Chapter 1: Parties and Dreams

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Petunia checked herself in the mirror, smiling hopefully. Everything was set for today. She had planned most of the party and was happy to have her sister home…after a year of her being gone, travelling.

She understood Lily was beginning a new path, now that she had graduated from Hogwarts and that she was meant for higher places…not places like home, like family, like this tiresome little neighbourhood where nothing ever happened.

And Petunia had a very hard time understanding that, because she couldn't follow Lily, she couldn't know where she'd be in the next months. Heck, her…special friends knew a lot more about her than she did.

Their entire group…of gifted wizards and witches of which she could never be part was like a closed circle. It was almost as if her sister didn't belong in her circle anymore.

But she never had, really. Petunia felt the usual pang in her heart when she thought of the gap between them. They were from different worlds, as Lily used to tell her, but still shared the same blood.

And what was more important, Lily was everything Petunia wanted to be but could not.

She brushed those thoughts aside. Tonight would be different. It was her sister's nineteenth birthday and she would make it special for her, she would forget about the line between their worlds and just be good old sisters for a change.

She had missed Lily. She wouldn't want her to leave too soon, though she knew she would, in the end.

Petunia stepped out of her old room and went down to the back garden to make some last arrangements. Everything looked perfect, down to the Swedish buffet to the lavish decorations she had struggled to put up, with some help from her parents. The mini-fountain placed in the middle was sprinkling fresh water that made a whispering sound.

'Honey, Vernon is on the phone,' her mother called out from inside.

'I'll be right there!'

She went into the living room and picked up the dial.

'Vernon? Hi, how are you?'

'Not very good, Pets. I'm afraid I'm stuck.'

'What do you mean stuck? When are you going to be here?' she asked worried.

'Ah, the police stopped me on the high way. I've been drinking and…'

'The police? Where are you now?'

'At the police station…They're not letting me off until they're done with me, which might take a while.'

Petunia groaned disappointed. 'Vernon, how long can those things take? You've only been drinking….'

'Well, it's not just that…they insist the car I was driving is stolen.'

'Stolen?!'

'I swear Pets, it's solid clean, I just…borrowed it from Jake so I could come to the party. I had no idea he was into that sort of thing…'

'Some friends you have! Have you called your parents?'

'They don't need to know, it would worry them for nothing. I'll get out of here soon, no fuss about it Pets.'

'Want me to come and pick you up?'

'Oh, no, you stay there for the party, I'll run a little late, but I'll be there.'

'God, Vernon the things you get yourself into…' she said shaking her head. 'I hope you'll be here soon. And don't hang out with Jake so much from now on.'

'Will do…trust me, after this I don't really want to see the bloke. Gotta run Pets. See you soon.'

'See you…' she said hanging up.

Some boyfriend she had…always getting into trouble, never being able to do things right…being late all the time.

But she had grown used to it. Just like she had grown used to…well, Lily and her world.

'How's Vernon darling?' her mother asked popping from the kitchen.

'He's fine, but he'll be late. Traffic is tight.'

But Vernon didn't show up anymore; he didn't make it and the party started without him.

Lily returned from the beauty parlour, looking very pretty in her sparkling pink dress and fancy bun. Soon the guests arrived, the lights were lit and the food brought in. The party was in full swing with music and dancing and "happy birthday, Lily!" heard everywhere.

Petunia had to rush here and there to solve the little mishaps but all in all it was going great.

Of course, her special friends came as well. They were all there, but not female friends; oh no. They were the same boys Petunia had heard of over and over again.

Lily didn't have girls around her, she had boys, and not in that romantic sense.

Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew…if she remembered well, were her only close friends.

Though, in time she came to find that Potter was somewhat closer to Lily than the rest.

She might not be a sharp observer but that did not slip by unnoticed.

They always wrote letters to each other, Lily went to visit him habitually and they went out a lot, just the two of them, though she pretended that others were coming as well.

Petunia knew Lily had feelings for him. Only she didn't know how deep those feelings were and…what would happen.

She was sitting at one of the tables in the garden, drinking some champagne, watching them, four boys and one girl laughing and dancing, like they were brothers. They were a closed, compact group that could not be torn apart. Nor would they tolerate her, the muggle sister…

From time to time she looked at her watch, but Vernon wasn't coming. He was never here, when needed.

Lily looked so pretty, so happy…with them. She never looked this joyful with anybody else, not with their parents, not with her. She sometimes wondered…if she had possessed the same gift as she did, would it have been easier for both of them?

But she didn't want to be a witch, she knew that. She wanted to be normal, just like everybody else.

'Hey.'

She looked up. It was Lily, smiling at her warmly.

'Hey, what are you doing here, away from the dance floor?'

'Wanted to spend time with my fabulous sister who made all of this,' Lily said, grabbing her hand. 'Come on, walk with me.'

The two sisters followed the path to their orchard, away from the party crowd. They walked in silence for some moments before Lily decided to break it.

'Pets, I've been thinking…these past couple of months.'

'Oh. What of?'

'My future of course…'

'Your future?'

'I know you're still in college, but for me…life has its gates open,' Lily said pensively. 'And I have to find out what I will do once I pass those gates.'

'You have time to discover, Lily,' Petunia said encouragingly. 'I have faith in you.'

'Well, at least someone does, that's good to know.'

'What do you mean Lily? You don't believe in yourself?'

'It's not that…this world I live in, it's different, it's complicated but it still presents the same issues as…'

'Our world?' Petunia asked frowning.

'I didn't mean it to sound like that, it's only that…I thought that in the magical world things would be easier. And they're not.'

'Things are never easier in any world, Lily,' Petunia reminded her. 'It's not a shelter.'

'I know…that's just it. I wish it were one.'

'Hey, you can always find shelter home,' Petunia said taking her arm.

'James Potter asked me to marry him,' she said out of the blue facing her. Petunia dropped her arm as if she had got burned.

'What?'

'He asked me to marry him. And I said yes.'

Petunia blinked several times, trying to get a hang of herself, but the information was too much for her. She swung to and fro in the afternoon wind like a piece of paper.

Her little sister was getting married…

'You…you're…he…marriage?' she stammered.

'Yes. We've decided to marry…we love each other and we can't really stay apart. I think it's the right step for us. I mean we've been dating for over two years.'

Petunia thought she couldn't breathe anymore, like someone had punched her in the stomach and her lungs were congesting. She looked around her, hoping that everything would fade like in a dream, but the guests were still there, the garden, Lily.

'Lily…you're…just nineteen.'

'And where will life take me? You have your college, I have something different,' Lily protested. 'Don't you want me to be happy?'

'Of course I want you to be happy, but is this what you really want? Is this the best decision?'

'It is the best for me…and if you love me you'll be by my side,' Lily said smiling unsure.

Petunia looked down at the wet grass and sighed. Why was Lily rushing into marriage?

'What will you two do? Where will you stay? How will you sustain yourselves?' Petunia asked quietly.

'We have most things arranged…I'll be living with James, in his house at Godric's Hollow, not too far from here and we'll both get jobs at the Ministry.'

'Oh…that Ministry. So, you will live in the magical world?'

Lily hesitated and blushed. 'Yes, I think so. It's where we belong.'

'Right…do mum and dad know about this affair?'

'It's not an affair and they don't know. I wanted you to be the first to know.'

'Oh…what an honour.'

'It should be,' Lily frowned.

'Lily, I don't think you should do this right now.'

'Why not?' Lily asked baffled. 'I am old enough to…'

'You need to go to college and…'

'I don't need that in my world.'

'Your world? Hey, you belong in my world just as much!' Petunia snapped tired of the old excuse. 'Or you used to anyway.'

'Petunia, what would I do with college anyway? What would I do with it in the wizarding world?'

'You could do something here,' she replied firmly.

'Bring James in the muggle world? That's…not possible. He can't just find a job,' Lily said shaking her head. 'You don't understand.'

'I don't understand? I'm just looking out for you.'

'Looking out for me? Petunia, I'm nineteen and I love him and we have a place to live, we'll get jobs, everything is settled. Why do you worry so much?'

'I…'

'Why don't you trust me?'

'It's not you I don't trust,' Petunia said looking towards Lily's friends and current boyfriend.

'James is wonderful, Petunia. He loves me very much and has always taken care of me.'

'You used to tell me he bugged you and was as annoying as hell,' Petunia said folding her arms.

'That was eons ago! It's true he was immature, but he's grown up so much and if you just got to know him…'

'Look, I won't stand in the way of your marriage, but I don't think it's normal,' Petunia insisted.

'Oh and you would know everything about normal, wouldn't you?'

'Yes, I am after all, completely normal.'

'And he's not?'

Petunia looked away uncomfortable. This subject was always a bit of a controversy for them. Lily thought everyone was equal and alike, but Petunia couldn't help thinking wizards and witches were not only abnormal but also special and somewhat mistrustful.

In a nutshell, she couldn't help thinking one could not be completely safe with them.

When she didn't answer Lily turned her back and walked away, feeling disappointed and helpless.

Petunia's shoulders sagged as she rubbed her eyes tired. She had had a long day and now this…

When she finally came back to the party she saw Lily was holding a glass in her hand and was addressing the crowd.

'Friends and family, mother, father, I have a rather big announcement to make which I hope will make everyone as happy as I am…' she said looking dearly towards James.

'James and I are getting married.'

When the guests finally left it was well after three in the morning. Lily had left with James, after a long talk with her mother and father. They had been only too happy to agree with their engagement and were looking forward to their wedding.

The couple described their future plans of moving in together in James' house and getting jobs and everyone found this perfectly wonderful and viable, but for Petunia, who all the while, sat behind her parents' chairs, looking at them cautiously.

When they had left, Petunia had gone into the kitchen to wash some dishes, just to kill time and get the news out of her head. Her mother soon came to help her.

'You're working yourself good, aren't you?' she said taking the glasses from her hands.

'Somewhat. I don't like leaving a mess,' she said scrubbing at a plate. 'I like things being clean.'

'Yes, you're a neat one. I always did brag about my daughter having the cleanliest room in the neighbourhood.'

'One of my amazing achievements…'

'Honey…are you alright?' she asked worried.

'Yep,' she answered not looking at her.

'Is it about Vernon? I noticed he didn't show up after all…Did he call to say why?'

'Oh…Vernon…it's got nothing to do with him, I mean it wasn't crucial for him to be here. I don't care all that much…'

'Then what is it? I know when something is upsetting you, pumpkin, you can't hide it,' she said placing a hand on her shoulder.

'How come?'

'People's eyes always betray them. Tell me…'

'It's about Lily…you know…'

'Her marrying so quickly?'

Petunia nodded murmuring something inaudible.

'Oh, honey, you're worried she's marrying before you? Oh, I'm sure Vernon will someday pluck the question, or some other lucky man who will really treat you as you deserve,' she said hugging her.

Petunia gasped in surprise and let herself be hugged, all the while trying not to laugh.

Her mother thought that was the problem? That it was simple, immature jealousy?

She thought that was her first worry?

If only she knew Vernon would never…but she didn't want to think about it.

'Why don't you go to bed and I'll finish up here?' her mother offered.

'No…I can do it, I just need some coffee…'

'Nonsense, you're exhausted, come now, off to bed.'

Petunia acquiesced at length knowing in her state she might cut herself with a kitchen knife by accident.

She trod heavily to bed, hoping to forget everything, but her dreams wouldn't let her.

The darkness in her mind parted and through the clouds of sleep she could see a door opening. It was a bedroom, a nice cozy, warm bedroom…only she saw on the bed a still figure, lying dead, as if asleep. She came closer and saw it was her sister, Lily.

Her eyes were glassy and her mouth was open and when she checked her pulse she didn't feel anything.

Petunia let out a blood curdling scream but she felt her voice was gone. A young baby boy was standing next to the dead body, smiling.

When she turned she saw the black robes of a tall figure but then a green light flooded her eyes…and she woke up.

'Lily!' she yelled in the middle of the night.

Her breath came out in short gasps, her legs were shaking and she was sweating abundantly.

Her pillow and quilt were on the floor. She ran a trembling hand through her hair and tried to calm down.

It had only been a dream…a terrible nightmare.

It won't happen again, she told herself.

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