April 1977
A couple of days ago I sent Petunia a letter. Nothing fancy, just a casual letter telling her how I'm doing and checking in on her. She's living with one of her friends, I'm not sure if it's permanent or temporary though. I was hoping that she wouldn't be angry with me, that she would write me back as a sister. We used to write each other often while I was at school. During fifth year she began to distance herself from me. Her letter became less and less frequent and more and more brief. Last term she didn't write me at all. I was hoping that she would reply with a letter like her old ones.
Today I received this:
Lily,
Please do not write me again. I thought I made it clear to you at the funeral that I want nothing to do with you or your abnormality. Apparently I didn't.
I doubt my mind will change, but if it does, I will contact you.
Petunia Evans
I had to read it several times before the world fully sank in and became reality. I tried so hard not to cry, I knew this would probably happen, and I'd been doing too much crying lately already. I couldn't hold back the tears though. As I sat alone in the common room, I began to cry.
I heard the portrait hole open and the voice of James Potter say, "Yeah, hold on guys, I need to get a few things. Wait for me in the Great Hall.
I heard his footsteps head towards the stairs to the boys' dormitory, stop suddenly, and then begin to walk towards me. "Evans?" he said cautiously.
He came and knelt down in front of where I was sitting, still holding the letter. He reached up and placed a hand on my arm. For once, I didn't pull away. "Evans, are you alright?"
I handed him the letter, still crying, though not as hard. His hand seemed to provide a since of comfort and protection. He took the letter and read it to himself as he moved to sit beside me on the couch. I could tell he was reading the letter several times. "The wench," he finally whispered. He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him whispering, "It's not your fault, Lily. It's not your fault."
I clung to him for life. I'm not sure how long we stayed there. Just last month if you had told me that someday I would cry in the arms of James Potter, I would have laughed at them. I have been seeing a new side of him lately, and I like it.
Suddenly my stomach growled loudly. Just then Remus Lupin walked through the portrait hole. "Hey James, are you coming to supper?" he asked, then noticed me and added, "Is everything okay?"
I wiped my face with the back of my hand and nodded. Everything seemed much better now, not good, but better. James turned to me, "Do you want to go down?" he asked, "I'll stay with you if you want me to."
"I'll go down," I whispered.
As the three of us walked to the Great Hall, I held James' hand. Remus noticed, and I saw him wink at James.
I smiled, I didn't care.