Finding home
Petunia Evans sat at her grandmother Daisy's kitchen table, the air thick with the rich aroma of hot chocolate and the kind of warmth that only a grandmother's love could bring. Snowflakes danced outside the window, swirling in a winter ballet, settling softly on the ground, draping the world in white. Petunia's friends, Yvonne and Emma, exchanged glances, sensing the heaviness that clung to Petunia. She had been unusually quiet, lost in thoughts that seemed to linger just out of reach.
"Petunia, come on, tell your grandma what happened at the Evans’," Yvonne nudged her gently. Emma looked at her with concern, as if trying to read the story unfolding behind Petunia’s tightly pressed lips.
Taking a deep breath, Petunia finally broke the silence. "Grandma," she said, her voice small but resolute.
Daisy looked lovingly at her, her blue eyes sparkling with warmth. "Yes, darling, what is it?"
Petunia hesitated, trying to find the right words. "How would you feel about adopting me?"
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Daisy’s expression morphed from affection to confusion. "Is it about your parents?" she asked, concern knitting her brows.
Petunia didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she stared down at her untouched mug of hot cocoa, the marshmallows slowly melting into oblivion. "Grandma, it’s not just about neglect. There’s a lot that you don’t even know about."
"Please, Grandma," Petunia continued, her voice trembling, hopeful yet pained. "Just agree to the adoption. I can’t stay with Rose and Harold anymore."
Daisy’s eyes widened. "Why are you calling them by their names?" she asked incredulously.
Emma piped up, "Should we tell her, Tuney?"
"Tell me what? What’s going on?" Daisy demanded, a hint of panic creeping into her voice.
"Well," emma said slowly, "looks like we’re gonna have to get it over with eventually. Your granddaughter just found out that Harold Evans is not her biological father."
Daisy turned to Petunia, disbelief etched into her features. "Is this true?"
Petunia nodded gently. "Yes, Grandma, it’s true. Everything is clearer now. I see how they overlooked me, treated me as if I were invisible, while pouring affection on Lily as if she were a prized possession." Tears filled her eyes, which she angrily wiped away. "Meanwhile, I was dismissed and given only the most trivial things."
Her grandmother’s heart ached for her granddaughter. "Petunia," Daisy said gently, "I’m so sorry that you had to go through this." As the weight of the revelation bore down on her, Daisy recalled memories of her son’s indifference at Petunia’s birth. She had seen it, had felt it in the air, but had brushed it aside. Now, it all clicked into place.
"But," Daisy continued, her tone serious, "they won't agree to hand you over to me. It will take a long time for legal battles." Daisy put a mental note in her head that she needs to talk to her son and daughter-in-law.
A playful grin emerged on Petunia's face, catching her grandmother off guard. "Don't worry, Grandma. I’ve got a strategy. They’ll gladly transfer their parental rights to you if they know what's good for them." For an instant, her tone echoed that of a Slytherin.
Daisy blinked at her granddaughter, realization sinking in. Petunia had changed in ways she hadn't fully understood. "Petunia," she began hesitantly, "this isn’t just about getting out of your current home, is it?"
Petunia shrugged, a hint of defiance lingering in her expression. "Let’s just say I’ve seen how the other half lives, and I want nothing to do with the Evans anymore."
Her friends began to gather their things. "It’s getting late," Yvonne said. "Bye, Petunia. See you tomorrow."
"Bye, guys," Petunia replied, her voice still echoing uncertainty.
Once they left, Daisy pulled Petunia into a tight embrace, her heart heavy. "I promise you, we will figure things out. I love you."
"I love you too, Grandma," Petunia replied, though a shadow loomed in her heart. As Daisy retreated to her own thoughts, Petunia headed to her new room. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with the complexity of her future. She was filled with a longing that rivaled the emptiness she felt in her childhood home.
She remembered the bleak memories of her revolting husband Vernon, her pampered son Dudley, and her nephew Harry, who had endured the same indifference and cruelty. It was Harold Evans who had been her initial teacher. After that, her thoughts wandered to another name—Raven. She could only grasp fleeting images, echoes of a love that had faded over time. While the specifics had grown hazy in her mind, his essence remained clear, a shining beacon of hope.
"Do you really love me, Raven?" Petunia murmured to the moon, which cast its shimmering silver glow through the window. "Are you looking for me? Because I remember so many things, but I still can’t seem to remember you’re face”."
As sleep began to claim her, she mumbled softly, "It doesn’t matter, because I’m going to find you. And when I do, I will never let go of your hand."
With that promise resting on her lips, Petunia drifted into a troubled sleep, her heart tinged with a blend of hope and darkness, plotting a new path towards a life unburdened by the past. The world outside continued its quiet slumber, the snowflakes whispering secrets only the wind could know.
Unbeknownst to Petunia, Daisy stood just outside her door, the echoes of Petunia's fervent conversation caressing the air like a haunting melody. "What are you hiding, Petunia?" Daisy pondered silently, a knot of worry tightening in her chest. The connection between them had grown more complex, and Daisy knew she needed to tread carefully.
In the stillness of night, Petunia, enveloped in a dreamlike haze, got out of bed and meandered into the dark. Without thinking, she grasped her black violin, the instrument calling to her very soul. She started to play a gentle tune that eluded her memory—a melody filled with hope, longing, and unfulfilled promises.
Daisy heard the music, a hauntingly beautiful sound that pulled at her heart. Drawn to it, she stepped into the room, captivated by her granddaughter’s talent as she played, the notes echoing the pain and hope within her. Mesmerized, Daisy gently paused Petunia’s bow, the room now filled with a different kind of silence.
“You possess a remarkable gift,” she murmured, her voice shattering the enchantment. Petunia blinked, watching as the dreams faded like mist in the sunlight. “Grandma, it all happened so quickly; I couldn't even manage my own body,” vulnerability shining in her gaze. A fresh chapter lay ahead, resonating with memories of the past and hints of a hopeful tomorrow. Together, they would shatter the cycle.