-A Life of Lies-
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter Universe, thus anything recognizable is owned by the author of the Harry Potter Series.
Petunia Evans, 53, lived a life of lies. She lied to her nephew that his parents died in a car crash, and told him nothing of his mother's strangeness. She exaggerated to her neighbors her son's non-existent success at school, and lied about her husbands respected position at work. For 45 years of her life Petunia Evans lied to her own heart, her own soul and the family around her.
Now her marriage of thirty-three years to Vernon Dursley was ending in divorce, due to the infidelity of her husband. Her lies and disguises are peeling away. Her true heart now lays nearly bare- scars showing, true loyalties uncovered.
Her son had grown to be a big fat idiot like his father- unlike her nephew- who had grown to become the perfect gentleman despite what she did to the boy as a child. Dudley graduated from Smeltings with barely passing grades, ending up in vocational school and a low paying job. However Petunia Evans presented her son in the best light she could.
Her husband had been sacked for selling his companies confidential information to his young new girlfriend, who worked as an office lady in a rivaling company. Despite knowing about her husbands affair, Petunia Evans became the envy of the neighborhood by fabricating stories of romantic events prepared by Vernon Dursley. In truth the man hardly remembered her birthday, not to mention their wedding anniversary.
Twenty years ago her heart had died while her body remained intact as her nephew carelessly mentioned the final battle against good and evil. Even so, she continued her life as though nothing had happened; web of lies still strung together.
She always said she disliked her sister- the freak- because of her abnormal freakiness. When her nephew said she was merely jealous of her magical abilities she'd secretly agreed. Her parents had always loved Lily for her abnormal abilities saying "Lily this, Lily that". No, of course not, that had never bothered Petunia Evans, not even when her sister transformed teacups in to frogs. Or at least that was what she told herself, and a new lie began.
Petunia Evans, at the age of 10, wanted to marry the perfect prince with a respectable economic background. At the time like any girl in right mind at her age, she'd fancied prince Andrew. Her sister Lily, on the other hand, showed no interest for princes or even playing princess. All "perfect" Lily wanted to do was ruin her life by showing off weirdo abilities.
Soon after Lily started to display magical abilities, that awful boy from Spinners End started sticking to Lily. The Snapes' were the worst sort of people to be around; utterly poor and filthy. The boy dressed in filthy clothes that deserved to be in the dump rather than on a boy. It was relief to know the feeling was mutual and the Snape boy dislike her as much as she disliked him. In her opinion at that time spending too much time with those types would have limited her chance of marrying well.
Her marriage to Vernon Dursley proved how her relations with her sister and that Snape boy affected her choice in marriage. Every man she dated would run away in terror after seeing her sister, or leave her after seeing that she lived in a neighborhood surrounded by the poor. Petunia never liked obese people, she was a dieter and extremely health conscious, but that would be expected with her bony appearance. Some nights in her marital bed she would worry waking next morning with several broken ribs, because of Vernons' enormous weight.
Petunia didn't need telling that her son was obese, but for appearance sakes she would continue to spoil her only son with what food she could afford. Knowing that people thought she married Vernon because he was her only choice (which was true) she decided to set up an alibi telling people that a proper man was a beefy man. Yes, that was a lie and it hurt the first few months, but after several years it came naturally and everyone believed she liked large men.
Generally, Petunia Evans was unhappy that she was not a witch and her sister was. But as her sister did more little tricks that amused the family, only Petunia could see her for what she was; a freak. She disliked that she would have to babysit her baby sister all the time; hated having to follow her out to meet her friend.
One day as she followed her sister to the woods Petunia overheard Severus's conversation with Lily. She heard many things but what shocked her most was the beauty of Snape's voice. Her image of Snape was changing, and it became harder to insult him; in the end she came up with a weak insult against his clothes. As soon as she said it she had regretted it, a branch fell down upon her. Even she, a muggle, could tell this boy had some strong magic in him.
A few months later a woman named McGonagall had reached their doorstep with a letter in one hand and a bag in another. She explained everything about Hogwarts, and Lily was beside herself in joy. Their parents had the widest smile Petunia had ever seen. They all set out for Diagon Alley with McGonagall.
There they saw Severus and Mrs. Snape, Lily had waved at them happily and Severus waved back. The two families shopped together and Petunia started to feel strange. At the time she couldn't classify the emotion but now she knows that the emotion that she felt that day was jealousy.
Not jealous of her sisters magical abilities, Petunia was pathetically jealous that her sister could capture Severus's mind and heart so fully at once. Yet, the boy wouldn't care to take even a glance at her. Her parents were talking with Mrs. Snape, and they were shocked to realize that much domestic violence took place in the Snape family home.
After the trip Petunia, who had felt unhappy seeing her sister with Severus decided to write to the Headmaster at Hogwarts. Her naïve 12 year old self thought if she could become a freak, and join them she would be able to gain the boy's attention. She begged the Headmaster to take her in, stating that there must be someway of giving a muggle magical abilities.
A week later a letter of reply was sent back. Professor Dumbledore had said no. Her parents were shocked to find the letter in the mail, they had said that she should be happy with what she had and shouldn't envy Lily for her talents. Petunia cried, unhappy about the outcome. Her attitude towards magic went from bad to worse.
Her parents had said that the reply was the kindest they had ever seen. They told her not to be upset, and that things that weren't meant to be are just just not meant to be. She got over it, and knew there was no reason for her to go to that freak school her sister would be attending. She'd probably be fed some love potion the first week there. At that moment, she decided she knew what was happening. Without knowing it, she'd been fed Severus Snape's love spell.
As Petunia's family sent Lily off to her new school, Lily argued with Petunia. She told her that she'd ask Professor Dumbledore again. Little did Lily know she was scratching up an old wound. Petunia kept still and told her sister that she didn't want to go to that freak school.
Everything would have been fine if Lily had stopped there, but she had to mention Snape. She had to tell her that Snape knew about her trying to get in to Hogwarts. Petunia did not want Snape to know, she did not want Snape to make fun of her. She did not want Snape in her room, where she kept her personal diary and drawings.
It was a good thing that Snape saw nothing more than the letter or else things would have been much much worse. In her diary Petunia had wrote about Snape, and even had drawing of him tucked somewhere underneath said passage. However, Petunia still kept the lie up- kept lying that she disliked the wizarding world more than anything.
When her sister returned from school with knowledge of the wizarding world Petunia couldn't care less. However when the Snape boy spoke in his matter of fact voice about the wizarding world she would listen with interest. Even to this day she would remember every world he said as though it was yesterday. As a teenager she would eavesdrop onto what Severus said to Lily through the thin wall between Lily's room and hers. She would remember everything he said from what a "quaffle" was to the uses of a dementor, as though it was a matter of life and death.
Through the same thin wall she would hear him praise Lily's abilities and wish he was saying the same to her. It was the only time she would ever hear him live, his beautiful laugh was music to her ears. It was a shame she could never see his smile through that thin wall, once she tried a spell from Lily's spell book that made solids transparent to the caster. She stole her sisters wand and attempted the spell. Of course nothing happened.
She watched Severus each time he tried to confess to Lily each summer, and silently felt the tension rising between the two. She heard Lily complain about Severus's friends each summer, and Severus reminding Lily about Potter, the arrogant jerk. She felt happy when the two argued, and upset again when they made up.
She stood in the corner when she learned that Severus's mother had passed away due to domestic violence. She wanted to run over and console him; take him in her arms and tell him it'll all get better. However she had to remember who she was and what their society stood for. Instead all Petunia could do was watch Lily embrace Severus as he cried for the loss of his mother.
Her parents let him stay at the house to protect him from his father. Petunia could not even lend him her room as it was important to keep up the facade.
The summer after Lily's fifth year she watched as Lily came home alone. Mom and dad asked about Severus, and all Lily would say was Severus he'd joined the dark side. Petunia didn't believe it. Every day Severus would be at the door looking for Lily, and mom would tell him that she didn't want to see him. Lily would dump water at him as she swore and cried for their long friendship.
One day Petunia opened the door to see Severus. He was covered in fresh bruises, and cuts. Petunia had to force back tears as she saw him in such a state. Severus had whimpered "Lily; where's Lily, Muggle?" the latter filled with hate and distrust. Petunia followed her mothers suite and told him Lily didn't want to see him. Petunia was just about to close the door when weakness overcame her. She told him to wait and not make a sound as she ran to the kitchen and grabbed the first aid kit. By the time she returned he was gone. Petunia walked out the house and searched around, but he was no where in sight.
That Christmas Lily came back home with a new boyfriend, James Potter. The minute she laid eyes on him she knew Severus was right. The man was nothing but an arrogant show off. Potter told mom and dad about his family home, his family finances, and his good grades. Mom and dad had nothing but good things to say about this new Potter boy, but Petunia disliked him.
As Lily and James went out for an evening stroll after Christmas Dinner, Severus showed up at the door-step with a bouquet of roses, and what looked like a box containing a necklace that a poor teenage boy like Severus probably wouldn't be able to afford. Lily quarreled with Severus which resulted in burnt roses and a necklace lost in snow. For the first time in Petunia's short acquaintance with James Potter, the man stood quiet.
As Potter and Lily left Severus searching in the snow for the necklace Petunia slowly approached Severus. "Find something amusing muggle?" Severus had said in disgust as he buried his bare hands in the snow searching for the lost necklace. "No," Petunia quietly replied. Severus stayed quiet, and tears started falling down his cheeks.
"You love my freakish sister don't you?" Petunia said, she wasn't the best at situations like this.
"If you know, you don't have to ask, filthy muggle," Severus sneered under his breath.
"Even after all this. Even when she's with that arrogant, show off Potter boy?"
"This is none of your business muggle."
"You'll always love her, won't you?"
"Yes, she could marry that Potter git and I'd still love her. I must seem very pathetic to you, muggle."
Petunia reached for his hand, and warmed his hand with hers. "No, you'll never seem pathetic to me, Severus. Never, because I love you."
Severus eyed the older girl in shock. A few seconds later he pulled his hand away, pushing Petunia in to the snow as he ran away as fast as he could. Petunia cried as she watched the boy disappear in horror.
As she recovered, Petunia put her gloves on and searched for the abandoned necklace buried in the snow. Just as she saw the figures of James and Lily return home, she found the necklace. She picked it up and hid it in her pocket, running back inside.
The next morning an owl was at her window, she noticed it as Snapes' owl that often visited Lily's room when they had still been friends. She took the letter, opened it, and read.
Muggle,
I shall pretend that nothing was said yesterday and I hope you will do the same. As for your unusual confession I will return to school and obliviate it, erasing it from memory. I shall remind you before I will no longer remember the events of last night that I will commit myself to Lily's deed for ever. No matter how much she dislikes me I will love her nevertheless.
Severus
She re-read the letter several times, and cried every time she read it. In the end she burned the letter in hopes that Lily would never read it. The necklace she hid in a locked box which Lily would never dare open.
A year later Petunia had been through 17 different men, everyone of them left her for one reason or another. She was becoming desperate, her sister was already engaged to Potter yet she had yet to find a man. Lily had told her that Severus was now their enemy and had joined some evil weirdo named Voldymold, or something of the sort. At that time Petunia was dating number 18, who was now her ex-husband. Vernon overheard the conversation and was shocked to learn Lily was a witch. Petunia lied and said she was scared of her sister and her magic. Right away Vernon was on his knees like a man, proposing to her, saying that he would let her live a normal life away from her family.
A month after her parents died when Voldymold had searched their house. She was walking home and saw what happened, even catching a glimpse of Severus who was assisting the murder. What was left of her broken heart had shattered when she saw what he did. She was angry when her sister did not show up for their parents funeral a month after. Petunia married soon after that and her sister, Lily, was not invited.
Many years passed since then, her sister got married. She herself gave birth to Dudley, and Lily's son Harry was born. Lily and her husband died, and both she and Vernon raised Harry as a servant. Both boys went to school, both boys had graduated.
One day after the boys had graduated, her nephew returned to see her. Harry never liked them, but he always still visited. Petunia couldn't believe the boys' kindness, and offered him tea. He sat and talked, and finally mentioned that Snape had died. The second she had heard the news what remained of her heart had died. She was taken aback for a couple of seconds but returned to her life of lies soon after.
Harry continued about what he saw in Snapes' memories, including how he came out of the darkness because of his love for Lily. Harry kept talking about how much Severus loved Lily. To Petunia none of this was new information, she had known this all along.
As Harry finished his story, he'd kept going on about how Snape had loved Lily even in his last few seconds of life. Petunia had then understood that when Severus said he'd love Lily forever he would really love Lily forever. Petunias' hidden feelings had started to re-surface and she could again feel the pain and sorrow inflicted on her heart as Severus left her for Lily.
Now 53, Petunia Evans heart is bare. She sits in a chair with a pistol at her temple, necklace around her neck. The thin wall between her heart and mind gone. As she pulls the trigger, she thinks of re-uniting herself with Severus. She pulls the trigger and just as the bullet reaches her brain her last thought is that even in the afterlife Severus Snape would not choose her but her so called perfect sister Lily Evans.
Petunia Evans, 53, deceased, her nephew, son, and grandchildren surround her. They cry for her loss, yet none of them know, Petunia Evans had lived a life of lies.
AN: Special thanks to my friends for being my beta.
Hope you enjoyed the story and please review.