Tuney

Lily and Sev came downstairs a little while later, their parents were still chatting in the living room. Lily heated up the dinner, which her Mum had already prepared beforehand, and between the two of them they set the table. Soon their parents got up and went into the dining room while they brought out the food.

"Thanks, kids, but you've put an extra cutlery, Tuney isn't going to come downstairs," Violet said.

Sev and Lily gave each other a knowing look.

"Try calling her, Mum, just in case," Lily said.

Violet rolled her eyes and went upstairs. Meanwhile, the others sat at the table, Sev had proposed how to do it strategically. Lily knew that her parents would sit at the heads, so Sev and Eileen would sit together on the same side, she next to Peter and he to Violet. Lily next to her Dad, facing Eileen, so that the free space was across Sev.

Violet returned after thirty seconds. "Incredible. She has told me that she comes now."

Sev and Lily looked at each other again, holding back their laughter. What the hell has he written to her? she thought.

Meanwhile, Sev began serving the dishes, first to Violet and Eileen. Petunia came down when he was with the third one, which was supposed to be for Lily, realizing the trap. But it was too late to back out, so she sat down in the remaining space.

Sev handed her the plate. "Enjoy it, Petunia," he spoke to her in the same way as before.

She didn't say anything or look at him. Dinner promises to be tense, Sev thougth.

But there was a cunning snake at the table who had only seen Petunia once in her life, that first of September when her son first took the Hogwarts Express, and she knew a lot about her even though they had never spoken. "Good evening, Petunia, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Eileen, Severus' Mum, nice to meet you."

Petunia was unpleasant, but not rude enough not to respond to such a direct appeal, and she couldn't do it in a hostile way, otherwise she would be punished. "Good evening, Eileen." She looked directly at her and was struck by how much she resembled Sev, so she instinctively looked at him as well, who had just served Lily and hunted her down. Petunia looked down immediately.

Eileen continued, "Severus told me that you are in your first year at the university. What are you studying?"

Wow… If I haven't told her about that, maybe Peter and Violet have, Sev thought. Mum knows the Muggle world well, as it is sure that her clients always talk to her about her children.

And so she forced her to continue talking. She asked her which subjects she liked the most and how she was preparing for the upcoming exams. Also how she traveled to London to attend and if she had any good friends. And then about her hobbies, if she used to go out in Cokeworth or she also traveled to London to have fun, and the places she used to go.

Violet and Peter barely intervened, and Lily and Sev didn't intervene at all. They let Petunia, seated at a table with three witches, be the center of attention. She barely looked up at first, but gradually she relaxed and looked at Eileen when she spoke to her.

She was surprised that a woman her age would dress so modern, and she seemed very nice. It's going to turn out that these warlocks aren't that weird after all, she thought. During the second course she already also took brief glances at Sev, who apparently did not take his eyes off her, because he always hunted her with that look in his eyes, and she remembered all the time what he had written her.

By the time they got to the desserts, she was already wanting him to talk to her, too, in that tone a boy had never used with her before.

When they finished, Eileen said to her, "Will you clear the table with me, Petunia? Your Mum made dinner and Severus and Lily served it, so it's our turn. You will be able to see how I do the dishes with magic. You fancy?"

"Okay…" her voice sounded excited.

Eileen levitated the heaviest to the sink, while Petunia and Sev made trips to the kitchen with everything else. Every time they passed, they looked at each other and he smiled slightly at her. When they finished carrying everything, Petunia stayed with Eileen in the kitchen, while Sev joined Lily and her parents in the living room, who already had the Pensieve set up on the coffe table.

Violet asked, "How have you done it, Sev?"

"Treating her well," he replied.

Violet and Peter were in awe and thought about what Peter told him two days ago, lead transmuted into gold. And Lily, A jewel, a treasure.

When Eileen and Petunia joined them, they allowed the witch to sit in the center of the couch, facing the large ceramic bowl carved with runic characters. Peter was in an armchair, and Violet and Petunia flanked Eileen. Lily in the armchair next to her sister and Sev standing, leaning on it.

While Eileen concentrated on wanding her thoughts out of her head, Sev explained to Petunia what the Pensieve consisted of and the sensation she was going to experience when she plunged into it, so she wouldn't be scared when it happened to her.

The girl didn't know where to look, fascinated by what the witch was doing, and at the same time by what this nice boy she had always despised was telling her, and who was repaying her dislike with attention and kindness.

She wanted to be alone with him to express what she was feeling, that she also regretted having treated him badly and that now it seemed lucky to be part of a family that included a witch, because she was going to have experiences that she would never have had otherwise.

When Eileen finished, she switched places with her, leaned over the Pensieve, and plunged her face into the silver substance. She felt herself fall headfirst and land on her feet on the ground of a sloping sunny meadow.

Eileen, as a young woman, was at her side. God!Sev is identical to his Mum, Tuney thought.In front of them, at the foot of the slope, stretched a gloomy forest and an enormous lake, and on the nearest shore of it, an ancient beech. Where is the castle? Young Eileen turned and she did so in turn, revealing the mass of stone over a thousand years old, with its turrets, courtyards, and galleries. Wow... it's huge... nothing like normal castles.

Right in front of them, the great and heavy doors of the castle opened, which was entered by climbing some stairs. Eileen started toward them, and she followed her down the entrance hall into the great hall on the right, which was entered through another large, heavy door. How big…

Four very long tables half full of students in uniforms and robes. She feared that they would see her. But Sev has already explained to me that they won't and that I can move all over space. So while Eileen made her way to the far left table, where the students were wearing green ties, she made her way around the hall.

The Hogwarts of the forties did not differ much from today. The uniforms were similar to those worn by her sister, and she noticed that students with different colored ties sat at each table. From left to right, green, blue, yellow and red. The red ones are like Lily's, and Eileen's is green.If Sev is also one of the greens, they can't eat together… I'll ask him later.

In the back was a cross table on a high dais, at which adults sat. They must be the teachers of the school, with the Headmaster in the center.His chair is like a throne. She looked up at the ceiling of the hall. The blue sky outside can be seen, but it's not open, how strange…

The scene broke up and she was with Eileen in another location. The library, almost as big as the hall. She walked through it too. Here there are students with ties of all colors, mixed, but no one sits with those of another color.

She got to the back, and in the way back, which she did quickly in case she didn't have enough time before the scene dissolved again, she looked at the subjects in the various aisles with shelves full of books on both sides. Restricted Section, Transfiguration, Potions, Muggle Studies, Medimagic, History of Magic, Herbology, Divination, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, Ancient Runes… Wow… so many subjects, that's why my sister spends her holidays studying… And they are in alphabetical order except for the last corridor, it must be dangerous magic, that's why it's restricted.

The scene dissolved again and many more followed one another. The dungeon Room, with a large window through which the bottom of the Lake could be seen - How cool… - lit with torches and with a burning fireplace, there all the students wore green ties and it was decorated with green and silver ornaments.

She followed Eileen up the stairs to her bedroom, with five four-poster beds, the curtains also green. Here at least they have windows, but five girls sleep together and there are no desks, they hardly have any privacy, there is no place to study in peace other than in the library.It's not like the residence that some of my college friends live in.

Then she saw herself going up the stairs, and halfway up, they started to move. What a scare! The windowless walls were covered with portraits whose characters moved and spoke, and there were also numerous statues and armor.

She also saw two ghosts and Peeves, and she entered classrooms where subjects were taught. Potions in the dungeons, Transfiguration on the second floor, Charms on the third. Students with different ties never sit together in class, and the green and red ones only coincide in Potions.

She toured numerous galleries and courtyards and went up to the owlery and the Astronomy Tower. What a beautiful view of the forest and the lake, it is very high, and both are enormous…

Then she found herself in the great hall again, but it was night. Hundreds of candles floated halfway up, illuminating it. Wow... how cool… She looked up at the ceiling again, I can see the moon and stars... wow…

The scene dissolved again and she waited to see if anything else would appear, because she would have liked to see where her sister slept, but apparently Eileen did not know that place, because no other image appeared.

They had all remained silent so as not to disturb her and waited expectantly for her to finish to observe her reaction. When she withdrew her face, she didn't say anything, she just looked at Sev, who had been the one who had been explaining everything to her, a little uneasy.

He asked her, "How about? Haven't you like it?"

No one expected the question she asked him, the first time in her life that she spoke to him without snapping. "What color are you?" worried.

"Green, like my Mum," he answered, sweet and with a sad smile.

"Then you can't sit together in class, eat, or visit Lily where she lives."

"No, I can't. But we did walk and study together in the Library, and we also used to collaborate in a subject, Potions, to which we attend red and green together, the teacher let us."

"Oh… I can sit in class with whoever I want, have lunch in the cafeteria with my friends and visit them in the residence or sleep at their houses when I go out to London on weekends, and you can't. I thought you were always together..." Tuney's eyes were cloudy.

"Well, you see we can't," Sev answered her with the same sweetness. "Being a witch is not as wonderful as it seems. And besides, now we don't meet in the Library nor can we collaborate on Potions, just sneak around on weekends with more friends, through the Forest, because the boys of her color will attack me if they see me with her."

Tuney burst into tears and she couldn't stop herself from telling him in front of everyone, "Sev… do you forgive me?"

"I do not have anything to forgive you for. But your sister do," he replied.

Lily didn't look at her with as much understanding as Sev, she had been suffering from her hostility for more than half her life. Tuney looked down, embarrassed.

Sev whispered in Lily's ear, "Tell her you forgive her."

Lily snorted.

"Please… she's having a terrible time," he insisted.

Lily sighed deeply and said, "Tuney, I forgive you if you never mess with us again."

Petunia nodded slightly. The adults had remained utterly silent, marveling at the exchange. Enough for now, Sev thought and continued, deflecting the subject so Tuney would stop feeling uncomfortable. "You haven't told us if you liked it. Tell us what you have seen your way."

Petunia did, overcoming herself, and then it was Violet's and Peter's turn. When the Muggles finished they continued chatting for a long time, because they had many questions to ask the witches, but Lily's parents didn't bring up any controversial topics, they had already discussed everything with Eileen.

At one point, Violet asked Peter to join her into the kitchen. Lily and Sev assumed that they were going to talk about what had happened with Tuney, who was now fully in tune with the warlocks. In fact, the most uncomfortable of the group was Lily, for she had not forgiven her sister from her heart. Violet and Peter came right back.

It was getting late. Although the adults didn't have to work the next day, Sev and Lily still had a lot to study, having barely spent three afternoons doing it. As Sev and Eileen were about to leave, Violet told them, "I'll drive you, it's raining."

"No need, Violet," Eileen answered. "We don't mind walking."

"Let me insist, Eileen, it doesn't cost me anything," Lily's Mum said.

Sev shot her mother a warning look. Violet must want to talk to us alone, he thought.

"Okay, Violet, we appreciate it."

They said goodbye to the others. Sev shook hands with Peter, a kiss to Tuney, and a hug to Lily. Eileen a kiss to Peter and hugs to the girls. Sev let his Mum ride ahead in the car.

As soon as they drove away, Violet said to Sev, "Never in my life will I be able to thank you for what you have done tonight for my family."

"It hasn't been that great deal, Violet, you are doing much more for me," he replied.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Sev. Opening our home to you is nothing compared to having begun to heal a wound that had been open for almost ten years."

"Lily still has to get over it, I'll do what I can to get her to do it as soon as possible."

"Thank you very much, Sev," Lily's mother said. "And thank you too, Eileen, for opening our daughter's eyes."

"Don't thank me, Violet," Eileen said. "Yours also opened mine."

What Violet said next was completely unexpected, "Are you letting Sev stay the night at our house today?"

Both were silent. It must be what Peter and Violet talked about in the kitchen, Sev thought.

Eileen finally answered, "If you invite him and he wants to, I have nothing to say."

"Do you want to stay, Sev? So tomorrow you're already there to study."

Merlin! They're giving us permission to sleep together, Sev thought. But they didn't do it in front of Petunia and it wasn't Peter who proposed it to me, but Violet, who already has more confidence with me. I'm going to go off on a tangent a bit so as not to accept directly. "Mum, don't you mind not seeing me tomorrow when you get up?" he asked.

"Of course not, Severus, I'll see you for lunch," Eileen replied.

"Then I accept, Violet, thank you very much."

"Don't thank me," Violet said. "Take what you need to spend the night and study tomorrow. I'll wait for you in the car."

Ugh… Luckily I brought the pajamas and the nitghgown. I wonder how Peter has told Lily. I can't imagine it.

Eileen said goodbye to Violet, who said, "Come also on Sunday, so we celebrate Easter together."

"Okay, but this time I'll cook, with magic," Sev's Mum replied.

"Brilliant! Let's see what you surprise us with."

When they entered their home, Eileen said to her son, "Severus, today you have done a feat. As I was telling you the other day, you are light. Perhaps without you those sisters would never have reconciled."

"You haven't fallen short either, Mum. It has been a team effort," he said.

"Yeah… and without planning it."

"It was not necessary, between snakes we understand each other."

"Have you finished with the Compendium of Defense? Have you brought it?" she asked.

"Yeah. And the Magic of the Moon has sunk in Lily. I'll tell you more tomorrow."

"Okay, leave it to me and I'll take advantage of the morning to continue copying."

Sev left the book with his Mum and went upstairs to change books, for night clothes and fresh ones for the next day.

. . . . . . . . .

Meanwhile, at Lily's home, the girls were getting ready for bed. Peter told Lily, "Wait for Mum to come back, she wants to talk to you. Good night honey."

Ugh… It's going to be for me to really forgive Tuney, I don't understand why she can't talk in my room. Well, nothing happens. Overall, she will take ten minutes, Lily thought. But her Mum was taking longer. I'm sure she's talking to Sev about what happened. Ugh… I'm sleepy and we'll meet early tomorrow.

. . . . . . . . .

Sev returned to the car with his belongings. Ugh… what a shame. Bah… Violet is great, she sure doesn't put me in a bind.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, come on, Lily is waiting for you. She will tell you where the guest room is. If you wake up before us or her and want to go downstairs to shower or have breakfast, feel free to do so. Let her explain to you now where things are and how the kitchen works. You know, you're at home."

"Thank you very much, Violet," he said. "I already control the kitchen."

"I already imagined it, you are charming. I'm going to tell you a secret about Peter, never tell him or Lily."

Wow… what will it be?

"He was very excited to have a boy," Violet continued. "We tried to have another child after Lily, but I didn't get pregnant anymore, and ever since we met you he has always seen you as the son he couldn't have. He is experiencing this week as one of the best of his life because you have finally connected."

Wow… what to say to that? I feel so guilty for not doing it sooner, Sev thought."I feel terrible for not having been closer all these years."

"Don't worry about that. We understood perfectly when Lily told us."

"Tell him when you think it's appropriate, that ever since he spoke to me the other day, I consider him the father I haven't had."

"Of course, Sev. You now have two Mums and one Dad," she said.

Violet parked. She told him, before going down, "Lily doesn't know you're coming yet. Let me into the living room, and when I leave, you come in."

Whoa… these are even more twisted than me. How well we are going to understand each other, he thought.

They entered the house, Violet went with her daughter.

"Let's see, Mum… what do you want to tell me?" Lily asked, jaded.

Poor girl, she's sleepy and she's been waiting for more than twenty minutes.' Sev was giggling to himself.

"Wait a moment more, honey. I have to go to the bathroom," her Mum said.

Lily snorted. Violet left the room and nodded to Sev, smiling knowingly, for him to go into the room, and she went upstairs with a laugh. What a great mother-in-law I have, she doesn't even hide with me anymore. But I'm not going to tell Lily this last thing, it's between her and me.

Lily was on the couch with her back to the door, sick of waiting for a scolding from her Mum.

Sev came up behind her, stealthily. He covered her eyes with his hands as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Surprise…"

. . . . . . . . .

This chapter is dedicated to my faithful reader excessivelyperky, whom I already consider a friend, and who has long been concerned about Tuney's role in this story. I hope you liked the new twist on the character.

Stop by her page to read her magnificent stories!