Balance

Chapter 1

"Valene, you had the hundred galleons last. Where are they?" Came a voice down the hall from James Potter's bedroom one night as he lay awake next to his best friend, a sleeping Sirius Black.

"Delbert, what do you think I could've done with a hundred galleons? I put them right on the tabl--"

"But they're not there now. You know you did something with them. Don't ing lie to me."

"Delbert--"

"Don't, Valene, just don't. All you ever do is spend money and ask for some more. You know that it could be used on better things than you." The boy's father spit out his last words, leaving a silence to follow. "Valene, don't cry. I didn't mean it. Just don't cry..."

"Delbert, I don't know where the money is. I don't." The boy's mother paused to stifle a sob. "Please don't blame everything on me."

There was a long moment of sobbing and comforting before the boy's mother spoke once more. "Delbert, I don't think this is working out."

"What's not working out? A treadmill?"

"Us, Delbert. We don't love each other like we used to."

"Valene, shut up about that. It's ridiculous."

"You never used to tell me to shut up."

"Then please be quiet." There was a pause before Delbert continued. "Let's get some sleep. We'll be all back to normal tomorrow morning."

"Delbert!" Valene exclaimed suddenly, stirring Sirius from his sleep. "Normal is the situation we have right now."

"Wha's'appenin'?" Sirius asked groggily, slowly picking his head up from his pillow and looking around through half-opened eyes.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep," the other boy, James ordered in a whisper, turning his head back to his parents' voices, but the house was silent.

&

At that exact moment, just on the other side of town, a chubby blonde girl was sleeping silently when a tapping noise came from the window, almost muffled by the pounding rain outside.

"Wh- Who's out th-there?" the girl, Petunia, stuttered, her heart pattering in her chest as her head shot up from her pillow. "H-hullo?" Tap, tap. Cautiously, the young woman crawled to the window on all fours, afraid that the person on the other side of the glass had a gun ready to shoot. Still cautious, Petunia drew aside the curtains just a bit to see what was out there, only to come face-to-face with a tawny owl.

"Bloody hell," she muttered, leaning herself against the wall in relief. "Just an owl." Still trembling, she drew the curtains once more to stare at the owl, contemplating whether or not to let it in.

Glancing over her shoulder to her sister because she knew well the owl was for her, she opened the window, letting the owl soar in and drop a letter by Petunia's sister's sleeping form. Almost as soon as it had came, the owl flew back out the window. Petunia, shocked at the owl's quick visit, slowly walked to her sister's bed and picked up the letter, nosy as she was.

Dearest Lily-Flower,

You are by far the most beautiful girl

Ever to set foot in this dull world.

Your eyes light up the sun come morn',

Your lips like a rose and its thorn.

Your lips are of great magnificence,

And you, alone, of perfect essence.

Of course with me, you would be better,

And with a kiss, I seal this letter.

The letter continued on, but Petunia simply jammed it back into its envelope, tears streaming down her cheeks. It wasn't fair that her sister, Lily, constantly got all the attention, the good grades, and now, as Petunia had just realized, little freaks of admirers. Petunia, herself, on the other hand, had never had any form of an admirer, and she knew well she would never find one crazy enough to step foot near her.

Lily, not quite asleep, had watched her sister for the past few minutes with mild interest, and now, not understanding the situation, dozed into a deep sleep.

a/n: hope you all liked it. r & r!

helen