Twelve year old Petunia Evans sat on a swing, watching her ten-year old sister Lily swing higher and higher into the air. Lily let go of the swing at the very height of its arc and flew into the air, quite literally flown, launched herself skyward with a great shout of laughter, and instead of crumpling on the playground asphalt, she soared like a trapeze artist through the air, staying up far too long, landing far too lightly.

"Mummy told you not to do that! Be careful." Petunia cried in a tone that contained more pride than warning.

Lily looked up at her big sister with a wide grin. "But I'm not hurt!" she giggled "It was fun!"

"Not more fun than being on broomsticks." Petunia got off her swing and skipped over to her sister.

Lily's eyes became large with excitement "Will I get to ride broomsticks when I get to Hogwarts?"

"Of course," Petunia said twirling her finger through her thin, pale blond hair.

"Tuney, do you think I can see your wand again?" Lily asked. She never got tired of holding Petunia's wand, waiting for the day she could get her very own.

"You look at it all the time. I swear you hold it more that I do." Petunia crossed her arms, annoyed.

"Sorry." Lily said, looking down.

Petunia's face softened, "Okay, you can see it." She pulled her wand - fir with unicorn hair core, 9 1/2 inches, rigid - out of her back pocket and handed it to Lily, who was beaming.

The two sisters were very dissimilar in both appearance and personality. Petunia was a small, thin child -pale, fair-haired, and blue-eyed. She obsessed over neatness and organization and was cautious to a fault. Lily, however, had dark red hair and a bright green eyes. She's quite open with her feelings, curious, and adventurous, much to the displeasure of Petunia, who had tasked herself with Lily's safety and worked hard to keep her out of trouble.

Unbeknownst to the two witches, a boy Lily's age was watching from the bushes. His name was Severus Snape. He was a thin, filthy child, ill kept-for by his parents and accustomed to poverty. He was also a wizard. He had spied the younger Evans girl playing alone over the summer, but had been too nervous to talk to her. After all, he grew up in the poor, broken down Spinner's End and this girl, as he discovered, was from one of the nicer families in Cokeworth. He had tried to assure himself it was not wise to befriend a muggle, but as he discovered when the older sister returned from school, returned from Hogwarts, she was a witch. Now he wished he had spoken to her over the summer. He found it rather embarrassing to have to talk with both sisters now and he couldn't bare to wait until the blonde girl left again in September, even if it was only two weeks away.

Swallowing his anxiety, Severus stepped out of the bushes and into the sister's conversation. They didn't notice him at first, so he muttered a quiet "Hello". At once, he had their full attention. Unfortunately, it was not good attention.

Petunia crossed her arms and took in Severus' shabby appearance. "You were spying on us." she said with no accusation in her tone. It was simply a fact. "What did you hear? Why were you spying?" she demanded after an awkward moment of silence.

Severus scowled. Maybe he should have waited until September. "I wanted to talk to her." he admitted, pointing to Lily.

"C'mon Lily. Mummy doesn't want us out late." Petunia put an arm around her sister, but she wiggled out of it.

"Oh Tuney, don't be mean. Mummy's not waiting for us. It's not ever 5 o'clock." Lily pleaded. She tuned to Severus, smiling brightly and he smiled back.

"Lily," Petunia growled with real warning and worry and her voice "I have to talk to Mum and Dad about buying school supplies and I can't leave you here alone."

"Your going to Hogwarts." Severus said simply. Internally, he smiled at the sisters' shocked, bug-eyed faces. "I'm a wizard; my Mum's a witch, but my Dad's just a muggle."

Petunia didn't like his tone when he spoke of his father. "We're muggle-born- both our parents are muggles."

"What's your name?" Lily asked giddily, happy to find another magical person that she could talk to, "I'm Lily Evans and this my big sis, Petunia."

"I'm Severus Snape." Severus said, boldly stepping in between the sisters. "It's quite nice to meet you Lily."

Petunia sent the boy a nasty glare, grabbed her sister's wrist and tried to led her home.

Lily resisted "Oh Tuney, don't be rude." She resumed talking to Severus as Petunia looked on, visibly hurt and upset.

Charlotte and Henry Evans found themselves at Platform 9 3/4 for the third time, only for the first time, they were sending away both of their daughters, not just their eldest. It was also the first year that they wear accompanied by Eileen Prince-Snape, a thin, pale woman with a gloomy presence. She didn't stay long, only giving a son a quick peck on the forehead and telling him to work hard before leaving the platform. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, however, longer, soaking in the magic, noise, and strangeness of the world they were sending their daughters into. Even after the Hogwarts Express had left, they lingered until they were among the last to leave.

Upon the scarlet train, Lily sat in a compartment with Severus and two other boys, while Petunia sat with her friends.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," said Severus, encouraged that she would brightened at the thought.

"Slytherin?"

One of the boys sharing the compartment, who had shown no interest at all in Lily or Severus until that point, looked around at the word. His name was James potter, a slight, black-haired boy like Severus, but with that indefinable air of having been well-cared-for, even adored, that Snape so conspicuously lacked.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked the boy, Sirius Black, lounging on the seats opposite him.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey," said James, "and I thought you seemed all right!"

Sirius grinned. "Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James lifted an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Severus made a small, disparaging noise.

"Got a problem with that?" James asked in an annoyed tone.

"No," said Severus, though his slight sneer said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy– "

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Sirius.

James roared with laughter. Lily sat up, rather flushed, and looked from James to Sirius in dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Oooooo…" James and Sirius imitated her lofty voice; James tried to trip Severus as he passed. "See ya, Snivellus!"Surius called, as the compartment door slammed shut.

Lily and Severus moved to the back, hoping to find a compartment with room. They found an empty one just in front of the one Petunia was occupying. Lily gave her sister a quick wave. Surprised, Petunia got up and followed her into the comportment.

"I thought you were sitting up front. What happened?" she asked, standing in the doorway, her new Ravenclawrobes already on.

"We ran into a couple of stupid blokes that made fun of Slytherin." Lily replied, shaking her head "Slytherin's not a bad house, is it Tuney?"

Petunia paused for a second. "Well by itself, I suppose not. Professor Slughorn's the Head of House and he's rather nice. But, a lot of bad people come out of that house, and it's known for Dark Arts; You-Know-Who and all of his supports came from Slytherin."

"Well what do you know!" Severus snapped "You're just a mud-gleborn."

Lily gasped. Petunia's face grew dark.

"Well, you've never know known anyone in Slytherin." he continued defensively "My mum was in Slytherin and she told me that Slytherin just had a bad reputation was all."

Petunia turned to Lily, "I hope you make a lot of friends when you get to Hogwarts. Oh, and just so you know, Ravenclaw's a wonderful house."

Lily was standing several place in front of Severus as they faced the candlelit House tables, lined with rapt faces. Then Professor McGonagall said, "Evans, Lily!"

Severus watched his friend walk forward on trembling legs and sit down upon the rickety stool. Professor McGonagall dropped the Sorting Hat onto her head, and barely a second after it had touched the dark red hair, the hat cried, "Gryffindor!"

Severus let out a tiny groan. Lily took off the hat, handed it back to Professor McGonagall, then hurried toward the cheering Gryffindors, but as she went she glanced back at Severus, and there was a sad little smile on her face. Sirius move up the bench to make room for her. She took one look at him, seemed to recognize him from the train, folded her arms, and firmly turned her back on him.

At the Ravenclaw table, Petunia was rather disappointed to find Lily in Gryffindor. However, she was not entirely surprised; she knew at least four Gryffindors, of varying ages, that strongly reminded her of Lily. Still, she hoped Severus would be put in Slytherin and their friendship would end. She watched as the roll call continued and James join Lily and Sirius at the Gryffindor table. She didn't particularly like some of the first-year that had been sorted, but she had many friends in Gryffindor that she were sure would be a good influence. And keep her away from Severus.

At last, when only a dozen students remained to be sorted, Professor McGonagall called Severus.

Lily walked with him to the stool, watched him place the hat upon his head. "Slytherin!" cried the Sorting Hat.

And Severus moved off to the other side of the Hall, away from Lily, to where the Slytherins were cheering him, to where Lucius Malfoy, a prefect badge gleaming upon his chest, patted Severus on the back as he sat down beside him. Petunia smirked a bit, wondering if he would forget Lily surrounded by green and silver.

Lily ran down the hallway of the her parent's large home in Cokeworth. She ran into her sister's bedroom with arms full of letters from their friends.

"Oh look at this Tuney!" she exclaimed, "Matthew Doué sent you a letter. A lot of letters, actually."

"Again?" Petunia groaned, her face turning pink.

She was sitting at her desk reviewing one of her new textbooks. She got up to where Lily had spread out the letters on her nightstand. Lily shuffled the letters and pictures around until she found the one that most amused her. It was a silly love poem with a moving picture of Matthew blowing her a kiss.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

But Petunia's the best

Though Lily's alright too

"That silly boy." Petunia laughed, shaking her head, "How did he ever get into Ravenclaw?"

"Isn't it obvious Tuney?" Lily said smugly "He fancies you."

"Oh I know that." Petunia shrugged "I just don't know why he does or why he won't look at other girls."

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't a boy like you?"

"Well... I'm not very pretty." Petunia said quietly. It was true; she wasn't a very physically attractive girl. She had a long, stringy neck and thin, sharp face. She didn't smile often, which didn't help to add to her looks. However, she had nice eyes and because she wore her soft blonde hair long, the edges of her face softened. Lily was all around beautiful, with thick dark red hair and bright green eyes set in a round, gentle face.

"That's nothing." Lily insisted "You're the smartest witch Hogwarts has had since Rowena Ravenclaw. What's looks compared to that?"

Petunia couldn't help but smile at her sister.

Lily exited her Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL feeling rather sick. The test had been very hard and although she was good at Defense Against the Dark Arts, she always felt nervous when she took a test. She noticed that the Marauders, James Potter and his crew, had stopped in the shade of the a beech tree on the edge of the lake. Severus had settled himself on the grass in the dense shadow of a clump of bushes. He was deeply immersed in an OWL paper. The sunlight was dazzling on the smooth surface of the lake, on the bank of which the group of laughing girls who had just left the Great Hall were sitting, with their shoes and socks off, cooling their feet in the water.

Remus Lupin had pulled out a book and was reading. Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so. James was playing with a Golden Snitch, letting it zoom further and further away, almost escaping but always grabbed at the last second. Peter Pettigrew was watching him with his mouth open. Every time James made a particularly difficult catch, Peter gasped and applauded. After five minutes of this, Lily wondered why James didn't tell Peter to get a grip on himself, but James seemed enjoy the attention. Lily also noticed that he had a habit of rumpling up his hair as though to keep it from getting too tidy, and he also kept looking over at the girls by the water's edge.

"Put that away, will you," said Sirius finally, as James made a fine catch and Peter let out a cheer, "before Wormtailwets himself with excitement."

Peter turned slightly pink, but James grinned. "If it bothers you," he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket. Lily had the distinct impression that Sirius was the only one for whom James would have stopped showing off.

"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."

"You might," said Remus darkly from behind his book. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me. Here…" and he held out his book.

But Sirius snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is…"

Sirius's head turned. He became very still, like a dog that has scented a rabbit.

"Excellent," he said softly. "Snivellus."

Severus was on his feet again, and was stowing the OWL paper in his bag. As he left the shadows of the bushes and set off across the grass, Sirius and James stood up.

Remus and Peter remained sitting: Remus was still staring down at his book, though his eyes were not moving and a faint frown line had appeared between his eyebrows; Peter was looking from Sirius and James to Severus with a look of avid anticipation on his face.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.

Severus reacted so fast it was as though he had expected an attack; dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Severus's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Impedimenta!" he said, pointing his wand at Severus, who was knocked off his feet halfway through a dive towards his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had got to their feet and were edging nearer. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Severus lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised, James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Peter was on his feet now, watching hungrily, edging around Remus to get a clearer view.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

Several people watching laughed; Severus was clearly unpopular. Peter snickered shrilly.

Severus was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.

"You - wait," he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing, "you - wait!"

"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Severus let out a stream of mixed swear words and hexes, but with his wand ten feet away nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus' mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him -

"Leave him ALONE!"

James and Sirius looked round. James's free hand immediately jumped to his hair.

"All right, Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike.

"What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…"

Many of the surrounding students laughed, Sirius and Peter included, but Remus, still apparently intent on his book, didn't, and nor did Lily.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on oldSnivelly again."

Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Severus was beginning to inch towards his fallen wand, spitting out soapsuds as he crawled.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid in the lake," said Lily.

"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly, and turned back to Severus. "Oy!"

But too late; Severus had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled about: a second flash of light later, Severus was hanging upside-down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants.

Many people in the small crowd cheered; Sirius, James and Peter roared with laughter.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, "Let him down!"

"Certainly," said James and he jerked his wand upwards; Severus fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes he got quickly to his feet, wand up, but Sirius said, "Locomotor mortis!" and Severus keeled over again at once, rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.

"Take the curse off him, then!"

James sighed deeply, then turned to Severus and muttered the counter-curse.

"There you go," he said, as Severus struggled to his feet. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus —"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked. "Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared at Severus, his wand pointed threateningly at him.

"I don't want you to make him apologize," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is."

"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a - you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can. I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me sick."

She turned on her heel and hurried away.

"Evans!" James shouted after her. "Hey, EVANS!"

But she didn't look back.

"What is it with her?" said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," said Sirius.

"Right," said James, who looked furious now, "right -"

There was another flash of light, and Severus was once again hanging upside-down in the air.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Whether or not James really did take off Severus' pants, Lily never bothered to find out.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not interested."

"I'm sorry!"

"Save your breath"

It was nighttime. Lily, who was wearing a dressing gown, stood with her arms folded in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

"I only came out because Mary told me you were threatening to sleep here."

"I was. I would have done. I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just – "

"Slipped out?" There was no pity in Lily's voice. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends – you see, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"

He opened his mouth, but closed it without speaking.

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

"No – listen, I didn't mean – "

" – to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?"

He struggled on the verge of speech, but with a contemptuous look she turned and climbed back up the tower.

"SNAPE!" Petunia shrieked. Her face was too calm to match the rage in her voice.

Severus turn around at the sound of his name. Petunia, now Head Girl, had found him on his way to breakfast the next morning.

"What did you say to her?" she demanded "Lily won't eat and her roommates say she's been crying all night because of you. What did you do to my sister?"

"We just got into an argument yesterday. It was nothing." Severus tried to get around her, but Petunia grabbed the end of his robes, causing him to fall over. As he stumbled back up under her intense gaze, he tried to defend himself, "That Potter attacked me and I got angry, so I yelled."

"At Lily? What did she do to you?" Petunia was perfectly still; she hadn't even raised her wand.

Severus said nothing.

"Don't talk to her - ever." Petunia's voice was low and dangerous "I know what you're all about; practicing Dark magic, hanging out with Death Eaters. You're joining them when you graduate, aren't you?"

"That's none of your business." Severus sneered.

"If it affects Lily, it is my business." Petunia sneered back "She cares about you - I don't know why, but she does - and you broke her heart. You don't really care about her do you? How can you care when you plan to join a group that wants to kill muggleborns, like her?"

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I know enough. " Petunia countered "If you hurt her again, I'll hex you so badly you will never step within 100 feet of her ever again."

Severus said nothing, but marched into the Great Hall and sat with his fellow Slytherins. He looked behind him to see Petunia greet her sister at the Gryffindor table with an affectionate pat on the head. His face turned red with jealousy. When he turned back, he could feel Petunia eyes on him.

"James Potter? Really?" Petunia asked incredulously.

The two sisters were busy decorating the their parents' living room. While Lily used magic to string popcorn and cranberries for the garland, Petunia was charming little silver bells to hang on the tree. Lily, now seventeen, had come home for the holidays; afterwards, she would return to Hogwarts to complete her magical education. Petunia had graduated from school two years ago and was now a healer at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

"Yes, Tuney. I love James Potter." Lily repeated with a laugh. "He's become rather sweet lately."

"But you've hated him for years! Why the sudden change?"

"Well, it's not entirely sudden." Lily began "He started being nicer at the beginning of sixth year, after you graduated. He apologized for what he did to Severus."

"Why? What does he care when happens to that worm?"

"He thought he'd cost me a friend." Lily said sadly.

"Helped you dodge a bullet if you ask me." Petunia said loftily, sitting next to her sister on the couch. With a wave of her wand, the little bells began to sing "Joy to the World".

Charlotte Evans, a widow of three years, walked into the room and stood in awe of the beautiful decorations her daughters had set up. "My, my this is lovely! I wonder what truly magical holidays must be like."

"Maybe you'll find out tonight..." Lily muttered, thinking her mother wouldn't hear.

"Why do you say?" As it turned out, Mrs. Evan's hearing was still rather good.

"I've invited my boyfriend to come." Lily admitted "He really wanted to come; he's never seen a muggle Christmas party. Are you mad?"

"Oh no," Mrs. Evans said with a dismissive wave of her hand "That's quite alright. What did you say his name was again?"

"James Potter. He's in the same house as me." Lily got up and did a spell to silence the bells. "Shame we can't have real magic at the party." She charmed the finished garland to wrap itself around the tree and the ornaments to hang themselves.

Petunia suddenly became worried "Lily, does James know how to behave around muggles?"

As it became clear a few hours later, he did not. He arrived late, appearing by Floo powder, nearly giving Mrs. Evans and several of guest heart attacks. Lily nervously introduced him as her boyfriend and a magician.

He pulled her aside and asked "What's a magician?"

"A muggle who does magic tricks for other people's entertainment."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"Fake magic." Lily sighed "Just pretend you're a performer who does magic for fun. They don't have to know you do real magic."

"Best loophole ever." James grinned. He turned to the guests to greeted them, then raised his wand and made green and red sparks come out the end. The Evans sisters' friends and relatives cheered him on, amazed and delighted, while the sisters themselves could only sent him shocked, disapproving glares. James found that he couldn't answer many of the muggles' questions, so he made up rather strange and outrageous lies. Fortunately, the muggles thought he was simply teasing him and found his company enjoyable. He performed a few tricks for the children, then announced her would have to leave early. Then he disapparated in the middle of the room. The guests applauded, saying he was incredibly talented at magic. The girls' Aunt Grace even nudged Lily, telling her that James was a keeper.

It was two in the morning when the last guest had left. By then both girl were exhausted. Lily had gone upstairs to her room, and changed into her nightshirt. Petunia did a cleaning charm and the house was once again spotless. Petunia, still in her party clothes, went up to Lily's room.

"Lily..." she whisper from the doorway "Are you asleep?"

"No." Lily sat up in bed. "It was a good party. James totally stole the show."

"That boyfriend of yours is mad." she grumbled "Blatantly performing magic in front of muggles like that."

"Oh come now Tuney. It was all in good fun, and everyone thought it was fake." Lily said in a tired voice.

"You really love him." Petunia said in a dreamy voice that was so unlike her usual crisp, proper one "And your both so happy together." She smiled at her sleepy sister. "Goodnight Lily."

"Goodnight Tuney."

Petunia sat at her table watching Lily dance with her new husband, James Potter. It had been a small but sweet ceremony and now her baby sister was a wife. She had hoped her boyfriend, Matthew Doué, would be there with her, but his father and sisters had been murdered by Death Eaters a few weeks before and he'd had to go into hiding. Petunia wonder if she would have to do the same.

The dance ended, and as James was being congratulated by his friends, Lily went over to her. Petunia got up and hugged her sister. "I can't believe this is really happening. It seems like only last week you were still at Hogwarts."

"Time did go by rather quickly." Lily admitted laughing. Then, she became serious. "Have you heard from Matthew recently?"

Petunia shook her head sadly "I've no contact with him in almost a month."

"Tuney, I have something to tell you." Lily took her sister by the arm and led her to an adjacent corridor "I'm joining the Order of the Phoenix."

"Lily, you can't." Petunia struggled to keep her voice low "It's much too dangerous."

"You joined when you were my age." Lily insisted.

"Does James know about this?"

"Yes. He's joining with me."

"Lily, think about it for a minute. What if something happens to you? You'll be a target."

"I'm already a target. We both are."

"What about Snape?" Petunia demanded.

Lily paled "What about him?" she asked stiffly.

"He's a Death Eater, an enemy. Could you fight him if you had to?"

"Yes," Lily set her jaw "He's made his choice and I'm making mine."

Realizing that Lily was set in her decision, Petunia relented. She hugged Lily and said "You're so brave. Just don't do anything foolish."

Lily hugged her back, "I promise I won't."

It was three o'clock in the morning and Petunia Doué could not sleep. She lay in her bed, anxious, re-reading the letter her husband Matthew had sent her. He was in France, the birthplace of his father, on business for the Order. Trying to keep the Voldemort's influence from spilling over into other countries, she was sure. She was extremely worried for him, even more worried as only a few nights before she realized that she was pregnant.

It was a good thing she was awake because seconds later, a silvery, ghostly phoenix appeared in front of her. It was a message from Dumbledore, leader of the Order.

The phoenix said "Come outside. You are needed. Wonderful and terrible news."

Petunia jumped out of bed, threw on a dressing gown and a winter robe, and went outside. It was a cool Halloween night in the country and here was not a soul but a tabby cat with odd markings around its eyes.

She peered at the cat. "McGonagall?"

A second later, the cat transformed into an old women, Minvera McGonagall, Dumbledore's right-hand witch. She wore dark brown robes and spectacles and her hair was tied back into a bun. Her face was lined with wrinkles of age and stress. She looked as if she were caught between joy and sorrow.

"Dumbledore will be here shortly." she said.

"McGonagall, what's happened?" Petunia asked.

There was the sound of a pop "I believe I can explain." said the voice of Albus Dumbledore. He was an old, a very old man, much older even then McGonagall, with white hair and a white beard, both long enough to tuck into his belt. He wore half-moon spectacles on his long, crooked nose. His purple robes were decorated with silver stars than shimmered in the dim moonlight.

"Dumbledore." Petunia asked the old wizard in a worried voice "Why are you here? Why did you call me?"

"Tonight the war has ended. Lord Voldemort is gone."

Petunia eyes grew big with joy "It's finally over? We've won?"

"But Lily and James are dead."

Petunia's joy shattered like a glass plate dropped from a mountain.

"Dead?" she sobbed. Her little sister, whom she'd spent her whole life looking after, was dead? Just like that? "And Harry?"

"Your nephew is alive. Hagrid is bringing him here." Dumbledore explained "He survived Voldemort, but he still needs you."

Petunia was sobbing so loudly she could barely hear the old man speak. McGonagall wrapped an arm around the23 year old witch and gave her a handkerchief. The trio stood outside waiting for Hagrid to appear. A while later, they heard the hum of an engine above them. They looked up to see Hagrid flew down to them on a flying motorcycle. He landed.

Hagrid was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to beallowed anywhere, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, He had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. His black beetle eyes were moist with tears. In his arms was the year old Harry Potter.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Sirius Black lent me his motorcycle to get here." he explained in a thick West Country accent "The house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarming around. He fell asleep as we was flying over Bristol." He began to cry.

"Now, now Hagrid." McGonagall said softly.

"Sorry. It's just hard with Lily and James being dead." Hagrid whimpered mournfully.

Petunia began to silently weep again along with him.

Dumbledore took Harry from Hagrid. The infant had a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. "This is the mark of a curse; he'll have that scar forever." he mused "Petunia, Harry has done the impossible. He has survived the Killing Curse." He put the baby in Petunia's arms. "You'll have to be the one to raise him; no one can protect him like you can. The war might be over, but there is still plenty of danger lurking."

"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore, "We may never know."

Petunia looked at the tiny baby in her arms through wet, puffy eyes. "I love him and will care for him like he weremy own son." she vowed.

A breeze ruffled over Petunia's country home, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. He couldn't the pain that the people around him were feeling. He couldn't know of the tragedy he had narrowly escaped. He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"

Author's Note:

I had a lot emotions rushing within me while I was writing this. I got my inspiration from a fan art by gerre on deviantart called "petunia". It contrasted what life might of been like if Petunia was a witch with canon. Franky, it was very depressing. But I love "what if..."s in fiction so I wrote this AU based mostly on that picture.

So if you liked it, good. Please leave a review. If you didn't, please tell me what was wrong with it. Thank you for your time.

If you're interested in the fan art go to:

gerre.

deviantart

.(c)(o)(m)(/)art/petunia-90865435