She knew she shouldn't be there. She shouldn't be sitting in a coffee shop waiting for one of them to come talk to her when she could be at home and dry with little Dudders. She shouldn't have had to deal with any of them anymore, not since her sister left for what she had presumed would be forever, and good riddance to that freak. Her sister, however, had had the amazing discourtesy to get herself blown up and leave Petunia taking care of her infant freak brat. The boy was proving to be clingy, always interrupting her with her Dudley as if demanding that he should get some attention too. This couldn't continue, she had been done with the freaks and she would very much like to return to that state. And so she was waiting in the café waiting for the only freak she could remember who was still alive and might talk to her while the babies were being watched by the old cat lady who had just moved in down the street.
It had taken months to arrange this meeting, many letters sent to the address where it had always been claimed that normal mail delivery would be re-routed by those abnormal owls. She had almost given up, figuring that he had died in whatever nonsensical violence her sister had been caught up in when the return mail came telling her to meet him at this location at three. It was ten past now, only went to show that those people had no sense of manners.
She recognized him the instant that he walked into the door. She would have recognized him anywhere, the boy that she had always found creepy, dirty, ugly, awful and for one summer that she would never admit to, handsome. His clothing was completely appropriate for normal people, a black turtleneck and black slacks under a black overcoat, and was noticeably of a higher quality than the rags he wore as a boy. And yet seeing him now she detected that he was something that she had never noticed in him before - he was dangerous. Whether it was the way he carried himself, or the fact that her sister's death had made that childish non-sense so much more immediate, she could not help but feel a new fear of him as he surveyed the café and walked directly to her table, taking a seat opposite her.
He ordered a cappuccino, and sat there in silence while he drank it down, neither of them sure how to start the conversation. When he had finished his beverage, he reached into his pocket and searched for his change. "Petunia, if you wish to speak with me I would suggest that you be quick about it."
She gathered herself mentally than said, "I was wondering if I really had to take the boy."
"Those are Dumbledore's wishes," Severus Snape replied.
"But he is just one man, surely everyone does not have to listen to him," she begged. "There must be one of your lot who can take the boy, someone who can talk some sense into him; we can't possibly continue to take care of him. Dumbledore does not have to be the one who decides."
"I am not interested in opposing his wishes on this matter," he responded.
"Then why did you agree to meet me," she asked, trying not to seem too emotional in contrast to his calm demeanor.
"You have sent me thirty letters asking to meet," he said. "I did not desire to receive many more before you stopped."
"So you really don't care, is that it," Petunia started.
"I am unclear as to why the guardianship of the Potter spawn should be remotely my concern," Snape said. "Professor Dumbledore has his reasons, and while I cannot fathom his reasoning, I cannot come up with a reasonable alternative. I'm afraid I cannot help you get rid of the brat."
"Why can't you just take him?" Petunia asked. "You were her friend, you know your freak magic, and you could raise him."
"Absolutely not," he replied. "My job would not permit it, and considering that Dumbledore is the one who hired me, I do not believe I could keep it long if I defied him."
She sighed in disappointment, but she had to find a way to get rid of the nightmare so she pressed on, "If you can't take him, what about his father's friends. I'm sure they would love to have him and it would solve all our problems. What about the handsome one with the motorcycle?"
"Sirius Black?" he asked, his previously blank eyes flashing with hatred. "He's currently in jail as an accessory to your sister's murder as well as for committing the murder of a wizard and thirteen muggles."
"No more than he deserves then," she replied. "The fat shy one?"
"Peter Pettigrew was most unfortunately murdered by the previously mentioned Mr. Black so I do not foresee him being able to take the boy at any point in the future," he said in a tone that made it doubtful that he found Mr. Pettigrew's death unfortunate at all.
"The tired shabby one?" she asked, despairing because this was her last option, the last of the people she had been introduced to at the brief visit she had paid to her sister's wedding.
"Remus Lupin might be interested in taking the boy off your hands, but I highly doubt there is anyone who would let him. He would make a highly… undesirable guardian," Snape said.
"Why?"
"For one thing he is a single man with no relation to the child, for another he is unemployed. He has spent most of this past year trying to drown his sorrows," Snape replied. "There is also the fact that as a werewolf it would be illegal for him to have legal custody. If you are still interested I can give you his contact information so you bombard him with your letters and leave me alone."
"So that's it then?" Petunia said. "There is nothing I can do; I have to keep the brat."
"Yes, you will have to keep the brat," he said and started to put on his coat to leave.
"You know it's all your fault," she said, suddenly crying. He startled and looked at her for a second then looked away, proving her point. "If you hadn't told her about magic she never would have gone to that freak school, never would have met that Potter and never would have gotten herself killed. If not for you my sister never would have left me and now she's dead and you can't even help me."
He sat there for a moment, and then resumed putting on his coat. "Petunia, you're making a scene," he said before walking out of the café, leaving her alone.
Disclaimer: This is JK Rowlings world.
Author's note: This came out shorter than expected, but I really wasn't sure what else these two would say to each other. Hopefully the next plot bunny will be lighter. Please review.