Petunia woke with the sun shining through her lacey pink curtains causing her face scrunch up in an unpleasant look. On that first day of summer in 1970 she groggily sat up in her bed looking over her room with suspicious eyes. Something was wrong, she just wasn't quite sure what. Petunia normally could always pinpoint what was different, as she always kept her room tidy and orderly. But all her dolls were in a line on the shelf, her closet didn't seem to be disturbed, and anything that Lily would have wanted was still in its place.
She screwed her lips, but ultimately pushed her suspicions out of her mind. It wasn't good to worry about made up issues (it gave you wrinkles) and besides she could just interrogate Lily later. Shaking her head, Petunia took her preplaned outfit down from the shelf and started on her morning routine. She brushed her hair in straight lines and put on her outfit making sure there was no lint or hairs on it. Next step was to let in sunlight for her plants and water them, so Petunia went to the curtains over her window and threw them open only to meet one of her worst fears: Lily hanging upside down from the tree, her scrawny legs being her only support.
"Hi Tuney," she called with a giant grin splitting her face, long bright red hair waving in the wind along with her hands. Her heart stopped. Not only was Petunia on the second floor, but Lily wasn't going to be strong enough to keep herself up. What if she-
Sweet pooled in Petunia's hands and before she knew it she had the urge to run. Lily continued to call, but Petunia didn't hear the rest. She ran straight down the stairs nearly tripping several times over the glossy wood floor and hitting a wall with a great thump, rebounding into the kitchen.
"Lily you don't need to be bashing around so ea- Petunia?" their mum quirked an eyebrow.
Her parents were leaning against the kitchen counter with the coffees in hand both staring at her. "Hey string bean everything okay?" her dad asked, walking over to Petunia trying to bring her into a calming hug.
Petunia shook her head violently. "No Lily's stuck up a tree."
Her parents nearly dropped their mugs, dashing out of the house with frantic calls echoing through the house. Petunia was quick to follow, how could she not with her sister's emanate demise. Hell she barely stuttered in her step when she first felt the slick moist feeling of mud beneath her feet. Rounding the tree, it seemed the situation wasn't much better.
Both her parents were at the base with their arms up in an attempt to catch her. Lily, being the queen of both stubborness and messiness, just sat there with her muddy bare scratched up legs refusing to come down. She was clutching a branch lightly, obviously not worrying about falling but just so she could look at her family easier, her head peeking over still wearing that bright smile.
"Jumping bean can you get down one branch lower so daddy can grab you. You won't fall I promise," Dad said, but all this did was spur Lily to stand up on the branch.
"Just wait I gotta cool trick to show."
Petunia's eyes widened as she felt a nauseous feeling in her stomach. If Lily was going to do what she thought she would then…
"Lily, don't you dare jump!" Petunia screeched.
Her mum quickly followed with, "Lillian Jane Evans, are you crazy! You get down here now!" Dad pleaded for her to climb down. Petunia screamed for her to stop. Lily didn't listen to anyone.
Lily bent her knees and took a great leap off the branch.
Dad rushed to catch her but instead of plummeting Lily floated like a fairy from the branch, her hair flowing behind her as her childish giggles grew once more with her arms thrown in the air. It took Petunia a minute to realise that Lily was actually floating instead of time slowing down.
There was a cool feeling of relief flowing through the nausea, and while Petunia didn't know what was happening she thanked God that he spared Lily from her idiocy. By the time she landed in Dads' arms Petunia and Mum ran and surrounded her on all sides, all frantically yelling at her and checking if she was okay.
Mum grabbed Lily by the shoulder, which caused her to immediately stop laughing. "Lily, what were you thinking!"
Lily suddenly looked more serious, stared up at her Mum and whispered in a small voice. "I wanted to show you-"
"I don't care, you could have seriously hurt yourself young lady! You can't do that ever again, do you understand me?"
"But Mum-"
"No, Lily promise me," Mum tightened her grip.
There was this look Lily got. One where she didn't understand why she was in trouble. One that drove Petunia absolutely mad, because there was no way to convince her not to do it again. That's the one she sported at the moment. "I'm sorry, mummy. I won't do it again, I just wanted to show off."
"By jumping out of a tree, Lillan? I thought I taught-"
Dad put an hand over Mum's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Irene it's okay, let's go back in-"
"No it's not okay!" Mum snapped.
Dad paused for a moment, right before busted out a smile addressed to the two girls. "Now I think I smell some delicious pancakes, courtesy of the best chef in all of England," their Dad flashed a smile at Mum, who's frown just deepened. "What do you say Miss Lillian, Miss Petunia?"
Lily grew back her smile and nodded enthusiastically while hopping towards the front door with Dad in tow. Petunia nearly stepped forward, only stopping when a hand was placed on her shoulder. Mum was biting her lip and continued to look out towards Lily and her husband, "Petunia."
Petunia stood up a bit straighter, "Yes, Mum?"
"You're going to be a big girl soon, so I need you to do me a big girl favour. Make sure Lily doesn't get herself hurt, that she doesn't climb anything too high, or jump off anything, or run around with knives or whatever else that wild child tries to do, okay? I know it a big thing to ask-"
"I'll do it, I'll watch Lily. I'll make sure she doesn't do anything too stupid from now on." Petunia said.
"Thank you so much, and I get you a special treat tonight, but you can't tell Lily about it."
"Really, can I get a chocolate bar?" she smiled.
"Shush. We'll see, for now let's go in,'' her Mum's hand placed on Petunia's back guided her back into the house with Petunia's grin on display.
After their parents left for work Petunia and Lily were at the table and a variety of books, games, toys, and colouring paper spread out around them. A radio on the kitchen counter lightly played music while Lily glared down the checkerboard trying to puzzle out her next move. Petunia sat proudly with her stack of Lily's red pieces and two kings as she hummed.
"You're so lucky by the way," Petunia said.
"No I'm not," Lily muttered as she moved one piece forward. Petunia quickly took out two more of her red pieces.
"I'm not talking about checkers, you're lucky my outfit didn't get dirty cuz you'd be taped to the wall upside down."
Lily made a show of rolling her eyes, then scrunched up her face looking over her folded arms. "Not even your tights?"
Petunia shook her head and Lily pushed aside the checkers, the pieces clattering all over the floor. Petunia about yelled out for her to pick up the mess when Lily whispered, "Magic."
"What?"
"Must be magic." repeated Lily like it was a secret. She pushed her face into Petunia's until their noses were practically touching. But Petunia shoved her face away.
"Stop being silly," Petunia swept up the checkers with a broom and dumped them on the table. Lily opened her mouth, but before she got anything out Petunia added, "If you stop being silly I'll get us ice cream before Lakeland park."
Lily agreed to go to the park after calling out, "I'm right though," as she jumped up the stairs to get her shoes. Petunia rolled her eyes but grabbed her park bag and made sure her Mary Janes were on tight when Lily showed up with her old pink and black trainers with her shoe box of coloured chalk.
Lakeland park was a ten minute walk from their house closer to Spinner's End, but they both agreed that it had the best playset. But first they'd have to brave Highfield Road for ice cream.
They pass by a variety of houses as they walk the blocks, then next nicer looking than the last. Off white paint and groomed laws hosting many laughing children playing in sprinklers and with toys in the driveways, their mums nearby gossiping amongst themselves on the porches.
Lily waved to all the children she recognised, few realising or caring. Petunia demanded that Lily keep up, though she could hardly push Lily to do something when she was determined, and she was determined to act like an excitable puppy.
Resigned to her fate, Petunia let Lily do as she wished until they got to the Turner house. The Turners happened to be some of the worst lot she knew and she had no qualms with telling that to Andrew Turners' stupid face. She never understood how Lily could like playing with his sister, but as had been at every other house, Lily ran over to say hello to June.
But Petunia wouldn't put up with her sister consorting with the wrong sort and with a sharp yank, dragged Lily up the road from the house. Lily tensed and tried to pull back to no avail. When they were out of sight of the house Lily pulled her arm from Petunia and planted herself with arms crossed. Her face turned scowl as she stared down Petunia as though she was the misbehaving child.
"Petunia! That's rude!" Lily yelled, "You can't drag me away from people for no reason!"
Petunia scrunched up her face and turned away towards the road walking at a brisk pace, "You don't know if she's even nice. She's probably as big a bully as her idiot big nosed brother."
"That's not a good reason!"
"So? He called me horseface and Tuney tall neck and-"
"But June didn-"
"Do you want ice cream or not?" Petunia was now facing Lily. With a full on glare Lily rammed into her, knocking Petunia sideways. Petunia stumbled and her hip hurt a tid, but that didn't mean she couldn't shove Lily back.
The two sisters sat next to each other on the rusting swingset both unwilling to break their silence. Petunia was stewing in her thoughts on how to make Lily see her point, but not coming up with anything she could say quick enough before Lily started yelling again.
The park was nothing special; a wooden play set in the middle with a swings set near a group of untamed bushes and a metal merry-go-round where their discarded items lay, the concrete ground was unforgiving at the best of times but great for drawing flowers and bees. There ten or so feet apart was two chalk drawings (Lily's looking a bit more erratic than normal).
Today hadn't been nearly as fun as Petunia had expected and she was considering just apologising to Lily (even if she was right and Lily was just being a pig head) when she caught how high Lily was swinging.
The set was shaking violently as Lily increased speed and height to where she nearly spun over the bar every time her swing would crest. Petunia yelled for Lily to slow, but with a scowl of defiance the next time Lily's swing hit the top she launched herself off the seat jumping in an arc across the playground.
Petunia couldn't focus on anything, she heard no sound though she was undoubtedly screaming and she saw nothing aside from Lily as she was floating. For the first time since they got to the park Lily cracked a smile as she swam through the air with a burst of gold light surrounding her. She landed on both feet and swung around to face Petunia. Her hair was ruffled in a friz and she could barely hold in her giggles. She seemed to forget the reason why she was mad. "Tuney, that's so fun you should try it! Let's do it together!"
Petunia grinded her feet into the pavement and stalked up to Lily putting on her best disappointed look she could, she was given a job after all and she hated breaking promises to Mum. Lily's smile faltered in the face of her sister and she stood with her arms crossed waiting to pounce at Petunia.
"Mum said not to do that! And you promised you wouldn't Lily!"
Lily, seeming not to care, turned away from her and started towards the swing again, "Mummy's not here though."
"Well I'm here and I said no."
Petunia grabbed the chain as Lily jumped on the swing and tried to pump again. Her face broke and she whined out, "But Tuney I'm not hurt! I don't ever get hurt."
"How do you know you won't, you don't even know what your doing and-"
Petunia froze after the bushes rustled behind her. Instead of a squirrel or an adventurous cat, a petit boy popped out. He was wearing scruffy cutoff shorts, a black felt coat that pooled around his arms and feet, and what must have been his Mums' old night shirt. He waded out of the bush towards the two sisters.
Petunia jumped back from the boy's sudden appearance; she soon decided to stand her ground and stepped between him and Lily, who he particularly seemed interested in. Lily soon found her way off the seat and stood behind Petunia with her head peeking out, obviously curious.
The boy looked between Petunia and Lily and muttered, "Magic! You're doing magic!"
Lily gasped and tried to walk forward to the boy, but Petunia put out her arm to stop her, no one knew what types of disease he might have. This didn't deter Lily though, "Really? Magic's real?"
The boy's face lit up with excitement making his gaunt expression a bit less haunting, " Yes, and you're a witch!"
Petunia realised just the type of person she was dealing with; a kid from Spinner's End and that Snape kid no less. They always make a mess of places with their graffiti and they have no respect for rules or people's feelings. The Snape's were the worst of the lot according to their mum, who was always right. The father being some drunk (and a possible druggie) and the mother never watching her son and dressed so poorly.
Before Petunia could respond Lily called out an offended 'Rude!' from over her shoulder. Petunia nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, my sister's no freak, you little pervert! Why don't you go peep on some other girls and tell them lies instead!" Petunia grabbed Lily's arm and led her away with their belongings in tow.
The Snape boy tried to yell out that he wasn't peeping and that he wasn't a pervert and something about wizards and moggles, but Petunia heard none of it. With her single-minded determination she dragged Lily back to the safety of their house, not noticing the look of intrigue that Lily sent back the panicking Snape boy.