Disclaimer: Borrowing
Petunia goes to Hogwarts (1970)
Nearly one year had passed since the Evans' had received a visit from Professor McGonagall and it was almost time for Petunia to head off to Hogwarts.
His father had been surprisingly indulgent when it came to spending time with Severus as long as he kept up to ruse that the girls weren't magical, he guessed that when it came to his father and magic ignorance really was bliss. Severus knew his father's kindness couldn't last forever and that he would fly into a rage when Severus received his Hogwarts letter but he couldn't help delaying the inevitable.
It was mid-August and Mr Evans had taken Petunia to collect her Hogwarts supplies despite Lily's persistent begging and shimmering tear-stained face as they drove away. Severus, Tansy, Rose and even Mrs Evans tried valiantly, without much success to distract Lily throughout the day.
That evening, Petunia paraded around the living room for the family in her brand-new uniform, and even Severus had to admit that she looked quite fetching in her black shoes, white tights, grey pleated skirt, grey knitted V-neck jumper, white buttoned shirt, black pointed hat, black robe and a plain tie that would magically change to her house colours when she was sorted.
Petunia also showed off her brand new glossy First-year books that would be handed down to Lily and then one of the twins when it came to their turn to go to Hogwarts. Wanting to repay the Evans' kindness, Severus made a mental note to lend his own First-year books to whichever twin needed them.
She even showed off the Barn Owl that Mr and Mrs Evans had purchased for the whole family along with Petunia's school supplies.
Petunia had toned down her smug attitude quite a lot towards Severus since they had met and by the time Mr Evens drove Petunia and her luggage to Kings Cross Station on September 1st she and Severus had become best friends.
Petunia's first letter from Hogwarts came four days later on Saturday, delivered by the Evans's Barn Owl, Severus and the three girls were gathered eagerly around the kitchen table as Mrs Evans read out the letter for them;
'Dear Family, and Severusbecause I know you are always there on the weekends,
You all will never guess which house I was sorted into! I'm a Ravenclaw!
Hogwarts is so absolutely fantastic, it is an actual castle. I was very worried at first because, after the train ride, we were forced to ride in these highly unstable little boats across a lake. The view is absolutely gorgeous, Hogwarts sits atop a high mountain and it has thousands of windows that sparkle in the starlight.
We were led to the boats by this terrifying giant of a man, I have since found out his name is Hagrid. He has a long shaggy mane of hair and a wild tangled beardand looks like he hasn't washed in years. I don't know what the Headmaster was thinking of employing such a vagabond.
I wasa lot happierhowever when he left us in the care of Professor McGonagall who met us at the front doors of the castle. She is stern, strict and very clever, she is the Transfiguration Teacher, Head of Gryffindor House and the Deputy Headmistress. So I'm warning all of you, do NOT cross her.
It's a tradition at Hogwarts,that noFirst-Yearknows exactly how Hogwarts sorts new students,so I'll move on to describing the Great Hall and the Ravenclaw Common Room.
At night The Great Hall is lit by thousands and thousands of candles floating in mid-air over four longhousetables. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall is another long table on a platformand that is where the Teachers sit. The Great Hall ceiling is mesmerising you can hardly tell it's bewitched as it said in Severus's copy of Hogwarts, a History.
When the sorting of the First-years had finished. The Headmaster, who is apparently a mad genius, said a few nonsense words and food magically appeared on the tables. I'm eager to find out how he managed to do it. Mountains and Mountains of food all popping into the Great Hall at the same time, it must be a huge spell that only the Headmaster can do.
After dessert, Headmaster Dumbledore read out the start of term notices, then directed everyone to sing the school song by conjuring words above the tables and encouraging us to sing in any tunewe liked! It was an awful cacophony of noise but if you're interested, the school song is:
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now, they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgotten,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
After everybody had finished singing the school song, we were then all dismissed to follow our house Prefects to our common rooms. The Ravenclaw common room,I was told, is one of the airiest rooms at Hogwarts. It's a wide, circular room with arched windows hung with blue and bronze silk curtains and a midnight blue carpet covered in bronze stars, which was reflected onto the high domed ceiling above.
Ravenclaw Tower is one of the three tallest towers of Hogwarts Castle, alongside Gryffindor Tower and the Astronomy Tower and during the day, Ravenclaw students have an excellent view of the school grounds, including the lake, Forbidden Forest, Quidditch pitch, Herbology gardens and the surrounding mountains.
The common room is furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases; A portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw hangs over the fireplace, and between the doors leading up to the dormitories stands a tall statue of Rowena Ravenclaw made of white marble. The Boys' dorms are through the left door and the Girls are to the right.
The entrance to the common room is located on the west side of Hogwarts at the top of a spiral staircase located on the fifth floor. If you need me for anything at all when you get to Hogwarts, and cannot find meI should be in the common room.
The door does not have a doorknob or keyhole, but a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. In order to enter the room, a person must answer a riddle asked by the eagle knocker; if the answer is incorrect, the person must wait for someone else who can answer the riddle correctly.
In the First-Year dormitories, there were seven very plush four-poster beds with deep blue and bronze velvet curtains and duvet covers. I am now best friends with all the girls, so it doesn't matter where we sleep.
The girls are Jessica Carmichael, Clare Jacques, Belinda Newton, Chauntelle Thorncroft, Pandora Valentine and Margaret Young. We do absolutely everything together, but I have told them that next year I will have my little sister and best friend to look after. They are eager to meet you two.
The older students have told me that the sound of wind whistling around the windows of the tower is relaxing while going to sleep at night, but so far it's too quiet for me. There are no cars driving past the house at night, no soft music coming from Rose and Tansy's room and no muffled T.V. I guessI'lljust have to get used to just the sound of the wind.
The boys in our year are Dirk Cresswell, Michael Johnson, Albert Long, Xenophilius Lovegood, Christopher O'Reilly, Gaspard Shingleton and Malcolm Urquhart. I'm glad that they are much more mature than some of the other Neanderthals running around theschool.
The First-years get a fair bit of free time compared to the upper years, I guess the teachers want to ease students into learning whole new subjects, especially since Hogwarts doesn't have English, Math or Science.
Sofar the Ravenclaws have had a one-hour Transfiguration class with the Slytherins bright and early at eight am on Wednesday morning which is taught by Professor McGonagall, also on Wednesdays we have flying classes with Hufflepuffs at three thirty in the afternoon, which is taught by Madam Hooch, but that doesn't start until next week. Then at midnight, all the first-year students have Astronomy together with Professor Propos.
On Thursdays, we get a sleep-in because of the late night and after lunch, all the first-years are together again for an extremely boring class called History of Magic, but I'm sure it is only boring because it is taught by Professor Binns who is a ghost.
Then on Friday Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs have Double Potions, with Professor Slughorn from 8 am – 10 am.
Write soon.
Love Petunia.
Petunia's next letter came just before the Christmas holidays.
Dear Family, (and Severus)
Flying broomsticks are dangerous! As soon as I saw flying on my timetable I immediately asked an older student if there were any books about flying. The only book they recommended was called: "Quidditch Through the Ages."
When we had our flying lesson my broom wobbled and vibrated so badly, I was terrified that I would fall off. I refused to get back on the broom once I had managed to get safely back to solid ground. Madam Hooch was severely disappointed but she said she wasn't going to force me to flyagain.
The Quidditch season has just started, it is the Wizarding world's most popular sport. Every house has a team of seven players. Quidditch is an extremely violent gameand I hope that none of you end up playing it. The weather is very, very cold in November. The girls and I refused to go to any of the Quidditch games unless Ravenclaw was playing.
By mid-December, the Teachers have started decorating the Great Hall for Christmas. The Hall looks spectacular, chains of holly and mistletoe are hanging all around the walls. The giant, Hagridbrought in no less than twelve towering Christmas trees andplaced themaround the room,so that they could be decorated by the teachers. One of the trees has been decorated with sparkling tiny icicles, another has hundreds of candles, one has colourful bubbles draped over it like tinsel and the Care of Magical Creatures teacher even gathered up a group of fairies to decorate one of the trees so that they can stay warm since the castle grounds are covered in several feet of snow, and the lake is frozen solid.
Hagridwhois the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwartsor the gamekeeper has many duties at Hogwarts,they are;
Escorting First-Year students on the boats to the castle.
Tending to the gardens at Hogwarts,
Performing special tasks for the Headmaster and Professors at the school.
Looking after magical beasts on the school grounds.
Tending to matters in the Forbidden Forest.
Bringing Christmas trees into the Great Hall during December.
Growing and carving the pumpkins for the Halloween feast.
and defrosting the school brooms during winter.
I shall see you soon for Christmas.
Love Petunia
One morning after Mr and Mrs Evans had collected Petunia from Kings Cross Station Severus woke to find Cokeworth decorated with a thin layer of snow, the dirty rubbish-strewn river flowed slowly, thick with ice. The holidays were fast approaching and Severus felt nervous about his first Christmas with the girls. He hoped they would like their gift of a dried flower pressed inside a homemade Christmas card, each with a small explanation referencing the meaning of the flowers.
Severus looked out of his bedroom frosted window at a lone Douglas fir that stood in his small backyard. He had a vague memory of a time when he and his parents had decorated it with tinsel and baubles, a happier time in his life when he didn't have to hide a part of himself away.
He watched as a small pile of snow slowly slid off a branch and fall into a heap to the ground with a thump. As Severus looked out at the desolate landscape he couldn't help but feel the tiniest spark of hope. This time two years ago Severus never would have thought he'd have friends until he got sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts.
Not that Slytherins, on the whole, were particularly trustworthy people, they only ever helped someone to have someone owe them a favour. Severus understood the concept of not doing something for nothing, and although he would never act like that towards the girls, he would act like that in regards to his fellow Slytherins.
Severus was glad when the winter holidays started, and not just because Petunia had come home from Hogwarts, during the holidays no annoying children were invading his personal space, and he could spend every day at the Evans house with the girls studying his mother's first-year books.
Christmas at the Evans house was a joyous event. Severus and the girls happily gathered around the table for a delicious breakfast that Mrs Evans had made, not that the girls paid much attention to what they were eating, they were too busy eating breakfast as quickly as they could so that they could open their presents.
Not expecting any presents Severus sat on the couch after breakfast observing the family dynamic between the girls and their parents. Mrs Evans was sipping a cup of tea while she lovingly watched Mr Evans, who was dressed in a red suit complete with a beard, handing out presents to their daughters.
Severus knew it was hopeless to wish his home life was better but he couldn't help daydreaming a little about what it would be like to have two loving parents like Mr and Mrs Evans instead of a father who was almost always drunk and a mother who was never home.
'SEV!' a voice shouted, making him jump a little in surprise, he looked up to find Tansy grinning up at him from where she was sitting next to him on the couch
'I really love the Tansy and the Christmas card that you got me.' Tansy gushed, throwing her arms around him and giving him a warm cuddle in gratitude 'Aren't you going to open your presents?' Tansy asked
Severus looked at her a little dumbfounded. 'I have presents?' Sure enough, standing behind Tansy was Mr Evans holding three presents in his arms with the name Severus written on the wrapping of each.
'You seemed a little lost in your own world, I didn't want to spook you.' Mr Evans said gently placing the gifts next to him on the couch. Picking up the first gift Severus noticed he was included in the family tradition of getting something from Santa, it was the same thing that all of the girls received, knitted gloves, a beanie and a scarf, the only difference was the colours everyone had received, Severus was happy his were the colour black. It was an extremely thoughtful gift, given the cold winters in England.
The second gift that Severus received was from Petunia and Lily, it was a fascinating chemistry set, but before he could look at the instructions and find out what he could make, he was given the next gift from Tansy and Rose, as he pulled off the wrapping his heart gave a huge bound as he saw a sleek wooden box with the words Winsor & Newton Calligraphy Wooden Box on the paper slipcover. It was the fanciest thing he had ever received, slipping off the cover to look inside, he saw there were five calligraphy nibs in a variety of widths, one wooden dip pen, and eight 14ml drawing inks: Canary Yellow, Scarlet, Cobalt, Viridian, Nut Brown, Black, Silver, and Gold and one instructional leaflet.
'There is one more present.' Mr Evans indicated towards a large brown parcel sitting nestled underneath the tree with a tag that said To Severus from Mrs and Mr Evans written on it. Severus almost burst into tears of joy when he opened the present to find:
A sleek and shiny mahogany wooden snow sledge. The sledge even looked long enough to fit two on it comfortably or even three at once if they squashed up together.
'Thank you, girls and Mrs and Mr Evans, for everything that you have given me, but I'm not sure if the sledge will be safe at my house. Would I be able to keep it here?' Severus asked nervously
'Of course, you can, dear' Mrs Evans said 'and before you head off to Hogwarts next year you could hopefully get your mother to shrink it with a spell so that you and the girls can enjoy it at school. There is bound to be more snow in Scotland.'
'Maybe, I'll ask her and see what she decides.'
'Come on Sev!' Lily said as she put on her new emerald green gloves, beanie and scarf. 'We are all headed out for a snowball fight.'
Severus saw the other girls putting on their new winter gear and knowing he would never win in an argument against them Severus let out a small sigh of defeat. Donning his new black gloves, beanie and scarf he spent the morning running around outside with the girls dodging piles of slushy snow and trying to keep warm.
After Xmas, The days seemed to roll by quickly, and New Year's Eve was upon them before they knew it.
'As a special treat, your mother and I have decided that all of you can stay up watching movies with us until the clock strikes midnight.' Mr Evans said to the utter delight of his daughters
'Severus dear.' Mrs Evans added, 'you are more than welcome to join us for our New Year's celebration.'
Severus had only seen that one movie on Petunia's birthday and didn't even have a television was more than happy to take the Evans up on their offer.
Curled up on one of the couches with the girls, Severus barely paid attention to what he watched and what time it was and was slightly startled when Lily poked him.
'You were drifting off to sleep Sev and we haven't counted down to midnight, it's down to fifteen seconds now.'
'TEN!' Severus and the girls all shouted, watching the clock intently, 'NINE!' … 'EIGHT!' … 'SEVEN!' … 'SIX!' … 'FIVE!' … 'FOUR!' … 'THREE!' … 'TWO!' … 'ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!' Severus shouted, grinning at the girls as they all cheered, then all four girls turned to look at him and he suddenly felt very nervous.
'My turn first, remember it's oldest to youngest.' Petunia announced, leaving Severus with absolutely no idea what she was referring to, Petunia strode forward determinedly and Severus froze as Petunia slowly leaned forward and proceeded to plant a kiss on his left cheek.
Blinking his eyes stupidly he gazed at Petunia as she stepped back and walked over to her parents.
'My turn!' Lily proclaimed bouncing over, Severus could see her lips were shining with some sort of shimmery lip gloss, and she looked remarkably pretty as she gazed up at him with her shimmering green eyes. Severus stood still not wanting to make a move, he closed his eyes to savour the feeling as Lily pressed her soft lips upon his right cheek.
Rose smiled softly as she tentatively walked up to Severus. He could smell the scent of strawberries as she leaned in and gave him a bashfully sweet kiss on his left cheek just below where Petunia had kissed him.
When Tansy came bounding over to him Severus leaned down in order to help her even reach his face. Taking hold of her elbows as she steadied herself by holding on to the front of his jacket, Severus could only feel the barest touch of Tansy's lips as she stood on tiptoes and kissed him at the bottom of his right cheek.