Edwin
Six months after she had bought the cottage, Petunia was incredibly tired of bathing in the large copper tub. Fortunately, she had finally scraped together the necessary Galleons to build a very small bathroom in the cottage. Wisely, she decided to ask her kindly boss for a few pointers on who to hire, what to get done, and so forth.
"Well," he said, scratching his oily hair, "you'll want to have at least thirty percent more than the original estimate. Those things have a way of flying away like runaway hippogriffs."
Petunia groaned as she carefully stirred the large cauldron in front of her. "Thirty percent? Really?"
"Yup," he replied cheerfully. "You know, you wouldn't have to worry about any of this if you'd just marry young Edwin."
Petunia became very quiet and nearly paused in her stirring. Edwin was her boss' son, who had a comfortable job at the Ministry and had been asking her to marry him for two out of the six months they had been dating. While the pressure to get married as soon as you finished school was lessening in the Muggle world, the same could certainly could not be said of the Wizarding community where Petunia was already considered an old maid at the ripe old age of eighteen.
"I know," she said carefully, finishing the stirring without fanfare and extinguishing the fire with a sharp jab of her wand. "It's just… It's just so sudden. We've only been seeing each other for a few months."
"Half a year," her boss said wisely. "Why, the missus and I were married by that time! And look at how happy we are."
Petunia reflected on that as she began bottling the fresh batch of Pepperup Potion, which was flying off the shelves with the deeply cold weather settling in. Mr. and Mrs. Prewett were very happily married, and as far as the stories went, had bumped into each other at this very apothecary one morning and married three months later after a whirlwind romance. Her own parents had known each other all their lives, but hadn't they gotten married mere months after they began seeing each other? They looked as happy together the last she saw them as they did in their wedding pictures. She was still contemplating her discussion with Mr. Prewett as she was leaving for the evening and bumped into a solid chest.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry," she stammered out before a strong pair of arms circled around her.
"Tuney, love, you can walk into me as much as you'd like," Edwin's voice rumbled from above her and a gentle kiss was placed on the top of her head. Petunia instantly relaxed, smelling the familiar smell of her boyfriend.
"'Lo, Edwin," she said shyly, squinting up at him as she laced their fingers together. Merlin, how she loved this man.
"What do you say to dinner?" he asked jovially.
"I'm famished," Petunia declared. "I was planning on making chicken alfredo."
Edwin groaned. "Much as I love your chicken alfredo," Petunia giggled, he could eat four portions of her chicken alfredo in one sitting, "we've reservations at the Three Broomsticks."
"Sounds lovely," Petunia declared, just before he Apparated them to Hogsmeade.
Once they were seated at table, Petunia suspected another proposal was about to take place. Edwin had ordered a very nice bottle of red wine for the two of them, instead of his usual mead. He knew Petunia loved wine, but rarely had a chance to indulge while she was saving up for the bathroom for the cottage.
Her second clue was that he insisted on steak for dinner. Even when they ate out, he insisted that they both pick the same dish for dinner, claiming it felt more "homey". Petunia certainly wasn't going to argue with that logic, especially if they went to someplace like the Leaky Cauldron, which typically only served one dish for dinner.
Her suspicions were finally confirmed sometime after their dinner dishes had been cleared and their coffee hadn't yet arrived. Edwin frowned at something she had said, then reached into his pocket, got out of the booth, and kneeled on the floor beside her.
"Petunia, my darling, loveliest of all the flowers…" he began.
"I'll marry you, Edwin," Petunia declared, having heard this particular speech five times already. Her mind was made up this time, after the talk with her future father-in-law.
The broad, incandescently happy smile that lit up Edwin's face made Petunia start smiling and then laughing giddily. He slipped an old fashioned ring onto her finger before kissing her tenderly behind her left ear. Soon the entire restaurant was in an uproar, congratulating the newly engaged couple and the young barmaid insisted on a round of mead, on the house, for all the occupants in the pub.
Finally, amid many well-wishes and cheers and not a few lewd suggestions, Petunia and Edwin settled their bill and made their way out onto High Street, headed down the road to Petunia's cottage.
"You make me so happy!" Edwin declared, scooping Petunia up in his arms and spinning her around as she giggled giddily.
"I love you too, Edwin," she gasped out between giggles. "Oh, I can't wait to tell Lily!" Suddenly, she sobered. "Edwin," she began cautiously, "you don't mind Lily, right?"
Edwin stopped in the middle of the street looking startled. "Mind her? Why would I mind her?"
"Because, well," Petunia toyed with the ends of her scarf nervously. "Well, I – I certainly would understand if you didn't want to have to help raise your teenaged sister-in-law."
Edwin laughed again and tweaked Petunia's nose. "I think it's a very noble thing you did, taking care of your little sister after your parents died," he said in a tone far too serious to match the giddy expression on his face. "I'll leave the rules and such up to you, but I am by no means bothered that you have a little sister to mind."
Petunia gave Edwin a fierce hug. "I love you so much," she whispered.
The next morning, Petunia sent Lily a letter with the joyous news, and Lily was more than happy to share in her sister's joy. Soon enough, Petunia found Mrs. Prewett spending more and more time at the apothecary to discuss wedding plans while her future daughter-in-law chopped, grated, and stirred potion ingredients.
"Well, you will be quitting after the wedding," Mrs. Prewett stated matter-of-factly one day when Petunia asked if they could meet on Saturday for tea to discuss wedding plans instead of while she was just finally getting to brew more complicated potions that could bear few distractions.
"What!?" a startled yelp came from the front. Mr. Prewett came flying into the back room where the two women were sitting. "I'm not going to lose my talented young brewer!"
"Really, Mrs. Prewett…" Petunia began.
"Really, Petunia, how many times have I asked you to call me Millie?"
"Millie," Petunia stressed this time, "I have no intention of quitting after my honeymoon. Besides, I've never heard you call your mother-in-law Muriel."
"Well, she's a scary old bat," Mildred Prewett muttered under her breath. "But what do you mean you're not going to quit?"
"I still have Lily to look after for another two and a half years," Petunia shrugged, slicing the Mandrake roots into slivers. "Possibly more – although she's quite bright. I don't doubt she'll be having job offers coming out her ears when she graduates."
"Pish posh," Mildred Prewett said with a wave of her hand. "Edwin makes more than enough at the Ministry to support both you girls. There's no reason for you to continue working here once you're married. You'll have a house to take care of, after all."
Petunia ground her teeth. "As you may recall, I'm Muggleborn. I grew up doing housework without spells…"
"Exactly!" crowed Mildred.
"So," Petunia continued, "housework takes much less time with magic."
"Now, Millie," Andrew Prewett interjected, finally. "Times are changing, women don't necessarily leave the workforce as soon as they get married. And," he added slyly, "I have no intention of losing such an excellent brewer so soon."
The back door to the shop opened and Edwin came strolling in. "Ah! All of my favorite people in one room!" he exclaimed, planting a kiss on Petunia's cheek before stepping over to give his mother a warm hug. "Why're you so upset Mum?"
"Because those two are insisting that Petunia can still work once you're married!" she growled.
Edwin looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Er – Mum?" he said, scratching his head. "Don't you think that, you know, that's something Tuney and I should discuss?"
"I don't see what there is to discuss," she huffed. "It's positively scandalous for a married woman to work when there's no need for it."
"Mum," Edwin said, using the firmest tone Petunia had ever heard him take with his mother. "Petunia and I will go home and discuss this privately. I expect, whatever the outcome of our discussion, that you will accept our decision with your famed poise and grace."
Petunia quickly drew her wand and sent a spell at the potion, causing it to neatly deposit itself in perfectly measured portions into flasks as she bid goodnight to the Prewetts. "Are you coming, Edwin?" she called out as she pulled on her winter coat and wooly mittens.
"Ready whenever you are, love," he called. She could hear him saying goodbye to his parents and then he joined her by the fireplace. "Ladies first."
"Hogsmeade!" she cried out, spinning round and round before finally stumbling out of the grate in the Three Broomsticks.
"Good evening, Miss Evans!" the young barmaid called out, as she wiped down the bar.
"Good evening, Rosemerta!" Petunia called back, tapping her wand on her cloak to remove any soot. Edwin came tumbling out behind her moments later.
"Will you two be stopping for a drink?" Rosemerta asked kindly.
"No, no, not tonight," Edwin replied, placing one hand on Petunia's back and steering her towards the door. They hurried down the chilly street, finally approaching the small cottage Petunia had purchased earlier that year. Pulling out a key, she began tapping out a series of charms on the key itself before inserting it directly into the wood, the door opening effortlessly.
Edwin whistled. "I never will get over your charm work, m'dear."
Petunia laughed softly as she unwound a scarf from around her neck. "Well, really, how many wizards use keys?"
"I know, I know, I've heard this argument before," he said, holding his hands up in the air. "Wizards typically associate keys with goblins and wouldn't think of using one to break into your cottage."
"Too true," she said, feeding more wood onto the fire and pulling food out of a nearby cupboard.
"What's for dinner tonight, love?" Edwin asked wandering his way about the cottage, lighting candles as he went.
"Spaghetti Bolognese," she answered absentmindedly as she turned to an old fashioned pot-bellied stove, placing a saucepan and a pot on the top.
"Mmm," was all he said in response as finished illuminating the cottage. "Say… how is it that Muggles keep food fresh without stasis charms?"
Petunia smothered a laugh. Edwin periodically would wonder how Muggles got on without magic and would voice his questions aloud. Petunia nearly always knew some sort of answer.
"They have refrigerators," Petunia explained. "They're very cold cabinets that you store perishable foods in."
"Fascinating," Edwin exclaimed, his eyes gleaming.
Finally, dinner was ready and they sat down to eat. "So," Petunia began, as she poked at her pasta nervously, "about what your mother said earlier…"
"Oh, that decision is completely up to you," Edwin replied, twirling a bit of pasta about his fork. "I think it would be rather difficult for you to still work after we have kids, but until then I don't mind you working or staying home, whichever you prefer."
Petunia was flooded with relief. Most Wizarding families she had encountered were quite traditional and it was considered unseemly for a wife to be working. Edwin however, was beginning to frown.
"We'll have to monitor the political climate as well," he stated, tapping his fork on the edge of his plate. "I really dislike this pureblood-mania that's springing up. If it gets out of hand, I'd rather you stay home with stronger wards than what the shop has to offer."
"Professor Dumbledore mentioned something about that," Petunia offered. "It certainly wasn't easy for me to find a job, I'm quite lucky that your father took me on."
Edwin waved a hand. "You're a brilliant Potions Mistress, he'd be a fool not to," he disagreed, causing Petunia to flush with pride. "It's settled then?"
"I'll assure your mother we had a blazing argument in which you finally relented that I could try to balance work and homemaker duties," Petunia assured him, a smile lighting up her features.
"Good," Edwin replied, eyes twinkling as he dug into his pasta.
"Tuney, come on, it's time to wake up…"
Petunia's eyes snapped open upon hearing her sister's voice. Her sister who had gotten special leave from the Headmaster to stay with her overnight so she could attend her wedding. "Oh dear Lord, it's today," she breathed out.
"Yes it is, and we only have three hours to get you ready, Miss I-need-my-beauty-sleep!" Lily sang out.
Petunia hurried out of bed and saw Mildred stirring something on the stove. "Just a nice, small bowl of porridge for the bride," she said when Petunia walked over and wished her a good morning. "Let Lily do your hair, it'll be done by the time that's finished."
Petunia obediently walked over to Lily's bed, where there were all sorts of hair-accessories and brushes lined up. "Here, now," Lily said, pulling out a thick scrapbook. "My roommates and I have been trying out all these styles lately, so pick a couple and we'll try them out."
Opening the scrapbook, she found several dozen clippings from various magazines, mostly featuring short, fluffy hair, quite the opposite of her own long, thin hair. "Don't worry about the lengths," Lily assured her, producing several potion vials from her pocket. "I made a batch of hair regrowth potion before I came down, so you could go down the aisle bald and your hair would be just as long for your first dance."
Smiling gratefully, Petunia once again turned her attention to the scrapbook, a particular style catching her attention. "Lily?" she asked cautiously. "How good are you with hair color charms?"
Lily burst into laughter. "Oh Tuney," she finally gasped out. "Have you seen Mary McDonald?"
Mary McDonald was one of Lily's dorm mates who was renowned for changing her hair color on a daily basis. Sometimes it would be a subtle change, but she had been the recipient of several detentions for her hair being "quite the distraction", as Professor McGonagall had stated the day she had dyed it red and gold, with the stripes reversing colors every few moments.
"All my work," Lily said proudly. "What're you looking at? Your hair's so beautiful I don't want to do much to it."
"I – er – well…" Petunia stammered. "I had an idea with the hair regrowth potion."
"Mmm?" Lily said absentmindedly, fingering her wand.
"I want to have really long hair today, sort of wavy, like that," she said, pointing to a picture of a witch with soft curls. "But I'd also like highlights… sort of like that."
Lily's eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh… yes… that'd look lovely, Tuney! And given how long your veil is, we don't have to worry about your hair hanging out the bottom!"
Petunia grinned madly as Lily set to work, giving her two of the vials to drink.
"I love you so much," Petunia whispered, her tall heels gliding across the dance floor as she danced her first dance with Edwin.
"I love you more… Mrs. Prewett," Edwin assured her, leaning his head down slightly, touching the very tips of their noses together.
Petunia was sure that if she were able to peel her eyes away from her new, and very handsome, husband, she would see their friends and family watching them dance. However, her pale blue eyes were riveted to Edwin's dark blue ones. Much too soon for her liking, the dance ended.
"Petunia!" a voice called out.
"Emmeline!" Petunia responded, spotting one of her best friends wearing a lavender bridesmaid gown. "Alice!"
Both her friends came rushing towards her. "Please tell me there's a girls dance some time," Emmeline groaned. Both Emmeline and Alice were in the Auror training program – Alice a green first-year and Emmeline in her third and final year. Alice had married her long-time boyfriend, Frank Longbottom, several weeks after graduation, but most wizards did not approve of Emmeline's career choice.
"I love your hair," Emmeline said brightly. "Lily's doing?"
"Yes," Petunia said with a huge grin. "I absolutely love it… I'm seriously considering keeping it this long."
"You should," Emmeline said.
"I dunno…" Alice said slowly. "I rather liked it short." She fingered her own short bob that was barely long enough to be scraped off her face and into a pony tail.
Petunia and Emmeline burst out laughing. "You would," Emmeline choked out between hearty laughs. "But Petunia here isn't an Auror."
"Still, don't you have to worry about it getting into potions?" Alice asked dubiously when her two friends had somewhat composed themselves once more.
Petunia shrugged. "A simple plait keeps it all out of the way," she said simply, her lips twitching with suppressed laughter.
"Tuney!" a voice called out. Petunia turned around and began grinning madly when she saw Edwin walking towards her. "My cousin is here, I think you'll really like her."
"We'll be right here," Alice assured her.
"Bring her over here to meet us… if she's nice," Emmeline whispered, Alice giving her a good natured thump on the arm.
Soon enough, Petunia found herself being introduced to a Molly Weasley. "How do you… Bill Weasley, get back here right now!"
Petunia giggled. Molly had handed over a sleepy toddler to her husband as she began chasing after a young boy who had gotten into the chocolate fountain.
"I'm Arthur Weasley," the bespectacled man said, shifting the toddler on his hip so he could shake Petunia's hand. "This little one here is Charlie and, as you may have gathered, the chocolate covered one Molly's chasing after is Bill."
"Oh, you're Arthur Weasley? Weren't you a Gryffindor Prefect?" Oh yes, Petunia had heard of him. He and Molly Prewett were both Gryffindor prefects that had caused quite the scandal at the end of her third year. They had escaped to the Ministry in London one Hogsmeade weekend and eloped. Rumor had it that Molly was pregnant for their graduation the following month.
Arthur looked pleased that she remembered something about him. "Yes indeed. I'm currently working in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry."
Edwin groaned softly. "Don't let him know you're Muggleborn," he whispered in her ear. "I want to spend some time with you tonight."
Arthur was smiling gently at the young couple. "I know when I'm not wanted," he said kindly. "You lovebirds go off and enjoy each other's company for the evening."
"Thank you, it was lovely meeting you, Arthur!" Petunia called as Edwin began dragging her back off to the dance floor.
"You know I love you, right?" Edwin whispered in her ear as a waltz began.
"You can't possibly love me anymore than I love you," Petunia assured him, floating through the moves of the dance.
Author's Note:
To clear up any confusion, here's a rough timeline of dates:
June 1975 - Petunia graduates from Hogwarts with N.E.W.T.s in Potions, Charms, Herbology, and Ancient Runes. She had originally planned on not taking the Charms N.E.W.T., but with some persuading from Prof. Flitwick and a great deal of studying, she scraped an E.
End of June 1975 - Petunia begins working at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley (at this time owned by Andrew and Mildred Prewett), meets Edwin, and she and Edwin go on their first date.
November 1975 - Edwin proposes to Petunia - twice.
December 1975 - Edwin proposes to Petunia three times - once in the beginning of the month, once on Christmas Eve, and again on Christmas day when he finds her mourning her parents. She argued that they hadn't been together long enough to get married, he points out that her parents only had a short time together and they needed to take advantage of all the time they had together. She begins to cave.
Early January 1976 - beginning of this chapter
End of March 1976 - Petunia and Edwin tie the knot.
At any rate, I hope that cleared some things up for people and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter is already completed and simply needs to be proofed.
