one
I became aware of who and where I was on the day of my eleventh birthday. I had a plain cake with no lettering and three small candles. I felt mildly offended on behalf of Petunia Evans… before I realized I had either just killed her or that I was now, in fact Petunia Evans.
For the next week I tried to reconcile the surge of memories from this new life with the lack of memories from my previous one. I felt I should be more sad with their loss, but I couldn’t remember anything personal to care enough. But obviously I remembered Harry Potter. I was excited about being a witch, I didn’t for a minute think that I was like the original Petunia that wasn't one. It would be a little too cruel to place me here and not give me magic.
x
It was now nearing the end of May and only one more month of school. So I still had to get up every weekday and spend most of my day with a rather unpleasant group of kids. I was three years older than Lily who (surprise, surprise) was quite popular in school among the kids and the staff. As far I could see Petunia was only tolerated, Petunia had been sharp tongued and unwilling to compromise or get along with any of the kids so it was understandable. So when I started to pull back people let me, even Lily. I had thought that the girl would be more attached to her older sister, but apparently not.
As to me and Lily? Well... Petunia and Lily Evans were very different. Lily had a mass of untamed brilliantly red hair and Petunia had thick pin straight pale blonde hair. Lily had a rounded softer face and Petunia had sharp features with high cheekbones. Lily had a cute button nose and Petunia had a sharp pointed nose. Lily had full pouty lips and Petunia had thin ones. Lily had a soft glow and a pretty tan and Petunia had a pale face that burned under the sun. Lily had uncommonly bright green eyes and Petunia had pale blue eyes. It didn't help that my eyebrows and eyelashes were also pale, I wished they were darker and that I had fuller lips, it would change her face so much. Lily was more conventionally pretty and people paid more attention to her and were more willing to let her mistakes by as a result. I could understand why Petunia developed some resentment towards her sister, especially after finding out she was a witch and that she was more 'special'. I mean, I do not condone her attitude towards Harry, but I understand her jealousy more. Honestly I would be jealous too.
The day after I had made those enlightening observations, I woke up with my eyebrows and eyelashes darker and my lips much fuller and poutier. I looked like a different version of Petunia, a prettier one. At first I was thrilled and then realized how would I explain this? I was afraid of what everyone would think. But surprisingly no one noticed? More accurately no one commented, as if I always looked like this. And that is how I learned that pretty privilege was real. Jokes aside, everyone was especially nice to me afterwards. Even the girls who would snidely comment on my name, though to be fair I thought the name Petunia was stupid too.
x
Eventually it was the end of the school year and the start of the summer break. I can now sleep in! Small mercies. Unfortunately, because I was the oldest it meant that I had to watch Lily when she wanted to go to the park. So the next couple of weeks were defined by her being dragged around by Lily. At least it let me confirm that the Snapes still live on Spinner's End and Lily and Snape had yet to meet. I had wondered why Lily wasn't talking about magic and Hogwarts etc. It also made me realize that it was 1968, meaning I would be at Hogwarts for three whole years before Lily came. In hindsight I should have noticed this earlier, but come on. I had died and woke up as Petunia Evans, I deserve some slack.
I had tried to do more magic after my altered appearance obviously, and came up with mixed results. Thankfully my effort with notice-me-not charms and slight confundus worked. I always had drinks and ice cream from the corner store. Should I have used my magic to steal? No. Do I particularly care? Not really. Regardless, I was always quite refreshed that summer and every summer afterwards because it was wandless magic. Harry was caught when Dobby used that Levitation Charm because it was powerful enough to register. My wandless magic was not. Yes, I had taken the time to look that up later.
x
I wasn't sure when letters for Hogwarts were sent out, but judging from the first book it took about a little over a week before Vernon Dursley decided to leave Privet Drive and Harry’s birthday was the 31st of July, so the week of the 21st? Anyway I tried to be in the house in the mornings and afternoons beginning then, and on the 26th at around 10:40 there was a knock on the door. It was only me and Dad at home. Mum had gone for a little day trip with a neighbor and had taken Lily with her, I had vehemently refused when asked.
I opened the door to a tall woman with horn rimmed spectacles and her black hair in a tight bun. She was wearing what looked like an Edwardian dress with a long robe over it. She didn't have a pointed hat on, but I suppose that would have stood out in a muggle neighborhood. Not that being dressed in several heavy layers wasn't doing that already.
“Hello, I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I am here to speak to Miss P. Evans about her place at my school. May I come in?” she asked politely.
I waved her in as I gawked at her walking past me and greeting my dad in the sitting room. I joined them after closing the door and the professor went into the whole ‘magic is real, your daughter is a witch, yes we have a government, the school is free but you have to buy your own supplies, about £100 would be enough’.
As I was nodding along to her explanation I was surprised by that. What? I thought the conversion rate was like £4/5 to a Galleon? Obviously I didn't voice that out, I shouldn't know anything. The professor was in a hurry and expected us to come along with her immediately. My dad wanted to wait for mum to discuss this, but honestly after someone made you float high enough to touch the ceiling and turned your coffee table to a pig and back you didn't tell her no. I was already dressed, so as he was getting ready I asked the professor some random questions to confirm I'm in the Harry Potter world I know and not some weird alternate reality. Even if I was, what did that matter? I will deal with whatever comes my way hopefully.
I was going to Hogwarts!
I tried very hard to keep my happy squealing inside.
I was unsuccessful.