A sloo of ravens crossed Petunia's lawn and formed a crescent about her garden. She looked up at the sky to see it form a weird solar eclipse. Honeybees and and locusts fell dead all through her flower garden, whch was now littered with dying flowers.

She ran inside the house and called Vernon to see if he and baby Diddy were okay. Her heart released its pangs when she heard Vernon say that the ice cream parlor should be shut down for charging such outrageous prices for single scoops. She stood there and didn't answer him for a full forty-five seconds as he shouted her name through his receiver.

"I'm sorry, Vern. I just saw a bug fly about, and I finally crushed it," she lied. It was sheer rapture to hear her man's voice, and the sound of his aggravated complaining.

He told her to expect him in an hour's time. She begged him to get there all the sooner, claiming that she was lonely without him and Diddy. The truth of the matter was that they needed to get as far away from the area as was possible. She had enough money saved up that they could go to Wellington Caverns Park. There were loads of trees there.

Trees were always mankind's allies when Mother Nature got angry and decided to exact her retribution upon human beings. That was why she begged Vernon to get a house where trees ands plants were plentiful. Be good to the earth, her grandmother had always told her, and it would be good to you in return.

She thought back to Lily. She herself had been the better student of Grandmother Lavinia, when she taught them to practice the 'Old Ways,' but Lily turned out to be the actual witch. Grandma said that just because Lily had powers, didn't mean that other attributes couldn't be encouraged in Petunia, like psychic abilities.

She missed Granny Lavinia. Her home was the center of all warmth and love. Petunia always felt safe there. Granny's home in Bristol was the place she went after mum and dad died. She hid there for three days from Lily and her friends.

Gran was the only person to see just how special 'she' was. She always applauded Petunia on her accomplishments no matter how meager, plus Gran never tried to force her and Lily to bond the way that her mother did. To most people, being a consumate housewife these days didn't seem like that much of an accomplishment, but Gran always said that a woman was the high priestess of the home.

When she finished cleaning, she went to her closet, and lit her candle to Hestia to ask her to bring her family home safely to her. The candle flame shone bright blue. This was not a good sign. She chanted the traditional prayer to ask for help, and the candle fell down and broke releasing wax about the floor. Petunia thought that it would dry, creating an unsightly and gum-like mess, but instead, it flowed in a pattern that delineated the forms of two serpents.

What did this mean? She knew that whenever animals were entwined, it usually signified a terrible battle between equals. Usually, this battle ended in the death of one, but what did this have to do with her? She didn't have any battles to contend with. Most of her rivalries dealt in leagues that pertained to gardening or baking. Perhaps, something else was afoot.

She moved to go and get a washcloth and cleaning solution, but the door shut, and the remainder of the wax flowed to the door to seal the exit to the bedroom. She knelt and chanted again; this time she prayed for protection. The seal on the door formed a face like that of her statue of Hestia, and began to speak.

" The earth is now in a state of eminent turmoil. It will only spare those who are needed to restore the rightful balance."

" What do you mean?" she asked feeling very afraid for her husband and son.

" The earth will only spare that which is necessary to restore her to her rightful balance."

" Please, I don't understand what you mean."

The oozy substance lit aglow and released a green light that permeated the space between Petunia's eyes. She began to see the dining area where Vernon and Dudley ate rumble. She heard the laughter of voices. Her sight moved to see two caped figures whose faces were hidden behind white masks brandishing wands that ejected blasts of light. Buildings exploded, and people were running everywhere to seek shelter.

The light released her, and she fell unconsciously to her bedroom floor. When she woke, she saw the candle intact on the floor right next to her. Petunia laughed in relief. It was all a dream. She got up, approached the closet, and went to sit the candle back in its usual hiding place, except that when she looked down; she saw that the wick was burnt and black. Tears crept into her eyes. She prayed for the wonderful life that she had, and now it was all going to be taken away.

A sparrow landed on her windowsill and sang. Sparrows were the messengers of life. Was there some hope for her loved ones? She closed her eyes and listened to its song with her inner eye to find out. The sparrow's song told her to remember someone who was close to her that she forgot long ago. It said that salvation and redemption lay with a special gift that this person would give her.

During the day, visitors came by, but nobody left anything for her. She was starting to get worried. Vernon returned home safely with the baby, and she went about her usual routine trying ti think of a way to ask Vernon for a vacation. She gave the idea up and went to bed; if Vernon and Dudley were going to perish, then she'd go with them. Screw the earth. 'They' were her light and life.

The sparrow returned and sang a song to wake her. This time, he beckoned her to follow him. It led her to the doorstep to find a tiny foundling who held a note in his little hands. It opened its eyes and glimpsed her unfamiliar presence, which made it begin to fuss. Its green eyes looked into her pale blue ones, and she saw Lily. The sparrow flew away leaving a Rowan branch on her porch. Rowan was the symbol of protection and safety. She knew that as long as she looked after Harry, that her house would be safe.