Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I do not own Remus Lupin (no matter how much I might like to), I mean no harm with this story.
Written for 'The weird challenge', pairing Remus Lupin/Petunia Evans. NOT a romantic fic, I couldn't imagine these two as a couple.
Remus watched the red-haired girl run to the barrier, watched her disappear. But it wasn't her he was focused on. A blonde girl stood with her parents, and she didn't look happy. Remus assumed she was the other girl's sister, and that she didn't like the dark-haired boy who had followed the redhead, but what really caught his eye were the tears. The girl was crying, looked about thirteen and clung to her mom like a scared child. She was a muggle who had just lost her sister to a world she would never understand. Remus' breath caught in his throat as the blonde turned her head just slightly, as her eyes fell on him, as they narrowed, as she glared. He didn't care that she looked like she hated him. He hated himself too. That was something they had in common.
Turning away, ashamed of having been caught watching a girl cry by the girl herself, Remus slouched towards the barrier and crossed through, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He didn't even know the blonde, but he felt like he was betraying her by being a wizard. If only she knew the whole truth. Maybe then she wouldn't despise him for being able to cast spells. Maybe then she'd hate him for being a monster.
Remus stepped into the only compartment not crowded with large groups of friends, finding his companion to be the redhead and the boy she entered their world with. Curling up in a seat in the corner, his eyes flickered between the two, uncertain whether he was interrupting something. After several minutes of silence, a small sniff made the werewolf jump, and his attention went straight to the redhead. She was crying, just like her sister, but working hard to stop. "I'm Lily Evans," she whispered, forcing her tears to stop as she offered him a shaking hand. "You were watching on the platform. Me and my sister. Petunia. I hate her." Startled by her admission of her hatred for her sister, Remus stared at her in shock for a moment before looking down at her hand. Nodding, he leant forward and clutched her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
"Remus. Remus Lupin," he replied, his eyes wandering to the sallow-faced eleven year old who was currently sneering at him. No doubt some pureblood purist who wanted to kill him for touching the girl he so obviously claimed to be his.
"Sev, stop it," Lily hissed, abashed by her friend's attitude towards the boy. Turning back to Remus apologetically, she smiled. "That's Severus Snape. Ignore him, he's just being silly, he's nice once you get to know him."
Not quite believing her promise, Remus opened his mouth to continue the conversation when a knock sounded at the compartment door. Three boys entered and the two taller ones sat beside Remus, while the short stubby one settled himself on the floor happily. The new arrivals seemed perfectly at ease, so Remus assumed they were purebloods and knew what to expect.
The one wearing glasses seemed to be the leader, for he looked around the compartment with a broad grin before stretching out and beaming at the people within. "I'm James Potter," he announced. "That's Sirius Black, and the one on the floor is Peter Pettigrew."
Lily looked uncertain, and Remus knew she had no idea why he said their names with such pride. "The Potters are one of the richest families around, the Blacks are famous purebloods and the Pettigrews are incredible cooks," he explained quietly, ignoring the way the boys preened as he described them. Severus on the other hand looked distinctly angry, and grabbing the girl's hand he pulled her to her feet. "Come on Lily, let's go somewhere without these idiots," he snarled, leading her away. The girl glanced back at Remus uncertainly, extending a hand to him with a shy smile.
She was offering him friendship. Remus didn't accept.
He couldn't get past the way she had said she hated her sister. How could anyone hate the sobbing girl back on the platform? Didn't she understand how hard it must be for her? Petunia. The name was sweet, made her seem more delicate. Having realised he wasn't going to follow, Lily's brow furrowed slightly in confusion before following Severus. And there went possible friend number one.
Sitting with Lily in the library, Remus laughed as she imitated James from breakfast that morning. Third year was proving to be fun given how James had suddenly decided he was in love with Lily Evans, Sirius' voice had broke and he was finding it hilarious mimicking everyone who still had a high voice, and Peter had managed to throw his wand past the willow, a new record. Remus? Well Remus had started staying with Lily in the library.
From their time together, Remus had learned that Lily's sister was Petunia Amelia Evans, she hated anything to do with magic only because she wasn't, and that she spoke four languages, not including English. That was pretty cool, Remus had to admit. He had also learned Lily and 'Tuney' as the girl called her, used to be inseparable, but once Lily received her letter, Tuney had refused to speak to her unless her parents made her. In return for the information about her sister, Lily had learned Remus was an only child, could do back flips but not cartwheels, and didn't know the first thing about most wizard things. Despite having pureblood parents. Maybe he had more in common with Tuney then he first thought.
The train ride back home on their third year had Lily and Remus excited. Lily was excited because Petunia was meeting her on the platform since their parents were busy. Remus was excited because Lily had offered to introduce him to her sister. Seven games of wizard's chess with Peter, an exploding snap match with James and Sirius, an argument over which chocolate frog cards with Lily, and a very long conversation about the advantages of newt legs in potions with Severus (the others had left to go hunting for food) later saw Remus and Lily practically running off the train as it pulled into the station.
She was there.
"Tuney!" Lily beamed, throwing her arms around her sister and giggling. "Tuney this is my friend Remus." Petunia looked from one to the other before extracting herself from Lily's embrace in disgust. Turning on her heel, she stalked out of the station. Lily bit her lip and followed, leaving Remus alone once more. But that didn't matter.
She was there.
Remus and Petunia wrote to each other. Not often, and certainly not out of friendship on Petunia's side, but they kept in touch. Remus wanted to know how Harry was doing, and Petunia obliged under the condition that her husband never found out. Ten years of letters, of stolen photos, of memories. They were all Remus had to remind him of the first girl he ever truly noticed.
September 1st. Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Remus followed a boy who looked remarkably like James Potter as he read the platform signs, as he grew more and more desperate, searching for the one he wanted. Remus wanted nothing more than to comfort him, to help him, but he wasn't supposed to be there. He'd promised Dumbledore he would keep his distance for now. Until Harry needed him. Harry walked back to a tall blonde woman, with a whale of a husband and a son who only she could love. Petunia. She hadn't changed much, Remus was just sorry to see who she had chosen to give her heart to.
The man laughed at something the boy said and then returned to his car, taking the son with him. Harry bit his lip and fled back down the platform, joining a red-haired family. Petunia? She stood still, her arms wrapped around herself in an embrace, turned away from the car where her family waited. Tears slid down her cheeks, and Remus was taken back to a time not so very long ago. When an eleven year old boy who hated himself, saw the girl who taught him to feel.
She was there.