The suspicion
Chapter 3
November 1981
Petunia sat in the dimly lit study of her home, the remnants of her investigation spread out before her. Papers, letters, and documents she had meticulously gathered, cross-referenced, and analysed over the past week were scattered across her desk. She had always known that protecting Harry would be no simple task, but the pieces she was now putting together made her stomach twist with anxiety. Her instincts, honed by years of intelligence work, were screaming at her: something was terribly wrong.
The memory of Severus Snape as a young boy haunted her. She remembered her sister Lily mentioning his mysterious bruises, the way their parents exchanged worried glances, and the whispered conversations that followed. Petunia had always been too proud to inquire, too caught up in her jealousy of Lily's magical abilities to show much concern for her sister's strange friend. But now, with the knowledge she had acquired from her magical contacts, Petunia saw Severus in a new light—not just as the abused child from her memories but as a man who that abuse had twisted, now disenfranchised and embittered.
Yet, Severus was also the key to understanding what had happened to Lily and James—and, by extension, what fate awaited Harry if she didn't act swiftly.
Petunia's investigation had led her down a dark and tangled path, where every new piece of information only deepened her suspicion of Albus Dumbledore. The man who was supposedly the beacon of the magical world seemed to cast shadows wherever he went. The more she learned, the more she realised that this "keeping Harry safe" business might be far deadlier than she had ever imagined.
Dumbledore's secrecy and his seeming orchestration of events from the shadows make Petunia uneasy. She begins to suspect that he might have ulterior motives regarding Harry, possibly seeing him as a pawn in a larger game.
Her mistrust deepens when she uncovers Dumbledore's past decisions and how they've affected other families. Petunia starts to worry that Dumbledore might be manipulating Harry's life to serve his own purposes.
November 1981, a week after her investigation
A week after Petunia and Severus' first encounter. Where Elena Weiss, her European colleague specialising in magical protection, became invaluable. Elena was a seasoned operative and was present at the meeting as well. All were sitting together on the park bench.
Abuse…. That is the one clear memory Petunia has of Severus Snape. If the information she gathered is correct, even when she knows that no information is a hundred per cent accurate, what with people's bias, then this... she hopes that cultivating Severus as an asset will pan out.
November 1981
Petunia met Severus Snape in a secluded park in the outskirts of London, where the fog clung to the ground like a shroud. Severus appeared younger than she remembered—he was only 21, the same age as Lily would have been if she had lived. But despite his youth, there was an air of bitterness about him, as if life had already weighed heavily on his shoulders. Petunia, at 25, felt older, burdened by the responsibility of her unborn child and the knowledge that with Lily's death, her family was all but gone.
"You want me to work with you, Petunia?" Severus's voice was low, laced with suspicion. "I remember you were always jealous of Lily. I believe you when you say that Harry is part of her and that you want to keep him alive for that reason alone. But why would you want me to help you?"
Petunia looked at him, her gaze steady. "Because I know, Severus, that you've been involved with both Dumbledore and the Death Eaters. What I don't know is the 'when.' And before I lay my cards on the table, I need to ensure that you're someone I can trust."
Severus flinched as if she had struck him. The pain in his eyes was raw, a mix of guilt and anger. "There was a prophecy about the Dark Lord—a power that came from those who defied him. He believed it was the Potters. That's when I went to Dumbledore for help."
Petunia nodded slowly, her mind racing. "I see. But did you know that Harry would end up with me, Severus? The last time I spoke with my sister, we had an argument—both of us were too stubborn and hurtful to reconcile. So, I find it suspicious that my nephew was placed in my care, despite the fact that my name wasn't even mentioned in the will."
Severus looked at her, a mixture of confusion and alarm crossing his face. "No… Dumbledore said Harry would be placed in a safe location, that he was personally ensuring it."
Petunia leaned forward, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "And no one questioned that? I saw the will, Severus. My name wasn't on it. But do you know whose names were? Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and the Longbottoms. There was no mention of me."
Severus paled as the implications of what she was saying sank in. Petunia could see the gears turning in his mind, the sudden realisation that perhaps Dumbledore's intentions were not as pure as they seemed.
"I think," Petunia continued, her voice steady, "someone wanted Harry to grow up in a hostile environment, possibly to be neglected and abused, a lamb being fattened for the slaughter. And then there's the matter of Sirius Black—supposedly betraying his best friends and murdering a group of Muggles. But the more I look into it, the less it makes sense."
Petunia began to reveal the pieces of information she and Elena had uncovered. There were letters between Lily and Sirius, and between Lily and Dumbledore, that painted a very different picture from the one she had been led to believe. Sirius had been deeply loyal to the Potters—perhaps too loyal to betray them. And yet, he had been thrown into Azkaban without a trial, condemned by circumstantial evidence that didn't hold up under scrutiny.
Severus listened, his face growing more ashen with each revelation. When Petunia mentioned Lily's research into old blood protection rituals, particularly those associated with the Black family, Severus stiffened.
"Blood rituals... from the Black family?" he repeated, his voice hollow.
"Yes," Petunia confirmed. "Lily was looking into a ritual that could protect Harry by invoking the power of his godparent—Sirius Black. The irony is that such a ritual would have given Sirius a stronger claim to Harry, yet he was imprisoned with Dementors, beings that suck out your soul and leave you insane."
Severus's expression was one of utter horror as Petunia continued. "This is the information we gathered in just one week, Severus. If we dig deeper, who knows what else we might uncover? But what I know for certain is that Dumbledore's actions don't add up, and I can't trust him with Harry's life."
Severus was silent for a long moment before he finally spoke, his voice tight with emotion. "You want me to work with you to keep Harry safe and to find out if Sirius Black truly betrayed the Potters."
Petunia nodded. "Yes. Harry needs as many people in his corner as possible, and if that means proving Sirius innocent, reaching out to Remus, or teaming up with you, then that's what I'll do. In the long run, working together is the best plan."
Severus hesitated, then nodded. "I'll help you, Petunia. Only because I loved Lily."
With that, the two of them forged a tenuous alliance, sealed by a magical vow to ensure the secrecy of their mission. It was a complex and fraught partnership, driven by their shared love for Lily and their concern for Harry's safety
November 1981
Over the next week, Petunia's suspicion of Sirius Black's supposed betrayal gnawed at her. After her conversation with Severus, Petunia began questioning everything she’d been told about Sirius Black from the magical world, which thinks of him as a traitor to his friends. From what she understood, his home life was less than ideal, a tumultuous upbringing. Sirius was often cruel to Severus, and he bullied Severus continuously yet was fiercely loyal to the Potters.
His profile shows him as profoundly loyal to the Potters and his friends. She digs deeper into the evidence, realising that the case against him is full of holes.
Petunia enlists Elena’s help in gathering more information, using their connections to access classified files, eyewitness accounts, and any magical records that might reveal the truth about Sirius’s alleged betrayal.
Petunia contacts Severus, proposing a bold plan to clear Sirius’s name and expose the real culprit behind the Potters’ betrayal while also looking for Remus.
Severus, though initially reluctant, agrees to help. He has his own reasons for wanting to see the truth come to light, and he knows that Petunia’s network could provide the resources needed to make it happen.
Petunia, Severus, and Elena work together to gather evidence that exonerates Sirius. They track down Remus and even confront some of Voldemort’s former followers to piece together the real story, retrieving hidden memories through magical means. Remus tells them that his friends are Animagus.
To strengthen their case, Petunia and Severus realise they need the support of someone who has influence in the magical world. Severus proposes using Lucius Malfoy as an ally. Despite Petunia's mistrust of him, they know that Lucius’s connections within the Ministry could be pivotal in overturning Sirius’s conviction.
Petunia, leveraging her intelligence skills, approaches Lucius with a proposition. She presents him with evidence that exonerates Sirius and implicates others who could be rivals or threats to Lucius’s position. This appeals to his self-interest, and he agrees to lend his support, though his motives remain self-serving.
With the evidence in hand, Petunia and her allies present their findings to the appropriate magical authorities. They use their connections and Severus’s testimony to push for Sirius’s release.
November 1981
In addition to Lucius, Petunia and her network enlist the help of an unexpected ally, Mundungus Fletcher, a shady character with deep connections in the criminal underworld of the magical world.
Mundungus’s involvement is risky, but his network and knowledge of the underbelly of magical society prove invaluable in gathering the final pieces of evidence needed to clear Sirius’s name. He agrees to help, motivated by the potential gain in gold and favours from influential figures like Lucius Malfoy. Their investigation reveals that Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius, was the real traitor. They also discover how Pettigrew faked his death and framed Sirius, leading to his wrongful imprisonment.
With this new information, Petunia, Severus, Elena, and their allies orchestrated a covert operation to present their findings to the magical authorities. Lucius's strategic manoeuvring within the Ministry ensured that the evidence wasn't dismissed. With the evidence in hand and their unlikely allies on board, Petunia, Severus, and Elena orchestrate a covert operation to present their findings to the appropriate authorities in the magical world. This involves carefully navigating the bureaucratic and political landscape of the Ministry of Magic, where many still view Sirius as a traitor.
Lucius’s influence and strategic manoeuvring within the Ministry open doors that would otherwise remain closed. His involvement is critical in ensuring that the evidence is not dismissed out of hand.
The process is difficult, as the magical justice system is reluctant to admit its mistake. Still, the overwhelming evidence forces them to open the case as they had thrown Sirius in prison without a trial. Sirius is eventually exonerated and released from Azkaban.
November 1981
After the tense legal battle and Sirius's own testimony in court, Sirius is released from Azkaban; he is overwhelmed. His time in prison has left deep psychological scars, and he is in desperate need of rehabilitation.
Understanding the importance of mental health, Petunia insists on getting Sirius into therapy. She knows that for him to be of any help in protecting Harry and uncovering further truths about the magical world, he needs to be mentally and emotionally stable.
With Elena’s connections, they arrange for Sirius to receive treatment from a skilled magical therapist who specialises in healing the trauma caused by Dementors and the horrors of Azkaban.
Sirius is physically and mentally scarred but reluctant to go to therapy. Recognising this, Petunia insists that he receives proper treatment to help him recover from his traumatic experiences in Azkaban.
Petunia tells Sirius he will go to therapy or never see Harry again. Sirus relents and, through his recovery process, arranges for him to receive counselling from a trusted magical therapist. They also provide a safe environment where Sirius can heal and slowly reintegrate into society.
Sirius, now free and beginning his journey to recovery, becomes a significant ally in Petunia’s mission to protect Harry. His release also shifts the dynamics within the magical world, as many question the actions of those in power, including Dumbledore.
Petunia continues working with her network, including Severus and her unlikely allies, to safeguard Harry from looming threats. The alliance with Lucius remains tense and uneasy, with both sides aware that their cooperation is temporary and driven by mutual benefit rather than trust.
Now, if only the birth of her own child could go as smoothly as her covert operation, she would be happy—not bad for a month's work.