Chapter Text
Petunia Dursley lived a long life. She saw the world change from something she knew to become a place she didn’t belong to. How everyone before her got through the excruciating experience of old age was beyond her. Even as she closed her eyes and gave her final sigh, she was still secretly as terribly afraid and lonely of being old as much as she was when she was young. She had hardly accepted the idea of ageing even when she was decaying through the ages. And now, time had caught up to her. It said, “Your time is done” and she finally understood that her life was but a drop in the ocean.
Then it brought her back. Something- someone brought her back. She heard a strange tune, she’d dare say it sounded very much like the kind of music she would hear from some mystical being, a witch. Whoever was singing, was singing in a language she didn’t know.
Birds chirped as the music faded and darkness folded to morning light.
Petunia woke up in her childhood room. Pink curtains, red walls. Nostalgic obnoxious colours everywhere around her, in all their former glory. As if by habit, she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen downstairs. There was a lightness in her steps and her arms felt strong.
“Good morning, Petunia” Mummy smiled, “You’re up earlier than usual”
At the sound of her mother’s voice, Petunia broke out in tears. The vase on the dining table exploded.
…
“What’s happened to Tuney?” Lily asked innocently. She took a bite out of her toast and stared as Petunia wiped her eyes with the handkerchief papa had given her.
“Oh darling, everything’s okay. It was just a nightmare” Mummy said as she gave little rubs to Petunia’s back.
“No, it’s not!” Petunia cried, burrowing deeper into her embrace. “I-I’m scared”
“Now- now, stop crying, look!” Papa exclaimed, “There’s a letter for you”
Petunia sniffled as he handed her the letter after placing a few other envelopes on the table. It was a familiar yellow with a familiar purple seal. The address read:
Ms. P. Evans
Petunia’s Bedroom Upstairs
51 Jane’s Lane
Cokeworth
Lily leaned over her chair to get a look. Just before anybody could speak, there was a knock on the front door.
Mummy went out to open the door and Petunia turned back to look at the seal. It bore a coat of arms with H in the middle. She opened the letter with trembling hands. By good gods, it could not be what she thought it was.
The heavy parchment paper unfolded to an invitation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lily gasped, then squealed excitedly and clambered all over Petunia.
“You never told me-”
“Petunia, a Professor McGonagall from um-hog-? Ah- Hogwarts is here to see you” Mummy called. She entered with an elegant lady who was absolutely a witch. Petunia’s heart jumped.
“Good morning, Miss Evans” greeted Professor McGonagall. She seemed to tower over the two little girls sitting side by side.
Petunia opened her mouth but spoke nothing. She stared in disbelief, pale in the face. Lily tightened her grip on her big sister, too excited that she let out another squeal.
“Shall we take this to the sitting room?” Papa interrupted. He pointed to the hallway and put up a polite smile.
When the social niceties and introductions were over, Professor McGonagall began to explain all the basics of the wizarding world. In the Evans’ little home, there were three baffled adults (one in the body of a child) and one over-excited child.
“But I’m a muggle” Petunia whispered weakly.
“A muggle born ” Professor McGonagall corrected. “Strange things must surely have happened to you, has it not? Perhaps when you were scared or angry?”
The Evans couple looked at each other.
“That would be more evident with Lily” Papa answered, “We’ve never seen Petunia grow a flower from her hands or trip the Bakers when they pass by. Well- at least not until this morning when a vase exploded when she cried”
“Sometimes one’s magic may refuse to show a sign except just once or twice,” Professor McGonagall said, “That is enough evidence in itself”
Petunia stayed silent, absorbing every piece of information like a sponge. So her nightmare must not be a dream after all. But then what was it? And who was the one singing before she woke up? And why could she use magic ? That too, only just a few instances before she got her Hogwarts letter. Good gods, she got her very own Hogwarts letter?
Petunia was almost about to tell the witch that there must have been a mistake with the letter but then a thought came up. If this was the way she was going to enter Hogwarts, then she would take her chance. Even if it was by mistake. Living sixty years as a cautious muggle was quite enough for her. As of now, she was going to test her fate.
“I shall meet you on your first day at Hogwarts then, Miss Evans” said Professor McGonagall. She offered her a smile and shook her hand.
As soon as Petunia saw her parents and Professor McGonagall head out of the front door, Lily tackled her to the floor, clenched to her sides like a crab.
“Tuney! Tuney!” She giggled, “I can’t believe you’ll be going this September!”
Petunia watched the little redhead snuggle and kick her legs excitedly. A sudden urge to cry overtook her again. Years of hatred that she harboured for Lily had already faded as she grew older and older as a Dursley, but now that she could see her face, hear her voice and feel her skin, a deep guilt settled inside her.
Why had she traded her love for her sister for broken pride? Yet even then, she would not allow herself to hold it against her younger self. She hadn’t known any better way to accept that her life wasn’t as phenomenal as Lily’s. That her parents weren't as proud of her as Lily.
But if sixty years of living has taught her anything, it was that there were more things to be considered than just herself.
Petunia sighed and smiled sadly. She wrapped her arms around Lily and nuzzled her head to hers. In the silence of their embrace, with Lily in her arms, there was a familiar warmth that covered her. The same kind of warmth she felt when she held Dudley for the first time. A tear slipped down to her cheek.
After a minute or two, a low sniffle broke her train of thought. “Huh?” Petunia looked down. Lily’s shoulder shivered and her head dug into Petunia’s chest. All that was visible of her was her red hair haphazardly laid all over the two of them.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing” Lily whimpered and tightened her grip.