CHAPTER 61: THE BITTER ENCOUNTER
James had only seen her once, the day he had come to his in-laws to ask for their daughter's hand, and if he hadn't found her attractive then, the years hadn't improved her appearance at all; blonde and slender, Lily's sister seemed to have a neck twice as long as the average person, but more importantly, a face oddly resembling that of a horse. Age had added more wrinkles around her emerald eyes and on her forehead, and James could almost spot a few strands of white hair among the few that managed to peek out of her coiffure. Her emaciated face scowled at the sight of her brother-in-law, and for a brief moment, the three men felt her ready to turn on her heel and return to her affairs. However, Lily's sister continued to walk toward them, increasingly displaying hostility in her gaze.
'I thought the circus had already passed; otherwise, I wouldn't be questioning your attire,' she immediately said, eyeing Dumbledore's outfit.
'Petunia, if the circumstances were different, I would most certainly have thought to...'
'We didn't raise pigs together, did we? So, what gives you the right to address me by my first name?' she cut in sharply.
'I-I apologize, Mrs. Dursley,' the headmaster immediately responded, losing some of his assurance in front of the harpy before him. 'We have never met, but we have corresponded in the past. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...'
'But hush, you old fool!' she hissed, looking around in panic. 'What possessed you to talk about your school of freaks here? And first of all, what are you doing here?'
'We... We've come to see you about your sister... about Lily,' James explained in a somewhat uncertain tone.
Petunia's facial features tightened even more at the mention of her sister, but also simply at the fact that her brother-in-law would have the audacity to address her.
'I have no sister,' she immediately asserted through gritted teeth. 'The monster my parents birthed is certainly not in any way related to me!'
'Okay, you don't have a sister,' James quickly interjected to avoid the impending argument, while Sirius tensed as he realized that for her, wizards were nothing more than monsters. 'But that doesn't change the fact that we'd like to discuss this woman with you, and your help will be very valuable to us...'
'And what if I refuse?' she asked in a cold tone.
'We have the means to make you talk, including by force,' he assured her, slightly revealing his wand from his sleeve. 'You wouldn't want to cause a scene in your establishment, would you? A bad publicity, and your shabby tavern would immediately be subject to a decree from the Muggle police.'
The veiled threat made Petunia flinch, but she didn't lower her gaze in front of her brother-in-law; both stared at each other silently for a few seconds in an unspoken battle to determine who would gain the upper hand, then without warning, Petunia pulled a chair from behind her and sat down, crossing her arms.
"So, how could my help be useful regarding the little princess who serves as your wife?" she said sarcastically.
"Lily... she's... Well... She left home some time ago," James began before being abruptly interrupted.
"Left?" repeated Petunia with genuine interest. "With someone else, I hope? It would be just like that wench..."
"No," he immediately asserted, a hint of anger in his voice. "She left only with our eldest son and his sister."
"To go and find another man, I'm sure," she asserted before snapping her fingers at one of her waitresses. "Bring me a little pick-me-up, I feel like this conversation is going to be quite exciting after all!"
"She didn't go to see another man!" her brother-in-law stated as annoyance began to surface.
"Is it the fact that she might have replaced you in her bed that bothers you so much?" she snickered. "How many do you think that little tramp has had since she left? If she hasn't come back, it's probably because they're much better at giving her all the pleasure she desires than you!"
James's glass suddenly shattered, spilling its contents on the already filthy table around which they were sitting, but Matthew's father was currently not concerned about that. As for Petunia, although this sudden burst of magic made her jump, she still looked at the man who married her sister with contempt.
"Don't forget to pay for the damages you might cause here when leaving," she said calmly.
"Where is she?" he asked firmly, leaning slightly across the table.
"I don't know what you're talking about," his sister-in-law replied. "You seem to be losing your mind..."
"Lily, where is she?" he repeated with fury. "I'm sure you're in contact with her, and you're probably hiding her to protect her!"
"I haven't seen that prissy in almost twenty years, and even if she had come knocking at my door for help, I would have slammed it in her face without a hint of remorse," affirmed Petunia. "If that little tramp left your house when she could have enjoyed all your wealth, there must be reasons that you certainly don't want to divulge because, as far as you're concerned, it surely mustn't be very pretty to know..."
For once, James was surprised by his sister-in-law's deductive abilities, especially since she had hit the nail on the head. However, he refrained from saying it out loud and preferred to keep it to himself.
"The reason why your sister left the marital home only concerns the principal parties involved, Mrs. Dursley," reminded the headmaster. "We simply want to know if you might happen to know where she could be, if you are still in contact with her, and if we could possibly see her ourselves to discuss and try to mend the misunderstanding that divides us."
"I just told you I don't know where she is," grumbled Petunia, glaring at Dumbledore. "Are you deaf or what? In fact, I don't care what she might be doing now; that girl never knew how to do anything with her ten fingers except wave a stick and do... you know what with it."
"Should I remind you that there was a time when you would have liked to do those things yourself?" he calmly pointed out. "I still remember the piece of parchment on which you begged me to enroll you at Hogwarts, and the regret I had to tell you that you couldn't because you weren't a..."
"Enough!" she abruptly interrupted, raising her voice as a few heads turned toward them immediately. "It was a regrettable mistake on my part, but when I saw all the horrors Lily could do with her wand, I quickly realized that I was dealing with a bunch of monsters! It's not among normal people that you should be but on a stake!"
"There may not be many stakes around here, but I can assure you that you'll end up in a blaze if you continue to insult us," threatened Sirius with a heavy voice.
Once again, Petunia briefly looked terrified, but she couldn't say more because her waitress returned with a bottle and a much cleaner glass than the others. Without waiting, she quickly poured herself a drink, and after downing its contents, she let out a particularly loud sigh of satisfaction while looking up at the ceiling, appearing pleased.
"Nothing better than a good drink to make you forget your troubles," she muttered before turning her attention back to the group beside her, looking weary.
"We could shorten the displeasure of our presence if you agreed to help us find your sister," suggested James. "Nearly ten years ago, I asked Lily to bring our eldest son to you because we wanted to focus on educating our youngest and training him to defeat Voldemort. She was absent for almost a week to bring him directly here, so if you haven't seen the mother, you've definitely seen the son!"
"You're delusional, my poor fool," she replied. "She never came here to give me one of your brats. I'm also very surprised to hear that you could abandon one child for another so easily! Apparently, in your world, it's perfectly normal to resort to such an extreme!"
"We can do without your sermons," retorted her brother-in-law. "When I see the environment in which you raise your son, I still prefer my methods of education, which are certainly not the most commendable, but which allow mine to escape the debauchery and misery in which yours is growing."
"If you can do without my sermons, then I might as well do without your comments on how I live," replied Petunia in the same tone. "I don't need a lecture from a guy who abandons his kid to anyone and can't earn respect from his wife. Where is your honor, Potter? Thrown in the filth like your son?"
Furious, James rose from his seat, ready to strike the woman in front of him. The clients around them had once again interrupted their conversations, and some seemed ready to get physical with him as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius even noticed two or three reaching for their pant pockets or belts, probably searching for a weapon, prompting him to discreetly grasp his wand in case of a general brawl. Petunia, however, remained calmly seated, unperturbed by her brother-in-law's sudden surge of anger, while she scrutinized him with a critical eye.
"James, sit down," Dumbledore ordered, placing a firm hand on his arm.
For a few extra seconds, James remained on his feet, his furious gaze fixed on his sister-in-law. Eventually complying with the old man's request, he sat heavily in his chair, visibly annoyed.
"And you, just answer our questions," added the director, turning to Petunia.
"I've been doing that all along, but apparently, you're all stubbornly convinced that I'm not telling the truth," retorted Petunia. "Lily isn't here, and she could be within ten meters of this tavern, and I wouldn't even know!"
"So... Could you point us to places where she might have sought refuge? People she could have turned to for shelter..." Dumbledore patiently insisted.
"It depends on how long she's been gone," she replied. "Her stay could be temporary or permanent, and she might as well change places every month to cover her tracks. So, sir, how long has this dear troublemaker been gone, liberating herself from her tyrant of a husband?"
James wanted to retort once more, but Dumbledore silenced him with a single look. In passing, he seemed to consider the importance of the question. However, it was evident that Lily Potter's prolonged absence could indeed have an impact on where she might reside. It was with this information in mind that he spoke again.
"About seven years," he finally said.
Petunia's eyes widened briefly before a loud snicker escaped her lips, once again drawing the attention of those around them. Her boisterous laughter lasted long enough, at least in the eyes of James and the others, and it was while reining it in that she addressed them again.
"My God... All this time! You must have really done something to her for her not to show a single sign of life in seven years!"
"I haven't done anything to her..." murmured James, unconvincingly.
"Sure you haven't!" she retorted, chuckling. "I knew you were a piece of work the first time I saw you, but for Lily to share that sentiment, you must be much more than that!"
Her euphoria eventually subsided. Downing a second glass of wine in one go, her expression suddenly turned more serious, especially towards James.
"I don't know what you want from her, but it must be important enough for you to go to such lengths to find her, even coming to me to ease your task," she said.
Petunia fell silent for a moment, focusing on her glass with an empty gaze, as if trying to recall a past event or at least sorting through her mind to find any possible clues that could guide them in their quest; if they were to get rid of her quickly, it might as well be done promptly.
"As far as the family goes, as far as I know, everyone's dead," she said in a detached tone, seemingly unbothered by the acknowledgment. "We have no distant relatives, let alone cousins who could have taken her in. As for friends, I don't know of any she had, so if you want to steer your search in that direction, look among your kind. You might as well check with charitable organizations; maybe a poor soul like her managed to tug enough heartstrings for them to take her under their wing!"
James didn't need to hear her suggestion to search among their acquaintances, as he already harbored huge doubts about the possibility of Lily being with Remus. However, he had never considered checking with those organizations; perhaps one of them was hosting his wife, or at the very least had managed to find her a basic job inconspicuous enough to avoid drawing attention to her.
"Any other possibilities, perhaps?" politely inquired Dumbledore.
"And do all the work for you? Certainly not," sneered Petunia. "Just the thought of you rifling through every nook and cranny of London searching for that girl is enough to amuse me. I'm not going to make it easier for you. Now, I believe you've wasted enough of my time, so you'll be leaving immediately."
"Or what?" James dangerously muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"Or I'll kick you out myself, or others will," she said, nodding towards the numerous clients behind them. "You may have wands, tricks, and other nonsense, but I know perfectly well that you're not allowed to use them in the presence of normal people. A simple shout from me, or stepping outside to call a patrol, and you'll have a horde of people giving you the beating you deserve, and even your pieces of wood won't be of any use. You'll avoid a scene, won't you, or are you too foolish to realize you're not in a position to negotiate?"
Sirius and James tightened their grip on their wands, ready to show her they weren't ones to be trifled with. Surprisingly, Dumbledore didn't react in kind; he simply rose from his chair.
"It's regrettable that common sense is certainly not a quality present in your family, Mrs. Dursley," he said, almost disappointed. "Your sister lacked it, and it seems you share the same flaw. Politeness also seems to be a notion you're unfamiliar with, so we won't further waste your time. James, Sirius, we're leaving."
Without another word, he made his way around the table towards the exit. His two companions followed suit, James shooting his sister-in-law a look filled with hatred, to which she responded with a spiteful smile. Sirius finished his drink and left a small tip on the table before exiting as well... only to realize their carriage was no longer there.
"Where is it?!" erupted James, looking in both directions of the street.
"It's gone," his best friend informed him needlessly, sighing.
"I noticed that!" he snapped furiously. "The question is: Where did it go?!"
"Considering how you confronted him, I'd assume he's gone back to the coaching inn where we hired his services."
"Wonderful!" seethed James. "Now, it's my fault! And it's raining too!" he added, noting a light rain beginning to fall on them. "This day has been a waste of time since Lily isn't even here, and that... woman is utterly incapable of telling us where she is now!"
Soon, James felt his clothes becoming soaked, and to make matters worse, a cart sped by, splashing water all over their lower bodies as it hit a puddle. His fury reached its peak, especially when he realized that Sirius and Dumbledore had discreetly applied a drying and protective charm to their entire bodies in anticipation of the situation.
"What do we do now?" asked Sirius, taking pity as he cast the same spells on his best friend.
"Unfortunately, apparating in front of all these people is out of the question, so we'll have to muster our courage and walk," decreed Dumbledore, gesturing towards the still bustling street.
Sulking like a child, James didn't contest the director's decision but immediately followed as soon as he took the first step towards one side of the street, hoping to find a discreet alley where the three of them could escape this seedy neighborhood. James also made another resolution as he tried to avoid the appearing puddles: never to have anything to do with his sister-in-law again.
Hundreds of kilometers away, in an old manor lavishly decorated and surrounded by a park where snow-white peacocks roamed carelessly amid the groves, the atmosphere was quite different. The reason for this contrast lay with the man comfortably seated on what seemed to be an ornate throne, wearing an expression of surprise, a far cry from his usual demeanor. A man? Not exactly. He was more of a reptile with a human-like appearance, devoid of a nose and sporting scarlet eyes.
"Are you certain?" he hissed at the man prostrated before him, who was nonetheless the master of the domain.
"Absolutely certain, my lord," mumbled Lord Malfoy, keeping his face lowered toward the floor of the hall. "I saw it with my own eyes, during the Quidditch World Cup..."
"Was the boy with her?" Voldemort inquired with curiosity.
"I didn't see him, my lord," Lucius confessed, feeling the Doloris curse coming. "But his mother was there, and from what I gathered, she was working as a governess for another woman, a French princess..."
"Who?" he uttered in a harsh tone, rising from his seat.
"T-the Princess of Lamballe, my lord," he answered, of the De Savoie family. "She... She eliminated Greyback and Stubbins... She did this to me," he added, gesturing toward his arm.
Through a ritual, Lucius had managed to regain the use of his limb that the Princess of Lamballe had torn off during their duel. Although it was no longer organic, composed merely of an alloy of magic and steel resulting from dark magic, the result was convincing and satisfying enough to assure him the use of his limb once again.
"Why, knowing this information for so long, did you not take the trouble to exploit it to our advantage?" his master asked in a cold tone. "It could have spared us many difficulties in tracking down this woman and the offspring she carries with her... So many inconveniences avoided by such a simple decision, Lucius. Yet today, we find ourselves forced to hunt the Mudblood..."
"I-I didn't know at the time that she would be so important to you, my lord," Lucius pitifully stammered. "Nor did I know that the Potters had an older son..."
"That could have been a good excuse to blackmail Lord Potter," insisted Voldemort. "Who knows what he would have done to get his wife back if he learned you had information about her..."
Voldemort paused, allowing himself a distracted observation of the surroundings in the room and lingering on the omnipresent family crest on the walls.
"So, this woman is under the protection of the De Savoie house," he muttered bitterly. "Approaching her directly will not be easy, risking drawing the wrath of that powerful family... Their blood has been polluted by that of Muggles for a long time, but their members are highly esteemed throughout both the Muggle and wizarding Europe. One of the most respected as well. Beyond their blood, their royal status places them above even the Pureblood families... A direct confrontation with them would have a disastrous effect for us as it would unite other royal families against us, along with all the vassals and allies of Europe. The risk is too great..."
Pensive, Voldemort tapped for long seconds on the armrests of his throne, his eyes distant... Or at least, that was Lucius's impression, as it was difficult to decipher his master's emotions.
"We must employ diplomacy with this woman," he resumed after a few moments. "This princess certainly won't be disposed to listen to us after your last encounter, and for the disastrous effect you've had on our cause with her, you deserve more than a lost arm, my servant..."
An immediate shiver coursed through Lucius, but before he could defend himself, Voldemort interrupted:
"No, diplomacy, discussion, and old alliances will be our only way out if we want to avoid a far greater threat than Dumbledore and his allies. I do not wish to have the entire European magical community against us. And if this woman is who she is, I have no doubt about the numerous connections she may have with other royal families and their vassals. We need to approach her, but how? This princess is so elusive that no one knows the whereabouts of her Lamballe castle except for the villagers."
"We could force one of them to reveal the secret, master," clumsily suggested Lucius.
"And irrevocably make an enemy of this woman? What a foolish idea on your part, Lucius," replied Voldemort with disdain. "Tact, that is the solution, but as you lack it, I will have to approach her with another person when the opportunity arises."
Once again, Voldemort allowed Lucius time to interpret his words before addressing him again:
"Many wizarding families in this country once had roots at the heart of the continent, especially in France... The Rosiers, the Lestranges, the Travers... Even you, Lucius, your ancestors had the good sense to come and settle in England centuries ago, renouncing their former loyalties to powerful French lordships and other families. The reasons are unknown to me, but to be honest, I don't care. Listen attentively to me now..."
Voldemort then leaned slightly on his throne, although his silhouette already completely dominated the prostrated Lucius at the foot of the steps leading up to it.
"You will leave this room and instruct our men to look into their respective family histories," he ordered in a sweet tone. "You will investigate the connections you may have with the great magical or Muggle noble families of Europe, focusing particularly on those that could facilitate approaching this woman."
"Even the Muggles?" Lucius repeated, suppressing the disgust that oozed from his body.
"Even the Muggles," confirmed the Dark Lord. "You should feel honored to be the vassal of a Muggle royal family, Lucius. Imagine the power it could afford you... Bowing to a Muggle and calling them 'Your Highness,' what pride you would have!"
Voldemort erupted into a particularly sinister laughter while his servant's cheeks and even ears turned a vivid red.
"The one who stands the best chance of approaching this woman through this stratagem will be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams when she understands our necessity in finding Potter's wife and their eldest son," he continued. "Once Lily Potter is defeated and their son is dead, nothing will stand in our way, and the conquest of power will be assured! Now go, my servant, and for once, try to be useful; I hope you will be able to uphold the honor of your family and its significance in the task ahead. You'll owe her much more than apologies if, by chance, it falls to you!"
"Yes, Master," he replied, bowing his head even lower.
Lucius then stood up, casting one last glance toward the Dark Lord, and hurried toward the exit. Nagini hissed as he passed by the serpent, but although the master of the place was startled upon seeing her, he did not change his direction and disappeared behind the entry doors a few seconds later.
"Things are progressing, my dear friend," Voldemort hissed, addressing his snake. "We are inexorably closing in on Potter, and Barty continues to play his role perfectly within the Order of the Phoenix. Just a few more weeks, and he'll be able to give us the names of all its members. Then we'll only have to..."
With a quick movement of his wand that he had swiftly drawn, he pointed it at one of the pillars supporting the ceiling, and with another, he cast a spell that exploded it, sending debris flying across the room.
"Destroy them all at once," he concluded, satisfied, as a cruel smile crept onto his face.
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