“I swear I saw one!” Tunia was on all fours, grass tickling the tip of her nose as she squinted around her for the little buggers.

“Tuuuuunia…..leprechauns aren’t real…..are they?” Lily sounded a bit frightened at the prospect.

“Yes, Lily, they ARE real and they’ll steal your socks if you don’t keep track of them--” she thought she saw some movement--and LUNGED forward, attempting to catch whatever it was--but she came up empty-handed. “DRAT.” She flopped onto her back and sighed, staring up at the sky. “I know there’s some around here….”

Lily lay next to her.

“What is GOD’S name is he WEARING--is that a dress?!” Petunia flipped through the photos Lily had sent her of the wedding. “Why are all the men wearing dresses? This is disgusting.” She threw the photos on the ground, her husband muttering under his breath about ‘those damn weirdos.’

Once her husband vacated his armchair to tend to his growling stomach, Petunia leaned over to pick the photos up, her eyes widening at the sight of her sister.

Lily.

Married.

She was now Lily Potter.

However ridiculous that James looked in his dress, Petunia thought her sister looked beautiful.

“It’s from a store called Sugarplums. Everyone collects the cards—“ Lily held out the package for her sister.

Tunia eyed it before taking it in her hands, holding it up to her ear. “It won’t…explode on me, will it?”

“Of course not! The frog might jump on you—“ Lily giggled.

Tunia ripped open the wrapper and gasped as the frog leapt into her lap, and then it leapt to the floor when Lily tried to grab it. “LILY—“

BONK!

The two had bumped heads, both trying to reach and grab the frog. However, It made Tunia smile.

They had argued.

Tunia was left alone in her room. All of the lights were off, and she had her arms wrapped around her knees. She sniffled, wiping her eyes.

She didn’t understand why it couldn’t happen. Why couldn’t Lily REFUSE to go if she wasn’t accompanying her? Then that stupid headmaster would HAVE to let her go! She was tired of being left behind, and she thought Lily was being ABSOLUTELY SELFISH for not wanting to try this approach!

Petunia hated her right now.

She would never forgive Lily if she went back to that school without her. NEVER.

Petunia found herself waving her licorice around as she did homework, sighing here and there because maths was quite hard and she wasn’t a huge fan of it, really. Petunia really liked subjects that involved less…numbers. Like history…or psychology! She did enjoy psychology.

Her eyes glazed over the photo of her and Lily on her night stand.

“Honestly…” she mumbled. “How hard could it bloody be?” She jabbed her licorice. “Just say some SILLY words and—“ she flailed the candy around. “PEBBERTY POT!”

When nothing happened, she threw the ‘wand’ on the ground, angrily.

“Stupid…stupid magic.” She missed Lily.

It was quiet in the house during the school year. Petunia curled up on their couch, her eyes glued to a gossip magazine while Vernon flipped through the various news channels he liked to frequent.

“Anything interesting happened?” Petunia flipped a page.

“No…nothing.” He clicked the TV off.

That was when the letter arrived by owl.

“What the bloody—“

Petunia snatched it up and tore it open, frowning. “He’s been hurt at…the sport thing…” she set the letter down beside her.

“His BONES in his ARM? GONE?”

Petunia nodded, going back to reading her magazine.

“Serves him right.”

The textbook was left atop Lily’s bed. It wouldn’t be…Petunia’s fault if it happened to….fall open? Exposing a page of…whatever was inside….would it? Of course not. Not if Petunia was…merely trying to make Lily’s bed, right?

Her sister was just really busy, y’know? Being thirteen was hard work…and…roaming the neighborhood with that slimy boy….it was all so much work? Surely this was the least Lily could do…was make her bed.

Oh!

Look at that!

Page 394.

Look, that pillow needed fluffing—WEREWOLVES?

Petunia squeaked and slammed it shut. Could she erase her eyes of what she’d seen? She wanted to.

“And the princess was kept in a dark, dank dungeon…” Petunia flipped the page of the book, Lily snuggled up against her, sucking her thumb.

“...oh no!”

“Yep--so it’s up to the prince!” The older sister smirked a little and shut the book. “BUUUT--I might just have to finish the story tomorrow night--” she teased Lily, standing to place the book back on the shelf.

“NUUUU!”

“Sorry, it’s LATE, Lily--”

The book, as Tunia was about to slide it into its place on Lily’s bookshelf, suddenly slipped from her fingers and projected right into Lily’s lap.

“....And Tunia! Astronomy is so cool! We get to look through telescopes and see the STARS and the planets! Ask mum and dad for a telescope so we can look at it all this summer! It’ll be so fun! I can teach you EVERYTHING I learned!.....”

Petunia smiled as she read the letter, imagining her sister surrounded by such wonders. She folded up the letter and tucked it in her pillowcase where the rest of her sister’s letters resided.

Her parents promised to get her and Lily a telescope. A REAL telescope! Tunia knew they’d have such fun this summer!

Lily’s school books were alphabetized on her shelf. Petunia peeked in, leaning on the doorpost with her arms crossed. She was visiting home from University...and the house was eerily silent without her sister there.

“Off with that boy...again....” now that her sister was of age in the wizarding community, she could...poof around. Well wasn’t that great? Petunia envied her sister’s ability to...just POOF wherever she wanted to.

Meh.

She ran her fingers over the school books, pulling out a history one...skimming the pages. Poof. Poofing. Lily couldn’t even poof WITH her. It was all...ridiculous.

“You’re in such a good mood, today, Tunia!” Lily smiled shyly. She was cleaning up after dinner, putting the plates in the sink. “Is it...that boy?”

Petunia’s cheeks turned bright red. “Well...maybe.”

“TUNIA!”

“OKAY it is--” she let herself grin at Lily for a second, her sister’s face breaking into a smile...before she realized that she was supposed to be annoyed with Lily right now. “But...yeah. Not that you’d care--” she let her dirty dish slip into the sink as she turned on her heel.

Guilt. Painful guilt hit her at the look on Lily’s face.

Lily was still giggling as she came inside, rubbing her hand hands on the knees of her jeans. Tunia ignored her for a minute or so...because playing with that STUPID KID instead of her was just...well it was nonsense! They were sisters!

“Tunia--what is that?” Lily suddenly asked in alarm, facing around in the open doorway. Petunia leaned next to her, peering out curiously as well...at first she couldn’t see WHAT it was...but then--

The owl glided right into their home, dropped a letter, and flew out. Lily gasped softly.

“It says my name….”

“You made me come home for THIS?”

“We’re very worried, Petunia!” Mrs. Evans dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a tissue, smearing it with her mascara. “She was hurt...badly...in a...duel.”

Petunia scrunched her face. “A duel? Like with swords?”

“No--no. They--they use magic. I-it was f-for the dueling club--a l-learning experience--g-gone wrong!” Petunia’s mother seemed hysterically in tears.

“I can’t believe you made me drive home because I thought something was seriously wrong…” she scowled.

“Petunia! You can’t possibly hold a grudge this long! She’s your sister!

“She’s made her choices...and I’ve made mine.”

70. Spook - Age 8

“Stop pushing me, Lily!” hissed Sev, and Tunia shhhhhhhushed him.

“She’s not doing it on purpose, stupid.”

“I’m NOT stupid!” The boy was under a sheet with eyeholes cut out.

Halloween was Tunia’s favorite holiday, and tonight...they were going to sneak INTO the spook house they were much too young for! She was DETERMINED. It took a lot of convincing for Lily, and eventually...Tunia had to say Sev could come.

They crept, silently, down the street, and Lily, dressed as a witch, held her sister’s hand. She was shivering.

“BOOOOO!” Tunia suddenly LURCHED at Sev, who screamed.

Heh.

The time to clean out her parents’ house had come. Her son, a year old, would not know his grandparents.

Boxes had collected dust here in the attic. “I’m up here!” Petunia called out to let her husband know she was here. Squatting down, she opened one of the boxes carefully, eyeing the instrument inside.

A telescope.

Lily’s. She remembered the summer they’d spent staring at the stars. A smile, fleetingly, appeared on her lips.

It was a shame her son would ever know Lily, either. Foolish girl.

Petunia was unaware that Lily would would not make it past October.

“And...there’s charms surrounding the castle, Tunia...I don’t think you’d make it in…” Lily shivered. Christmas break for her had come too quickly, but now that she was home, she realized how much she had missed her sister.

“...You don’t think it’s worth a try?” Tunia whispered, wrapping an arm around her sister.

“I don’t think so--and we might--” but before she could finish her sentence, a snowball suddenly hit the side of her face with a SPLAT!

“HAHAHA--” the boy with the lanky hair ran away instantly, and Lily cackled as she suddenly took off after Severus. REVENGE!

“I remember my sister...I remember that it’s a...thing that can happen.” Petunia broke the four hour silence that had followed the event at the zoo.

Vernon didn’t reply, but merely ruffled his newspaper. Petunia set a cup of tea in front of him and wiped her hands on her apron.

“It’s a bad thing.”

“So he’s going to be...bad?

“No--I--I don’t know. I just--if he does get a notice for that…place...he won’t be here...to...threaten us….or Dudley.” Her voice was hardly above a whisper.

“NO. Not in our home.”

“Lily,

I think my amortentia would smell like...the first snowfall of winter. Mum’s perfume...the garage. Pinewood.

Lily...I know I...sometimes ignore your letters...and get mad at you...but I do miss you. Hearing about all your studies sometimes makes me kind of sad...but this...potion thing does sounds cool. It smells different to everyone. Hah, maybe I’d smell my Vernon’s cologne…

What does YOURS smell like, hmm? I’d VERY much like to know, Lily.

School is going well. And then I’ll be off to University next year. Hope your term is going well.

Love,
Petunia”

88. Sweet Tooth - Age 17

The clean-cut young man, arm and arm with Petunia, pulled her gently into the ice cream shop. It was a crisp night, the kind that required a light jacket if one wanted to wander around outside.

“What flavor do you want, Petunia?” Vernon asked with a smile her way.

“Uh...I do have such a sweet tooth lately...I want ALL the flavors--” she giggled and blushed as Vernon ran a hand through his hair.

“I...I wish I could buy you all the flavors.”

“I’ll take chocolate. In a cup, not a cone.”

It was a good first date.

“MUMMY! She just VEXES me so much!” Tunia, hands on her hips, glared in her toddler sister’s direction.

The sentence made Mrs. Evans coule over in laughter. “Vex? Where on Earth did to learn that word, sweetie?” She was quite impressed it was even used correctly!

Tunia pointed at the television and had a very unamused look on her face. “There. She just VEXES me so much, Mum! She VEXES me! Stealing my DOLLS and getting spit on EVERYTHING! I’m so VEXED AT HER! UGH!” Tunia stomped her foot towards her room because her mother could do nothing but laugh.

“You can’t wear your best clothes to the feast?” Tunia looked shocked. Lily sighed.

“No...we have to change into our robes on the way…”

“Aww man...we bought you a nice dress for nothing! And I was gonna’ curl your hair!” The teenager seemed quite upset about this.

“Hey…” Lily sat next to Tunia on Tunia’s bed and put an arm around her. “You can still do my hair all pretty...I need to look really nice in front of the magical people...I’m scared, Tunia.”

Petunia kissed the side Lily’s face. “You’re gonna’ be fine…you’re Lily Evans.”

Petunia chuckled as she peeked down at her feet. Dudley, who had just learned to tie shoes, was busy tying away at everyone’s shoes lately.

“All done, mummy!” he fell back on his bum on the floor next to her feet, and Petunia looked down, smiling a bit.

“Ahh...thank you so much, Dudders! You’re so good at tying--” she leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek.

“I’m gonna’ go tie Harry’s shoes together!” Dudley cackled as he shot up and ran off. Petunia looked surprised for a minute, but quickly went back to reading her magazine.

Lily needed permission to go to this Hogsmeade place, and Petunia was particularly nasty today. She took the letter that had landed on the table from the owl and quickly threw it in the rubbish bin.

There.

Now she couldn’t go, and Tunia found herself smirking at herself.

“Petunia--help your dad load the groceries in--I have to pee--” her mother ran by. Petunia wiped the smirk off her face and hurried outside. Guilt would not set in until later, and in the morning, she would tell her parents what she had done.

But for now, she was pleased with herself.

On days when her mind had too much weight, Tunia enjoyed tending to the garden in front of her home. She didn’t notice the woman walking up.

“Tunia?” Lily asked softly. Petunia couldn’t believe her ears, so she turned around suddenly, trowel in hand.

“....Lily….what are you…..?” She hadn’t seen her sister in months, and she’d skipped out on the wedding.

“Petunia…I’ve come to tell you...I’m pregnant. And I want you to be godmother.”

Her jaw might as well have been on the ground. “ME? Lily--I just--”

“Please, Tunia…”

Petunia averted her gaze. “Lily...of course I will.”

“You dare me to?” she asked, smirking over at Sevurus and Lily. She had climbed a tree...and was not standing atop the strong, thick branch proudly. “I’ll jump.”

“TUNIA! You can’t jump!” Lily screamed.

“Go ahead...JUMP,” Severus said under his breath. Lily nudged him sharply in the ribs and glared. “OW--okay, DON’T jump, Petunia.”

Petunia cackled...and stepped off the branch. The crack that resulted from her fall pierced through them all.

“PETUNIA!” Lily shrieked, crumbling next to her instantly. “You broke somethin’!”

“I KNOW--GO GET MOM AND DAD--HURRY!”

Severus couldn’t hide the smug smirk on his face.