Chapter Text
November 2, 1981
Number 4 Privet Drive was quiet as Petunia Dursley climbed out of bed to get ready for the day. Her morning starts how it always does: checking on her perfect son, Dudley. Throwing on her dressing gown, Petunia makes her way quietly out of the bedroom she shares with her husband, Vernon, and across the hall to Dudley’s room. After peeking in to see he is not awake yet, she makes her way downstairs to put the kettle on the stove and start on breakfast. Petunia had always loved the calm that surrounded her in the early morning air of Privet Drive, but ever since Vernon found out about Petunia’s sister, the peaceful air had been replaced with trepidation.
Vernon, determined to declare anyone who doesn’t comply with his worldview a freak, had not taken kindly to the news that his wife’s sister and brother-in-law, Lily and James Potter, were from a whole different world. He made it clear to Petunia that the Potters were never to show their faces at Privet Drive unless she wanted to deal with the consequences personally. Petunia, however, loved her sister dearly and was trying to make up for all the years they had lost because of her own stubbornness and jealousy. After exchanging letters for almost two years now, Petunia was starting to feel like they were finally close, as sisters should be, and was excited for the prospect of a future involving Lily and her nephew, Harry.
Petunia had yet to meet Lily’s son, who was just five weeks younger than her own, but she had received many stories from her sister of the boy's milestones. Some of these letters had included a rare photograph of Harry, most of the images featuring Lily, and only one or two containing James. Petunia treasured these glimpses into their life as she knew Vernon would disapprove of her constant communication with “people of that sort”, as he called them when he was in a good mood. Petunia didn’t like to think of what he called them when feeling ill-tempered.
Once the kettle had boiled and the tea was in the pot to steep, Petunia made her way to the foyer so she could switch from her house shoes to get the paper from the delivery boy. Vernon always got so riled up when he could hear the paper hit the window or the front door or the bushes outside, and Petunia always did her best to keep him in a good mood. It was always better for everyone if Vernon was in a good mood. And while Vernon had left the day before for a business trip, it was ingrained in her to do everything she could throughout the day to ensure he would have no reason to lash out.
When Petunia opened the front door, she was absolutely shocked and terrified to see the swaddled form of a baby sleeping soundly on her doormat. It only took a moment for her to recognise the dark, unruly hair sprouting out of the top of the baby’s head–this was Harry. This was Lily’s boy. She couldn’t help her imagination as it ran wild with every reason why her nephew would be on her doorstep first thing in the morning, and every possibility left an ache in her heart at the idea that her sister, her baby sister, was gone.
Stooping to pick up the bundle of blankets, Petunia was apprehensive to see a letter addressed to her among the folds.
Dear Mrs. Dursley,
Enclosed you will find a child who, though unusual, requires your care. I am aware you may not entirely approve of matters magical, and yet, circumstances make it necessary that he remain under your guardianship for the time being.
Harry James Potter is, in ways that will reveal themselves over time, of importance beyond ordinary understanding. What he experiences and learns in these early years will influence events far greater than any one household, and his safety and guidance are therefore paramount.
I trust you will exercise the care and discretion that I am sure you understand and protect him as you would any child under your charge. Some matters are best left unexplained for the present; sufficient to say that the choices you make will now carry consequences in ways not immediately apparent.
With respect and anticipation,
Albus Dumbledore
Petunia stared at the piece of parchment in her hand. What did any of this mean? This didn’t explain anything! Why was her nephew lying alone on her front step? And exactly how long had he been there?
Tucking Harry safely into her arms, Petunia abandoned the morning paper on the lawn and returned inside to find the phonebook. She only knew one name to call to receive any answers, and knew that this would not be a pleasant conversation between old friends. Severus Snape, as far as Petunia knew, was unaware of her rekindled sisterhood with Lily and was sure to still think horrid things about her. After all, she had been quite terrible to him in their youth. But she could understand now the environment he came from; she could empathise with his mother.
After finding the number she was hoping for, Petunia poured herself a cup of tea, turned on the pantry light, and hid herself, the phone, and her nephew away to hopefully not wake Dudley with this conversation.
The phone seemed to ring for ages before there was the telltale click of someone picking up the receiver.
“Hello?” A curt, cold voice said.
“Mrs. Snape? This is Petunia Evans.” She began, using her maiden name as she wasn’t sure if anyone from her hometown was aware of her marriage. “I’m not sure if you remember me, but I grew up down the road from your house.”
“Evans. Yes, I remember you.” Eileen Snape responded shortly. Petunia waited a moment, unsure if she was going to say anything further, only to be met with silence on the other end of the line.
“Mrs. Snape, I was wondering if you have any way I would be able to contact Severus?” Petunia’s question was hesitant. She wasn’t sure if Eileen was aware of the animosity between Petunia and her son.
“I highly doubt he would be very pleased if I gave any of his information to you, Miss Evans.” Eileen’s tone was biting and fierce. Severus had obviously told her about some of the things Petunia had said to him growing up. Things she was not proud of. “If my memory serves correct, you were quite the bully to my son. Particularly after learning just how much in common he had with your sister.” Petunia cringed and tried to dispel some of her nervous energy by straightening out the folds in the blanket around Harry.
Petunia took a steadying breath, hoping to keep her voice from shaking as the unknown fate of her sister rested heavily on her chest. “I… I realise that, Mrs. Snape. I’m not proud of how I behaved. I was… childish and jealous. I only–”
“You only what, Miss Evans?” Eileen interrupted sharply.
“No, I… I only hoped to ask something. Just a question, that’s all. It’s urgent, and he’s the only person I know of that might be able to answer it for me.” Petunia wasn’t sure how much she should reveal to this woman. She knew Lily and her husband had gone into hiding. She didn’t know many of the particulars, but she knew that there was a safety concern, so they had hidden away. She didn’t want to risk saying something she shouldn’t.
Eileen’s voice was still sharp, but a fraction quieter now. “And you expect me to simply hand him over, Miss Evans? After all these years, you think he’ll speak to you without question?”
Petunia shook slightly, though Eileen couldn’t see her. “No… I don’t expect that. I only… need to know if it’s possible to reach him safely. Something came today… a letter from Dumbledore. I thought Severus might be able to explain it. I don’t know anyone else who could.”
There were several minutes of silence, and Petunia was sure that any moment, Eileen Snape would hang up the phone and Petunia would never have any answers to the burning questions racing across her mind.
Finally, Eileen spoke, her tone softer but still cautious. “He is here, with me. He won’t come to you unprompted, but if it’s important, then I’m sure you could persuade him to speak to you. That’s all I will say.”
Petunia exhaled shakily. “I understand. Would you mind if I came by this afternoon? I know this is short notice, and Severus and I have a… a past, but this really is very important.”
Eileen was quiet for another moment. “I cannot promise he will receive you. But… if you come, make sure you understand that he chooses whether to speak, not you.” Her tone was still clipped, but it had lost the icy edge from the beginning of their conversation.
Petunia nodded. “Of course, I understand, Mrs. Snape.” There was a soft click, and Eileen Snape was gone, leaving Petunia sitting in the pantry of her house, not quite alone if you count the sleeping bundle in her arms. She set the phone down, her fingers lingering on the receiver. The room was still, broken only by Harry’s soft breathing. She wasn’t sure how she was going to find the courage to drive to Cokeworth, but she knew she had to do it as soon as possible. Vernon was set to return the day after tomorrow, and if Petunia’s fears were confirmed, then there was going to be a lot of work to do before he got back from his trip.
***
It was early afternoon by the time Petunia made it to the edge of Cokeworth, both boys strapped into the backseat, while Petunia tried to convince herself this was just a short trip to see an old friend. The lie wasn’t working to calm her nerves, and the toddlers screeched in the backseat, both ready for a bottle and a nap.
Driving past rows and rows of houses with peeling paint, it didn’t take much longer for Petunia to arrive at Spinner’s end and make her way to a familiar house she had not seen in over a decade. She parked across the street and steeled herself for what she was sure was going to be a difficult and heated conversation. She only hoped the boys would behave themselves well enough while they were here. Petunia had a hard time imagining the two toddlers making it any easier for Severus to wish to speak with her.
Clinging to the very little bravery she had within her, Petunia threw the strap of the nappy bag over her shoulder and began unbuckling Dudley and Harry from their seats. Making her way up the front walk, Petunia tried to take a deep breath to settle herself before ringing the doorbell.
The wait on the front step felt agonizingly long. Harry was gingerly playing with her string of pearls while Dudley was trying to lean around Petunia’s shoulder to reach inside the nappy bag, where he could see a tin of snacks. Petunia was lucky she had so much experience wrestling with a stubborn Dudley; otherwise, she was sure she would have been unable to support both boys.
The door opened to reveal a thin, sallow-faced Eileen Snape. She looked older and more worn, though her eyes remained just as sharp as Petunia remembered from her childhood. The two women stood there for a minute, both waiting for the other to speak first, before Eileen’s gaze flicked between the boys in Petunia’s arms.
“You’ve got two little ones, then?” Eileen's curt voice questioned as she took in the scene in front of her.
“Only one is mine,” Petunia admitted quietly. “The other… was left with me.”
After another pause, Eileen stepped aside. “Come in, then.”
Inside, the house was cramped, dark, and smelled faintly of damp wood and the soot that clung to everything in Cokeworth. Dudley held tight to Petunia’s neck, burying his round face in his mother’s shoulder, while Harry gazed around with bright eyes.
Readjusting her grip on her son and her nephew, Petunia spoke up. “I called this morning. I’m here to speak to Severus.” She tried not to allow the uneasiness she felt to be heard in her voice.
Eileen studied her for another long moment. “He’s here, but he’s not well. He’s… grieving.”
Petunia felt as though there was ice water flowing through her veins as her breath caught in her throat. “Lily.” She breathed, unsteadily. Something shifted in Eileen’s expression. She gave a nod and gestured Petunia through a door on the right.
“You can wait here.” She stated, then turned on her heel and walked away.
The sitting room of Snape Cottage was dark. The curtains were drawn, and the space was only lit by a few oil lanterns on the walls, casting a very soft, flickering glow around the room. Petunia lowered herself onto the worn, black loveseat, placing Dudley down on the floor, where he contentedly thumped his stuffed bunny against the faded rug. Harry, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to sit in Petunia’s lap and resume his soft admiration of her necklace.
As Petunia waited for Eileen to return or Severus to appear, she did her best to hold back her emotions. The day was shaping up to be phenomenally horrible; her sister was gone, her nephew was left on her doorstep, and she knew her husband would not be pleased with the addition of the Potters’ child to their household. The last thing she needed was to break down crying in the sitting room of a man who she’s sure hates her.
Severus entered the room quietly, black robes hanging loose and hair unkempt. He froze at the sight of Petunia, only to grow even more still when he saw Harry in her arms. “You brought him.” He spoke in a brittle voice.
Petunia stood, holding Harry closer. “I had nowhere else to go.” Her voice came out equally as fragile. For a moment, they just looked at each other–grief, resentment, and shared love for the same woman hanging in the air.
“My mother said this was urgent. What do you want?” His voice came out detached and cold, his face adopting a blank mask. Petunia wished she could hide her emotions like that; control the raging storm inside her.
“I received a letter this morning–from Albus Dumbledore.” Snape’s composure cracked slightly at this, confusion showing in the momentary scrunch of his brows before his mask slid back into place. He held out his hand, and Petunia retrieved the letter, handing it over for his inspection. Severus read over the letter, jaw tightening as his eyes danced across the page.
“Is she… is Lily gone?” Petunia asked anxiously. He didn’t answer immediately. When he finally nodded, it was like something had snapped within her, finally having her worst fear confirmed. “Oh, Lily…” Petunia’s voice broke as she finally allowed the tears she had been holding back all day to freely cascade down her face. Dudley whimpered from his spot on the rug, while Harry’s own eyes welled up with tears at the sight of his aunt’s dismay. She held him tighter and ran her fingers through his hair, hoping to soothe Lily’s son.
“When did you receive this letter?” Severus questioned, voice tight with apprehension. He gestured towards the couch, taking his own seat in the wingback chair by the unlit fireplace.
“I found it this morning. It was inside the blanket Harry was wrapped in. He was just lying there, all alone, on my front porch. I feared the worst, but I didn’t want to believe any of it. But if Lily is…” Petunia’s voice trailed off as she leaned down to grab her own son from where he was now standing next to her legs, tugging gently at her dress. She settled a boy on each side of her and distracted herself by making them both bottles, knowing they were overdue for naps and would probably need the comfort of a belly full of formula to be able to sleep. Severus read over the letter again.
“You’re telling me that she is gone and no one even told you? They just left the boy outside your house like a day-old newspaper that was forgotten?” Anger slowly made its way into his voice. “That is her son. She gave her life protecting him, and they honour that by leaving him on the porch of someone who despised her? Who hates her and the magical world?”
“I assure you, Severus,” Petunia bit out sharply, “I do not despise my sister. Nor do I harbour any ill feelings towards magic, like I did in my youth. Lily and I got back in touch shortly before my Dudley was born. And I’m very grateful we did. He’s been showing signs of accidental magic since he was 8 months old.”
Severus’s mask slipped completely, plainly showing the shocked expression on his face. “Your son has magic?” He asked in disbelief. Petunia understood his reaction, especially after everything she said to him and Lily all those years ago.
“Yes,” Petunia said, forcing her voice steady. She held herself together as best she could, though her chest ached under the weight of it. Her son, her perfect baby Dudley, had magic. And her husband… he would never forgive it.