A Muggle in Hogsmeade I

Dear mum and dad,

I am sorry that it has come to this.
I know that you are trying to accept the fact that she will never return,
but I cannot let her go until I have seen the place where she has disappeared for myself.

This is something that I need to do for me, and me alone.

I will come home. Probably after the new year. I promise.

Love,

Petunia

It was early in the morning. Petunia was standing in the kitchen, holding the letter she had written in her hands. A sense of guilt washed over her as she placed the letter by the phone, but she had promised Eileen that she would, and it needed to be done.

With a travelling bag in hand, she left the house and found Eileen already waiting for her outside. 'Are you ready?' Eileen asked.

'More than ever,' Petunia answered. 'How exactly are we going to King's Cross?'

'Just take my hand,' said Eileen. 'Have you ever Apparated before?'

'No I've never—' but before she was able to finish her sentence, the sickening sensation of being squeezed through a rubber tube overcame her. It had ended as quickly as it started, and she stumbled around, feeling nauseous. 'What on earth was that!?' she shrieked.

'Sorry,' said Eileen. 'There's really no proper way to prepare you for that. We're here though!'

Still clutching her upturned stomach, Petunia looked around and found herself standing by a brick wall at King's Cross station. 'I'd rather not do that again,' she said stiffly.

'There won't be any need for it for now,' said Eileen. 'Come on. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is this way!'

Ever since Lily had received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, Petunia hadn't bothered joining the family to wave her off at the train. Determined to keep magic at arms length, and to move on pretending it wasn't real for as long as her sister was at school. Now she was standing at the barrier between platforms nine and ten, remembering all the stories her family had shared about it. Walking through it felt like shedding all the prejudice she had so desperately accumulated over the years.

'The barrier's open,' said Eileen. 'Students from Hogwarts must have arrived by now to start their Christmas break. We better hurry.' With a gentle push, Eileen shoved Petunia through the brick wall and followed through.

'woah,' was all Petunia could utter as she looked at the scarlet steam train in front of her. Students were onboarding and falling into the welcoming arms of their parents.

'Petunia Evans, is that you?'

'I think that's Snape's mother as well.'

Both women turned around and found two young men walking up to them. 'We're Peter and Remus,' said Remus as he shook their hands. 'Remember when we came to visit you in Cokeworth?'

'I remember you two,' said Petunia. 'I suppose you're heading home for Christmas?'

'We knew you'd come,' said Peter. 'Alice and Mary showed us the letter. We thought about staying with James and Sirius, but our parents wouldn't let us.'

'That's a bummer,' said Petunia. 'Perhaps our paths will cross again though. See you around!'

Peter and Remus waved goodbye, and Eileen watched the two boys shuffle their way towards the barrier until they disappeared from sight. 'I remember meeting those four, briefly,' she said. 'I don't think they were friends of Severus.'

'I know they were not friends of Severus,' said Petunia while pointing at an empty compartment. They stepped inside and tossed their bags overhead, ready to get settled for the long journey up North. 'Lily told me that those Marauders – as they call themselves – frequently bullied Severus given the chance.'

Eileen stared out of the window, looking at all the happy families reuniting on the platform. 'Severus never mentioned anything about being bullied,' she said quietly.

'Severus never really mentioned anything much,' said Petunia in a poor attempt to sound reassuring. 'What about some hot chocolate? I think I see a lady with a trolley coming up.'

Eileen handed the lady several sickles, and brought in two large steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a supply of chocolate frogs. 'Have you ever had one of these?' she asked as she handed Petunia a blue box.

'Lily brought home many of these,' said Petunia. 'She's got a whole collection of cards but I never really bothered looking at it before. I wonder what's in – oooh!' The frog had jumped out of the box and landed straight on her lap, which caused Eileen to cackle.

'They only jump once,' Eileen reassured her. 'They're quite delicious. What card did you get?'

The two women barely noticed the train leaving the station. Thus far they had collected Heathcote Barbary. Gunhilda of Gorsemoor. Morgan le Fey. Wilfred Elphick. Helga Hufflepuff. Tilly Toke. Ignatia Wildsmith and Bathilda Bagshot. 'Oh look, it's Rowena Ravenclaw,' said Eileen happily as she held it up for Petunia to see. 'My ancestor.'

'Must be quite nice to be related to one of the founders of Hogwarts,' said Petunia as she took the card from Eileen, and looked at Rowena's beautiful face. 'Lily never mentioned that to me.'

'I never really told much to Severus about it either,' said Eileen. 'Especially not after he got sorted into Slytherin House like I was. Just didn't deem it that relevant to be honest.'

'Still, must be nice,' said Petunia, still holding up the card. 'You have her eyes.'

'Her last remaining feature,' said Eileen with a hint of pride. 'Everyone in the line of Prince has her eyes – as well as Severus.'

'I remember,' said Petunia as she handed the card back. 'Now that was something Lily talked about all the time. How much she loved his dark eyes.' She rolled her own eyes as she said it.

Eileen couldn't help but smile. 'You think they ever had a thing for each other?' she asked.

'Ugh,' Petunia grunted. 'Of course they had a thing. Now I'm petty sure it was more than just a thing, but it's the kind of thing that would get in the way of the friendship thing so it never really became a bigger thing. And then the big thing happened that both you and I know about, and now there's nothing left of whatever thing it was they had.'

Eileen couldn't help but laugh. 'I get it,' she said. 'Lily was never around much at our place, for obvious reasons. But Severus found love in the one place he was not supposed to be. And no matter what Tobias tried, he couldn't keep Severus away from her. He always went back to her. That's devotion.'

'I'll admit I was jealous of it,' said Petunia. 'I hope to find what they had some day.'

...o0o…

The first snow of the season had started to fall. It was late in the afternoon by the time the train had reached Hogsmeade station, and in the distance Petunia could see two girls, undoubtedly Mary and Alice, smiling and waving at them.

'We're so happy you're here!' Mary and Alice shrieked in excitement, and gave Petunia a warm welcoming hug.

'Thank you!' said Petunia, who had not expected to met with such joy on her arrival. 'I brought someone with me. This is Eileen Snape, Severus' mother.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you both,' said Eileen as she shook hands with the girls. 'Petunia told me that you had arranged a room for her at the Three Broomsticks. I hope you two won't mind that I will join her there.'

'No problem at all,' said Alice. 'Madam Rosmerta and Lily were very friendly to each other. She's offering te room for free for as long as ye need it.'

'But for now, Petunia,' Mary said as she placed a hand on Petunia's shoulder, 'it is within my knowledge that you've never even entered Diagon Alley before. And so, the things you will encounter in Hogsmaede may come as quite a shock to you.'

'Hogsmeade's one of the last all Wizarding towns in the country,' Alice added. 'Two things can happen if someone were te find out yer a Muggle. One, they will start swarming ye with all sorts of questions about the Muggle way o' life, or two, they may not appreciate yer presence at all.'

'Just try not to act too much like a Muggle,' said Eileen.

'That's like asking me not to look like a tourist in Japan,' Petunia groaned. 'But I'll try my best.'

With Alice and Mary in the lead, the group of women walked down the old cobbled road towards the village. Petunia didn't know where to start looking. From the dozens of broomsticks parked by the buildings, to the owls soaring through the sky carrying letters, it all felt like she had entered a foreign country. 'I think I can hear toads in the river croaking songs,' she said. 'Is that normal?'

'They get a bit cheery this time of year,' said Mary. 'Look, there's the Three Broomsticks!' She pointed at a pub that stood right in the middle of the village. 'You must try some Butterbeer, Petunia. You're going to love it!'

It was relatively calm inside the pub. It felt warm, cosy and a bit smokey inside. A young good-looking witch was cleaning up behind the bar, and Petunia dodged around a floating mug that was sent off to a guest by the window. 'Sorry about that!' said the witch behind the bar. 'I'm Rosmerta, and you must be Petunia Evans. I've been expecting you.'

'Thank you,' Petunia muttered back, and her eyes grew as big as saucers once she saw how the dishes were washing themselves.

'Here's your key,' said Rosmerta as she shoved a brass key in her direction. 'Room number four is up the stairs to your left. Would you like a Butterbeer dear?'

'In a bit, if that's alright,' said Petunia. 'I want to go drop off my stuff first.'

'I'll come with you,' said Eileen. 'Girls, we'll be back.'

Petunia followed Eileen up the stairs. The door creaked loudly as they entered the room, and found two small poster beds on each side. Petunia tossed her bag onto the bed, and out of nowhere, she started sobbing loudly.

'Oh Petunia,' said Eileen as she came to sit next to her on the bed. 'what's gotten into you?'

'The train, the chocolate frogs,' Petunia answered in between sobs. 'I thought I could handle it all – and then I saw the self-washing dishes, and I just lost it!'

Eileen gave her a reassuring pat on the back. 'I know it's not the dishes, dear,' she said. 'You just stepped into your sister's world. It's all starting to become real now.' She felt the tears starting to well up in her own eyes. It was all becoming very real to her now, too. 'We can sit here for a while. Whatever is happening downstairs – it can wait, alright. Can I tell you something to distract you?'

'Please, anything,' said Petunia as she tried to contain herself.

'My cousin will come and visit tomorrow afternoon,' she said. 'Narcissa Black – or Malfoy, now that she's married. She knows a lot about the political developments in the Wizarding world. I'm hoping she can explain why Severus has been spending his last two Christmases in Wiltshire with her.'

'With her?' Petunia asked with a tilted eye. 'Is she involved in this whole uprising?'

'I do not know where her allegiances lie,' said Eileen, and her voice grew cold. 'But the House of Black has a long history with blood purity. Toujours Pur. Always Pure, it means. My own mother was cast out of the family for marrying a Prince, and therefore I was never truly a part of the family either. But you have to understand, Petunia, that the Pure-blood families of the Wizarding world share one great thing in common – and that is a shared history of violence against them. It wasn't that long ago that their ancestors were burnt at the stake by Muggles, and it forced them into hiding. There are many that still wish to break free from those chains.'

'I do understand,' said Petunia. 'If I were in their shoes I'd be angry too.'

'Anger breeds hatred,' said Eileen. 'There are quite a few Pure-blood families left that have chosen a new leader that wants to bring them back from the dark. They fester in their own loathing of anything that is remotely Muggle – hence why they would cast out their own family of it connects them to Muggles.'

'And who would be their leader?' asked Petunia.

'That is what I intend to find out,' said Eileen. 'Narcissa is at the very centre of it all, and yet I have a feeling that she may be watching it unfolding from the sidelines. I only remember her as a little girl, but she was a clever one. Still, she may not appreciate your presence.'

Petunia was about to say something, when a knocking on the door interrupted them. Eileen got off of the bed and opened the door, revealing Professor McGonagall hovering two large trunks in front of her. 'Professor,' said Eileen happily, 'to what do we owe the pleasure?'

'I'm afraid I've come with a heavy heart, Mrs Snape,' said McGonagall. 'If I may?' She stepped inside and lowered the two trunks on the ground. 'How are you doing, miss Evans?'

'I remember you,' said Petunia as she got off the bed and gracefully shook McGonagall's hand. 'You came to our house after Lily had received her letter from Hogwarts, helping her prepare for it.'

'I remember it well,' said McGonagall. 'I brought Lily and Severus' trunks for you both. In light of everything that happened, it's time for their belongings to return home.'

'Thank you,' said Petunia. She looked at the trunk she knew all too well. The trunk was old and battered, and covered in moving stickers of Lily's favourite Quidditch teams. Lily had kept her whole livelihood in there. All that tied her to her magical world held together by two leather straps. Without her, it seemed to no longer carry a soul.

'I will be downstairs,' said McGonagall as she took her leave. 'Take all the time you need.'

As McGonagall disappeared around the corner, the two women eyed the trunks as if they had been handed an urn from a funeral home. 'I don't think my heart is ready,' said Eileen. 'I will go downstairs and leave you to it, if you want.'

'I think I do,' said Petunia quietly. 'I will come down later.'

With Eileen gone, Petunia was now left by herself since she started her journey up North. She pondered for a bit on whether she wanted to open her sister's trunk, but curiosity got the better of her. She unclasped the straps and opened it, and within she found an absolute mess of things. An ink bottle had spilled on the bottom, covering some books with dried up ink. There were moving pictures of her with her friends, and a few normal pictures too of them together with their parents. Broken quills. Parchment crumbled up into balls. Some old letters that their parents had written to her. A few sweets she didn't recognise where they came from. A collection of Chocolate Frog cards.

Petunia had expected to burst out into tears again, but all she could do was smile as she rummaged through her sister's belongings. It was so inexplicably her, like a little peak inside the inner workings of her mind. As she finished sorting through everything, she couldn't help but eye Severus' trunk as well. It was old, and yet it still looked brand-new. Figuring Eileen wouldn't come back up for a while, she allowed curiosity to get the better of her, and unclasped his suitcase.

It was the very opposite of Lily's mess. Everything inside of it was meticulously stacked, sorted and labelled. There were bottles of potion ingredients sorted in alphabetical order. His schoolbooks shelved, and fresh parchment neatly rolled up. Even the feathers on the quills appeared to be clipped and cared for. She opened a compartment and found a book hidden inside of it. As she opened the book she found an Ex Libris stamp: Property of Eileen Prince. She turned the page and gasped at the horror unfolding in front of her. It was the image of a person who was turned completely inside out with all their guts spilling out, and the sight of it nearly made her vomit. Quickly she closed the book and read the cover: Secrets of the Darkest Art by Owle Bullock. Why on earth would she have such a thing, she thought to herself.

She closed the compartment and saw something she hadn't noticed before. A crumbled up wrapping paper and a loose ribbon containing a label. For Lily, whenever you may need it, it read. Years and years of taking pleasure in snooping around, Petunia had learnt a thing or two about things being out of the ordinary. It was very unlike Severus to leave rubbish lingering around, as was not only evident by the state of his trunk, but also by how he would reorganise things around their house. One of the few things she actually appreciated about him, as her sister would misplace anything she touched. Whatever it was that he had meant for Lily, it was taken from his trunk before McGonagall had brought it to them. It was stolen. She was certain of it.

Petunia pocketed the label and closed the two trunks in the same state she had found them in. Although it would mean admitting that she had looked inside Severus' trunk, she did want to ask Eileen about the book and why she would own something so horrendous. The image of the spilling guts still hadn't faded from her eyes. The label, however, was her priority right now. For the brief time that she would spent in Hogsmeade, she was determined to find out who had stolen her sister's gift – and find out why.

...o0o…

James was holding up the phial of Veritaserum as if he had just caught the Golden Snitch. 'It is done!' he said gleaming with pride. 'All thanks to Snivellus Prince. Too bad Moony and Wormtail aren't here to see it.'

'Now all you need is a moment alone with Sluggy,' said Sirius. 'Any idea where he's at?'

James unfolded the Marauder's Map and took some time trying to find out where Slughorn was residing. 'He's with Hagrid,' he said eventually. 'Probably trying to get his hands on some illegal potion ingredients again. It'll have to wait. That, and the Veritaserum may have him spilling the truth, but I won't be any wiser if I don't know the right questions to ask.'

'You want to know how Little Hangleton is related to all of this, right?' said Sirius. 'Maybe you can start by asking what You-Know-Who's name really is, and ask what he was like during his time at school?'

'I'll figure it out,' said James. 'For now, I better stash this phial away. Lily's sister arrived today, so perhaps we could go to the Three Broomsticks and meet up with her.'

'Alice and Mary are with her now,' said Sirius. 'I think it's better to leave the girls to it and meet her tomorrow.'

'Yeah, you're probably right,' said James as he folded the Map back up. 'Are you up for a game of Quidditch?'

'Only if I can use your Silver Arrow,' said Sirius. 'You really are unfair competition with that thing.'

...o0o…

Alice and Mary had been a delight. The Butterbeer, and many other drinks new to Petunia, kept flowing all through the evening, and many stories were shared about Severus and Lily's shenanigans over the years. The few tears that were shed were wiped away with laughter, and Eileen in particular had been happy to hear all the stories about her son that she never had a chance to hear from him.

By the next day, both Petunia and Eileen were nursing a headache from all the liquor they had consumed. 'Do you think you're ready to go and see the Great Lake?' asked Eileen.

'It's what I came here for,' said Petunia as she finished up getting dressed, and yawned loudly. 'Not sure what I'm hoping to find – but I am ready to see it.'

After eating a particularly harty breakfast, Alice and Mary had come to pick them up and take them to the Lake. Winter appeared to have come early. Snow had continued to fall all through the night, and they wrapped themselves up in thick scarves to face the freezing weather.

It was a long walk towards Hogwarts. The road led gradually up the hill, and eventually it was Eileen who started jumping up and down in excitement. 'It's been so many years since I've seen Hogwarts! It's still as beautiful as the day I came here for the first time.'

Petunia, however, could not have felt more disappointed. 'All I see is an old ruin,' she said, and felt like the last shred of hope she had that it could be real to her had vanished. 'And a whole bunch of signs telling me to keep out.'

'I'm sorry Petunia,' said Mary. 'I wish it could've been as real to you as it is to us. If we come any closer the Muggle repellent charms will start sending you away, but you can see the Lake over there, right?'

Down the hill there was indeed a very large lake. The very Lake Lily and Severus had disappeared in. The Lake was nearly frozen over, and it felt like a tomb.

They followed Mary and Alice down the hill, and they lead them to the place where Slughorn's class had gone for their lesson in the Lake. 'This is where it all happened,' said Alice as she pointed at the surface. 'Here they dove in after taking the Gillyweed, and never came back up again.'

'We'll leave you two to it,' said Mary. 'We'll go back to the castle, and feel free to use Madam Rosmerta's owl if you want us to come back to the Three Broomsticks.'

Petunia and Eileen waved the two girls goodbye, and watched them vanish over the hill. 'Alright,' said Petunia as she turned her gaze towards the Lake. 'Now what?'

'It's strange, not knowing whether I am standing by their grave or not,' said Eileen. 'I had hoped that it would bring me peace, but so far I don't feel much of anything at all.'

From the inside of her pocket, Petunia pulled out a small tin box. 'I brought something I think you should see,' she said. With Eileen looking over her shoulder, she pulled out the two white flowers she had found in the garden. 'I found these shortly after their disappearance. These flowers replaced an arnica and petunia, and although I don't know how, I think Lily had something to do with it.'

Eileen looked at the white flowers with astonishment. 'I have never seen flowers look so magical,' she said. 'Do you mind?'

Petunia handed her the box. 'It's been a while since I took them from the garden,' she said. 'And they still haven't wilted. I suppose they must be something special.'

'I think I've seen these before,' said Eileen. From her own pocket she pulled out the Chocolate Frog card on Rowena Ravenclaw. 'Do you see her crown?' she said. 'These flowers surrounding the sapphire, they look exactly like these.'

Petunia could see the striking resemblance. The flowers on the crown had the exact same shape embossed in silver. 'That is most peculiar,' she said. 'Where did Rowena come from, exactly?'

'Nobody knows,' said Eileen. 'But I remember an old rhyme. Brave Gryffindor from wild moor, fair Ravenclaw from glen. Sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad, shrewd Slytherin from fen. It was just assumed she came from Scotland, but there were rumours that she wasn't even a Witch.'

'Not even a Witch?' asked Petunia. 'How would that have worked?'

'There's a lot of mystery surrounding Hogwart's founders,' Eileen answered with a shrug. 'The ghost of her daughter Helena still lingers in the castle, but she refuses to speak. Poor tormented girl that she is.'

'Don't you think you could go inside the castle and try to ask again?' said Petunia. 'I mean, I don't believe these flowers came to me for no reason. She must know more.'

'I do suppose you are right, Petunia,' said Eileen, and handed her the box with flowers back. 'However, Hogwarts is rather strict when it comes to who can enter – and since I am no longer a student, it may take some convincing to do.'

'Then convince them is what we shall do,' said Petunia with a hint of determination. Feeling like she knew what to do now, she took the flowers from the box and placed them at the edge of the lake. As the flowers rested on the frozen grass, they latched themselves into the soil, and grew forever rooted in their new home.

...o0o…

Petunia wasn't sure whether she wanted to enter the Hog's Head Inn, but Eileen had insisted Narcissa had wanted to meet her here rather than at the Three Broomsticks. She looked at the worn-out sign over the door baring the severed head of a wild boar, and it made her stomach squirm. The bay windows were so encrusted with grime that you couldn't look inside. If the outside wasn't terrible enough already, she discovered that it was even worse on the inside. From the cobwebs to the lingering dirty dishes, she counted her blessings that at least her sister had only been messy, but certainly not filthy.

The only guest present was an old and rather large man, drinking a glass of Butterbeer at the bar.

'Professor Slughorn!' said Eileen happily. 'I didn't expect to see you around here!'

The old man nearly spat out his drink. 'Eileen Prince!' he said as he looked up. 'How long it has been since I saw last you at the Gobstone Club. How are you fairing, dear?'

'Very good, thank you,' said Eileen. 'I suppose the two of you haven't met. This is Petunia Evans, Lily Evans' sister.'

Petunia shook Slughorn's hand, and she noticed he looked rather forlorn. 'Pleased to meet you,' she said. 'I believe I've heard your name before.'

'Lily and Severus were one of my finest students,' said Slughorn. 'It was during my class that they, well – you know it as well as I do. Please, take a seat. It's a most uncomfortable conversation at best. Aberforth, two more warm Butterbeers please.'

Petunia and Eileen joined Slughorn on either side, welcoming the warm Butterbeers in their hands. 'I suppose you've visited the Lake,' said Slughorn to them. 'It was the worst day of my life. The absolute worst, I tell you! Lily, such a talented little Witch. Always showed up at my meetings with sweets from Honeydukes. And Severus, he was possibly the greatest potioneer I ever had the fortune to teach. Better than Fleamont Potter even, I'd argue. I'll never forget the day I handed him the bottle of Felix.'

Eileen looked dumbfounded. 'The Felix Felicis?' she said. 'Even I remember competing for the bottle. No one's ever been able to win it before. I don't recall Severus ever telling me he'd won it.'

Petunia both shot of them a questionable look. 'Felix Felicis? What's that exactly?'

'It's liquid luck, dear,' said Slughorn. 'A small bottle from my own private supplies. Severus was the first student to brew the perfect Draught of Living Death. He came to pick it up in my office and said he wanted to give it to Lily as a gift. Make up for some quarrel they had had.'

Petunia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, remembering that she still had the label she had found in Severus' trunk in her pocket.

'We had it wrapped up with a little ribbon,' Slughorn continued. 'I don't know if he ever got around to give it to her. They never seemed to talk much after.'

If there was any doubt left, Petunia was now certain of it. Knowing Severus, anything he had ever intended for Lily would always end up in her hands. He certainly wouldn't have kept it for himself; especially not something as powerful as liquid luck. Something she really could've used in an uprising war that pointed at people like her as their scapegoat. Whoever had taken the Felix, must have known exactly what it was when it was taken. 'What meetings did Lily go to, sir?' she asked.

Slughorn chuckled at her question. 'My students have named it the Slug Club,' he said. 'It's where I bring my most gifted students together for an evening of fun. Severus rarely attended, but Lily was the heart and soul of those evenings. Never failed to make people laugh. And Eileen here was a member too back in her day.'

'I remember it fondly, Professor,' said Eileen. 'I'll never forget the Knights of Walpurgis. Those boys knew how to stir a commotion. Most of them were older than me, but I remember Tom Riddle, always wearing that big golden ring of his with that ugly stone in it. He was so talented; inventing new spells. Impressing the girls with his little tricks. It dwindled down after students were being Petrified, and it all ended after Myrtle Warren was found dead.'

'Yes,' said Slughorn weakly. Despite the cold air in the pub, sweat appeared to have broken out on his brow. 'Yes it was all very unfortunate.'

'What happened to Myrtle, exactly?' asked Petunia. 'I don't recall Lily ever telling me someone at school had died.'

'It was a very tragic day for the school,' said Slughorn. 'She was a Muggle-born Ravenclaw student. Clever, but struggled a lot at school because she got bullied for not really understanding magic so well. I remember she died in the girl's bathroom.'

'Rubeus Hagrid was blamed for her death,' Eileen added. 'He was a Gryffindor student that was caught raising an Acromantula – that's a very large spider. Since he was a minor his wand was snapped and he got expelled from Hogwarts, rather than sent to Azkaban.'

'He's the Groundskeeper now,' said Slughorn. 'Rubeus may have been careless, but I still don't believe he sent that spider after students on purpose.'

'I've heard of him before,' said Petunia. 'Lily always spoke very fondly of him.'

'Rubeus is a good man,' Slughorn confirmed, and loosened his tie a bit. 'It's time for me to head back to the castle. Perhaps we'll see each other around for the duration of your stay. I bid you a good day, ladies.' He paid Aberforth for the Butterbeers and swiftly left the inn.

'Looks like he's not telling something,' said Petunia.

'Slughorn's always been one to keep secrets,' said Eileen. 'A wonderful teacher, but his favouritism towards students can cloud his judgement. The Knights of Walpurgis weren't exactly a nice bunch of misfits either – and he's the one that started it all. I think I see Narcissa coming.'

They could see professor Slughorn still talking to a few oddly familiar students outside as Narcissa strutted her way in. 'Firewhisky, please!' she demanded as she slammed the door shut.

'Hello, I'm Petunia Evans,' said Petunia as she held out her hand.

'It thought it was just going to be the two of us, Eileen,' said Narcissa as she sat down in the same spot Slughorn had left vacant. Reluctantly, she still shook Petunia's hand.

'My sister disappeared along with Severus,' said Petunia. 'I have a right to know more as much as she does.'

Narcissa looked up as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing, and took a frugal sip from her glass. 'You brought a Muggle with you, Eileen?' she snapped. 'An actual Muggle, in Hogsmeade! Have you gone mad?'

'Muggle relatives come visit here all the time,' said Eileen. 'I don't understand what's the big deal.'

'How much do you know, girl?' Narcissa asked Petunia in a commanding tone.

'About what exactly?' asked Petunia. 'The uprising war you mean?'

'She already knows too much,' said Narcissa. 'Eileen, can't you just Obliviate her? Make sure she doesn't have any understanding of this whatsoever.'

'I'd rather keep my mind, thank you,' said Petunia dully.

'She's involved whether you like it or not, Cissy,' said Eileen. With a flick of her wand she locked the front door of the inn, causing Aberforth to look up in surprise. Eileen lowered her voice, and the already strained atmosphere in the pub was now palpable in the air. 'I know my son has spent his last two Christmases at your husband's manor,' she said. 'I want to know why!'

'There's no need for the hostility, Eileen,' said Cissy, who clearly looked uncomfortable by the situation. 'Here, let's start off with this. It's a letter from my sister Andromeda. She's Bathilda Bagshot's neighbour. Go on, read it.'

Petunia and Eileen bent over the letter, reading it carefully;

Dear Cissy,

Bathilda has proven to be a tough one to crack.
It took quite a bit of Firewhisky to get her to start talking,
but eventually she did.

First things first, in case it is relevant to you;
-Aberforth Dumbledore is NOT Albus Dumbledore's real brother.
-Albus has been confirmed to have disappeared. Not even Aberforth knows where he's gone.
-She has done a lot of research on the Prince lineage. She still believes Ravenclaw was not a Witch.
She has doubts about the other founding members of Hogwarts too. (She sounded like she was losing it at this point.)
-Grindelwald has been confirmed missing from Nurmengard. How this news was discovered is unknown to me. He disappeared shortly after Dumbledore.
-Dumbledore is suspected to have stolen Durmstrang's ship as it can travel through lakes. Biggest revelation is that is he must have left to find his missing students. What Grindelwald has to do with this is unknown.

Something else Bethilda told me that may be of interest as well;

She interviewed a few of Severus' Slytherin friends. They go by the name Avery. Rosier and Mulciber. You know these names too. According to them, Severus had changed a lot during their sixth year. He would often be found up in the Headmaster's office, which they knew because they followed him to find out what he was up to. Dumbledore had been teaching him all sorts of things, but what that was they could not say. They also confirmed that Severus had been seen with Lily again at the start of their seventh year, which didn't happen all throughout their sixth year. They were getting close again, and they definitely paired up when they dove into the lake.

Keep in mind sister, that this is a very vague and alcohol induced rambling of an old woman. Nothing is factual, and it doesn't do well do dwell on "what ifs."
Best bet for now is that those missing students ended up somewhere, and Dumbledore is off to get them.

Love,

Andy

Petunia looked up at the barman after she finished reading. 'You're Aberforth,' she said. 'Has Bagshot come to you as well?' She shoved Narcissa's letter towards him. 'Please read it.'

'Bagshot's a very skilled Legilimence,' said Aberforth after he finished reading. 'It means she can prod inside people's minds. One fortunate thing for Albus though, is that he never revealed where he came from. Not even to me, so Bagshot hasn't got a clue where he went.'

'This does reveal something to me,' said Eileen, and felt the tears starting to sting in her eyes. 'That the chances of them being alive somewhere far outweigh the chances of them being dead. It gives me hope.'

'Severus did come to us,' said Narcissa. 'For the first time halfway through his fifth year, I mean. Lucius had always been very fond of him, and saw how talented he was since the day he was sorted into Slytherin. By the time the both of us had graduated, we invited him to come over in order to stay in touch.'

'Did he meet with that leader of yours?' Petunia asked boldly.

Narcissa nodded in confirmation. 'He did,' she said with a hint of shame. 'I didn't know it at the time, but Severus had a knack for the Dark Arts, and the Dark Lord grew interested in his talents. To test him, and others, he had arranged for a Dementor to come – and it tormented him. It tormented him to so much the Obscurus came out. The Dark Lord's been after him since.'

Eileen's eyebrows disappeared up in her hairline. 'What do you mean, Obscurus?' she said.

'You must have known your son was an Obscurial,' said Narcissa, 'otherwise he'd never –'

But Eileen didn't let Narcissa finish. With a wave of her wand she unlocked the door and ran outside, her cries of despair dampened by the snow.

'Before I go after her,' said Petunia, 'what exactly is an Obscurial, and why does this Dark Lord want it so badly?'

It was Aberforth who answered. 'It is a dark parasitical force, miss Evans,' he said as he looked at Ariana's portrait. 'It is the result of physical and psychological abuse that has led to a suppression of magic, turning it inwards.'

'Eileen was already shunned by the family for being a Prince,' said Narcissa, 'but she was wiped away entirely on the day she married that Muggle.' There was a toxic lingering on that word as she said it. 'Severus was so deeply broken and frail when he came to us – and in the year following, it was as if a whole different man had appeared. Confident and strong. Still acting like a grumpy sod, but unyielding. The reason why the Dark Lord wanted him, is because with him he would be guaranteed to be on the winning side. He saw the power in him in a way that no one else had seen it before.'

'Why do I have a feeling you don't really agree with what's going on there,' said Petunia. 'And why do you refer to him as the Dark Lord? Why not just call him Lord Voldemort like he wants to?'

'You dare say his name!' Narcissa hissed at her.

Petunia merely shrugged at Narcissa's outburst. 'Lily told me – or whispered more like, what his name was,' she said. 'Though most refer to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Sounds a bit weak in my opinion. So what's the real reason you're here? Surely it's not just to inform Eileen that her son did some bad things behind her back, right?'

'You're awfully perceptive for a Muggle,' said Narcissa. 'But I suppose you're right. I didn't come here just to talk to Eileen – though I do believe that she deserves to know the truth about her son, even if it hurts. I also came here because my husband lost something that belonged to the Dark Lord, and we have to get it back before he finds out that we lost it.'

'Since I'm just a perceptive Muggle,' said Petunia, 'perhaps I can help you find it without drawing too much attention. What does it look like?'

'It's a diary,' said Narcissa. 'It's bound in brown leather and looks rather inconspicuous. On the spine it reads T.M. Riddle. Lucius, my husband, comes to Hogsmeade a lot for business, and he believes he may have displaced it here somewhere. We've already checked every corner of our house, so we're getting a bit desperate.'

'I'll keep an eye out,' said Petunia. 'I really rather get going and see if Eileen's alright. Pleasure meeting you, and goodbye!'

Petunia glanced at Aberforth, who shot her a look of understanding. Whoever Aberforth truly was, at least she felt that he wouldn't say much about anything. She had just come to a realisation about something – and she had to tell Eileen as soon as she could.

...o0o…

James and Sirius had nearly turned the corner when Sirius suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. 'What did your snout detect?' James asked as he saw the look of disgust on his face.

'I think I just saw my cousin,' Sirius spat. 'Narcissa, the youngest one. Married that Malfoy twat not too long ago.'

'Why do you think she's here?' asked James.

'They're up here all the time,' said Sirius. 'For "business" mainly, but we both know that pompous snob is anything but an honest politician. Why she's here though, and without her husband, I can only guess.'

'Let's not waste too much time on it, shall we?' said James with a pat on his back. 'You live with me now, my parents adore you, and you're like the little brother I never had.'

Sirius laughed. 'Big brother you mean, since I still stand taller than you! And – oh look, it's professor Slughorn coming out of the Hog's Head. Better go to him and ask now you've got the chance.'

'Oi, professor Slughorn,' James called out as he ran up to him. 'Professor, hi – I was wondering if you'll be hosting another one of your parties this Christmas?'

'Possibly, maybe,' said a particularly sweaty Slughorn. 'Perhaps I will host another party now that there are so many students staying over the holidays. I find it a very splendid idea, mister Potter. You shall hear from me!'

'Well that didn't take a lot of convincing,' said Sirius. 'Oh, watch it!'

Narcissa came walking straight at him, but she didn't even bother acknowledging her own cousin standing in the way. 'Firewhisky, please!' she demanded as she flung the door shut.

'Do marriage problems always start this soon?' said James.

'Nah, it's just the stick up her arse she was born with,' said Sirius. 'Us Blacks can't help it. It's genetic.'

A/N On Apparition:

Here is a fact taken from jkrowling dot com in her own words answering a question about it:
"Apparition becomes increasingly risky over long distances. As with most magic, much depends on the skill of the spell-caster: Apparition requires knowledge of the terrain to which one is moving, or the ability to visualise it clearly. Cross-continental Apparition would almost certainly result in severe injury or death."

Most magical people abstain from Apparition due to its high risk, and would rather use Portkeys, the Floo Network, broomsticks or other modes of transportation.
We don't really know exactly where Cokeworth is, of course, but we do know it's not in Scotland. I don't think Eileen could Apparate all the way to Hogsmaede, and especially not with a Muggle who'se never been there before. Hence why they take the train.

A/N Why does Severus have Bullock's book? The answer to that lies all the way back in chapter 1.

A/N Madam Hooch learned to fly on a Silver Arrow. She reminisced on her days when Silver Arrows were good and compared Harry's Firebolt to her old Silver Arrow. Seemed like a good fit for James to me.

A/N Voldemort found out where the Chamber of Secrets was during his research on his heritage. He let the Basilisk loose in the school year of 1942-1943. He was 16 at the time. It ended with Myrtle's murder, and he stopped afterwards because he did not want to be sent back to the orphanage if the school had the close. He framed Hagrid then, blaming it on his Acromantula. Dumbledore distrusted him, and followed him closely since then. However, technically nobody knew that the Chamber had indeed been opened, and only know of it in legend. That's including canon Dumbledore. I strayed away from it a bit (in chapter 32) because the Alatar/Dumbledore I've written knows a bit more about the founding members considering that they all came from Middle-earth.