The next day it took Petunia a while longer to find the little monster, but thankfully it was still in the forest.
She had gotten up bright and early, packed a modest picnic basket and set out from her garden towards the forest between the hills. The Evanesses family house was on the outskirts of Cokeworth, a small industrial town most well known for the big cotton mill that employed most of the residents. The southern edge of town bordered quite a few farmsteads who took advantage of the acres of lush grass to breed and take care of livestock, and it was right here where the Evanesses little home had claimed a space for itself - a street leading into town at the front, and an endless expanse of fields and nature at the back of the house.
The two girls had loved playing in their extended garden much more than they ever fancied the public playground on their way to school. But the last time they had chosen to play there, Lily riding the swings and her hair flying behind her like a war banner, the wretched boy had shown himself.
Usually memories of the past, when Lily had just been prettier and more well-liked, not magically adept as well, would have soured Petunia's mood, but today for once she didn't care to linger on them. For now, all her thoughts belonged to the little monster, her sleep held at bay by it all night.
Yesterday she hadn't really wanted to leave for fear of never seeing it again. But in the end she had simply grabbed Lily and went home for supper. When she approached it, she would certainly not allow Lily or the wretched boy to witness anything, lest they tried to claim it for themselves.
The little monster belonged to Petunia.
For now, she had decided to lure it with food. She didn't know a lot about taking care of animals, never owning a pet, but from what she gathered, food seemed to be a surefire way to go about it. And the little monster had looked skinny, Petunia had been able to count the ridges of its spine, so it was probably hungry.
She didn't know what the little monster would like to eat, so she had brought some apples, sandwiches and a pudding. Sour, salty and sweet, there was quite a variety to choose from, Petunia had thought of everything.
She finally found the little monster in a small clearing, once again pawing the dirt and using its long head to overturn a crumbling log. Maybe it was searching for something, though all it found was rotten wood and a slow snail.
Petunia watched it in silence for a while, the handle of her picnic basket impressed into her sweaty palm because she was clutching it too hard. When her breath finally felt like it reached her lungs again, she slowly approached it, moss cushioning her careful steps. When she deemed herself close enough, Petunia crouched down and picked an apple from her basket and rolled it towards the little monster.
Its ears twitched and it stopped its pawing to sniff the apple, but didn't open its terrifying maw to try and eat it.
Petunia nodded to herself, not discouraged yet. Two sandwiches were thrown next, one of her favourites - cucumber with cream cheese - and one with ham. The little monster ignored the cucumber one but the one with ham caught its attention, its jaw gaping open wide enough that its sharp teeth could tug at the soft bread and the meat within, the sandwich disappearing in a bite. The creature threw its head back, a visible lump sliding down its thin and long throat.
Petunia smiled despite the off-putting visual, and allowed herself to carefully sit on a tree stump, the coarse surface catching a few threads of her skirt. The little monster's pupil-less eyes seemed to watch her for a moment, but when she didn't come any closer it ignored her again, nosing the dirt.
Petunia would have liked to spend more time in the forest, but she had plans for today.
The list of material Lily had to purchase for her special, secret school was to be ticked off today. To make matters as complicated as possible, the things listed couldn't be bought in normal stores but were only found in a 'magical street' located somewhere in London where normal people would never find it.
The wretched boy, enamoured with Lily as he was, had of course offered to take her with him when he would go to buy his own supplies.
Before yesterday, Petunia had had no intentions of coming along - why would she voluntarily give others a chance to mock her? Why would she torture herself with things she would never have? But now she had something to accomplish. The little monster was obviously somehow magical, being invisible to everyone else except her, and Petunia wanted to learn more about it. What better place to do that than a street full of magic?
And this was her only chance to come into contact with something related to the little monster. She could only tag along with her sister … because no one would let a 'muggle' like herself enter otherwise.
Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, Petunia collected her picnic basket and gave the little monster a last glance. The next time she saw it she would hopefully know more about it.
And why it had chosen her.
Petunia's first thoughts upon seeing the wretched boy's house was that it was no wonder his clothes were always threadbare and washed out. Cokeworth was small and not at all well-off, but Spinners End was where all the people down on their luck ended up, as far away from any semblance of prosperity as possible. The house in front of Petunia seemed to encompass all that, the windows were crusted with dirt and broken roof tiles offered no protection from the elements.
A small, vicious part of her mind wondered if Lily would live in just such a hovel once that pest convinced her to marry him.
The pest in question was standing in the open doorway, black hair as long and oily as always but his expression was even more cross than usual upon spotting Petunia.
"What's she doing here? We're buying school supplies and she has no need for them."
Lily frowned lightly. "Tuney can come if she wants to, I asked, it's not forbidden."
Petunia herself didn't say anything but glanced at the two women standing to the side. Her mother looked like a glowing image of health next to the thin, dark-haired woman who had apparently spawned the wretched boy. Her expression was just as dour as her son's, not that it stopped Petunia's mother from smiling and handing her a small gift basket.
"Thank you again for taking the girls along. We would have to request the help of a teacher otherwise, as we can't enter the - what did you say it was called?"
"Diagon alley."
"Right, right. Truly, thank you, Eileen."
The woman's thin lips twitched, maybe it was supposed to be a smile, Petunia wasn't sure.
"It's no trouble, I would have to make the trip anyway for Severus."
"If there's anything in the future we can help you with, don't hesitate to ask. And if the girls cause any trouble, there is no need to be polite."
Petunia wondered if her mother would have still uttered that last sentence if only Lily was present. Probably not. Not that Petunia was a troublemaker, but her mother was unable to even entertain the idea of Lily doing anything bad.
After her mother left, the thin woman, Eileen - Mrs Snape, led them into the house. The interior matched the outside, dust covered everything, dirty dishes cluttered available surfaces, there were no decorations and the furnishing was cheap and run-down. There was a slightly sour smell in the air Petunia was too young to identify but would learn to associate with flat beer.
The wretched boy noticed her crinkled nose and his scathing eyes burned into her. Petunia was sure that if his mother hadn't been present he would have cursed her again.
Next to a flea-eaten couch was a crumbling fireplace, a small flame flickering inside the only thing warming the room, fed by old newspapers and clumps of dirt. Mrs Snape stepped next to it and grabbed a small clay pot, the surface smeared with soot and a thin crack running through it. Her narrow eyes turned towards the two Evanesses girls, scrutinising them in turn with a strange intensity. Petunia could almost hear her thoughts: How could two sisters differ so greatly? One was pretty and sunny while the other was plain and bitter.
"Getting to Diagon Alley is easy, just stay calm and follow my instructions. After you throw the Floo Powder into the fireplace, wait 'till the flames turn green, then call 'Diagon Alley' clearly while stepping into the fire. Close your eyes and keep your arms close to your body, Severus will show you how to do it first."
Petunia blinked, her previous thoughts forgotten. Stepping into the fire?
What she saw next made her unable to suppress her surprised gasp. The wretched boy … simply vanished!
She was still staring at the place where he had just disappeared when Lily stepped forward, brave and adventurous as usual, and took a handful of glittering powder … and then she was gone as well. Petunia swallowed nervously when she realised that it was her turn now. She glanced at the indifferent woman before her and felt fine grains cling to her sticky fingers when the powder was poured into her palm.
"I can do this … even without magic?"
Mrs. Snape looked impatient. "Muggles can travel with the Floo Powder. Just say the words clearly."
Petunia let the woman's disdain wash over her, allowing it to drown her apprehension. The fine powder gnashed between her fingers when she stepped closer to the flames, dry heat washing across her skin.
If Lily can do it, so can I.
Not giving herself another second for new doubts to sprout, she threw the powder into the fire and stepped forward. Instead of burning pain, a slight prickle ran over her feet and she hastily closed her eyes while calling: "Diagon Alley".
Her stomach felt as if someone had hooked it with an invisible fishing line and was trying to pull it out of her nose. Her elbow bumped against something hard, a shooting pain running all the way up her shoulder and Petunia instinctively tried to make herself smaller - but everything was out of place and control, she didn't know where her own limbs began and ended.
As quickly as the feeling arrived, it disappeared, leaving Petunia slightly confused. She opened her eyes and staggered a few steps forward, trying to regain her sense of balance. A wall of unfamiliar noise slammed against her while she was looking around, her eyes adjusting to the madness all around her.
She had arrived in the interior of some kind of store, which was bustling with children and parents. Petunia could hear strange whistling and crackling noises and saw miniature fireworks exploding in the air above her head, illuminating the tall, red-lacquered shelves. Glowing balloons were floating in between them, but even when the colourful sparkles hit them, they didn't pop. Excited babble, giggles and children's exclamations were almost overwhelming all around her. Petunia took a few steps away from the huge fireplace she had just entered through. The fact that she had just travelled via flames still had not quite penetrated her head.
Severus and Lily were standing in front of one of the overflowing shelves, watching small pellets bounce off the glass jar they were bottled up in. Petunia was reluctant to join them. She was out of place in this bustling, colourful place full of nonsensical magic. Something exploded to her right and a horrible stench almost made her retch.
"We won't spend anything on this junk," a strict voice sounded to her right, cutting through the noise like a shark through blood infested waters. "With me, Severus, girls."
Petunia didn't know when Mrs Snape had arrived behind her but somehow felt relieved at spotting the woman's haggard, dark appearance. She looked as out of place in this store of colours, noise and laughter as Petunia felt.
As they left the dreadful store, Petunia almost tripped over a strange bouncing ball which was winding around her feet like a cat craving attention. A spear of annoyance pierced through Petunia's chest and she gave the clingy ball a vicious kick before following behind Mrs Snape. The tall, thin woman dressed in all black ploughed a path through the young and laughing crowd as if she were a crow surrounded by a flock of sparrows. In her wake, the three children soon arrived at the store's door and stepped outside into the crisp autumn air.
Petunia took a deep breath, her stomach churning. Glancing back at the store she read the words 'Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop' highlighted in gold paint across it. Curved windows faintly showed some of the insanity happening inside it and Petunia quickly averted her gaze.
"Our first stop will be Ollivanders to get your wands," Mrs Snape addressed the children, before looking at Petunia. "As you have no use for one you can wait outside for us. Or go to Flourish and Blotts and wait there, we'll be there right after to purchase the required school books."
Indignation flared in Petunia's chest, but she was careful to keep her face neutral. So she wasn't even good enough to enter the store? She had to wait outside like a dog, while her sister would frolic inside and play with all the magic and wands she wanted. They didn't want her to even catch a glimpse of it.
Mrs Snape's dark eyes bored into her. "Did you hear me?"
Petunia gathered her resentment into a tight ball in her stomach and gave a brittle smile. "Yes, Mrs Snape."
"Good. Now let's hurry, this trip's already taking up a lot of time."
Petunia followed them part of the way, silently stewing in her resentment but unable to keep her eyes from flickering around curiously. The buildings lining the street were crooked and windswept, as if they had been modelled from sagging mud and only magic stopped them from toppling onto their heads. The cobble-stoned path they followed was winding and narrow, following no rhyme or reason in its curves and cluttered with people dressed in ways Petunia had never seen before. They were more eye-catching than the crooked building, not only their clothes but also their conversations, talk about cauldrons and brooms reminding Petunia of childhood stories she had thought forgotten.
Once more she realised that this was simply a different and fantastic world … a world she was not part of.
Mrs Snape stopped in front of a black storefront, the street-facing windows bulging outwards and caked with dust. Through them Petunia could only spot a solitary piece of polished wood - a wand she assumed - lying forgotten on a purple pillow.
"Either wait here or go up the street a bit further. You'll easily find the bookstore, it's one of the bigger ones," were Mrs Snape's parting words before herding the special, magical children inside the store. While the wretched boy still refused to acknowledge her existence Petunia noticed that Lily looked back at her.
Was she feeling superior? Did she gloat in her heart, to see her older sister so forgotten?
Petunia imagined that her own heart was wrapped in prickling thorns.
Forget her , she told herself. Think about the little monster. So what if Lily had magic? All these people around her had it. But Lily still wasn't able to see the little monster, neither she nor the wretched boy.
Only Petunia was able to see it. In a sense, she was even more special than her sister.
Giving the dirty storefront a last glance, Petunia turned around and walked the cobbled path alone. She wouldn't wait here like an abandoned pet. She would take care of her own matters.
It was time to learn more about the little monster.
While walking down the street Petunia refused to glance up at the leaning constructs of brick and mortar on either side of her. A strange kind of nervousness was making her neck prickle while she hastened her steps and for a second she wondered if her 'muggle' presence might cancel out whatever magic was helping them resist gravity so they would topple on her head in the next moment.
The crowd grew tighter around her the further she walked, the snaps of conversations flitting towards her ears growing even more unusual – something about heartstrings and unicorns. It felt as if she was somewhere between an insane asylum and a fantasy-themed children's party.
Petunia usually had no problem with crowds, they were nothing that couldn't be solved with her sharp elbows and vicious looks. But seeing the colourful mass of people blocking the entrance of 'Flourish and Blotts', she paused despite herself. This was a crowd of wizards, cluttering around a wizard store, the wizard store she intended to enter.
An image of her shoes suddenly growing roots and burrowing into the soil just inches from her feet flashed through her mind. Petunia felt her jaw click when she pressed her teeth together
No one would dare hex her here. Even though there weren't any normal people around this was still a public space. Staring straight ahead Petunia forced her steps towards the bustle, trying to spot what was the occasion for all this excitement. The reason couldn't simply be getting new books for the starting school term, could it?
Her feet slowed despite herself, the only reason Petunia only slightly staggered and didn't trip when something was thrust into her path. Heart thundering she looked down and spotted a black walking cane which was quite deliberately pressing down between her shoes.
The owner of the cane scoffed. Raising her eyes Petunia forced her expression closed, letting none of her nerves show. The stranger was older than her, maybe sixteen, but definitely not old enough to justify owning a walking cane. Spotting the stylized, silver snake head he was gripping Petunia guessed that it might be a fashion choice instead of a necessity.
His lips curled, as if he could sense her nerves despite Petunia doing her best to keep her composure.
He won't hex you.
"First Year. Do me a favour."
It wasn't a question.
"I need some books," he continued, his voice pompous and underlined by his posh accent. "You can help me out."
Petunia took a second sweep of him, trying to gauge the situation. He had a pale, pointed face dominated by cold, grey eyes and longish, straight hair a shade of blond so light it looked almost white. His features could have been handsome if his expression wasn't soaked in derision. His clothes were expensive and new, his shoes polished and the buttons on his coat the same solid silver as the snake-head. He must be rich and pampered, arrogant and used to getting his way.
It rubbed Petunia the wrong way. His eyes were just like the wretched boy's when he looked down on her. When he insulted her, called her a 'muggle'. But he was missing the slightly deranged gleam the wretched boy possessed. The deranged gleam that spelled danger.
Petunia hid her trembling fingers by clenching her hand and side-stepped the cane, intending to walk away.
"What's this?" His voice was quieter, smoother. "You would ignore me?
Pain lanced through her shoulder and Petunia flinched, barely suppressing a shocked gasp. The cane handle, formed like a hissing snake head, had hooked onto her shoulder, the small, metal teeth piercing her cardigan.
"You must be a mudblood, to not know how to show proper respect." The metal tugged at her, forcing her to turn and face him again. His expression sent a shiver down her spine.
Petunia was scared and whenever she was scared, anger quickly took over to mask it, to help her protect herself. And so the cold shiver was followed by a hot wash of rage down her neck, reviving her numb arms.
"Sir, why are you attacking me? I was simply walking past!" Her shrill voice echoed down the street and Petunia felt perverse satisfaction when a few people in the crowd turned her way. "I'm just a girl, I don't know what I did to deserve this!"
The cane disappeared from her shoulder, only two small holes in her cardigan a testament to its existence.
"What's he doing …"
"Clearly a lot older …"
"Isn't that the young scion of House Malfoy …"
"In public …"
"Poor girl …"
The teenager's expression was frozen. His grey eyes flicked towards the people around them. He must be hearing the whispers just as clearly as Petunia did.
When he refocused on her, a small smile played around his lips. It didn't soften his features, quite the opposite, it screwed them strangely as if he was wearing a polite mask that didn't quite fit.
"Well. You'd do best to remember, Mudblood, there are many empty places in Hogwarts. You won't always be able to hide behind the crowd."
And with those words he turned around and casually strolled away, his cane tapping the cobblestones in a quiet rhythm. His gait was smooth and Petunia felt sure in her guess that he used the cane as a statement instead of a walking aid.
It had proven useful for halting pedestrians, she guessed. Nerves still prickled across her skin and she tried to swallow the strange taste on her tongue. He hadn't hexed her. She was fine.
Petunia quickly turned and let herself be swallowed by the press of bodies, ignoring the pitying glances she received. The chatter around her morphed, from the people talking about her 'House Malfoy' to whatever was causing the original commotion.
"Can't believe I actually get to see him in person …"
"Such achievements at his age …"
"I definitely need to get him to sign …"
"He pushed for the ban even though it mustn't have been easy …"
"I bought every edition of his book …"
Petunia finally made use of her pointy elbows and wormed her way to the front of the crowd, stepping into the store.
The musky smell of old pages and ink embraced her and Petunia felt a layer of tense weight fall off her shoulders. Afternoon light diffused hazily through the big windows, making motes of dust dance through the air. Bookshelves towered around her, stacked with a wide array that included everything from colourful and bright books that looked like cheap paperbacks to others that were heavy, bound in dark leather and decorated with metal clasps and precious stones. Some books were as big as a kitchen table while others were the size of a postcard.
Petunia blinked, trying to take it all in and not be swept away by the people swarming towards the main area of the store. A few posters were fluttering in an invisible breeze above the heads of the crowd, exclaiming that a book signing was taking place in bold letters that flashed and sparkled. This must be the reason for the unusual rush, Petunia figured.
Not my concern , she decided and turned towards the shelves on her side. She wasn't here for some wizard celebrity, but for the little monster. When she saw that the shelves were labelled a tingle of relief made her breathe easy until she actually started reading them.
"Fire-eating to Fine-dining …"
As ridiculous as everything else here. She scoffed.
It took Petunia a while before she found a shelf that seemed promising, "Plushy Pets to Brutal Beasts."
Leaving the noisy mass of people behind, Petunia walked along the shelf into a deeper part of the store until the clamouring of many voices had faded to a buzz. It felt a bit like yesterday when she had stepped into the forest, cool shades embracing her, thousands of pages instead of leaves swallowing the sounds around her, dampening everything into a softer, smoother tone.
The books here were as varied as in all parts of the shop and Petunia felt a frown form on her face as her eyes hopped from spine to spine like a frog from lilypad to lilypad – until the snagged on one in particular.
At the first second Petunia almost thought a small animal had hidden on the shelf, with shaggy fur and a flat body. But it was a book, clothed in fur and chained to the wall.
Curiosity more than anything else made her extend her hand toward the slightly rattling book. Her fingers were just about to brush against the coarse hairs when her wrist was suddenly grabbed from behind.
A smooth voice sounded in her ear. "Careful, it's known to bite."
Petunia startled and instinctively shook off the other person's grip before turning around. Her vigilance was raised as she scrutinised the boy that had suddenly appeared behind her with obvious distrust.
Compared to the teenager she encountered earlier he was quite a bit younger, maybe a year or two older than herself. He also didn't look arrogant or mean-spirited, having warm brown eyes and a mop of unruly golden curls, but Petunia was never one to let herself be fooled by appearances. Taking another glance at his windswept hair and crooked collar the word 'unkempt' flashed through her head.
Telling her a book would bite … Why would he try to trick her? Did something she do give away her status as a non-magical person?
The boy must have noticed the suspicions in her sharp gaze, but instead of backing off, a mischievous smile stretched his lips. Petunia noted that his mouth was quite wide. "Don't believe me? Then don't blame me if you lose a finger."
Petunia hesitated, still stuck on one thought. What would the boy gain from humiliating her? Were his friends waiting around the corner, ready to laugh at her if she made the wrong decision?
She had never once forgotten that this was after all a magical bookstore. Maybe the book would actually bite her, or it would curse her … or the boy simply wanted to see her cower in fear in front of a harmless heap of leather and paper and amuse himself with this 'muggle'.
Seeing that she hadn't relaxed, the boy sighed as if Petunia had troubled him. "Alright, I wouldn't want to see a mutilation happen just after breakfast. I never had a strong stomach."
Before Petunia could react he unwound the grey scarf from around his neck, his hair tousling even more in the process. Wrapping it around his hand a few times, he shot Petunia a wink before quickly grabbing the book without a second's hesitation.
What happened next made the blood freeze in Petunia's veins. Sounds of tearing fabric shattered the serene atmosphere - sharp teeth, hidden underneath the book flap before, had burrowed into the boy's scarf-wrapped hand, ripping through the soft material. Just imagining it being her skin instead of the grey wool …
"Alright, enough of that." Not the least disturbed, the boy raised his other, unprotected hand and lovingly glided his fingers along the book's spine. The change was immediate: the teeth which were just a second ago determinedly gnawing to reach the boy's flesh suddenly stopped and the book placidly flipped open.
Petunia felt as if her breath wasn't reaching her lungs anymore. She shouldn't panic, she should never openly show weakness, especially not in front of a stranger …
The boy perused a few lines of the book before clicking his tongue. "All this trouble for this. Why would anyone bother?"
Petunia was forcefully swallowing her breath, urging it to reach her lungs. Nothing had happened after all. Her hands were fine, the strange boy was the one holding the book. But her eyes glided over the stacked shelves all around her and a heavy feeling of oppression settled on her shoulders. What other horrors were hidden among this seemingly harmless collection of books?
"I'm surprised they're still stocking this," the boy commented before decisively shutting the book with a clap and replacing it on the shelf, the chain wrapped around it clinking. Glancing at Petunia, he gave a surprised chuckle. "No need to look that afraid, it's just a gimmick book."
Hearing his condescending tone, Petunia's rising panic was swept away in a wave of indignant anger. The ice in her veins was replaced with burning heat and her limbs thawed from their frozen shock. Who was he to decide that she was afraid? She was simply level-headed and careful, refusing to rush headfirst into danger. This was the same reason she had even taken part in this excursion in the first place. She didn't know enough about the little monster and she didn't know if it was dangerous. So she had to prioritise her own safety and learn more ahead of deciding on a course of action.
Before Petunia could open her mouth to snipe back at him an older man wearing glasses tottered by them, a row of books floating in the air before him. Spotting the boy standing next to Petunia he gave a nod in greeting. "Eugene, what are you doing back here?"
The boy grinned back. "I wanted to avoid the worst crowd."
"Young'uns." Scoffing, the old man turned back to his floating books and disappeared among the high shelves.
Witnessing the short interaction between them, Petunia came to a realisation.
The old man was obviously responsible for the books of this store and he hadn't greeted the boy like one would a customer. Instead he treated him familiarly. And the boy as well, not only had he handled that blood-thirsty book with no fear he had also displayed expertise. He was obviously not a fellow customer but an employee … which meant Petunia was in a position of power. Sweeping a look over his outfit - rumpled but of good quality - she didn't spot a name tag but dismissed it in the next second. How would she know what arbitrary rules wizard employment followed? Maybe he had signed a contract in blood and was bound to the store instead of only relying on it to provide him with a salary.
Raising her chin, Petunia felt in control once more. "Actually, there's something you can help me with."
She would never have asked for help if he was a fellow customer – even though he hadn't shown any malicious behaviour, Petunia was simply too prideful. Her own self-worth was all she had, all she could hold onto. If even she herself started looking down on her, she felt she would lose something essential.
But if it was his job it was a different matter. After all, he was obligated to help her and she wouldn't owe him anything, neither gratefulness nor a debt.
Petunia didn't believe in human kindness. If someone helped her out, they had an ulterior motive or something to gain.
The boy unwound the tattered scarf from his hand, meaningfully looking at the beastly book. "I already helped plenty."
Petunia ignored him, thinking about how to voice her request. She had brought all her pocket money but she still didn't see any reason to overspend. As an employee he would probably suggest the most expensive books first but she didn't want to waste so much time. "There's a magical creature I need to learn more about. It looks quite sinister … so probably a more specialised book. It doesn't have to be too detailed or expensive."
The boy blinked at her before pressing his lips together. Petunia narrowed her eyes. It almost looked like … he was suppressing a grin.
After a brief pause, he finally answered, his brown eyes sparkling ominously. "Alright, I'll bite. There's hundreds of creatures, so I think you'll have to be more specific if you want to find the right … inexpensive book."
Petunia clenched her fingers, not sure if he was mocking her. There was nothing wrong with his words but still …
There was also her unwillingness to tell anyone about the monster. She couldn't really describe where it stemmed from, it was just a reflex to keep it to herself. Mostly because it was her secret. Something no one else knew about and something that belonged exclusively to her.
"Otherwise, you should just go with this one." He nodded in the direction of the main area of the book store, where Petunia had spotted the signing taking place. "It covers a lot of different creatures."
Of course, he was trying to get her to buy the bestseller. Petunia wouldn't fall for his tactic, instead deciding to get more specific: "The creature looks almost as if it had died once, a walking, thin corpse. It has similarities to a small horse but its head resembles a lizard."
The boy thought for a moment. "Did it have wings?"
Petunia remembered the two skin flaps hanging on either side of the little monster's torso. "Might have."
The boy was silent for longer this time. "Was no-one else able to see it?"
Petunia startled, feeling her guard go up once more. This was part of her secret - that she was chosen, even though she had no magic or even anything special about her. She couldn't figure out how the boy knew, but before she could say anything - either to confirm or deny - her reaction had already given her away.
Something like pity appeared in his brown eyes for the fracture of a second, but it was gone so quickly Petunia wasn't sure if she hadn't imagined it. "What you saw was most likely a Thestral."
The sudden exposure of her secret was still not sitting well with Petunia, like a fishbone stuck in her throat. But she couldn't deny that her attention was redirected by his words. The most important question escaped her lips: "Thestral? Is it dangerous?"
Though Petunia was glad that she was chosen and special for once in her life, she wouldn't act carelessly.
She had to admit that the appearance of the little monster was quite ghastly and repulsive. If even a harmless book was this hungry for flesh, she could just imagine what it could do with those sharp teeth and dead eyes.
She would never find anything she would place her life on the line for. In Petunia's mind she could only rely on herself. If she didn't cherish her life, who would?
Unaware of her complicated thoughts, the boy shrugged. "Not necessarily, though many think it's a harbinger of misfortune. A misconception, but the belief is quite persistent."
Harbinger of misfortune? Petunia almost scoffed. Her life was already misfortunate enough, there was no need to add a harbinger. She didn't think the little monster would bring her bad luck - after all, without it she would never have even entered this magical street. Maybe while it would bring misfortune to wizards, it brought good fortune to normal people.
There was one more thing she wanted to confirm though. "There's a reason I'm able to see it, when no one else can. What is it?"
The boy's gaze deepened and for a strange reason Petunia suddenly felt her confidence waver. What did the look in his eyes mean? It didn't seem like he was in awe but more like …
Before he could answer, a voice rang through the shelves, shattering the heavy atmosphere. "Gene! Your father finished the signing, we're leaving."
The boy turned away from her, a lock of dark gold hair falling into his face. Petunia paused, finding something strange in the wording of the call. His father had finished signing and they would leave? Wasn't he an employee here? An alarming suspicion began to slowly fester in her stomach.
Almost as if he could feel her gaze burning his back, the boy turned around once more. "Just buy the book out front, it has a chapter about Thestrals." Seeing her unresponsiveness, an impish smirk stretched his lips wide. "Or simply come talk to me in school. After all, I'm always here to help."
Petunia watched him walk away, feeling like she had swallowed an ice cube. He really wasn't working here …
Feeling numb she slowly walked towards the front of the store, once again gazing upon the colourful display presenting gold-leaf decorated books. The title was eye-catching 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' by Newton Scamander. The author previously signing the books had disappeared and with him most of the crowd.
Had this been the boy's father? No wonder the storekeeper was familiar with him then …
Refusing to think about it further, she took one of the displayed books, turning it over in her hands, searching for a price tag. Petunia was always aware of her spending, using her pocket money for all her own purchases and keeping a meticulous record of it. So her first action was not to open the book and browse through it but to look at the price - only to stop in confusion. What was a 'Galleon'? How many pounds would that make? And where did she have to exchange them? Neither her parents nor Lily had told her she needed special magic money to make purchases here. Her annoyance mounted, finally dispersing some of her daze.
This whole trip had been wasted. Not only were the wizards hexing their books to attack her, they stopped her from purchasing them. As a 'muggle' they wanted to exclude her from their society as far as possible. They looked down on everything about her, even her money.
The door opened with a tingle and a tall, stern woman stepped inside. Petunia's eyes fell on the two children following in her wake. Lily's eyes were glittering while gazing at a wand of pale wood in her hands, her cheeks flushed in happiness. Even the wretched boy to her right seemed slightly excited, his face more animated than usual.
Spotting Petunia, Mrs Snape came over. She noticed the book still held in her hands but didn't comment on it, instead saying: "You can help your sister pick out her books, here is a list. Don't buy anything else, your mother gave me the amount needed for the school supplies, nothing more."
Petunia almost sneered but stopped at the last second. Did this hag think she wanted to ask her for money? The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Petunia wasn't a beggar.
Even though she tried to suppress her feelings, she still felt a small twinge in her chest when she replaced the book on the extravagant display.
There was no reason for her to be regretful or sad. She would find a way. She always did.