The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Round 11
Team: Falmouth Falcons
Author: MaryRoyale
Position: Beater #2
Prompts Used: Dialogue: "What do you mean not your fault?", Change, and Nonsense
Assigned Siblings: Petunia and Lily Evans
Title: The Watcher and the Dancer
Official Disclaimer: The original characters of this story are the property of the J.K. Rowling. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. It is my contention that this work of fan fiction is fair use under copyright law. No monies were received for receipt of this work.
Pairing: Petunia/Vernon, James/Lily
Rating: T
Word Count: approx. 2200
"Of two sisters one is always the watcher, one the dancer." ~Louise Glück
It was supposed to be a quick trip to the market. Petunia Evans sighed and looked over the displays with an air of boredom that only a nine year-old can convey properly. Mummy was debating the merits between two different brands of laundry detergent and Petunia could care less. Six year-old Lily was spinning gracefully with her hands over her head trying to copy the dancers from the ballet that Mummy took them to see last week.
"Is that you Beatrix Evans?" A slender fashionably-dressed woman asked. She smiled warmly. "It is! How are you?"
"I am well, Phyllis," Mummy replied with an answering smile. "What brings you back to Cokeworth?"
"Oh this and that," Phyllis said with an airy wave of her hand. She smiled at Lily's graceful figure. "And who is this little ballerina?"
"That's our youngest. Lily say hello to Mrs Smyth," Mummy said.
"Hullo," Lily said with a wide, bright smile and a bobbling curtsey.
"Aren't you a pretty little thing," Phyllis cooed at Lily. "She'll be turning heads soon enough Beatrix. You'll need to keep a sharp eye on her."
"Henry says that the girls may date when they turn forty," Mummy said in a fond tone. She turned to smile at Petunia. "Phyllis this is our eldest, Petunia."
The badly hidden surprise of Phyllis Smyth made Petunia's stomach twist unpleasantly. Even at only nine years old Petunia Evans was well aware of all that she was not. She wasn't pretty and dainty. She was plain. She wasn't petite and delicate. She was tall and sturdy. She wasn't sparkly and vivacious. She was quiet not because she was shy, but because she could never reason out what to say to people. Petunia felt bitterness blossom in her chest as Mrs Smyth made hasty good-byes and fled the market.
/\/\/\
"You tried your best sweetheart," Henry Evans said gently. He gathered Petunia close and patted her back carefully. "That's all that your Mum and I have ever asked of you and Lily."
Petunia sniffled in the safety of her father's arms. Try your best. That was just a laugh. It was true that Beatrix and Henry Evans encouraged their daughters to do their best. They were loving, caring parents and they treated their daughters equally. Each girl was encouraged to do whatever she wished to do. Petunia couldn't help but feel that it was fairly pointless when your sister was Lily Evans.
It wasn't enough that Lily was pretty, dainty and delicate. It wasn't enough that she had a vivacious personality that drew people to her. No, on top of all of that Lily was frighteningly intelligent. Petunia had just lost a school-wide spelling contest to her little sister. It was humiliating, but worse than that it wasn't fair. Why should Lily get everything?
/\/\/\
"What did you do?" Petunia whispered her eyes wide.
Lily flushed and looked up at Petunia. She bit her lip and tears trembled on her lashes. "I don't know," she wailed.
Both girls stared at Lily's science project which was currently rotating gently in the air above their heads.
"Lily are you ready? Your father is… what on earth is going on?" Mummy asked in a faint voice.
"Lily did it!" Petunia blurted out and then flushed in embarrassment.
Lily glared at her sister and then turned a worried face up to her mother. "It's not my fault, Mummy, I swear."
Mummy blinked at the science project and then turned back to her daughter. "What do you mean not your fault?"
"I didn't mean to do it," Lily insisted anxiously.
Mummy patted her absently on the shoulder.
"It's fine dear. Just… make sure not to do that in public where anyone can see, all right?" Mummy seemed a little dazed.
Magic wasn't real. That's what everyone said anyway. Petunia had a feeling that none of them had had their little sister levitate her science project in the air. So much had changed for their family since that day. That awful wretched little boy from the park told Lily that she was a witch and that she was going to some fancy school to learn magic. Something dark twisted in Petunia's chest. It wasn't fair. Lily already had everything. Why did she have this too?
When the letter arrived from Hogwarts for Lily their parents made it into a little celebration. They had a sit-down dinner and Mummy cooked Lily's favourite things. Everything Petunia ate tasted of ashes. She stewed silently while Mummy and Daddy praised Lily. That nasty little boy was more like Petunia. He wasn't handsome or charming. He was plain and too thin and he didn't really know how to speak to people. Somehow he had magic. If he could have magic… maybe Petunia could as well.
The little desk that Petunia used was always kept neat and orderly. She pulled out a fresh piece of stationary and began to write. Dear Headmaster Dumbledore…
Some might not have noticed the dark speck in the sky, but Petunia had been searching for it every day and her heart raced in her chest as she saw it draw closer. Excitement bubbled up inside of her. What if she could learn to do magic like Lily and that Snape boy? Wouldn't everyone be surprised? Lily wouldn't have everything then. Petunia would get to have something. Sure she would be sharing it with Lily, but that wouldn't be so bad. If only she could have something.
The owl touched down lightly on her windowsill and held out its leg. Petunia carefully untied the letter and the owl took off. Even though she wanted nothing more than to know what the letter said she carefully went to her desk and took out her letter opener. She neatly sliced open the envelope and pulled out the letter. She opened it eagerly and began to read.
My dear Miss Evans… commend your initiative… sincerely regret… Respectfully yours, Albus Dumbledore.
The bitter, dark thing that seemed to churn Petunia's gut or twist painfully in her chest whenever Lily overshadowed her again, flared up with an intensity that Petunia had never felt before. She found it difficult to breathe and she had to concentrate for several moments on taking air into her lungs. I should have known. She dashed angry tears from her eyes and shoved the letter into her desk. Petunia took a deep breath and lifted her chin.
"I didn't want to go anyway. I wouldn't want to go to school with a bunch of… of freaks anyway." Petunia said in a shaky voice. The painful twisting in her chest eased a little and she nodded to herself.
/\/\/\
"Promise me that you'll behave James," Lily said for the hundredth time that night.
James rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "I already said that I would didn't I?"
"Yes, but this is important," Lily said anxiously.
"It must be; I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous. Not even when we sat for our NEWTs," Sirius commented from the kitchen.
Lily stared at him in abject horror and then rounded on her boyfriend. "We aren't taking him with us! I don't know what you think you've got planned James Potter, but it is not happening. Not tonight!"
"I like that," Sirius sniffed in an injured tone. "You make me sound like You-Know-Who."
Tears trembled on Lily's lashes and she stared up at James with despair in her brilliant green eyes. "James, please. Tonight has to go perfectly."
"Lily-flower I didn't ask Sirius to come with us," James protested. He turned to glare at Sirius. "Why are you here? Haven't you got your own place?"
"Sure but it isn't nearly as much fun as here," Sirius said and stuck out his tongue at James.
"Where are my earrings?" Lily shrieked and ran toward their bedroom.
Sirius blinked and then turned back to his best friend. "Bloody hell, James. She's wound tighter than I've ever seen her."
"It's her sister," James muttered with a scowl. "Lily always gets like this whenever she has to deal with her."
"Why?" Sirius asked.
"Dunno," James said with a sigh. "I've never met her."
Several hours later James rather wished that he'd never met Petunia Evans or her stick-in-the-mud fiancé Vernon Dursley. Lily's sister was a bitter, jealous woman who had to put Lily down to make herself feel better. James was trying to behave, swear to Merlin he really, really was, but if Petunia didn't stop picking at his Lily-flower he was going to lose his temper. That wasn't even taking into account her pompous arse of a fiancé. They're a perfect match for one another. Lily glared at him across the table and he sat up straight and tried to listen to Vernon Dursley drone on about himself. Honestly, the man thought he was the most fascinating subject of conversation. He was worse that Lucy-Goosey Malfoy.
"Of course it's British-made," Vernon said with a little self-important sniff. "I don't hold with those foreign cars. Can't trust anything that's not made by good solid English craftsmanship."
"Couldn't agree more, Dursley," James said bracingly. "That's why I always get my brooms from Cleansweep. Craftsmanship counts."
Vernon faltered and blinked rapidly at James. "B-b-brooms?" He said in surprise.
"Of course, man! What did you think I said?" James replied with a snort. He glanced to Lily whose face had gone deathly pale. She was staring at him with a pained expression and he mentally hit himself in the head. He wasn't supposed to mention things like that.
Vernon blustered for several minutes. He glanced at Lily and Petunia and then turned back to James. "Well, er, if you can't afford a car don't you think it's a little irresponsible to be taking up with Petunia's little sister? I always say that if a man can't provide for a family he's got no business sniffing around a bird's skirts."
Petunia tittered into her napkin and Lily flushed with embarrassment. She sent a pleading look James' way, but it was too late. Enough was enough.
"Not able to provide… look here Dursley the Potter vaults are overflowing with galleons. I've got enough gold to take care of Lily and any little sprogs that come along. Even if she manages to give me a Quidditch team," James growled furiously.
"Gold?" Vernon turned an unflattering shade of red. "Maybe you think you're funny, but trust me you aren't. I don't have to be spoken to like this… I'm a junior executive at Grunning's! From what Petunia's mother says you don't even have a job."
"I happen to be an Auror-trainee," James bit out between clenched teeth.
Vernon sucked in his breath and glared at James. "Come along Petunia. We aren't going to sit around and listen to this nonsense."
"Tuney!" Lily's voice was anguished and she held out a hand to her sister.
Petunia stood up and took Vernon's outstretched hand. She turned her head and looked down her nose at her sister. "Good-bye, Lily," she said stiffly.
"Tuney please," Lily begged tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry Lily, but Vernon is right," Petunia said in a chilly voice that made Lily sob even louder.
The two of them swept out of the restaurant and James immediately moved to Lily's side. He gathered her in his arms and let her cry against his shoulder.
"Why does she hate me so much?" Lily asked in a forlorn voice.
James sighed and rubbed her back in soothing circles. "I don't know Lily-flower."
"I… no matter what I do she isn't happy. I've tried. Merlin knows that I've tried," Lily sobbed into his lapel.
"I know love," James murmured into her hair.
She sniffled and then pulled back to look at James. "Take me home James," she whispered.
"Of course sweetheart," James said and pulled Lily up and into his arms. He tossed a handful of Muggle bills on the table. He was never sure how their money worked so he always tried to err on the side of caution.
They walked silently toward the public Apparation point.
"A Quidditch team?" Lily demanded once they reached it.
James flushed. "I sort of lost my head," he admitted sheepishly. "I was just tired of them needling you."
"Thank you," Lily said in a subdued voice. She moved forward and kissed him softly on the lips. She pulled back and stared at him solemnly for a moment. "Promise me you'll never change?"
"Never," James swore.