Lily's Leavetaking
The house was dark and making the alien night-noises that houses always make. From the kitchen there came a faint click as the coffee maker began brewing the favourite coffee of Harold Evans. Soon the alarm clock on Cheryl's nightstand would wake her with the daily news and weather reports..
In Petunia's room it was dark and chilly - she had left her window open, hoping for the last breath of Indian summer air.. Suddenly there was a faint buzz and then -
"All the latest pop favorites, all morning!" exclaimed the voice of an energetic DJ.
Petunia sat bolt-upright, then relaxed and hit the snooze button. She lay back and listened as her mother rose and went downstairs - a creak at the top step, a creak in the middle, and a creak at the seventh step. She knew it by heart. Soon breakfast noises and smells were wafting through the house, and Petunia rose to dress. Petunia was pleased whenever she looked into her closet. She had all of the latest fashions to wear, straight out of her magazines. All of her friends were envious.
She trotted downstairs and entered the kitchen, grabbing the door frame to steady herself as she nearly slipped. Around the table she found her parents whispering excitedly.
"Oh, Petunia dear," Her mother sang. "Come and see! We've all got letters from Lily! Wait until you read it - it's wonderful!"
Petunia's eyes darkened. She knew that letters from Lily arrived by owl - Saffron, to be exact - and she didn't want anyone seeing a letter-bearing owl coming to her house. It was too bizarre. Even so, she reached for her letter, and studied the slightly rough parchment. Lily's messy scrawl carried the air of her enthusiasm like perfume - it made Petunia slightly ill.
Wands, Potions, Charms, shifting staircases, Gryffindor, Slytherin, walking suits of armour? Petunia's head swam. She didn't want to know about any of this, but her little sister didn't realize that. Or she's ignoring it, Petunia thought. She sat down and leaned over for the jam - catching a disapproving glance from her mother.
Nearly two months had passed since Lily had boarded the Hogwarts Express - a huge, scarlet train - from Platform 9 ¾, which was cleverly hidden from muggle view. Petunia had tagged along - still watching with the fascination of one going by a wreck. Caught up in the frenzied excitement of Lily's big day, no one had really noticed Petunia's melancholy silence.
Lily, nearly hopping with excitement, had run onto the train completely forgetting her parents. Then she had run back out to hug them and say her rushed good-byes.
"Oh, Mum, Dad, I'm so excited I'll write you, I promise, I can't wait, I wonder how long the ride is to get there? I love you! Bye, Petunia! I'll write! Bye! Bye!" she cried, and in a swirl of robes, she sprang onto the train and was gone. Moments later, the Hogwarts Express disappeared. Soon after, so did a car holding three very emotional people. A teary-eyed Cheryl, an elated Harold, and a sullen, angry Petunia.
The family silently ate a rushed breakfast. "Petunia?" her mother questioned, "Petunia, honey, you're going to be late for school."
Petunia snapped out of her memory and realized her mother was right - she had no time at all to get to school! She jumped up, spilling her orange juice, and ran out the front door with books and papers flying. She arrived at school breathless and just in time.
"Hey Molly, Anne-Marie, hey, Eva!" she panted. "Good morning, Mrs. Thomas."
"Hey Petunia," yawned Anne-Marie.
"Good morning, Miss Evans," Mrs. Thomas greeted her from behind a precarious stack of papers.
"Hey, Petunia," said Molly, "Can we all come over after school?"
"Sure," Petunia reluctantly agreed. "We'll meet under that big tree."
Petunia and her friends spent most of their afternoons at each other's houses, or outside if it was warm and sunny. Most often they went to Petunia's, because her parents didn't mind teenage girls running about the house.
Petunia, however, minded it a great deal, and was always afraid that an owl would come flying in, just when all her friends were there.