II
James realised he loved Petunia on their first date. The one he fought tooth and nail to make a reality; not using his money or family connection. It was just him, stuttering to ask her on a date straight out of Hogwarts.
Being with Petunia made James a better man, a better person, and he realised that his heart could be so full of love for another person.
James wanted to spend every time with Petunia, that's why he ordered a ring to be made just for her. A small white gold band with moonstone in the middle, surrounded by tiny aquamarine.
It was a simple ring compared to what his family had for generations. But it was a ring that showed his sincerity to her. That says he would always be around Petunia and would never stray.
But seeing that ring in Lily's hand made his blood boils.
"Why do you have that ring, Evans?" James hissed darkly while looking at the ring that nested coldly on Lily's finger, his wand already at hand.
"What do you mean, James?" Lily asked, confused. "You gave me this ring when you proposed, saying that it was to show your sincerity. Have you forgotten?"
"It was never meant for you!" James snapped, and the lights on the ward flickered. The toddler on Lily's waist crying.
"Da? Da!" the toddler tried to reach him, but James could only see betrayal.
"I thought of you as my sister I never had, and this is how you repay me? By feeding me love potions, is it? Love potions that are strong enough to make me forget everything and bed you!"
"James!" Lily cried as she bounced the child. "I am your wife! And Harry is your son! Please remember!"
James saw fury and spat at Lily. "The only wife I would be taking is Petunia, and my children would be from her. You will hear from Wizengamot about your crime."
The child cried harder; his green eyes were full of tears. James waved his wand, and the ring on Lily's fingers snapped in two. It quickly goes to James' hand before it could fell on the ground.
"What crime? We married, and I bore you a son, James Potter! You can't do this to me!"
But James turned on his heels and disapparated, leaving everyone on St. Mungo's aware that Lily Potter gave her husband love potions.
James apparated to Sirius' flat he shared with Remus and Peter and found it empty.
"Pads! Moony! Wormy!" He called out, shaking and weak, his knees on the floor. "Somebody! Help me!"
Sirius and Remus apparated to the living room as if they heard his plea. James quickly stands up from the floor.
"What are you doing here?" Remus snapped at him, wand ready at hand.
"Moony, Pads, help me," his voice croaked, begging. "Lily fed me love potions, and I found out I had a son. I don't know what happened, and I don't know who to trust anymore."
Sirius' eyes hardened. "She fed you what?"
"I was at St. Mungo's, and Mary told me I had unidentified materials inside my body for more than a year. I don't remember everything that happened since Samhain last year." James rambled before looking at Remus. "I remember we drank and asked Moony to bring me to the loo; everything was a blur afterwards."
Remus inhaled sharply, visibly shaking. "Bloody Merlin. I had a hunch you were weird after that, but I never thought that— Oh, I'm so sorry Prongs."
James ran to hug Remus and Sirius, crying onto their shoulders.
"I don't even know what I say to Tuns after that cursed night. I must have hurt her." James bawled, and for someone who rarely cried, he was not holding back. "I didn't know what to say when I met her, so I came here. I really need your help."
Sirius cleared his throat. "Actually, we just came back from her shop."
James' face lit up. "Is she there? Is she alright?"
"Yvonne almost threw Sirius out," Remus whispered, feeling tired. "But she saw me and told us that Petunia is taking a break to Greece."
"Yvonne is always fond of you, Moons." James tried to find the strength to laugh. "It's okay; I can wait until she comes back. I will tell her everything."
"I don't know if that was a good idea, mate." Sirius broke free from James's hug. "Before now, I had every intention to storm to your place and beat you."
"I understand, Pads. If I were in your place, I would do the same. But Tuns deserves to know,"
"What would you do after that?" Remus bit back; his eyes were hard.
"I—I don't know. I just want to apologise, and I hope she will forgive me." James inhaled and rubbed his eyes. "I can't ask for more from her."
"Good. Because I don't think Petunia's boyfriend would be happy when you show up and asks her to be with you again."
Silence filled the room, so much so James heard his own heartbeats.
"Her boyfriend?" James faintly whispered; he was almost sure no one heard, but their faces said otherwise.
"You don't expect her to mop after you dump her like a used cloth, aren't you?"
Peter's voice could be heard from the stairs, and James saw his friend was frightened—warry of his presence.
"Wormtail—" Remus cut. "If you heard enough, you should know it's not his fault."
"But no one knows that, right? Especially not Petunia." Peter's hand shaking. "She just knows you are a jerk and decided to move on."
"Enough!" Remus raised his voice.
"Just because he said he was under love potions, we should forgive him right away?" Peter snapped and looked at James in disgust, his eyes red and lips curled cruelly. "You were not there when she cried herself to sleep, Remus! None of you were! I am!"
"What are you saying?" James walked to Peter. "What did she do?"
"Oh, do you want to know how she bawled and almost drank herself to death? Of how when Remus confronted you when you sent the invitations for your wedding, I was the one who cared enough to check her? How I was the one who cast Incendio to all the things you gave her? Or when I couldn't answer as she asked how you could do that to her between her tears? I was there, Potter! I watched her pick up her broken heart and put it back together!"
James stared at Peter and saw how his little friend, who was always timid, stood up for Petunia.
"You could hex me again like you did when I objected at your wedding, but I would gladly do it again for Petunia." Peter looked at Sirius and Remus. "You can say and think whatever you like, but I like Petunia well enough. She deserves an explanation, but don't expect her to forgive you immediately."
"I understand," James said between his tears. "Thank you for standing up for me. I can't thank you enough, Wormtail. And I'm so sorry for the pain I caused you."
"How can I stay mad at you when you look at me like that? Come here." Peter pulled James into a hug after a while.
"I miss you guys."
"Missed you too, Mate." The Marauders went into a group hug.
"Have you talked to Petal, Wormy?" Sirius asked after they separated.
"A few times before," Peter answered. "She introduces me to her boyfriend, Luca Zabini. Few years ahead of us."
"What? His boyfriend is a wizard?" Remus gasped. "Did she know?"
Peter shook his head. "Not at the moment, no. But I reckon he will tell her soon enough; he seems serious with her. Of course, we pretend to not know each other."
"Did you know where she is now?" James looked at him, hopeful.
Peter seemed to remember something and ran to his room on the second floor and returned with Daily Prophet in his hand.
"I forgot to tell you, but you should see this." Peter handed James Daily Prophet. "I couldn't believe my eyes at first, but I read enough to confirm it was real."
On the front page, James saw Petunia smiling at the camera. Her hair was longer now, and her eyes twinkled with mischief that James missed so much.
But what shocked him the most was the headline that read, LONG LOST MALFOY DAUGHTER FINALLY FOUND? LORD LUCIUS MALFOY CONFIRMED THAT LADY PETUNIA MALFOY WAS INDEED HIS SISTER, THAT WAS ABDUCTED AS A BABY WHEN THEY WERE IN FRENCH BY FAMILY ENEMIES. FULL STORY ON PAGE 2.
Daily Prophet page 2
Lord Lucius Malfoy confirmed that Lady Petunia Malfoy was indeed his long-lost sister that was abducted when Malfoy Family went on a holiday in French.
We all knew this heartbreaking story from many years ago, of how Lady Leora Malfoy was abducted in her crib years ago and Late Lady Malfoy died of heartbreak.
Thousands of Galleons were spent to find the little Lady with no luck until seven months ago; Lord Malfoy finally found the sister he had longed for.
The Lady was left on the street as a toddler and adopted by muggles. Lady Malfoy grew up in the northern part of Muggle Britain, believing herself as a muggle. The Muggle family is known to have a muggleborn daughter who attended Hogwarts, but their identities were closed off to protect their privacy.
Even believing herself as a muggle growing up, Lady Leora Malfoy—that will now be addressed as Lady Petunia Malfoy per her request, was noted as an excellent and talented girl.
Lady Petunia Malfoy excelled in fencing, horse riding, croquet, and even as far as ice skating, which muggles deemed complicated and needed natural talent. Here, we attached a few photographs from the Lady's Tournament before she retired at the tender age of 18.
[photographs of Lady Petunia holding gold medals in fencing] [photographs of Lady Petunia on ice] [photographs of Lady Petunia with her team at a tournament with golden throphy]
As a celebration of the return of Lady Petunia, Lord Lucius Malfoy and Lady Narcissa Malfoy invited all of their family friends to join them in a banquet at Malfoy Manor.
Our source said this banquet would be one of a kind, considering Heir Luca Zabini shall attend as Lady Petunia's significant other.
We will wait until an announcement is made to form a bond between the couple. This is Rita Skeeter reporting.