Snape was still not talking to either of them. Concerned, Lily had attempted to check up, but had been cursed out when she stepped near the Snape household. Petunia had found this less surprising and decided to leave it be, it wasn't as though it was any of her business and any involvement would worsen the situation.
Besides, Petunia had more important things to worry about, namely that she was leaving for Hogwarts that day. She was jerky and anxious, not quite knowing how to get her energy out and Lily wasn't much help in calming her. (And not only because Lily was never calm). She'd been a mopping mess since Snape stopped talking to her. Never being one for conflict, it took an obvious toll on her.
Petunia half wanted to just pull off the metaphorical bandaid and just be done with it. Though that thought in itself was scary; with not knowing anyone or anything, she was quite sure she was going to make a fool of herself and then it'd all go to hell from there. In her worst fears Petunia would be deemed a freak in both worlds and never be able to find a stable place.
It felt like nothing got done and there was no way to fix any of it, which made Petunia's already frazzled nerves even worse. Well at least they figured out a name for the owl: Queen Morgana of the Fye. Or Queenie for short (which Petunia much preferred).
"Do you think we could let Queenie out and maybe send a letter to Sev? I just want to make sure he's okay," Lily, currently, was sitting at Petunia's desk scribbling out what was supposed to be an apology letter, though there was a healthy dose of her explaining why she was right thrown in there. Petunia was unsure why Lily was still worrying about that when she should be getting ready.
Lily was half ready, wearing her Sunday church dress that had a few grass stains at the bottom. Her shoes were unbuckled and barely hanging on and Lily's hair, as always, looked like a rat's nest. Petunia tried to get a brush through it but the top snapped off half way through. She would never understand how Lily could be given such beautiful hair, yet decided to let it go to waste.
Petunia herself was trying to find a new suitable outfit after the unfortunate accident involving pink ink and her dress she was going to wear. She stuck her head out of the closet far enough that she could give Lily a threatening look, "You can't kidnap my owl right before I leave for that. Besides, I'm half positive Mr. Snape will shoot her out of the sky with the way we acted."
Lily cringed and crumpled up the paper, "Well what can I do then? Sev's like my first real friend, I don't want to lose that. And if I walk by his house again, I think his dad might shoot me."
"Well then I guess you have to wait till term starts," Petunia said while walking out the closet with two sets of clothes. She wasn't sure if she should wear the pink blouse with the black skirt or her spotted dress instead. She was looking through the dress when she saw a tear in the shoulder, she'd need to get Mum to stitch it. Skirt and shirt it was then.
Lily wasn't consoled. Instead she got out a new sheet and tapped on it with her pen, "Maybe I could slip the letter in his window, like at night or something."
"Mum would have your head on the mantle if she caught you sneaking about at night," Lily, once again threw the pen down and tossed the new letter away. Petunia sighed, "He's not mad at you."
"Really? Cuz I've seen him scouting out the playground before he goes in and the time I tried to talk he said he couldn't play with me! Then he ran!" Lily threw her arms up whacking Queenie's cage, giving the bird a scare. The poor thing was going to have a nervous condition just as bad as Petunia's if everyone didn't stop startling her.
"He's probably just trying to listen to his parents until he's out of trouble, I'm sure you two can continue your covert friendship after," she said as she tossed on her clothes. She looked in the mirror, she looked fine (though not as fine if she hadn't tipped over that stupid ink glass).
Lily just pouted at her and went back to plotting her ambush on Snape.
"Girls, are you almos- Lily how in God's name did you get even more grass stains on that dress. And what happened to your hair?" Their mum was at the door, lips pursed.
"I tried to get a brush in it, but her hair broke it."
Mum sighed, "You'll just have to do it in the car then. We need to go now, and get your shoes on-"
There was a loud crash outside followed by a, "Ow- For fucks sake what did she pack in this damn trunk! Cement!"
"Oh fantastic," Mum popped her head out the door, yelling down the hallway, "Harold dear, I'll be out to help in a minute. Petunia, make sure Lily is somewhat presentable." Their mum walked out of the room in a huff leaving the two girls looking at each other.
"Can't I just put my hair in a pony?"
"No."
"Buuut Tuneeey."
"No, I won't have you looking like some sort of street kid on my first day of Hogwarts," Petunia said. Lily whined a bit more but ultimately hopped off the chair, buckling her shoes begrudgingly.
Petunia grabbed Queenie while Lily took a brush from the dresser and bagan to pull it through her hair unsuccessfully. They walked down the hall and as they got into the car with Lily still complaining and after a particularly painful yank she chucked the brush onto the car seat, "Ugh, I hate brushing hair."
"Maybe you should just chop it all off, then you wouldn't have to brush it."
Lily's eyes lit up, "You think?"
"I meant that as a joke," Petunia said, but it fell on deaf ears. The minute Mum and Dad got into the car Lily tried to convince them that a short bob was just the look for her, to which they both said no.
The ride to King's Cross was relatively uneventful. Petunia tried to ignore the gapping feeling in her chest as they drew near the station. The longer the conversation with Lily went on the shorter Petunia's answers became and the more she played with the handle on Queenie's cage. Lily's usually animated behaviour also started to dim down as well. It seemed that this was settling in for Lily that her sister was going to be gone for a whole year and that she would only see her once before next summer break.
By the time they parked it was 10:15 and Mum was already yelling that they needed to hurry or else they'd miss the damn train. Dad picked up a trolley and started to cart Petunia's things around the station as Mum ran ahead looking for the platform with Petunia and Lily chasing them down. The station itself was littered with a variety of people rushing to get to their own platforms, knocking the two girls around. They caught up to their parents at the inbetween of platform of 9 and 10 arguing.
"What do you mean you don't remember either?"
Mum was flustered as she paced up and down the way. Dad tried to grab Mum's arm, but she just shook him off.
"Irene, just calm-"
"Don't tell me to calm down! Why do these wizarding types need to have a cryptic platform for their students? Can't they just be normal?"
"I think being a wizard kind of defeats that purpose," Dad tried to jest, but Mum just sent him a murderous glare. "Why don't we ask for help?"
Mum snorted, "Ah yes, 'Sir could you please tell us where platform 9 ¾ is? You see our witch daughter is about to miss the train for her magic school in Scotland.' God, Harold are you thinking?"
"That's uncalled for-"
Petunia decided not to listen to her parents fighting. Instead she scanned the area for anyone that looked even remotely magical looking. There were businessmen in suits, children waving from trains towards their parents, and a gaggle of women talking about a retreat for that week. No one was wearing any wizarding robes or funny hats or even any unusual patterns. But there was a fair-haired boy wearing casual muggle clothes pushing a cart with a snowy owl on top and that, apparently, was distinctly wizardly.
"Lily," Petunia hissed, "I think he might be a wizard." She covertly pointed to the boy in question and Lily's eyes lit up.
"Oh, let's ask him for help," Lily then bounced off towards the boy and in a very unsublt way asked, "Hey you, are you a wizard?"
The boy gave Lily a very bewildered look.
Petunia moaned and dragged her sorry butt over to collect Lily from embarrassing them any further. She grabbed Lily by the shoulders and shoved her behind her, "Sorry about my sister, she likes to joke with people," Petunia said with the most convincing smile she could muster up. The boy looked between the pair of them and then towards their parents still arguing by the two platforms. They really were making a scene, Petunia had hoped they both had more dignity.
"Those wouldn't happen to be your folks?"
Lily tried to poke her head out from behind her, but Petunia was able to somewhat wrestle her to stay back, "Yeah. But you didn't answer my- Tuney stop it, I'm trying to help here."
The boy sighed and leaned down so that only the two girls could hear him, "Yes, I'm a Muggle-born wizard. I take it at least one of you is a Muggle-born witch?"
Petunia released the tension from her shoulders, "Both of us, but it's my first year."
The boy nodded his head, "Okay then, My name's Ted and I'm a prefect at Hogwarts. But you lot are going to need to be more careful about who you're talking about wizards with. There's a statute of secrecy y'know, don't want to go breaking it carelessly and getting in trouble," Both girls made a sound of understanding, though this didn't seem to reassure Ted much. He stood up with a sigh, "Now let's see you onto the platform. Watch me closely."
After Ted glanced around the station at all the people, apparently determining no one was paying them mind, he walked to the in between of platform 9 and 10. Both girls followed closely behind him watching as he paused right before the wall and then seemingly walked through it. It simmered for a second around Ted as it completely absorbed him, like some sort of an amoeba. This caught their parents' attention, both wiped their heads around.
"Oh, so that's how you do it. Makes sense." Lily then pranced her happy way into the wall, followed by a Petunia muttering 'In no sane world that it did.'
Petunia barely registered walking through the wall that it was as well… a wall. It felt more like walking in a wind tunnel obscure with mist. There was a slight tickling sensation which Petunia wasn't sure was caused by the mist or if it was the magic that made this illusion possible. As soon as she walked in it felt like she was spit right back out on the much more magical side of King Cross Station.
On the track sat a great crimson train with children of all ages spilling out while yelling to people below on the platform. Families of all sorts were flying all across the station trying to get the remaining trunks and kids onto the train. The train whistled several times indicating it was about to leave soon.
"Oh lord it's ten til," Mum said behind her. Petunia swerved around facing her parents, Mum telling Dad to get Petunia's trunk on the train and dragging both to the nearest door. Mum grabbed Petunia into a firm, yet comforting hug, "Now I wish we had more time to say goodbye, but I love you lots. Be sure to send all the letters you can. Do well in school and try to keep out of trouble. You'll do us proud, I'm sure," She gave Petunia a few more pecks on the cheek until Petunia was whining for her to get off.
Lily soon replaced her tears already streaming down her face, "Tuney, y'gotta send me letters every day no matter what. And you have to show me all the magic when you get home and you can't skip any holidays. And-"
"Calm down, you're acting like I'm never seeing you again-"
Lily, outraged, pushed her face into Petunia's, "A whole ten months Tuney, I don't get to be with you for ten months and you think I'm acting crazy."
"Okay now, she's got to get on," Dad said, trying to detangle Lily from her shoulders. Petunia got two seconds to breathe before Dad grabbed her into an even tighter bear hug.
"God my girl all grown up and leaving me already." Dad gave a wet laugh. "I love you tons, string bean. You do good and write lots. I can't wait to see you-"
"I love you too, but I need to get on-" Petunia said. Dad let go helping her onto the train, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Okay you get on, don't let us hold you back." Dad backed away, now with Lily holding onto his leg. Tears became rivers running down her face as she waved both arms at Petunia. Her parents gave their own waves, and with great sadness Petunia gave her own before walking into the train hall proper.