Petunia Dursely, formerly Evans, was drunk on cherie sitting on a couch in The Leaky Cauldron. Severus Snape was sitting in a chair in the same room as far away from her as possible. When the two saw each other again after all those years, they instantly recognized one another, each of them not having changed a bit, both physically and in personality; Severus was poorly groomed and poorly mannered, greasy haired and badly dressed wearing those ridiculously ill fitting closed that tended to make him looking like he was flapping around like a bat. Petunia, meanwhile, still had that unnervingly long neck so good for spying and poking around and sticking her nose up high in the air. She was as unoriginal, unspecial, mediocre and non magical as Snape remembered. It had really made him wonder where exactly Lily came from.

If he was really being fair, her parents, while unspecial themselves, were far more amicable muggles than their eldest daughter, showing appreciation, and possibly envy for their daughter's talent, clearly showing where Petunia's resentment came from.

Severus remembered when he would go over to her house over the summers until they were fifteen when he had uttered that horrible word that ruined his life. Then he had longed to go somewhere else with Lily to escape his home life, but she would insist that they go up to her room and listen to some old records. She would only ever insist when she was sure that Petunia was not home, knowing full well that three was a crowd, especially when it came to the three of them. Severus would always ask why she held onto her muggle connections, even muggle music, now that she knew she wasn't one of them. Lily would shake her head and insist that her muggle life was a part of her and that they would have to embrace that. He didn't get that, but he did love spending time with her and even listening to records.

He was lost in thought when he heard that stupid woman hiccup from her excessive drinking. Lost in his own memories, which ironically included her, he had forgotten that she was there. He didn't understand why he was stuck with retrieving and guarding her amidst the Azkaban break. Dumbledore had insisted that it would do Petunia some good to see a familiar face while her life was in danger. Her husband and son were already safe and had been sent away, but Petunia had been out shopping when this happened, so Severus had to go get her himself. The wizards who hid her family were on their way, allegedly to take her to the secret location and keep her safe. Until then, he was stuck with her.

"You haven't changed," Petunia said out of nowhere.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, you're just the same. Your life is as mediocre as we all knew it would be."

"I'm in no way shocked that you became one of those-those-those things, those Nazis! After all my family did for you over the years. There was always something wrong with you, I just didn't think it was that."

"Quiet," Snape spat. "You don't know anything."

"You wanted to eradicate all life, just because we're not freaks like you! You're a murderer! And my sister-"

"Don't," Snape cut her off coldly. "You do not get to speak to me about her. You, who cast her out and cut her off, I saw it in your eyes many times, she was dead to you long before she actually died."

"You bastard!" Petunia shrieked. "You Goddam trash-you Nazi! It should have been you!"

"Finally something we agree on," Snape responded flatly.

Petunia had nothing to say to that. They sat there in silence for a long time.

"You're his teacher now, are you?" Petunia asked. She never referred to Harry by his name, even in private when he wasn't around.

"Unfortunately," he responded. "Your mediocrity and complete lack of magical talents and understanding has rubbed off on him. It shows in his school work."

If this had been anybody else, someone who didn't have Petunia's number, so to speak, who knew about her secret longing to be a part of the world she spent so long cursing, she probably would have contributed to the disparaging of her nephew. But this was Severus Snape. It felt wrong to lie to him somehow. Like she was lying to herself, and you'd think she would've had a lot of practice by now. Her next words surprised her. She didn't even really know she felt them until she said them out loud:

"He's just like her." The words came out as a sob. It was a miracle they came out at all, they seemed to really want to get caught in her throat and stay there. Snape looked up at her, surprised and in disbelief. He raised a critical eyebrow at her. Petunia continued without looking at him:

"I see and hear her sometimes when he talks. His cheek, the things he says, the way he looks at me, his eyes…"

She felt the tears swelling up in her eyes. "That baby-when he came here, he was so quiet, like he was dead too...and then he got hungry, and then he cried. I couldn't...I couldn't go to him, not for the longest time...and when I did...I just held him as I fed him the bottle. I didn't know this, but he was looking at me, right at me. Big eyes on a tiny face, that horrible scar-he lived while she died. And I couldn't even say goodbye, or that I...regret certain things that were said, or unsaid...there was no making it right. She was dead, and in walks this other special little baby that my father fawned over. My father Hank. If he had lived, it would've started all over again, he would've had a new favorite. I couldn't watch my son go through what I did. I couldn't bear it. And now...we all might die, and for what? What is all this killing and death even about and what is it supposed to amount to?"

It had been the smartest, most profound, sincere thing she had ever said in her life. And she said to the person she probably liked the least in this world.

"He's just like her," Petunia repeated. "Just like her, and I couldn't look at him. Didn't want to hear him speak. All I heard and saw was the voice and face of someone who I was never going to see again. That living, breathing, walking, talking proof that I failed her and I could never make it right. It hurts me-it kills me."