If Only…

A huge thanks to my Harry Potter crazy cousin, J.A.K, without whose help this story would still be lying in my laptop, untitled, somewhere in 'My Documents'.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

November 4th, 1980.

Petunia Dursley of Number Four, Privet Drive was in her kitchen, washing the dishes when the telephone rang. She jumped, dropping the pan she was washing, the sudden shrill tone of the telephone scaring her; it had been unusually quiet in the house as Dudley had (finally) gone to sleep and her husband Vernon had gone to work.

Petunia wiped her soapy hands on her apron and went over to answer the telephone.

'Hello, Dursley residence', she said in her best voice, the kind she usually saved for people she wanted to impress. She had no idea who the caller was and if it was one of the neighbors, she wanted to make a good impression as they had only moved here a couple of months ago and didn't have a large circle of friends.

'Petunia, it's me Lily', a soft, sweet voice said across the line. And it was this soft, sweet voice that bought an end to Petunia's wonderful day that were so rare to come by these days, what with Dudley being such a fussy baby. Years later when she'd think back to this day she would always wonder what would have happened if she had listened to her sister.

'Lily? What – how did you even get our number? You know Vernon and I don't want to do anything with you and your lot!' she said shrilly, the polite voice disappearing. Oh why did she have to call today of all the days. Didn't she know by now that they wanted to have no contact with freaks like them?

'Tuney listen, I have some bad news…I – well… '. Here the speaker stopped talking as if unsure how to get to the point she had originally called for. She tried again. 'Look I know this is going to be quite confusing but to cut a long story short, James, Harry and I are in grave danger'.

'Well that is what you'll get for being with those freaks', Petunia replied, hissing the last word so that no one should hear it even though there wasn't anyone in the house except Dudley. 'I told you, didn't I? But you'd never – '

'Tuney please, this is serious!' Lily cried, cutting her sister off. 'I really need your help!'

'Oh so now you need my help? Why don't you wave that stick of yours and everything will be just fine!' Petunia replied shrilly, closing the phone. She leaned against the table and sighed. God, Lily made her so mad! Why did she keep coming back in her life? She never wanted to see her freak of a sister or her equally freakish family ever again! Oh, why couldn't Lily just go away forever?

Walking back towards the kitchen, little did Petunia know that her wish would come true in less than a year.

February 10th, 1981

Many miles away a distraught Lily Potter nee Evans put down the receiver she had been holding and turned towards her best friend, Marlene McKinnon.

'It's no use, Tuney'll never pick up the phone when I call or answer my letters. I doubt she even reads them. Probably burns them in the fire!'

'Hey, its okay you know. We're all here for you. You don't worry; we've got your back!' Marlene said soothingly trying to calm down Lily. She'd had a rough day what with Harry crying all day and her husband James on a mission without so much as a word since a week. Sirius and Dorcas Meadows were both with James on the mission too. Remus had stopped by a couple of days ago but with the upcoming full moon was not really up for the job. And Peter, well he wasn't around much these days. Currently he had gone to visit his aunt who was ill, or so he said. It was hard trusting anyone these days, even friends.

'I know, I know. It's just – oh I wish everything was just the way it was before! Tuney and I were such good friends and now we're barely a family. I haven't even her son yet and he's a month older than Harry.'

'Don't give up hope yet. You have plenty of time; Petunia will come around sometime', Marlene said, not knowing how very wrong she was. Because time was the last thing Lily Potter had.

October 31st, 1981

It had been an ordinary day so far; well as ordinary as a day could get these days. They couldn't go out of course but they had decided to dress Harry up for Halloween as a Muggle super-hero and invite the Marauders and Marlene over. Peter had been unable to come so it had been just Sirius, Remus and Marlene for tea.

Now it evening and past Harry's bedtime but as usual he wasn't in bed, instead he was with James who was entertaining him and making him too hyper to sleep.

'Come on James, it's late and Harry needs to sleep', Lily said, her long red hair falling over her face. James picked up Harry and handed him over to Lily. Harry was still laughing and trying to catch the coloured smoke his father had conjured when there was a sudden loud explosion. It was a lot like the explosions you hear in a first-year potions class but it was a lot more sinister… darker.

'Lily it's him! Run! Take Harry and run!'

Those were the last words Lily ever heard from James. She ran up the stairs, holding Harry tightly in her arms. Whatever happened, she had to save Harry. She took Harry inside the nursery and started blocking the door with chairs and tables. Just as Lily was about to pull a chair towards the door, it flew open with a bang, causing it to come out of his hinges. Lily screamed and stood in front of Harry, who was in his crib, trying to protect him. She knew it was no good, not against Voldemort but she had to try.

'Stand aside, you silly girl', Voldemort hissed

'NO!'

'You foolish Mudblood! Stand aside!' he screamed.

But Lily didn't move. She knew was going to die. But she wasn't scared. If her dying meant saving Harry then so be it. And she'd see James again. She didn't flinch when she saw Voldemort raise his wand. Nor when he opened his mouth to cast the curse. She just thought of her family. And while many would say that meant James and Harry and the rest of the marauders, it also meant Petunia.

October 31st, 1981.

It had been a completely normal day so far. Dudley had been good today and even Vernon was in a good mood for a change. Which is why Petunia couldn't for the life of her understand why she was feeling so tense today as if something bad was going to happen.

She knew it. Something was defiantly wrong. But what? And where? Dudley was fine, so was Vernon, nothing had happened with the neighbors as far as she knew. Petunia paced around her lounge, trying to figure out what might be bothering her. But it was in vain.

November 1st, 1981.

She was in her kitchen, making lunch. Her hands were trembling and there were tears in her eyes. She had just received a letter from that blue-eyed bearded wizard that her sister and her husband were dead because of some evil psycho. It had come as such a shock; she couldn't believe her little sister, so young and full of life was dead. Dead.

She thought back to the day that Lily had called. Maybe this was the danger she was talking about. Oh if only she had listened to her, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. Her baby sister wouldn't be dead.

Petunia shook her head, wiping the tears that had escaped her eyes. She wouldn't cry. Not for Lily. They hadn't even seen each other in years. She refused to let the tears fall.

It's just the onions she told herself, despite the fact that she hadn't even cut a single onion yet.

A/N: Finally! I started this one-shot a long time ago but never got around to it. I left in the middle because I honestly didn't know what to write next, but now that it's finally finished, I can relax! Although it's turned out completely different from what I had thought of in my head, it hasn't turned out to be too bad. Though the ending could have been better.

Anyway, reviews are appreciated! A lot.

A/N (2): Also, I'd like to thank Sinatra, littlegirlgonemad,Loveamong the Ruins, LoonyLovegood and jehanie-mahani for reviewing my other story, 'Binding Ties'.