Petunia Evans
1st September 1978á
It was quite an unpleasant day, as usual. In the last weeks of the summer break the weather had been quite chilly, rainy, and unnaturally foggy. As if the weather was trying to warn the people of the bad that was coming. But the people who were walking on the street of London just waved a hand saying it was Britain after all. However, a few, very bizarre looking robe-wearing people looked quite worried while reading unusual newspapers which Petunia Evans swore that she saw moving just a few days ago. She of course never dared to tell Vernon – the boy she was dating with for almost two years now. He must have thought she lost her mind. She also forgot to mention the little fact that her sister is slightly bit different.
“My sister’s a freak. No need to give attention to her. Pretend she isn’t there.” she said to Vernon the first time she introduced him to her family.
So, they didn’t. And Petunia acted as if she didn’t see the pain in her sister’s eye when she said that. They grew apart. It was easier that way.
“She chose that abnormal world. She had a choice. And she chose them. Not me.” That’s what she said to herself every time, when she walked by her sister’s room at night and heard her crying. Sometimes – for a brief moment – she wanted to stop. She wanted to knock, and come in. Hug her. Sleep in her room as they did, when they were smaller, and Lily was afraid of the thunders. She always comforted her. Always let her stay for the night. They whispered until early in the morning, tried to laugh quietly so their parents won’t notice it.
But these days were over. She started to spend all her time with those four odd boys. The small one, who was very quiet, and followed the others around all the time like a dog, copying them. The one, who Petunia was sure to be queer with his long black hair and leather jacket, always secretly looking at the third boy who seemed to be oblivious. He was very thin, and exceptionally tall full of scars constantly smoking and having a very rough, welsh accent. Petunia liked him the less. And there was the fourth boy. That Potter. Round glasses, very posh accent, frequently messes up his hair for added windswept effect, constantly tossing around a little gold ball and every single time when he caught it he looked around for appreciation. It drove Petunia crazy. Lily said the same, although Petunia once noticed her doodling the letters J and P in her diary.
“Petunia, darling, are you ready? We have to leave or we’ll be late!” she heard her mother’s voice from downstairs.
She was ready. She had been for an hour now. But she couldn’t get herself to tell them, that she has no intention on coming with them this year. She hated it there. She hated the feeling that she had whenever they got through that wall. And the platform was crowded and busy and full of cats, owls and on Petunia’s fright with frogs!
But most importantly it was full of wizards and witches. With people who were able to do magic. Who could make light in the dark, and conjure bright animal figures that could protect them. They could make objects transform into animals or make things fly. And Petunia wanted to be able to do that. She wanted all of it so badly. She wanted to be the part of this world. She even wrote a letter to Albus Dumbledore once when she was little to let her attend to the school where Lily goes. It was silly. She knew. She didn’t tell anyone. Not even Vernon. She knew he would think she lost her mind. That was her secret. Her biggest secret.
“Petunia!” Lily opened the door “Everyone’s waiting for you!”
“Why? I’m not going.” she shrugged without looking into her sister’s eye.
“What?” Lily was truly shocked.
Petunia finally looked at her. She was pretty, as always. Her long, ginger hair was shiny and – to Petunia’s surprise – she curled it. But it looked so natural that Petunia had a thought that she did it with magic. She was wearing her uniform, but she will put a coat over it as she always does so people won’t side-eye them on their way to the train. Her green eyes just a few minutes ago sparkled with excitement but now all Petunia could see is disappointment. She regretted her decision now but there were no coming back from this. She had to go through it.
“You heard me well. I’m not going. Vernon will pick me up and we will go to work together” she said while looking at her outfit in her mirror as if she hadn’t been doing it for the last thirty minutes.
“But…” Lily whispered, “We can’t go without you!”
“Why not!?” She snapped “You leave me out of everything anyway! How interesting that when you have your little freak friends over, you never think about me. You never once think ‘oh, shouldn’t we include Petunia too?’! And suddenly, when you don’t have anyone else, I’m all interesting! I’m only your backup plan, aren’t I?”
She didn’t want to yell. She didn’t want to say all of this out loud. It just happened. But she’s not going to see her sister for another four months again. And even then, all Lily’ going to be talking about is Hogwarts this, and Hogwarts that, Dumbledore, Severus, Potions, blah, blah, blah… She was sick of it.
“You are not my backup plan, Pets! You’re my sister!” said Lily panicking with teary eyes.
“Am I?” Whispered Petunia “Or am I just another muggle who wouldn’t understand?”
“Please, Tuney! It’s my last year.” she said, reaching for her sister’s hand, but Petunia pulled away. “James says we must not leave while angry or without saying goodbye. These days you never know…” She said with a break in her voice, tears running down on her face.
“I don’t give a damn about what that Potter boy has to say. Go to him then if he’s so wise!”
“No, that’s not why I said it…” Lily tried to explain herself.
“I DON’T CARE! Get out Lily!” Petunia turned around and tried to push her sister out of her room. “I said get out!”
“You are so selfish! You’re just jealous because you never got to be the part of this!” Said Lily now practically sobbing but finally out of Petunia’s room.
“Don’t make me laugh! Now go and have fun with your freak friends! And don’t even bother to write to me. Although I know you wouldn’t anyway. You’d be too busy to.” And with that Petunia slammed the door right in front of her sister’s face.
She waited. She heard Lily’s quiet sob. After a few minutes her footsteps faded, and she heard the car pulling out of the garage.
“She left” thought Petunia “As she always does.”