Petunia was seven when she saw her little sister suddenly jump from a swing while she was pushing from behind, the height was so tall that Petunia panicked when Lily push off from the plank. To the older sister’s awestruck, Lily had floated in the air like a fairy in the woods from the fairytales Petunia had read to her sister, and landed on the ground as elegant like those beautiful creatures. Petunia was stock mesmerized before remembering what her sister had done and scolded her off like an older responsible sister would. Lily had cried, hugging Petunia tightly sniffing forgiveness to her, of course Petunia had relented and they ended their day with chocolate ice creams from the pocket money their parents had left for Petunia before going back home.
Petunia was ten when Lily offered her palm growing a single pod of daisy flower while grinning widely in excitement as the older girl look astonished before gasping suddenly in horror slapping the hand away. Petunia had freaked out at the impossibility and acted by instinct. Daisies don’t grow on your palm, they grown on soil. She never wanted her sister to touch something like that and was about to tell her not to bring anymore strange things she finds, but Lily had look back at her hurt and confused, her hand was now covered in more daisies. Petunia was going to grab her hand in a starting panic; she was going to shake it off her sister but Lily moved from her, running away up a hill beside an old big tree. Petunia called her back, asked her to come home with her and stay away from freakish things or she’s going to tell their mother. A young thin and lanky boy with shoulder length black hair and pale skin wearing clothes that were way too big for him, emerges from the trunk, he too had offer a hand to Lily as two leaves floated from his palm, like a small bird with two wings. When he spoke and told her Lily was a witch, Petunia realized that her sister had been the one that blossom the daisy in her hand.
Petunia was thirteen when she stopped following Lily and Severus around and focuses more on her studies. The two magical children were bound to go to a magical school that Petunia jealously spoke ill of. Her two years tailing her sister and her friend from performing freakish things around public areas, scolding them off that it wasn’t normal and they should watch out from other people usually ended with the two of them running and hiding away from her. Petunia would huff, stamp and call them out before giving up but still waiting for them to escort her sister back home, the Snape boy goes home on his own. Lily was excited to go to Hogwarts, Petunia wasn’t, Lily was constantly bubbling about magic and Petunia keeps bringing logic and science into the topic, Lily was trying to hang on, Petunia was letting go.
Petunia was seventeen when she found her sister coming home dejected and no Snape boy following her like a puppy. She never asked what had happened, she never bother to listen about her freakish world for three years since her attendance in Hogwarts. Petunia kept to herself around Lily but Lily kept holding on.
Petunia was twenty when she left home, she had just graduated nursing university and venture to London, she never told their parents about her leaving just a letter of her plan and only addressed to them both, not a single name of her sister were found in the content.
Half a year later she got married; an accountant named Vernon that she met during her university. The wedding was simple and ordinary and Petunia had only invited her Parents since they were the other normal people in her family. It was during the reception that she found out from her mother that Lily had married as well, to a man that her sister had been complaining and protecting her friend from for years since Hogwarts. Petunia called her a ‘weird-freak’ for choosing a man that she hates, her parents left with a sore and sad goodbye.
Petunia was twenty-two when her parents died in a car accident. Her father’s old-outdated car finally gave up and lost control of the staring wheel before diving into cold winter waters. Petunia couldn’t attend the funeral since she just gave birth to her son and was dishearten and devastated. Vernon called them drank in her sorrow but apologized later upon realization and left her to mourn for the rest of the week. That was when she wrote to her sister, asking for her forgiveness and to come to her because she needed Lily, her other remaining family beside her son. Petunia’s letter didn’t get a reply, her wish wasn’t heard like when she wished to attend Hogwarts as well, and she mourned alone.
Petunia was twenty-three when a child was left in her doorstep crying softly in cold October night. A letter was left with him and she understands why her sister couldn’t answer to her letters a year ago, they were in hiding, her bitterness melting and her sadness resurfacing, Lily and her husband were killed by a mad man and their child, her nephew, her sister’s son, Harry James Potter was the only survivor. Petunia didn’t question how those freaks treat their children in their world, she didn’t care as she bundle the boy up in her arms, rubbing him warmly as she sooth him and mourn another family.
Petunia was twenty-five when Harry showed his magic, she and Vernon found him floating Dudley’s toys flying around in the shared toddlers room, the two cousins were giggling softly, just like the first time Lily had done magic, Petunia look astounded, it had been a while since she’s seen magic. The last time was when Snape-boy intentionally dropped a small twig from a tree when Petunia had been telling them off about showing their magic around people again. Petunia had been so mad that she lashed out at Lily and at Severus before going home alone. The joy was abruptly stopped when Vernon pushed her away from the door, stomping towards the crib and snatching her nephew away from his cousin, causing the toys to fall, the magic gone. She snapped out from her daze when she heard the first smack followed by a cry and then another and another. Harry was being bitten and Petunia couldn’t do anything as she watch her husband with clear fury in his eyes, screaming and shouting words that are inappropriate for a child of three. That was the first time she was scared of her husband.
Petunia was twenty-seven when she plucked out the courage and snuck out her nephew out of their home in the middle of the night. It had been two years since the abuse started; Harry’s magic didn’t stop even if he tries so desperately. Asking Petunia to tell him what he was trying to stop every time she tends to his injuries. She never had the courage to tell him, never bather to explain things to him even though she knew he was smart like his mother, a trait that he seem to inherit from her. She had planned to let it be until he attends for Hogwarts, let it him endure. Vernon hated Harry, hated his freakiness, and Petunia hated her husband. She couldn’t afford to leave her husband even when she herself was scared of him. Petunia didn’t manage to practice her degree before she got married. But she couldn’t let her nephew suffer so much at a tender age; she wasn’t cruel enough to not do something when she could. For what love she has for her sister, which was always there, she stop waiting in the background and took matters in to her own hand. She took him to London and to a local orphanage in his sleep. She never looked back.
It was three months later that she felt regret. It was like abandoning her sister again. Vernon didn’t question her about his whereabouts; he had merely celebrated with a toast of champagne after demanding a feast from her, she had protested at him for the first time but she ended up with a bruise on her chick. Vernon had apologized later after returning back from his work. Petunia hated him more.
Another three months after that she plans after a month of sleepless nights thinking about her nephew and worrying about when Vernon would strike again. She had visited London’s public court to fill an abuse complain before backing out and instead made a detour to request any wills left by her parents, perhaps hoping for a fortune or a house for her to live with her son if ever she went through with the complains. There were none, but there were something from Lily. Apparently her sister had registered Harry in their world as well, separating another registration in Lily’s world. She had made a secure founding for him when he attends schools in their world and even registered ‘Muggle’ godparents as well. Petunia had been made Godmother which had her leaping in tears; her sister had still loved her even when she had abandoned her. The Godfather on the other hand was Severus Snape, the thin boy who had been following Lily around and another magic person as well. There was also a letter address to him, but Petunia didn’t opened it and simply put it in her pocket. An idea forming, if there is someone who can take care of Harry both for Lily and for magic, Severus was the perfect candidate. Abandoning her main purpose, Petunia blindly search for the pub that Lily had lead them too to purchase her Hogwarts supply. It took her an hour and a half to locate Leaky Cauldron and another thirty minutes to compose her letter before asking for the pub owner to deliver her letter and the letter from her sister explaining her being a muggle but having knowledge of the Wizarding world. Tom, the bartender, accepts and had personally used his own owl to deliver the letter, refusing payment when Petunia offered, as it was she was visibly miserable that he took pity of her. Petunia didn’t argue with him and left the pub hopeful.
It was by the end of the year that Petunia found a letter in her mail box address to her, it was a regular mail and delivered normally with no returning address but the moment she open the contained she knew who it came from.
Written in an elegant cursive was a single word.
“ Safe”