Summary: During an argument a 6-year-old Lily sets fire to something of Petunia's. After being branded a freak by her older sister Lily seeks solace in her older brother Robyn. Part of the Paraverse. 1966. AU.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Harry Potter! But I do own Robyn and Sam. Aaralyn owns Amy.
Very slight references to DH. But they're not spoilers. If you've read DH you may recognise something, but if you haven't you won't recognise it, and it won't spoil the book for you, as it doesn't sit there and scream it's from the book.
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Written By: Savaria
Year: 1966
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"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT TOUCHING MY DOLLS!"
"I haven't touched your stinkin' dolls!"
"Have to!"
"Have not!"
"Have to!"
"Have not!"
"HAVE TO!"
"HAVE NOT!"
"Girl's if you don't stop fighting this instance then I'll be sending you to the naughty step!"
The two young girls' fight ended abruptly as their mum threatened them. One of the girls, obviously the oldest, has light brown hair and pale blue eyes. She was towering over a smaller red-haired, green-eyed girl. The older girl had a Barbie doll in one hand while the other was pointed into her sister's chest. The little girl had a defiant look on her face as she denied her sister's claim.
Amy Evans had been having a relaxing afternoon until she heard her daughters' argument. She thought she'd step in to break it up before her hot-headed girls' started throwing punches.
As soon as she entered the living room she realised exactly what her daughters were fighting about. Because of the size of the house Petunia and Lily had to share a bedroom, when they were younger both enjoyed it but now as they were gaining a sense of independence they were 'rebelling'. Petunia more than Lily.
Petunia had very strict rules about what people did around her. Part of her list was 'no yelling', 'no hitting' and the number one rule; 'no touching Petunia's dolls'.
Every time Petunia suspected someone of touching her dolls she threw a fit, a fit that was usually aimed at her younger and more vulnerable sister. Amy had tried to teach her middle child about sharing and fairness but Petunia was a girl who knew what she wanted. Amy had none of this trouble with Lily or her son Robyn, but it seemed in Petunia's nature to be somewhat superior.
Petunia must have suspected Lily of doing something to her dolls. Amy could tell just by looking at Lily that she was telling the truth about not doing anything to them, but Petunia was adamant. As soon as the girls stopped fighting Petunia put on a sweet expression on her face and turned to Amy.
"Mum, Lily played with my dolls," She said. Lily's eyes blazed.
"I did not! Mummy, Tuney's a fibber!" Lily replied angrily.
"I am not, just because you're not as pretty as me and that you're-" Petunia started, but what happened next wasn't what Amy was expecting.
Amy had expected for Lily to lunge at her sister, so Amy was in the perfect position to intervene before anything too bad happened. She had expected for Lily to storm off. She had expected for Lily to yell until her throat was raw.
But what she hadn't expected was for Petunia's Barbie doll to set on fire.
Petunia stopped what she was saying and screamed bloody murder as her doll was engulfed in flames. She dropped it onto the floor and ran screaming from the room. 12-year-old Robyn ran into the living room at the sounds of his sister's screams to have Lily all but thrown into his arms. Robyn immediately knew what he had to do (multiple fire-safety talks had taught him much,) so he led his white-faced, wide-eyed sister out of the room and in the direction of the front door.
Amy ran into the kitchen and half filled the basin in the sink full of water before running back into the living room where she deposited the water all over the flaming doll. After repeating the procedure a few more times all that was left on the floor was a scorch mark surrounding a lump of melted plastic.
Robyn jogged back into the living room a few moments later and helped his mum get the melted plastic out of the carpet. Afterwards they stared at the scorch mark that stood out vividly on the cream-coloured carpet.
"We could always put a sofa over it," Robyn commented. Petunia and Lily (who had been watching from the front window to see when it was safe to come in) walked into the room. Petunia burst into hysterical sobs and stomped out the door, Robyn and Amy shared a glance and Robyn left, following his younger sister. Lily stood where she had stopped, a stunned expression on her face.
"It was on fire," She breathed, then her emerald eyes started to fill with tears and her shoulders shook with sobs. "I'm sorry," She cried. Amy stepped over the scorch mark and enveloped her youngest in a hug.
"Oh sweetie," Amy breathed, stroking Lily's beautiful red hair. "It wasn't your fault,"
Lily shook her head vehemently, rubbing her eyes mournfully. "It was my fault, when things like that happen it's always my fault," She sniffed.
Amy crouched down so that she could look her daughter in the eyes. "It's not your fault," She then smiled. "Unless you can set things on fire just by looking at them," Her smiled dipped as Lily started to look panicky. The little girl bit her lip and then buried her head into her mother's shoulder, mumbling something that sounded oddly like 'ikin may tings oove bylck adam'.
Amy chuckled. "What was that sweetie?" Lily was silent for a bit before she whispered audibly.
"I can make things move by looking at them,"
Amy blinked quizzically and breathed. "What?"
Lily pulled back and nodded slowly. "I can make things move by looking at them, but that's only if I concentrate real hard," Amy nodded slowly. Lily fidgeted. "Tuney made me real angry," She looked away, one hand playing with the ends of her hair. "I might have set her dolly on fire," Her lip trembled. "I didn't mean to Mummy! Honest I didn't!" Her eyes watered and she flung herself at her mother, sobbing. Amy hugged Lily close and bit her lip.
'Strange…'
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"Lily? What're you doing there?"
It was later on at night and Lily was sitting outside of her and Petunia's shared bedroom. The door to said bedroom was closed firmly, a fluffy pink 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign hung on the handle. Robyn, who was returning to his bedroom following a visit to the bathroom, had spotted his youngest sister looking rather glum. He shot a glance at the grandfather clock in the corner. It read 11:21PM (or thereabouts).
"Tuney won't let me in," Lily whispered tiredly, clutching a blanket to her chest. Robyn shot the door (and the little girl behind it) a glare and held his hand out for Lily to grab. He pulled her to her feet and gently led her towards his room with a simple "C'mon,"
Mindful of the fact that his parents' soft voices drifted through the house from the living room; Robyn turned on his soft bedside light instead of the big main light (which would have alerted his parents to the fact that he was awake). He gently prised his sister's blanket from her smaller hands and folded it neatly at the end of his bed. He then clambered onto his bed and pulled the covers back over himself, holding the edge back. He motioned for Lily to join him. Lily sleepily climbed into the warmth and snuggled up to her older brother. Robyn turned off the light, and scooted over so that Lily wasn't in danger of falling off. He was just drifting off to sleep when Lily mumbled.
"She called me a freak,"
Robyn opened his eyes and moved backwards so that he could look down at his sister, her face softly illuminated by the slit of moonlight pouring in through the gap in the curtains. She was looking up at him, her eyes wide. Robyn propped himself up with his elbow and scowled.
"Who called you that?" He asked, wanting confirmation for an answer that he already knew.
"Tuney," Lily replied shyly, using her nickname for Petunia. She diverted her eyes from looking at Robyn. Robyn bit his lip and had to refrain from stomping into his sister's room and yelling at her.
"You're not a freak," Robyn said softly. Brushing a stray strand of Lily's hair behind her ear. Lily shook her head and tried pulling the duvet over her head. Robyn managed to stop before she got far. "What makes you think that?"
"Tuney said so," Lily said matter-of-factly. Robyn inwardly cursed the fact that Lily idolised her older sister, and was about to try and change Lily's mind when she continued. "And I can do things,"
Robyn chuckled. "Things like what?"
"Strange things," Lily breathed in awe.
Robyn lay back down properly and rolled onto his back, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling. "What can you do?" Lily was silent. "Can you split oceans in half?" Lily shifted. "Can you make these stars go out?" He asked, pointing with one hand at the fake-stars above. "Or can you build cities in the sky?"
"Nothing like that," Lily whispered. Turning onto her back, mimicking his position. She sighed. "I can make things change colour sometimes," She said. "Sometimes doors open before I get to them, but there's nobody there," She turned onto her side again, facing Robyn. "And when I'm in the park, and I jump off the swing, even when Tuney and Mummy don't want me too, I can fly," Robyn's eyebrows raised. Lily pulled the duvet over her shoulders and moved to get herself comfortable.
Robyn swallowed and rolled over to look at her. "That's strange…" Lily snorted. "…but not freakish," Robyn smiled softly, but Lily, who had her eyes closed, didn't see. "It's cool!" He exclaimed quietly. "I wonder why you can do those things though…"
Lily shrugged slightly. "I wonder too," She snuggled closer to Robyn. "And maybe one day we'll find out…" She yawned. "…And then we can live in our city in the sky…" Her voice trailed off. "…Happily ever after…"
Robyn smiled softly and closed his eyes. He then opened them and pulled the duvet up to cover them both properly. He then lay a hand gently over his sleeping sister and whispered.
"The end,"
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