyed with a nicer side to Aunt Petunia when she said goodbye to Harry for the last time, but decided to stick with the character's true nature.

Explaining the Privet Drive residents' name choices, she continued: "'Vernon' is simply a name I never much cared for. 'Petunia' is the name that I always gave unpleasant female characters in games of make believe I played with my sister Di."

Rowling completed writing the script for Harry Potter spinoff film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them last November.

The new movie series will star Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston.