Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Petunia Dursley née Evans is 45 years old and she is dying.

Petunia Dursley is 45 years old and she wonders how she even ended up in this particular situation to begin with.

Dying alone, her husband off with another woman (And what woman would want him? a voice in the back of her mind whispers), a son who is most likely in jail again.

She is pathetic she realizes. Pathetic, stupid, useless. How could she have let herself go like this?

Petunia remembers a little blond girl who had ambitions, plans. A little girl who wanted to be a doctor, an explorer, an archaeologist.

She lets out a dry laugh, alarming a passing by nurse. Doctor? Explorer? Hah!

She'd ended up as a gossiping housewife whose only desire was to stay at home and nitpick at other people and a husband who made obvious her faults and flaws.

Of course Vernon wasn't always like that. She did have good taste no matter what her current situation indicated.

No, Vernon had once been a gentlemen. Too polite, she recalled. Much too polite.

She should have been wary then but Lily had always been the pretty one. Lily was the one who people liked.

Oh, Petunia had a way with words. She could manipulate a crowd with a few honeyed words here and there. A well-placed comment had people warming up to her instantly. A born politician her father had called her.

Petunia could shine like a star when she wanted to. But Lily glowed like a sun in the a dark, shadowed world.

When Lily entered a room, Petunia was forgotten. Lily who never had to try hard to succeed. Lily who had mother''s perfect face and hair. Lily who people loved.

So when rich, well-off Vernon took notice of her. Her of all people! she'd been thrilled.

And when she'd brought him home and he'd met her entire family and he hadn't even looked Lily's way, 19 year old Petunia knew he was the one.

They'd married despite her parents protests. 'You're too young, Petunia!' 'At least wait a few years!'

Despite Lily's concerns. 'Are you sure, Petunia? You're a little young, you know.'

Hmph. As if she could judge. Getting married to that Potter boy so soon after her.

No, Petunia had decided and that was that.

Vernon wasn't a violent man.

In all the years of their marriage he'd never once raised a hand against her even when intoxicated but violent could mean many things other than physical abuse.

No, Vernon wasn't violent but he was controlling.

It started with little things. He didn't like how she looked and she'd go change not wanting a fight so early in their marriage.

He didn't like the way she cut her hair. She grew it out long.

He didn't like how when they ate out she'd order dessert. 'Petunia, darling. Perhaps you shouldn't overindulge.'

She began to diet. He wanted her to stop going to University. She dropped her classes despite the protests of her professors and parents.

Before long they fell into a habit, a bad habit so deeply ingrained she didn't even notice.

She remembered the one time she disagreed with him. She had been pregnant with Dudley and had wanted to paint the nursery yellow. Vernon had wanted blue.

The rage on his face when she'd gone ahead and painted it yellow the next day was so disconcerting that she had actually taken a step back.

'Ve- Vernon? It's just a color...' He'd looked at her with such angry eyes then.'If you like, I'll change it-' 'You stupid woman! I said blue!' Petunia's eyes had widened as Vernon began to rant and rave, gesticulated wildly, spittle flying as his face began to turn red.

Petunia supposed she should have left him then but by that time she'd become so dependent on him. Where would she have gone? She had no job. Her sister was out of the question and she could just imagine the I-told-you look her mother would have given her. Being pregnant didn't help matters at all.

She stayed and she fell even further.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

The nurses say a black-haired boy who called himself Harry Potter came to visit her when she had been sleeping.

Harry, whom she had treated so callously. Harry, who had every right to be happy that she was dying, had come and left flowers when her own husband and son could not even be bothered.

Petunia cries.

Petunia cries because she knows she doesn't deserve to be visited, That she deserves to die alone and miserable but still he visits.

She doesn't think that she's ever regretted anything more than she regretted the day Harry Potter appeared on her doorstep.

No, she didn't regret the boy himself but she thinks that maybe if she hadn't married Vernon things might have turned out differently.

She isn't abusive but combined with her fear of Vernon and the fact that she just doesn't like anyone who reminds her of Lily, Harry grew up in a less than ideal environment.

Maybe.. maybe if she hadn't married Vernon she would have eventually gotten used to Harry. Maybe she would have even considered him her own son.

But she did and she and Harry paid for it.

Contrary to popular belief she wasn't heartless. Harry did remind her of Lily but he was still a child.

Sure, she didn't like him but she would have made sure he was well-fed and taken care of. If she hadn't married Vernon.

Petunia remembers when Vernon had insisted in putting Harry in the cupboard. She remembers taking a deep breathe, gathering the little courage she had and timidly suggesting that they put him in the small second bedroom that no one used. She remembers what happened next and she remembers grabbing Dudley and running to her bedroom.

She never contradicted Vernon again.

Sometimes she still has nightmares of Vernon.

He lurks in the dark corners of her mind, tearing away her self esteem. 'Stupid, useless, ugly, plain.' 'Who'd want you?' No one.'

She wishes with all her heart she never married him. Sometimes she can imagine her life if she hadn't.

Harry would have been raised along with Dudley, Dudley wouldn't have turned out an obese, fat bully, and she knows she'd much happier. Maybe she would have gone back to school. Finished Law school.

She wishes she could have a second chance.

But it's too late. And you know what? It's OK.

Harry forgives her. And she hopes Lily will too.

Petunia Dursley née Evans is 45 years old and she dies with a small smile on her face.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

What most people, magical and non-magical alike, don't realize is that everyone has a magical core.

Those miracles you hear? A man falling from the top of a skyscraper and miraculously surviving without major injuries? It was his magical core reacting and protecting him. People disappearing and surviving for days without food and water? Their magical core sustained their life-force.

It merely depends on how much of your core is active. Magic is hereditary in the way that if both parents have active magical cores the child is more likely to have an active core. Muggleborn children are the result of parents whose cores are only partially activated.

Petunia Dursley, herself had a partially activated core. Inaccessible but still there and still potent.

And with that one wish she made, the little magic she had granted it as she died.

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Opening her eyes to the bright lights that woke her up, Petunia stretched languorously forgetting for a moment that she was in her hospital bed with IV's embedded in her arm.

As soon as this realization set in however, she paused immediately.

Then frowned. She felt much better than she usually did. Her illness usually left her tired, both physically and mentally. Now, for some reason she felt amazingly refreshed and energetic, even more than she had when she was well.

She rolled on to her side to check the clock placed on the bare wall of the hospital room, only to fall off the bed with a loud thump on carpeted flooring.

What in the-? She hadn't fallen off a bed since she was a child. And why wasn't she in the hospital? Had she somehow been cured and the hospital had discharged her? This theory, while odd, was the only one that made sense. Why else would she be in what looked to be a bedroom? An oddly familiar bedroom at that.

The woman frowned as she stood up. She felt odd. As if she didn't belong in her body anymore. What exactly was going on here?

Before she could examine herself carefully the door to the room swung open loudly.

Petunia froze in complete and utter horror at the small figure that stood in the doorway.

"Come on Tuney! Mum said we could go to the park after breakfast! "

For the first time in her 45 years of life Petunia Dursley, who prided herself in being practical and not at all like those whimsical, flighty, dainty girls, fainted.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

When she next woke up, she kept her eyes firmly closed and told herself that everything she had seen earlier was a dream. Nothing but a dream from the medications.

Alas, this was not to be. "Tuuuney! Tuuuuney! Wake up."

Petunia kept her eyes closed.This is bad dream. This is nothing but a really bad dream. And if I remember it, I'm going to request a change in medication.

She didn't move when this... this dream-Lily poked her. She didn't dare breath when dream-Lily leaned over her.

Dream-Lily soon left to her relief. But unfortunately instead of leaving her alone she did something worse.

"Mum! Dad! There's something wrong with Petunia! She fell down and she's not getting up!"

At the sound of a flurry of footsteps running towards her general area, Petunia jumped up, with surprising agility considering her age, and ran out of the room.

Pushing past a surprised miniature-Lily, Petunia ran into an open bathroom and promptly locked the door.

What was going on?! What kind of dream was this? It was too realistic, too real.

Turning away from the door, Petunia made the horrible, horrible mistake of looking in the mirror.

She was young. God, she looked like she did when she was ten!

Ignoring the pounding of the door and the pleas from her parents (Her parents!) Petunia reached up a hand too hesitantly poke her cheek.

It was... it was real. What in the bloody hell? The blonde woman, girl actually, didn't even care that she was cursing. The situation she was in overrode that particular rule.

She... she was somehow back in time. But how? It seemed too realistic to be a dream and really the only reason she wasn't in a state of complete denial was because of her exposure to the magical world as a child.

Having a professor from a magical school turn your stuffed animal into a real animal could really put a spin on one's perspective.

"Petunia? Petunia, love. Please open the door."

Petunia pushed back her tears. Dad. She had missed her father. He had died too early and still young. And his death had been the finally rift between her Lily since it was caused magical terrorists.

"Petunia?"

"I-" She cleared her throat nosily "I'm fine, daddy. I just had a bad dream."

"A bad dream that made you faint?" Harold Evans had always been a perceptive man, Petunia thought ruefully.

"No, I got up and I felt really dizzy and I fell."

Pushing open the door, she looked up at the much younger and much less weary man in front of her.

Petunia thought she did a good job containing her surprise when her father lifted her up and she only struggled slightly.

"Your all good?" She nodded.

"Ok, come on then, your mum made delicious pancakes."

Petunia was then carried downstairs and into the kitchen where Lily (Dear Lord, Lily!) and her mum where already sitting.

"Are you Ok, honey?" Her mum paused her cooking to walk over hug her.

"Yeah, it was just a bad dream." Iris Evans exchanged a glance with her husband who shrugged his broad shoulders.

Petunia couldn't help feel a bit irritated at the condescension of their simple act before she reminded her self that as she was 10 years old to the rest of the world her parents had a right to act like this.

Mum gently knelt down, making herself eye-level with Petunia. "Are you sure, sweetheart?"

"Yes, mum." Petunia made sure to add a bit of a childish whine so they'd back off a bit.

"Ok, dear. Sit down and eat your breakfast."

Sitting next to a waving Lily, Petunia tried to take in the absolutely surreal scene she was now in. She had somehow gone back in time but how? Lily was the magical one not Petunia.

Lily leaned over, waving her spoon excitedly as she spoke. "Tuney are you OK? You really scared me! Are we still going to the park?"

Petunia blinked. She'd forgotten how excitable Lily was at this particular age. "I'm fine. Sorry I scared you, Lils. And yes we're still going to the park. "

Now if only she could remember which park they'd gone to when they were younger. There where quite a number of them in Cokesworth.

With a cheer, Lily went back to eating her food quickly, ignoring a 'slow down' from their mother.

Seeing her sister alive and happy and with no bitterness and jealousy weighing down the friendship was amazing. Petunia didn't know what had given her this second chance but she was going to make it worthwhile. She'd-

Wait. Wait. Second chance! Hadn't she wished for a second chance when she had been in the hospital? That had been one of her last thoughts before she'd gone to sleep. Her wish had obviously been granted. And it seemed magic was somehow involved.

But how?

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Petunia had a long walk down memory lane in the literal sense as she walked to the park with her sister. Everything was exactly as she remembered it. The small grocer's store run by Old Man Wither's was open and running. The entire community was still as welcoming and open in the whole small town way things were in this day and age.

Sure enough as she and Lily walked to the park, people greeted the two girls cheerfully. Petunia did get a few odd looks before she remembered how open she'd been as a child and waved back excitedly with Lily.

The two girls soon reached the park with Petunia subtly allowing Lily to lead while refreshing her memory of the area.

Petunia carefully tuned out Lily's eager chatter as they two girls swung on the swings.

What on earth could have made her go back in time? And more importantly how could she turn this to her advantage?

She already knew what kind of changes she'd do with her own life (finishing school and not marrying Vernon. She wouldn't repeat that mistake again) but how could she, a moggle or whatever the magic folk called non-magics (she ruthlessly suppressed the tiny voice that whispered normal) save her sister from a world she couldn't even access let alone be apart of?

Perhaps she could find a way to convince Lily not to go… No, that was a futile thought.

Magic had been a large part of Lily's life, she had loved it and Petunia couldn't take it away from her no matter how much she disliked the magical world for taking her sister away from her and not allowing Petunia to join.

So far the only option she had was to guide and support Lily the best she could from the sidelines. She had years of knowledge in her arsenal. She could easily finish school and achieve a high-paying job she'd wanted as a child and when Lily went into hiding she'd be able to add a nice non-magic protection as well as magical one.

And she'd teach Lily not to trust that crazy old fool Bumblebee.

The insane man had left a child alone on her doorstep in the middle of the night and from the little she could tell from her limited interaction with Harry… Well, the man shouldn't have been allowed to run a school in the first place. Magical school or not, adventures like that should only belong in story books not in the lives of 11 year old children.

"-uney! Tuney!" Turning her attention to Lily, she noted her sister's pout and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry Lily. I was thinking about something."

Lily had a surprisingly serious look on her face as she stopped swinging and turned to look at her sister more firmly.

"Petunia, don't listen to the kids at school. Ok? They're wrong."

Petunia blinked in confusion. "Er, Ok?"

She recalled that she'd been bullied a bit as a child because she hadn't yet grown into her tall, willowy frame and had been all gangly limbs and tallness. It was one of the reasons she had resented Lily and the redhead's small build.

"Don't worry Lily. I don't care about it." And this was certainly true. There was no way she'd let a bunch of ten and eleven year olds bother her for something as trivial as this.

Lily smiled back hesitantly and began swinging again.

"Good, because we're not freaks! Daddy said we're special so they're all wrong!"

Petunia nearly fell off in the middle of a particularly high swing. Freaks? Special? What in the world was she talking about?

What had she meant by freaks? This had not happened the first time around. She may have been called horse-face, giraffe, and other unseemly names as a child due to her tall, thin frame but never a freak.

Freak was something she'd called Lily and her magic. Freak was the word she'd used when describing Lily to friends and extended family.

The only reason she and Lily would be called freaks would be…

"What do you mean freaks, Lily?" Her voice came out rather sharply but she couldn't be bothered at the moment.

Lily paused mid-swing before resuming. She looked curiously over at her blonde sister. "You know. Because of our superpowers."

Superpowers? Petunia vaguely recalled that before she'd received her letter, Lily had called her abilities superpowers and had fancied herself a budding superhero of sorts.

Dismissing that thought, Petunia turned her mind to the more important matter. What in the bloody hell was going on? This obviously meant that she was… magical. But how? And why did she not remember any of these events Lily spoke of? If all this had changed, what else had?

And… she'd be going to the great and magical Hogwarts that Lily had always raved about.

Petunia wasn't sure what to think of this. On one hand, ever since Lily had first described it (in a letter to their parents since Petunia had refused to speak to her) she'd wanted to go. But on the other hand, she still remembered the letter she'd written to the old fool and how the stupid Snape boy and Lily had snooped through her items and found and shared her letter. Bitterness still resided from the rejection and the humiliation she'd gone through. Not to mention it hadn't helped her already strained relationship with Lily.

"Tuney! Stop thinking so much! You're going to get wrinkles!"

Petunia rolled her eyes. "I'm a kid Lily. I'm not going to get wrinkles for-"

"Lets fly, Tuney!"

Fly?

Before she could try to remember what type of magic abilities Lily had used, to her horror Lily jumped off after a particularly high swing… and pulled Petunia along with her.

There was a horrible moment where the ground seemed to rush up to meet her then suddenly Petunia felt a warm feeling rush through her body and she was floating gently to the ground next to a laughing Lily.

My god! The woman-turned-child felt faint as her feet touched the ground softly. That was magic! She'd just used magic! No wonder Lily had loved it. It was an absolutely lovely feeling.

"That was brilliant, Lily!"

The red-head grinned brightly. "I know!"

As quickly as it appeared, Lily's smile turned into a frown.

"Tuney, why do you think we can do this? No one else can."

"Well, its obvious, isn't it?"

Petunia whirled around only to notice a small black-haired boy with exceptionally pale skin.

Snape.

Why hadn't she remembered this? Sure it had gone somewhat differently what with her being magic this time around but the premises and events we're very similar to when Lily and she had first met Snape.

Oddly enough, when Petunia looked at the small boy in front of her, he didn't look at her as disdainfully as he had the first time around. Instead he was looking at her excitedly and dare she say it… shy.

Obviously. because she was magic he would treat her better.

"What's obvious?" Lily asked.

"Well, you can do all that because you're…" Here he paused and lowered his voice. "You're witches."

While Petunia observed this whole scene bemusedly, Lily reared back as if struck.

"Excuse me! You don't need to be so rude! Me and Petunia are not witches!"

Petunia could only absentmindedly add a; "Petunia and I, Lily."

Turning away dramatically, her hair flying back, Lily marched away, dragging Petunia along.

"Wait!" Petunia had never heard Snape sound this… desperate, for lack of a better word.

"It's not an insult! I'm a wizard and you guys are witches and there's a whole school for us and…"

Snape trailed off disappointedly as an angry Lily kept walking with Petunia in tow.

Petunia couldn't help but look back and she also couldn't help but feel a little bad for the boy.

Deciding to humor this second chance she discretely waved goodbye.

The delighted surprise on his facial expression was worth it.

She still didn't like him, though.

It was just maternal instincts rearing up. She was a

Later that night, in the room she shared with Lily, Petunia belatedly realized that she had a new opportunity to protect her little sister. She'd go to the magical school and she'd excel in it.

Ignoring the little part of her that was childishly excited about the situation, the tall girl turned on her side and observed her sleeping sister on the other side of the room.

It was March 1st, 1971. She'd already turned 11 earlier in the school year in Sept. 18. And then August 1st, 1960 would be Lily's 11th birthday.

Petunia wasn't sure if she and Lily would start at the same time or not but she certainly hoped so. It would make things easier.

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Weeks passed and Petunia found herself slowly getting used to this new life she had. It was really more a like a vacation. School was amazingly easy, no surprise there considering she was more than four times the age of her classmates, and she Lily got along swimmingly.

There were a few moments were she'd be too quiet or morose and she'd catch Lily watching her worriedly. The girl was simply too observant for her age.

It was June 1 today, luckily Petunia had arrived near the end of the school year. The girls had only five more days left before summer break, thankfully.

Of course in elementary school that meant that the last days were filled with end-of-the-year pizza parties and fun field days. A startling difference from middle-school, high school, and college.

Petunia tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her mother and Lily to come downstairs. Both the fifth grade and the fourth grade were having one large pizza party together and Iris Evans had volunteered to chaperone and bring supplies like any good mother should. So the three of them were heading to nearest grocery store (not Old Man Wither's) which was miles way from here.

"Mum! Lily! Come on!"

Iris walked down the stairs with a wild-haired Lily in tow. "Coming, dear. Lily, do sit still and allow me fix your hair. You can't go out looking like this."

"But, muuum! Just let me put it in a pony-tail. It's much more easier."

Iris sighed. "That may be true but I'd still like you to at least comb through it."

Petunia smothered a smile. "Don't worry mum, I've got it. Go grab your purse and the keys."

Iris gave her a relieved smile "Oh, thank you Petunia, love." Handing the comb to Petunia the red-haired woman rushed into the living room. Petunia turned toward Lily who looked like she was attempting to tie her shoes into a constrictor knot.

"Give it here, Lils."

"But Tuney, you don't know how to tie any better then I-" The small red-head looked at her shoes in surprise. "Wow! How'd you do that so fast? And where'd you learn that?"

"I asked Dad to teach me after I got tired of the Whitcombe twins trying to tie my shoes together again." Which was true, in another timeline. And the Whitcombe twins did bother her in this timeline just not for the same reason.

Lily groaned. "I hate them. They're the meanest people I've ever met. In my whole life."

Petunia snorted. "It's a good thing you haven't been alive a long time then, hm?"

"Hmph, your barely a year older than me!"

"And?"

Petunia handed her the brush and gestured for her to comb through the tangled mess of red.

"And you're acting like mum" Lily exclaimed as she pulled the comb through her hair.

Petunia frowned as she finished tying her own shoes. Was it really that obvious? She supposed she was acting slightly motherly towards Lily but…. well, she was an adult. What other way would she act?

She'd just have to try to be more childish then. If she wanted to help her sister survive well into her elderly years, she needed to let go of some aspects of her old life and embrace this new one fully.

She stood up abruptly. "Come on, Lily! Lets hurry so we can convince mum to get us Mars Bars!"

The two girls ran, hand-in-hand towards the car with their amused mother right behind them.

Chapter Text

I do not own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

The summer passed by quicker than usual for Petunia but every second of it was simply marvelous. She couldn't recall the last time she'd ever been so relaxed, so happy. It was almost a new feeling.

And Lily, too. Petunia made sure to spend even more time with Lily and the sisters were even closer then before. She wouldn't let anything ruin their relationship again. Not herself, not old Bumblebee, and not even this dark lord Vol-wart. Or was it mold-short?

Honestly, these magical people came up with the strangest things, Petunia mused. Exactly what kind of name was Vol-wart?

She looked down at the card she and Lily were making for their father's birthday. Well, more like Petunia had made. Lily seemed satisfied in just the coloring so Petunia had designed and written the card.

"Tuney, should we make it sing?" Lily's eyes sparkled excitedly. Since summer had started the two girls had been practicing their 'superpowers'.

Lily had agreed because she expected to be the next Wonder Woman (Petunia would remember to hold this memory for blackmail. She made sure to take a few pictures of the costume Lily had made Iris make) and Petunia had decided to practice in order to prepare for what was coming.

"Tuney? Should we?"

Petunia shook herself out of her thoughts. "Ok, but only singing. And it has to be good singing. None of that banshee screaming thing you made for father's day."

Lily flushed red. "That was an accident! I was trying to make it into a chorus!"

Petunia snorted. "I don't know what you consider a chorus but that wasn't-"

A scream echoed though the house and crashes followed after it. Petunia paled and the horrific thought that it had finally started ran through her mind. She jumped up and was out the door, down the steps, and in the kitchen before Lily had even made it to the staircase.

"Mum! Mum?!"

Petunia blinked in shock. Instead of the figures in dark cloaks she'd been expecting (she still remembered to this day how they'd come after her just because she was the famed Lily Potter's sister. Luckily Lily's friends had made it on time and she hadn't been captured. But the plans they'd had for her...) her mother was cowering on the far side of the kitchen as two owls hit the kitchen window in an attempt to get in.

Petunia didn't fail to notice that they had letters in their talons. Letters. As in plural, more than one.

The blonde girl quickly pushed away the faint tendril of excitement that curled through her and went to help Lily console her mother.

Iris Evans looked somewhat faint and pale as her daughters helped her up to a stool near the kitchen island.

"My God, they just appeared out of nowhere! Just hit the window hard and near gave me a heart attack!

The red-haired woman was quickly gaining a healthy coloring to her face as well as her famous temper that, unfortunately for Harold, both her daughters inherited.

"What on earth is wrong with them?! I nearly cut my hand off!" She gestured toward the cutting board where she'd been cutting the chicken they were to have for dinner.

"Mum. Mum! Look its got a letter! They've both got letters!" Lily exclaimed excitedly.

Petunia could practically see the wheels turning in her sister's head.

"Oh! Oh! I bet they've come for us Petunia!" This particular bit of news clearly pleased the young red-head.

And sent her older sister into a bout of stifled giggles.

Iris stared at her youngest child as if she had two heads instead of the normal one. "Who has come for you and Petunia, Lily? Do I need to remind you not to talk to strangers again?"

Petunia snickered as she calmed down from the case of the giggles she'd just had. Lily turned to glare at her.

"You promised you wouldn't say anything!" Petunia's snickering turned into full blown laughter once again.

"It-snort- snicker- It wasn't me. Mrs. Patterson from next door saw you and told mum."

"And you can guess how surprised I was when I heard that particular piece of gossip." Iris said raising an eyebrow.

Lily turned redder. "Mum! Please don't talk about that again. Or ever."

Iris smirked. "I will. If you tell me who is coming for you and Petunia."

Lily looked away shiftily. "No one in particular."

Petunia plastered a completely serious expression on her face.

"She thinks we're superheroes and that the Justice League is coming to recruit us."

"Tuney! You can't tell the anyone! You know that!"

Deciding to play along Iris frowned. "I'd think that as your mother I shouldn't be placed as a 'no one'. And why exactly would you not be able to tell anyone?"

Lily sighed. "Well I suppose since Petunia already told you, it doesn't matter. We aren't supposed to tell anyone so we can maintain our normal life while also being masked vigilantes."

Iris clearly wanted to laugh but was visibly stopping herself so she wouldn't hurt her daughter.

"Lily, darling, don't you think tha-"

BAM! A loud sound came from the living room and the three females immediately ran towards the said room.

Petunia looked around closely and there seemed to be nothing amiss. But what had that sound been?

"Look! The owls are in the fireplace!"

"They must've come through the chimney." Petunia said as Lily tried to run towards the birds. Unfortunately for her, Iris swooped down and grabbed her around the waist.

"Don't touch them Lily! They could be dangerous."

Lily pouted and was about to reply when both owls leapt into the air dropped a letter into the girls' laps and gave them a ruffled look and an annoyed hoot before flying back up the chimney,

Iris blinked. "What- what just happened?"

Lily decided this was a good time to open the letter before her mother tried to stop her.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of wizards)

Dear Miss Lily Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. The term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress.

Right under this, Lily found another piece of parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First year students will require:

- Three sets of plain work robes (black)

- One plain pointed hat for day wear (black)

- One pair of of protective gloves (Perhaps Dragon hide)

- One winter cloak (black)

Please note that students' belongings should carry name tags

SCHOOL BOOKS

First year students should have a copy of each of the following:

- The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

- A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

- Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

- A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

- One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

- Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

- 1 Wand

- 1 Cauldron

- 1 Set of glass of crystal phials

- 1 Telescope

- 1 Set brass scales

Note:

*Students may also bring an owl or a cat or a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

The two sisters looked at each other wide-eyed, one in wonder and awe the other in excitement and a slight bit of fear.

Lily spoke first. "Tunia! The boy in the park! He was right!"

The blonde-haired girl blinked. Boy at the par- Snape?

She'd actually forgotten about him and a small part of her felt guilty, remembering the happy smile he'd given from just a wave.

And because of the fact that she'd already turned 11 and no letter had come... She hadn't expected this. It was probably because they were going to be in the same year. She made sure to ignore the excited part of her that was jumping up and down in glee.

"Oh no." Iris immediately shook her head. "There is no way any of this can be true, sweethearts, I'm so sorry."

Petunia didn't bother trying to argue with her as she knew one of the professors from the school would turn up to introduce Lily-well, now Lily and Petunia- to the wizarding world.

Lily on the other hand pouted, tossing her hair back in preparation of the massive shouting match that was sure to follow if she defied her mother.

"Mu-" Riiing Riiing! The doorbell this time. Petunia thought. It was definitely dad though.

Iris, obviously thinking the same thing, rushed to the doorway.

"Hello, Harold. Dinner'll be a little late today. Be a dear and try to convince Lily that this magic thing isn't real, will you?"

With that the red-haired woman disappeared into the kitchen, leaving behind an incredibly confused husband.

Shaking his head at his wife's antics, Harold first poked his head into the kitchen where his wife was cooking up a storm and then checked the living room where he saw his two princesses sitting side by side looking at what looked like some letters.

"Girls, what is going on? Your mother seemed quite concerned."

Lily positively beamed. "Look dad! One of the best schools in the country (she ignored Petunia's snort) has accepted Tuney and I."

Harold's eye brows practically shot off his head as he read the letters Lily gave then at the one Petunia had. They were practically the same except one said Petunia's name and the other Lily's.

He'd heard of stories of mischief makers that played tricks like this on unsuspecting civilians all the time and shook his head emphatically.

"Petunia, Lily. I'm sorry sweethearts but this is just a trick played by some very mean people."

Lily visibly deflated as she sat back down. "But, dad, what about our superpowers?"

Harold kissed her forehead. "It's because you are both very, very special girls."

And here he looked at them carefully. "I do hope that neither of you told anyone about your abilities."

Petunia shook her head. "No, dad. We didn't."

Harold stood up and pulled the girls up as well. "Well, then. Its settled. Shall we go to the dining room? I expect your mother has a lovely dinner waiting for us."

Lily hid her disappointed look and nodded, pulling Petunia along as she walked into the dining room.

Harold kissed his wife on the cheek. "The food looks lovely, my dear. Come sit down and eat."

His wife gave him a smile as she sat down.

"Eat up girls. Tomorrow we have a-"

Knock. Knock.

Harold and Iris eyed each other confusedly. "Harold where you expecting anyone?"

The blonde man shook his head. "No. I gather you weren't either?"

She shook her head as she got up to open the door.

Lily made to get up and follow her mother but a look from her father made her sit back down.

Petunia strained to hear what was being said. She could hear another woman's voice but couldn't make out what they were saying.

Suddenly her mother walked in with an oddly dressed woman in tow. Neither Petunia nor Lily missed the shocked expressions on their mother's face and the exchanged worried glances.

"Mr. Evans, I assume?" Harold nodded standing up politely though her eyed her dress curiously.

"And you are?"

"My name is Minerva McGonagall. Are these your daughters?"

"Yes, they are. Is there a problem?"

"Of course not, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans. I am sorry to interrupt your meal but I am on a tight schedule today. May we take this to the living room?"

Clearly dismissing the shorter woman as not much of a threat, Harold nodded and moved his family and the woman into the living room where the sat across from the odd woman.

"I am a representative of an exclusive school in Scotland for gifted children and we have extended an invitations for both of your daughters to attend. I'm sure you've already received your letters."

Lily leapt up excitedly and Harold looked curious but Iris put her foot down and sat her daughter down with a single glare.

"Now look here, Mrs. McGonagall. You mean to tell me that you tracked us down just tell us about this- this magical school, Pigfart, of yours and you truly expect us to believe you?"

Petunia and Harold had to hold back their laughter at Iris's indignant look and Lily's hopeful one.

Mrs. McGonagall looked like she didn't know whether to be amused or insulted.

"I believe what my wife means to say is that well we've never heard of this-" He looked down at the letter Petunia had grabbed from the kitchen counter. "-Hogwarts. And well this magic business seems a bit fishy."

Minerva McGonagall gave them a wry smile. "Yes, you wouldn't have heard of it. You see, Hogwarts is a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am a witch and so are your daughters."

Lily spoke up wide-eyed. "You mean Witchcraft- like magic? Real magic?"

Petunia couldn't help the frisson of excitement that raced through her as she Lily watched the woman carefully.

Harold frowned. "Now hold on here. I think that you've done enough. I believe its time for you to leave, Mrs. McGonagall."

Iris nodded frowning disapprovingly at the woman in front of her.

"Please, Mr. and Mrs. Evans. I know its hard to believe. But perhaps a demonstration will help..."

To Petunia's amazement she procured a wand from the long sleeve of her robe.

"A.. wand?" Iris looked skeptical. She was sure that this was a prank.

"Yes. Now... Perhaps a simple transfiguration spell?"

"Transfiguration? What is that Mrs. McGonagall?" Lily asked curiously.

"It is a branch of magic that focuses on the alteration of the form or appearance of an object."

Both Lily and Petunia leaned forward, intrigued.

Imagine, Petunia thought, having the ability to transform one thing into another!

It was a mind-boggling thought.

Iris and Harold exchanged glances. If the woman brought any equipment it would have obviously been a trick but... she seemed to have nothing on her but her wand and she most definitely hadn't been to their house to set up anything.

McGonagall waved her wand at the cup Harold was holding and muttered what sound like pig latin. Suddenly the cup changed into a mewling kitten, startling Harold who dropped it on the floor a yell.

Lily clapped excitedly and Petunia watched avidly as McGonagall then jabbed her wand at the kitten and turned it back into a cup then waved it in a semi-circular way and made the cup began floating in the air settling next to the shocked Iris.

"But... but how?" Harold spluttered.

"Magic of course. How else?"

"That's amazing!" Lily exclaimed excitedly. "Will Petunia and I be able to do that?"

McGonagall nodded smiling down a the young red-head. "Most definitely. As the Deputy headmistress and Transfiguration Professor you shall be learning from me."

"So you're saying that Petunia and Lily are able to do all that and more at this school of yours?" Iris asked, recovering slightly.

"Oh yes, with the appropriate training of course."

Harold nodded. "May I ask how exactly you know who is a witch and who isn't?"

"We have very ancient spells that detect and write down all magical births on the shores of Britain. Not to mention haven't you ever odd things happening around your girls?"

Iris and Harold exchanged glances and nodded. "Yes, they do very impressive things with their abilities. I... just never thought of anyone else having the ability let alone a whole community."

McGonagall nodded then frowned thoughtfully. "May I ask what you mean that they do impressive things? Don't they merely have accidental magic?"

Before Petunia could stop her Lily jumped in excitedly. "We can make things fly in the air and we can fly too! And right now we're making a card that sings and changes colors for dad's birthday!"

She clapped her hands over mouth."Oh! Sorry Tuney! I didn't mean to tell about the card."

Petunia eyed McGonagall's shocked expression and sighed. Lily knew not to tell anyone about their abilities but probably it would be fine to tell McGonagall because of her affiliations with the magical community.

She'd hoped to keep their more advanced abilities hidden.

Harold looked at the astonished look on McGonagall's face and raised an eyebrow, "Is everything OK? Mrs. McGonagall? You seemed shocked."

"That- that sort of control is impossible!" She seemed to be grasping for an explanation.

"How on earth did you manage to control your magic at such a young age?" The astonished look coudn't seem to move off her face.

Iris frowned. "What do you mean? Can't other magical people do this?"

McGonagall shook herself out of the shock and went back into business mode.

"It is incredibly difficult to control your magic until it matures. Children often have unpredictable bursts of accidental magic until around the ages of 11- 12 which is when it becomes easier to control. That is why Wizarding school starts at 11. "

"About that, why didn't I get my letter when I turned 11." Petunia asked curiously.

The professor turned towards her. "Ah, Petunia is it?" The blonde girl nodded.

"Your birthday is Sept. 11 which is just after the term had already started. Unfortunately, Hogwarts only accepts students when they turn 11, no exceptions, so instead of giving your letter then we decided to give the letters of you and your sister together."

"Well, thats good then. They'll have each other in that school." Iris said relieved.

"What about normal schooling?" Harold asked.

"Hmm. Well, the wizarding world, as I'm sure you've gathered, is somewhat separate from the muggle one" At the confused looks she received she elaborated. "Muggle is a word for non-magical."

"Anyway, I have to admit that muggle schooling isn't considered in our world. Most muggle-borns, wizards and witches from non-magical families, tend to have summer arrangements for those sort of things."

At the insulted look Harold Evans wore she quickly placated him. "Of course muggle schooling is just as important as a magical one but it is very important for your daughters to learn to control their magic... better or they may hurt themselves and people close to them.'

Iris nodded."I suppose that makes sense. We can have them do their... Non-magical schooling during the summer that way they can have options in both worlds."

Petunia raised an eyebrow. This hadn't happened in the other timeline. Perhaps having both their children being magical made her parents want them to at least have one foot in the muggle world as well. Whereas in the other timeline they had one daughter in the magical world and the other in the non-magical world.

McGonagall nodded. "Yes, that'll be a good idea. Now I must get going but I will back in three days, on monday, to escort you to Diagon Alley, the magical shopping district in London. Its neigh impossible for muggles to find so I will be showing this year."

After the major explanations had been pushed out of the way McGonagall answered other questions the Evans' had and explained a bit more about the magical world.

Soon the stern professor stood and bid them adieu.

"Good bye. I will see you on Monday morning for shopping so please bring enough money to exchange for wizarding currency."

Harold nodded good-naturedly.

"Oh, Mrs. McGonagall! Its raining outside. Would you like a ride to where ever your going?" Iris asked.

McGonagall smiled slyly. "Oh no, its perfectly fine Mrs. Evans."

With that she turned on her feet and disappeared with a pop leaving a shocked Evans' family behind.

"Oh my!" Iris stared in shock where the other woman had been.

"Dear God." Harold collapsed back onto the chair. "I feel like I'm in that old show the Twilight Zone."

He grinned. "Although on the off chance that was real. It was completely brilliant."

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Monday could not come soon enough for the two Evans sisters. Lily and Petunia both excitedly waited for their trip.

On Saturday, Ivy finally pushed them out the door, gave Petunia a wad of cash and told them to go to the park in hopes of reigning in their hyper behavior.

Waving goodbye to her mother, Petunia grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her towards the park. Lily skipped along excitedly.

"Oh, Tuney! I can't wait! We're going to be in the same year! At a magical school! Isn't it marvelous?"

If she were really eleven, Petunia had a feeling she would have been annoyed to have been put in the same grade as her younger sister but as it was she was really just glad she had gotten this rare opportunity.

"Mm-hm. Lily, can you head to the park without me? I'm going to go get some snacks from Old Man Wither's store. I'll meet you there."

Lily nodded and went ahead while Petunia turned right towards the small grocers store. Petunia opened the door and at the familiar jingle of the old-fashioned bell hanging above the door, a short figure came out of the employees-only door behind the counter.

At seventy-five years old, Petunia swore that Mark Withers was the healthiest old man she'd ever seen. In both lives. He kept himself very healthy and if it wasn't for the slight wrinkles in his perpetually smiling face and his silver hair she would have marked him in his mid fifties.

"Hello, Petunia! How are you today? And where's your shadow?"

She smiled cheerfully. "Hey, I'm good. Lily's waiting for me at the park. How are you?"

"Ah! As a good as a man as old as myself can be. The old bones have been feeling achy lately."

Petunia snorted as she grabbed a couple of bags of chips, some Mars Bars, two sandwiches, and two colas.

From what she recalled Mr. Withers had been known to participate at the annual charity races and win despite the amount of younger, fit men participating. He'd beaten her father as well.

The old man grinned as he began ringing up her purchases. "Tell your father that he's free to join me on my morning runs anytime."

Petunia smiled as she gave him the amount of money that was required. "OK, I will. See ya, Mr. Withers."

"See ya, Petunia. Tell Lily I said hello."

Heading toward the park, swinging the bag of food happily, Petunia stopped and paused when she saw Lily talking to the bushes.

"Lily?"

The red-head turned around and waved her over.

"Petunia! There's someone behind the bushes spying on me!"

Petunia had a feeling she knew who it was but walked over and looked nonetheless.

The bushes were slightly taller than average so Petunia unlike Lily was able to peer over the hedge and check.

She eyed the small dark-haired figure who stared back at her in wide-eyed surprise obviously not expecting her to be tall enough to look over.

Snape looked as if he wanted to run again and before Petunia knew what she was doing she opened her mouth.

"Hello, my name is Petunia Evans and this is my sister Lily. Would you like to join us?"

The pale boy gave her a suspicious look. Petunia sighed. He had always been a wary little bugger. She supposed it had to do with how he grew up. That father of his...

Flashing him a warm smile she continued. "We got our letters, you know. Did you?"

His eyes widened and a flash of excitement seemed to cross his face.

Lily having hearing this shouted over. "HELLO! ARE YOU THE BOY FROM LAST TIME?"

Petunia turned towards. "Don't yell Lily, he can hear just fine."

She turned back. "Are you coming?"

Hesitating for a short second he nodded and crawled through the bushes.

Petunia stifled her laughter as the shocked boy came face to face with Lily.

"Hello! You were right! I'm sorry if I was rude before but it was a bit odd you know. I though you were insulting me and my sister.

Severus moved closer, shyness temporarily forgotten and a bright smile crossed his face. "Isn't it amazing? I told you guys you were witches!"

Petunia quickly hid her surprise. She had never seen the boy smile. He'd always been sallow-faced and scowling. And she'd never understood how Lily could stand him.

She supposed she understood somewhat now.

"Say, how do you know about the wizarding world anyway?" Lily asked curiously.

"My mum's a witch. She knows everything about the wizarding world."

"Have you been there yourself?" Petunia couldn't help but ask.

Severus beamed, his little chest puffing up with pride and excitement as the two girls asked him question after question.

As they sat down and discussed the magical wonders of the wizarding world, Petunia distributed the food she'd bought amongst the three of them.

Noticing Severus's hesitation, she purposely pushed a bag of chips a Mars bars and her own sandwich and cola towards him.

"Go on, I already ate my sandwich on the way here." She lied.

Severus smiled shyly. "Are sure?"

Petunia waved a hand. "Are you kidding me? I only have room in my stomach for some chips and maybe a Mars bars."

She pushed Lily's hand away from the last chocolate. "If someone here doesn't finish them."

Lily grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Tuney. You know how I like Mars Bars."

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

The two girls spent the afternoon with their new friend. It turned out that while Severus knew a lot about the Wizarding world he hadn't actually gone there yet. And while he knew a lot about potions and some about transfiguration (a subject both Lily and Petunia liked), he knew next to nothing charms (Lily seemed fascinated with this branch of magic. Petunia vaguely recalled getting a letter from Lily long ago about being a Charms mistress or something.)or about wizarding law which Petunia wanted to know more about.

It was getting pretty dark by the time Petunia remembered that she and Lily needed to get home.

"Oh, it's pretty dark. We've got to get home, Lils."

Lily's eyes widened as she looked up at the sky. "Sheesh! The day went by so fast!"

Seeing the disappointed look on Severus's face. Lily and Petunia exchanged a worried look.

"Hey, Sev?"

Severus looked pleasantly startled at the nick-name.

"Yes?"

"When are you going to Diagon Alley?" Lily asked.

"Huh?" He gave the sisters a confused look.

"We're going on Monday with a professor from Hogwarts." Petunia elaborated. "If you haven't gone already and it's OK with your mum, it'd be fun if you could go with us."

He gave a bashful grin. " That'd be great! Uh, I'll ask my mum if we can go."

"Ok, then. See ya."

The two girls gave their new friend the directions to their house so he could come over the next day and then waved good-bye.

Petunia couldn't help but compare this happily waving Snape compared to the sour, grumpy one she knew in her other life.

She shook her head. What a huge difference.

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Monday came bright and early with Lily awake before the sun. Unfortunately for Petunia, her room was the closest and so Lily woke her up first.

"Petunia, wake up!"

Petunia turned on her side and briefly wondered if she should ignore Lily or not.

"Tuney!" Lily shook her shoulder. The tall blonde responded by burrowing further under the warm blankets of her bed.

Suddenly she was suffocated by the heavy weight of her sister. "Get up, get up, get up, GET UP!"

Petunia flailed wildly and managed throw Lily off. "Alright! Alright, I'm up. Sheesh. It should be illegal to get up this early."

She swung her legs off her bed and walked past a smirking Lily and into the bathroom.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth Petunia headed downstairs and grinned at the sight that met her.

Lily was practically herding Harold into the kitchen and trying force feeding the sleepy man cereal. Ivy was half asleep at the table.

The blonde-haired girl strode into the kitchen and glanced at the clock as she headed straight to the coffee-maker.

5:36 AM. Lord, where did she get all that energy? Even Petunia, regressed back to her younger form, wasn't feeling as excited. Probably her adult mentality.

Whatever. She placed to cups of hot coffee in front of her parents who immediately seemed to perk up at the smell of the caffeinated drink.

"Mmm. Thank you, Petunia darling."

Harold, who'd forgone the soggy cereal for the cup of coffee, sighed in pleasure before opening one eye to stare at his eldest curiously.

"I didn't know you knew how to make coffee, Tunia. You don't drink it do you?"

Petunia shook her head as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. "I hate coffee but I've seen Mum make it hundreds of time and you guys seem to really like it."

Ivy smiled. "Oh, you'll change your mind when your older. Trust me. I thought the same when I was your age."

Lily shook her head in disgust and Petunia shrugged. Not likely. She'd hadn't liked it as an adult ether.

Tea was the way to go.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

Four hours later the Evans were ready and waiting for the Snape's and McGonagall. A sharp pop sound echoed through the house startling Petunia. Ivy and Lily let out a shriek of surprise and Harold nearly fell off his seat.

Ivy clutched at her heart. "Lord, I'll never get used to that. Isn't there a way to do that quietly?"

Professor McGonagall eyed the prepared family approvingly. "Good. I don't like to be kept waiting. And yes there is but only extremely powerful witches and wizards have been able to apparate silently. I'm positive Merlin was the last known wizard to do so."

The Evans family looked at each other wide-eyed. Merlin?

"Now, hold on. You mean tell me Merlin was real?" Harold said excitedly.

"Well, yes of course. Why wouldn't he be?"

Petunia inwardly rolled her eyes. Why, indeed. What an answer to give to non-magicals.

A knock came from the door and Lily ran to open it. Severus stood there with his mother, a dark-haired, stern looking woman.

Petunia vaguely recalled her name to start with an E. Ellen, maybe?

She frowned. Why was McGonagall looking at Sev's mum in concealed shock? And the other woman seemed determined to ignore McGonagall. Too determined, in fact.

Hmm. Severus seemed oblivious but Lily had noticed as well and exchanged a confused look with Petunia.

Harold wanted to try the side-along apparation McGongall mentioned but Ivy refused to so they all piled into Ivy's van. Harold and Ivy sat in the front, Severus and his mother in the middle seats, and Petunia and Lily sat in the backseats of the van.

McGonagall eyed the car as if it was Satan himself, gave them a derisive look and told them she'd meet them at the entrance of Diagon Alley before apparating away with a loud pop.

The ride to Charing Cross Road was rather awkward (Severus' mum wasn't a talker) but soon they had reached their destination.

McGonagall was waiting for them in front of seedy looking pub. The sign read; The Leaky Cauldron.

Petunia blinked. She could have sworn the last time she'd come with Lily that this place had been an empty, abandoned shop...

"Why're we looking at an abandoned shop?" Harold said coming to stand next to his daughters.

Petunia raised an eyebrow. "Dad, it's not an abandoned shop, it's a pub."

"...No. It's an abandoned shop. Right, Ivy?"

The red-haired woman nodded.

Lily shook her head. "No, mum. Tuney's right. It's a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. What a weird name."

What- Oh, Petunia was magical now, she hadn't been magical in the other timeline. Obviously only magical people could see the pub.

Stepping forward, Petunia grasped both her parents hands and gestured at the pub with her head.

"Now can you see the pub?"

Harold and Ivy blinked as a dark, seedy pub came into view.

"Agh. That... is extremely disorienting." Harold shook his head.

McGonagall nodded approvingly and gave Petunia a rare smile.

"You've caught on quickly. Most magical sites can't be seen by muggles. It's how we keep our world hidden. Contact with a magical person will do until we enter Diagon Alley."

With that she turned and headed straight into the pub after the Snape's (who'd gone ahead). Severus' mum had pulled him along.

The Leaky Cauldron was still as strange as Petunia remembered it. She and Lily stared at the odd patrons of the pub as McGonagall led them around the tables and through the back door of the pub.

Petunia stopped in shock and craned her neck to see better but someone taller blocked her view of that particular table. She could have sworn she'd seen someone with a large swirling eye.

Realizing the rest of the group was out the door. The blonde ran out just in time to see the large brick walls separate and lead into Diagon alley.

Her family(and Petunia, a little) all looked wide-eyed at the sight that greeted them.

The brick passageway led to a crooked cobblestone street that looked like it came straight from a medieval time period.

Along the streets were all sorts of shops selling an amazing array of strange items like cauldrons, broomsticks, strange animals (there was a sort of lion/snake creature. Like a miniature chimera), and odd ingredients like newt eyeballs and mermaid scales.

Owls and Eagles and many other birds flew through the skies with what looked lumps in their talons and beaks. One landed on the shoulder of a man near them, holding a small package. As soon as the man untied the package and nodded at the bird, it flew off into the sky.

There were vendors outside that sold food, toys that walked, ran and even flew, and little charms that promised good luck, love, or even a guaranteed O on your next exam.

Whatever an O was. Petunia assumed it was the wizarding grade equivalent to an A.

Next to her, Lily and Severus were whispering excitedly to each other as they glanced around the place.

The arch closed behind them and McGonagall set a brisk pace down the street. Explaining as she went. "Gringotts is the wizarding bank where you'll be exchanging you money for Wizarding currency. It is run by the Goblin Nation."

Goblin Nation? Lily and Petunia looked at the professor curiously and Harold and Ivy exchanged odd glances. Sev had mentioned Goblins but he'd never been that interested in magical creatures and so had not been able to go into detail about them.

The large group followed McGonagall to a large, impressive building made of marble and stone. It was somewhat similar to the American White House with its large stone pillars and huge doors.

Standing in front of the miniature palace were two short humanoid beings with large pointed ears, sharp teeth, and huge hooked noses.

Ivy, who'd been looking around in awe, gave startled flinch as she noticed the small creatures.

Considering that the small creatures were grinning in a wicked resemblance of a smile with their sharp teeth bared and were carrying very sharp looking swords, Petunia commended her mother for not shrieking like Lily had.

The only reason she hadn't was because she distinctly remembered them from when she'd gone on a similar yet very different trip in another time.

After exchanging their pounds for wizarding currency, the Evans agreed to meet Severus and his mum at the wand shop when the Snapes came back from their vault.

They reached a small, disorganized shop labelled Ollivander's. Taking the lead Lily pushed open the door and led the way inside.

It seemed to be empty so the family began looking around the dusty shop. Petunia noticed a single wand resting on a tasseled pillow in front of the window. Half expecting it to be Merlin's (or someone equally famous) wand, she was disappointed to see that there wasn't a sign or label explaining it.

"Ah, Morgana's wand. Wonderful taste you have there."

Petunia let a small shriek and turned around only to see an old man with shocking white hair and large, luminous eyes standing behind her.

Harold smiled uncertainly at the man's sudden appearance. "So Morgana's real too, huh?"

The old man turned his unblinking gaze toward Petunia's and Lily's parents. "Of course."

He turned back to Petunia. "Well, then, let's start with you then."

Dragging the startled blonde forward. Ollivander came back with a tape measure.

"Which is your wand arm, Miss..."

"Evans. And, uh, right I guess." She exchanged looks with a curious Lily, who'd come to stand next to her.

Harold and Ivy stayed back, near the door. Petunia distantly remembered that in the other timeline, her parents had been just as curious as Lily before she and Lily were scared silly by the tape measure.

It leapt up out of Ollivander's hands and went about measuring Petunia.

"Wand making is a very detailed and complex craft. It is the wand that chooses the wizard not the other way around. Wands are very sensitive to a person's personality and disposition."

Petunia was bit distracted by the tape measure (which for some reason was measuring her nose) but Lily listened wide-eyed and intrigued.

"Mr. Ollivander, sir, you're acting like the wand is alive. But it's just a stick, right?"

From the huge pile of boxes he'd just brought from the back of the store, Ollivander shook his head. "The wood type and the core of a wand is sensitive to your magic, therefore they are sensitive to you. They resonate with your magic and react accordingly. You'll know when you've found yours."

Summoning the measuring tape (which had begun measuring the distance between Petunia's eyes much to her annoyance and Lily's amusement) Ollivander handed Petunia a wand.

"Alder wood and mermaid scales. Start swishing, dear."

Ignoring Lily (who thought the fact that Ollivander didn't even look at the measurements the tape measure had recorded hilarious) Petunia gave the wand a hesitant wave, remembering Lily's disastrous wand-choosing from so long ago.

Ollivander and the Evans' all ducked low as the windows of the shop shattered explosively.

"Oh, my. This might take a while..."

After more than a few failed trials, Lily was impatient and Petunia was rather bored.

"Hmm." Ollivander eyed Petunia oddly before heading toward the far back of the store.

"Here. Try this one. Holly wood and Phoenix feather. 11 inches. An unusual combination..."

Lily leaned forward at that comment only to jerk back as Petunia, who'd been reaching for the wand, let out a strangled gasp.

This wand. She'd recognize it anywhere. This was Harry's wand. She'd seen it enough times during the summer when she'd lock it up with the rest of his magical stuff.

"This can't be it. It must be a mistake." She made to give it back but Ollivander shook his head.

"Give it a wave first, dear."

Ignoring the confused/worried looks her parents and Lily gave her, Petunia slowly waved the wand around.

Petunia remembered that nice, warm, tingling rush that had run through her body when she had floated off the swings very clearly because it had been her first experience with magic.

Holding this wand was nothing compared to that. It felt as if her arm was twenty times more sensitive to touch and the warm feeling of magic hummed from her arm to the rest of her, sending pleasant electric shocks through her body.

Golden sparks gently floated through the air from the wand and both Petunia and Lily and their parents could have sworn they heard a beautiful note trilling through the air before fading away.

Ollivander smiled happily as he took the wand and carefully placed it in a box before giving it back to Petunia.

Taking the galleons Harold handed him he remarked. "A perfect match! Very curious, though. Very curious..."

Petunia's heart nearly stopped. Does he know? How did he find out?!

"Er, what's curious?" Please don't know about me. Please don't know about me. Oh god, I remember that Lily once told me that Wizards could read minds! Wait... Wait. It was restrictive. They had to... Had to... Make eye contact!

The blonde eleven-again child tried to avoid locking eyes with the old man in front of her. Which was actually rather harder than expected, it seemed like he never blinked.

Ollivander was already starting to take Lily's measurements.

"Nothing dear. I just remembered that the phoenix that gave the feather in your wand gave out only one other feather fifty-five years ago."

"Oh, okay." That was rather anticlimactic but Petunia wasn't complaining.

Eyeing the box in her hand, she gave a resigned sigh. If Ollivander was right then there was nothing she could do about Harry.

After all, the wand chose the wizard.

Chapter Text

I don't own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

After the three kids had gotten their wands, the adults decided to go to the clothing store next, in order to get robes.

With Petunia, Lily, and Severus in the lead the large group made their way a few blocks to the right of Ollivander's and entered a store labeled Madame Malkin's Robes.

The building, like most wizarding buildings Petunia noticed, was much larger on the inside than it looked from the outside.

A short, pleasantly plump woman with greying hair bustled over. "Hello, dears. Hogwarts?"

At the nods she beamed and waved them over. "Come along, come along."

Eileen was completely unruffled by the way woman was dressed but Petunia, Lily, Ivy, and Harold could only stare bewildered at the what was the most garishly colored robes they'd ever seen. It was bright pink, lined with lime green and, worst of all (in Petunia's opinion), it glittered.

Even Severus looked slightly disturbed, though his distaste was better hidden.

Lord, her clothing was even worse than Dumbledore's! Petunia very much remembered the hideously colored suit the crazy old man wore when he'd come to visit Lily for something about order or whatever.

Petunia shuddered as she made her way to the stools where Sev and Lily were already standing. She could only imagine what the height of fashion was considered in this world. Though, currently the muggle world wasn't any better. The blonde winced inwardly as she remembered the colorful bell-bottoms and loose-sleeved shirts, she and Lily wore. She even had a vague memory of when Lily had gone through a Beatles phase and convinced Severus to get a bowl-cut hairstyle.

70s fashion, indeed.

"Oh!" Ivy gasped in shock as a black material draped over Lily, who was now standing on a stool next to Severus.

Ivy watched fascinated as scissors, a tape measure, and needle followed the plump woman who introduced herself as Marie.

Knowing how much her mother enjoyed crafting, Petunia was sure Ivy would have killed for such skills.

Unfortunately there only seemed to be two stools currently available, at least at this part of the store, and Severus was on the other one so Petunia decided to explore a bit.

The store was very busy and workers wearing the same brightly colored robes as the plump woman bustled all over.

Petunia watched amazed, as mannequins were animated and made to model certain clothing styles to interested buyers.

She even noticed a witch pick a stylish and surprisingly modern styled robe but it was an unfortunate bright blue. The witch miraculously seemed to have good taste and flicked her wand to make it a pretty navy blue.

This world was a fashionista's dream, if only they'd get out of the obsession with brightly colored clothing.

Deciding to go check if Lily or Severus was done, Petunia turned back on to be shoved to the ground by a what seemed like a running missile.

They fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs and the boy, at least Petunia thought it was a boy, let out a muffled yelp. She managed to get up and offered the figure a hand but to her surprise he looked her up and down and glared.

"Don't touch me, you filthy muggle! Watch were you're going next time."

Taken aback she accidentally replied in a strict, commanding tone she used if Dudley got more out of line than usual.

"Excuse me, young man! How dare you use that tone with me?! I am positive your mother raised better than that and I expect an apology!"

Probably startled at being reprimanded like a child by someone of a similar age, the dark-haired boy stammered out a 'sorry' before he could stop himself.

Petunia nodded and left before he could do anything else.

What a rude child. Though this must be the prejudice Lily had often mentioned. Petunia frowned, she hadn't expected to face it so early.

Had Lily gone through all this alone?

A hand landed on her shoulder and Petunia stifled a shriek as she whirled around to face her assailant.

"You! I told you to leave me alone!"

Grinning, he shook his head. "Actually you didn't tell me anything. That was my younger brother you were talking to."

Taking a closer look, Petunia was forced to conclude that he was right. This one was slightly taller and had longer hair. She supposed he would have been considered good-looking by Lily.

"I suppose you're looking for retribution from the 'filthy muggle', then? I have to warn you, my family is right around that curtain there and I know how to throw a mean left-hook." she pointed out.

Widening his eyes he shook his head. "No! No. I wanted to apologize."

Petunia raised an eyebrow. "Apologize?"

He looked away uncomfortably. "Um, yeah. As you can tell, my family has certain beliefs and well, it's obviously your first year too, so we'll be year-mates and I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me. I don't believe in anything like that at all."

He looked at her so earnestly that Petunia relented the glare she had on him and nodded.

"Fine, apology accepted. Though if you step a foot out of line towards me or my sister..." She trailed off and he nodded.

"Got it. Wait, sister? You have a twin?"

Relaxing now that a potential threat was gone, Petunia let a smile slip. "No, I'm almost a year older than her. 11 months to be exact. Hogwarts apparently only allows eleven year olds to attend and I turned eleven in September when the school year had already begun so I had to wait for the next school year."

The boy nodded."Oh, that makes sense. Eleven is the age when your magic core stabilizes so it's considered unethical to allow anyone younger to attend."

Petunia frowned. "Huh. They didn't mention that. It would have been nice to know."

The boy grinned good-naturedly. "Well, now you know. Say, have you learned about the Hogwarts house system yet?"

Petunia nodded and he leaned forward eagerly. "What house do you think you'll be in? How do you think they'll sort us? My Uncle Alphard says we have to fight a dragon but my older cousins said that we have to complete a magical obstacle course!"

"Uh, I think i'll be in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor and I'm not sure. I highly doubt it would be anything dangerous considering we're first years so the dragon is out."

She paused thoughtfully. Try as she might, she really couldn't remember anything Lily had said about the sorting.

"It might be some sort of test of knowledge, maybe? With both mental and physical aspects. So like if you passed the written exam well, you'd be placed in Ravenclaw but if you were better at the physical part you'd be in Gryffindor. And If you worked super hard on both you'd be in Hufflepuff."

She bit her lip. "I'm not sure how a Slytherin would picked though..."

A snort of laughter jolted her out of her thoughts and the blonde looked at the boy.

"What?"

"Nothing it's just that with all that thinking and reasoning you're a definite Ravenclaw."

She shrugged. "Ok, then. How about you? What house would you be in?"

To he surprise his smile disappeared as his face darkened. "My whole family's in Slytherin so I expect to go there as well." he spat.

"So?"

He looked at her as if she were stupid. "So Slytherin is where people who believe in blood purity -believing that purebloods are better- go."

Petunia rolled her eyes. "I doubt every single person in that house is like that. Most are probably neutral and anyway Slytherin is for the ambitious and the clever. If I weren't muggleborn I'd probably have a good chance of going there as well."

She paused. "Also, you aren't your family. You're totally different from your brother from what I can tell so that's a good indicator that you could end up some where else."

He frowned. "Do you think so?"

"Mmhm. Don't be so glum, chum. Turn that frown upside down." she said, copying her father's stupid yet amusing saying in hopes of cheering the child up.

That startled a laugh out of the boy and he grinned.

"Tuney!" Ivy stuck her head from the enclosed area her family was in.

"It's time for your fitting, come on."

Petunia waved goodbye as she went towards her mother.

"See ya at Hogwarts."

"Wait! Your name is Tuney?" He looked as if he were struggling not to laugh and Petunia glared at him.

"No, it's Petunia so you'd better stick with that. Or else." she threatened quietly so her mother wouldn't hear.

Smirking, he nodded. "Vengeful type, got it. By the way I'm Sirius, Sirius Black.

She waved over her shoulder and disappeared into the enclosed space.

A large shadow leaned over Sirius diabolically.

"Ohoho. I've been gone only for one second and you've gone and got yourself a girlfriend, hmmm?"

Sirius jumped and did an about-face as he turned to face a handsome, aristocratic man with an out of place leer.

"Uncle Alphard! She's not my girlfriend!"

Alphard ignored him. "I always told Orion you took after me. From day one when you picked the dragon scale and the kitsune claw. Wealth and cunning. I made the exact same choice, you know."

"I know Uncle Alphard."

"It was clear to me you'd be a mini-me, from that point. And look, you've started your womanizing ways so young!"

"Uncle! Shut up!"

"I'm so proud!"

Dragging his uncle away, Sirius could only hope that Petunia hadn't heard anything.

Chapter Text

I do not own Harry Potter.

(∩'-')⊃━*.*.*.*

After the Diagon Alley trip, they had a good three weeks before the term started and both Petunia and Lily were looking forward to going through their books with Severus.

Unfortunately, Severus didn't appear the next day as they'd planned. Or the day after that. Or even the day after that day.

The two sisters had spent a week waiting at the park for Sev to show up until Lily fed up with it all quit coming.

Petunia, who was quite annoyed as well, was inclined to agree with her sister but something about this was bothering her.

Severus Snape was extremely attached to Petunia and Lily as they were, Petunia surmised, his first friends. He'd been a right ass in the other timeline but he wouldn't give up Lily's friendship (and now hers) for the world. She had not liked his adult self. He had been cruel, dismissive, and they had never gotten along. However, she had to separate the young Sev from the adult Snape. If she could forgive herself, if she could change and regret her past, then who was she to judge Sev so?

With these thoughts in mind, Petunia decided it was about time she paid a visit to Severus' place.

So waving goodbye to Lily (who was helping Ivy with lunch), the blonde-haired girl grabbed her old (not so old now) red bike, placed some sandwiches and drinks in the basket and peddled her way to Spinners' End.

The farther she went, the more the neighborhood got dilapidated and streets lined with old brick houses and broken street lamps began to appear.

Soon Petunia reached what she remembered was the Snape home.

Ignoring the odd looks a neighbor threw at her, Petunia made sure to wedge her bike throughly between the pickets of the old fence so that if someone attempted to steal it, they'd have a hard time and she'd hear the struggles.

The woman-turned-girl eyed the eerily silent house before making her way to the door and knocked.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She waited.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Hmm. Perhaps they weren't here.

Knock. Knock. Kno-

"Alright! Alright! I'm comin'! Keep yer bleedin panties on! Goddamn!"

Petunia startled at the loud, rude tone and stepped back as the door open revealing a large man in overalls glaring down at her blearily.

"Well! What do you want?!"

Petunia blinked. "Er, I was wondering if Severus was in. I'd like-"

At the mention of Sev's name the man's face twisted into an ugly scowl and he leaned toward Petunia,

"Severus, huh? You're not one of his freak friends are you."

The words hit Petunia hard. Freak friend. Freak.

God, in the worst way possible this man reminded her... of herself. Hadn't she called Lily freak all those times and had broken their relationship into tatters. Hadn't she disliked Lily's son merely because he was on of those freaks.

She took a deep breathe to calm herself down. No, no. She wasn't here to lament over past mistakes She was here to fix them. Starting with figuring out where Sev was.

Forcing herself to smile politely at Mr. Snape, she replied. "Freak, sir? I don't think so. Where is Severus?"

Tobias eyed her closely. "Where you going to school this year?"

Petunia smiled tightly. "I'm starting at Coketown High this year, sir." she lied.

Mentioning the local school seemed to cheer the man up.

"Good. Good. Maybe you'll get rid of the freakishness that thrice-damned woman gave him."

Petunia resisted the urge to throttle the man as he turned toward his house.

"SEVERUS! SEVERUS! GET YOUR SCRAWNY ASS DOWN HERE, NOW!"

He turned back to Petunia and gave her what she assumed was an attempt at a smile.

Unfortunately, while he must have been a handsome man long ago (he had strong jaw, what once had been an angular face, and thick dark hair) years of drinking and smoking had turned him into a fat slob and had ruined his teeth. As it was the resulting smile was one out of a horror story.

Petunia made the effort to grimace back.

Severus appeared behind his father and widened his eyes in shock when he saw Petunia.

Noticing his son, Tobias grabbed rather roughly by the arm and placed him next to Petunia.

"Listen here, boy. I want you to go with this young lady here, she's looking for you. Hopefully she'll get rid of your freakishness."

With that he lumbered back into the house and slammed the door behind him.

Petunia and Severus stood in silence before Sev turned to her.

"Young lady?"

Petunia shrugged. "He thinks I'm a muggle and that I'm going to Coketown High. Thinks my 'normalness' will get rid of your freakishness."

Severus looked down, ashamed and Petunia nudged him with her elbow as she walked past him toward her bike. "Rather hard to do, since I have the same 'freakishness you do but there's no need to tell him that."

Ignoring Severus' surprised face she went on to the sidewalk and called out. "Well, come on then. Get on to the pegs. We're going to the park."

Severus looked hesitant but at Petunia's insistent look. He got on the pegs and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Feeling a rare bout of childishness, Petunia pretended she was in a race. "On your marks-"

"What are you doing?"

"Hold on Sev! And... Go!" She was rushing down the streets, picking up speed as they went downhill.

Petunia nearly started as she heard Severus' delighted laughter and his cheers.

"Faster!"

"Be careful on that corner!"

"Watch out for that pothole!"

"WHOO!"

Soon the two children came to a stop at the park and hopped off the bike.

Severus turned to her with a huge grin, startling Petunia who had yet to see him so openly happy.

"That was brilliant!"

She grinned and nodded as she pulled the snacks she'd packed and pulled Severus down next to her.

"Come on and help unpack the food. Lily's going to be joining us soon. Though I gotta warn you, she's a bit peeved with you."

Severus looked a bit disappointed. "I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to come but I couldn't."

Petunia frowned. "Sev... was it your father? Is that why you couldn't come?"

Severus hesitated unsurely before nodding his head. "He's not pleased that I'm going off to Hogwarts. He thinks if he keeps me locked up it'll bully me into staying."

"Of course, I wouldn't stay here even if my life depended on it." he added furiously.

Petunia nodded sympathetically. "Don't worry, Severus. Your dad thinks that I'm 'normal' remember? When school starts Lily and I will come get you and make up something."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Petunia."

Looking around, Petunia was forced to conclude that Lily was likely not coming and decided to portion out the food she'd brought.

Giving Severus three sandwiches and two colas (don't be ridiculous, Sev. I packed for more than two people. Save them if you want) and the two enjoyed a long conversation on the potions book Petunia had read.

To Petunia's astonishment, Severus knew most of the potions in the book and had even theorized easier methods of doing it. Going through her textbooks had made it very clear that potions were not as easy as the muggle portrayals of witches made it look. It required careful precision and handling of the (rather disgusting) ingredients. One wrong move and the potioneer or the potion drinker could suffer terrible and devastating side-effects. The boy was Potions genius and Petunia made sure to tell him that. The dark shade of red he turned was a hilarious bonus.

The rest of Petunia's afternoon was spent pleasantly before she dropped Sev home and went home to a contrite Lily who had forgotten about their meeting.

Making sure to tell Lily about Severus' dilemma, Petunia was pleased to note that her sister was just as displeased as she was and the two spent the night looking up the meanest hexes to use on Mr. Snape.