Petunia Evans had been irrefutably shown that life was not fair at an early age. She had been shown that certain people would be privileged and valued over others. People who, sometimes, did not even deserve the attention were the ones who got it and other people who demonstrated actual positive qualities were ignored. Also, Petunia just did not like her sister.

Ever since she could remember, Lily was one on whom praise was showered. She was the pretty one, she was the 'gifted' one, she was the magic one. Never mind that it was Petunia who got the better grades. Never mind that it was Petunia who graciously tutored Lily when she needed it. Never mind that it was Petunia who, from the time she was born, had wanted there to be something more in the world.

No, Petunia had learned long ago that the only way she would be successful in her life would be to go out and achieve on her own. In the five years that Lily had been gone, Petunia had bettered her already impeccable grades and had sent a very impressive application to a number of Britain's, and even America's, top undergraduate universities. The fact that she more than a year before any of them would reply did not matter; she was on top of her life. Petunia knew where she was going and she was determined to get there.

It did not help the only two topics her parents and relatives could talk about were Lily and children. Lily was, obviously, a bit of a nerve for Petunia, but that was nothing compared to the children talks. All her aunts and uncles seemed to be interested in was when she would spread her legs for some boy and pop out a few squirts and, essentially, throw away her own ambitions. Now, in the interest of fairness, Petunia did not hate boys. She held the same level of expectation for them that she held for anyone. It was just that no boy had ever surpassed her expectations and so earned her friendship.

Petunia fully intended to have children and start a family, but she wanted to wait until she could do so in a stable environment. Having children before you could afford them was, after all, the height of foolishness and Petunia Evans was no fool. Besides, boys never seemed to like Petunia. Even the smarter and quieter boys at her school had shown a bizarre level of entitlement when it came to their relationships. All Petunia wanted from a boy was the respect and level of consideration they showed each other, but all she got was the same veiled contempt and disrespect they showed to the stupid girls.

Regardless, this was the summer that Petunia would be able to begin classes at a nearby university. Finally, she would be able to converse with intelligent people and discuss things of import. Finally, she would be able to begin the no doubt arduous task of making herself known. Her life was finally beginning, and nothing would stop her.

"Hey, Petunia, I'm home!" came the lilting voice of Lily Evans through the open door of their house. Petunia heard her sister moving through the house in entirely too joyful a manner, considering the blazing weather outside. Lily's face peered around the doorway to look in on the kitchen. "There you are! What are you up to today?"

Petunia sat back in her wooden and stretched her arms to the ceiling. "Just going over the reading for my class today." She twisted in her seat and enjoyed a couple pops down her back. "You?"

Lily walked through the kitchen and plopped the day's newspaper on the table. "I'll probably be catching up with my friends. Did you know that Erik and Sam are a thing now?" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "I didn't even know that they were..." She left the sentence trail off, apparently too vile a thing to say out loud.

"Gay?" asked Petunia, her voice as flat as the kitchen table.

Lily giggled. "You're not supposed to say that word! It's gross!"

Petunia shrugged. "Whatever." She looked back at her book. "Why do you care?"

"It's weird!" Lily said, obviously put-out that Petunia was not as engrossed as she was in this dynamic social change. "Like, just last year Erik was with Jenny and Sam was with me!"

Petunia looked up from her book and gave Lily a dry stare. Maybe this time she'd get the hint.

"See, Petunia," Lily said, frustrated, "This is why no one likes you! You don't care about anyone except yourself." She got up. "Well," she huffed, "I'm leaving. I should be home near dinnertime."

Petunia began reading again. "All right. I'll cook some pasta or something. Oh," she looked up again, "Did you get the post card from Mom and Dad?"

Lily shook her head. "Nuh-uh. Where is it?"

Petunia jerked her chin in the direction of the kitchen counter and Lily went over and picked it up. "You know, Petunia, I'll never understand why you stayed home instead of going to Australia with them." She sighed wistfully. "I'd give anything to be there with them."

Petunia shrugged. "Taking undergrad classes is more important to me right now."

Lily rolled her eyes, "You're still in secondary school. You have a whole year before undergrad."

Petunia picked up her book again. "Exactly. A whole year of getting ahead of everyone else."

Lily shook her head in exasperation, her accompanying sigh just a little too loud to be real, and she waltzed out of the room, a final goodbye hovering in the air after her.

Petunia glanced at the space her sister had just vacated. She allowed herself a brief moment of useless speculation at what her sister could be if she actually applied herself. The moment dragged on and Petunia lifted her book again, diving into the mysteries and wisdom of Plato. Petunia scanned page after page, but soon realized that she was not retaining anything. She heaved a sigh and decided to head over to the nearby university. Maybe there she'd actually be able to focus.

"That's all for today class!" called the teacher, "And remember: turn in your papers on Plato's Allegory of the Cave no later than next Friday to my office."

There was a general scuffling and scraping as the forty or fifty students packed away their materials. Petunia hurried to put her things away, just throwing them haphazardly into her backpack, before walking to the front of the classroom. Easier said than done, given the current of students leaving the room.

"Excuse me, sir?" Petunia asked, standing in front of the teacher's desk and resting an arm on the podium.

"Hmm? Yes?" The older gentleman turned around and viewed Petunia through half-moon spectacles. "What is it?"

Petunia put a sheaf of papers on his desk. "I was just wondering if I could give you my paper now. I finished it this morning."

The professor tilted his head and his blue eyes twinkled merrily, though his face remained grave. "You did, did you?" He leaned forward and picked up the paper. "Thank you, Miss Evans." He winked at her. "I'm sure I'll be greatly enlightened by this!"

Petunia was a bit lost. She felt she should be outraged at the condescending patronization in his words, but something in his tone made her feel that he was being completely genuine. "Th-thank you sir." She turned and walked out of the classroom.