Chapter Text
On a quiet street, in the fourth neat house identical to the three before it, Petunia Dursley woke with a feeling she associated with birthdays and Christmas. It was a kind of electric anticipation fueled by excitement and overwhelming happiness.
She was going to see her sister today.
They had not always had a good relationship and it had taken many years for Petunia to see the error of her ways. As children Lily had been a firecracker, full of energy and dazzlingly beautiful with her green eyes and shining red hair. Petunia was more reserved and not nearly as eye-catching with her coarse black hair and muddy hazel eyes. As they grew older, Lily was adored by all who met her while Petunia learned kids could be cruel, being called ‘giraffe’ or ‘horse face’ due to her long neck and teeth that were too large for her thin features.
At first, Petunia had resigned herself to being the lesser sibling. It helped that Lily never let anything come between them, always standing up for her big sister and spending time with her. It wasn't until Lily was 7 and Petunia was 10 that something finally came between them.
Lily developed magic.
Now Lily was pretty, popular and magical while Petunia was ugly, scorned and ordinary. The redhead was so excited to have magic and tried to share it with her favorite person but Petunia only saw another way Lily was special and she wasn’t. She started avoiding Lily and ignoring her when she tried to talk.
The breaking point came one day at the park. They were on the swings and Lily challenged Petunia to see who could launch themselves the farthest. It almost felt like how they used to be so Petunia agreed, kicking her legs until she was high above the ground before launching herself. She landed on the grass outside the gravel where the swings were built and thought she’d done pretty well until Lily went sailing overhead, falling much slower than should be possible. Petunia had been so angry that she pushed Lily to the ground.
“You’re a cheat!” she spat. “And a freak! I hate you!”
Lily looked at her with tears in her eyes and Petunia almost took it back but another voice spoke up.
“Are you alright?”
There was a boy standing under a nearby tree. He had limp black hair and a large nose. His clothing was too big for him and well worn.
“You're that Snape boy,” Petunia said. She sounded harsher than she meant to. She was just so angry.
“And you're a stupid Muggle,” the boy snapped back.
“What’s a Muggle?” Lily questioned, picking herself up off the ground and attempting to brush away the grass stains on her pants.
“Someone without magic.” Snape waved his hand and the dirt and stains on Lily’s clothing vanished.
Petunia sneered. Even the poor, weird, homeschooled boy was more special than her.
“You're both freaks!” she cried before turning and marching away. She heard Lily call for her but Petunia ignored it and continued walking until she locked herself in her room.
Lily didn’t return until dinner. She told their parents that she’d made a new friend while trying to catch Petunia’s eye but Petunia just pushed her peas around her plate and let her resentment grow.
By the time Lily got her letter for Hogwarts the relationship between the Evans sisters could be described as strangers that lived in the same house. Petunia had entered secondary school where the bullying was even worse. She took her frustrations out by being hateful toward Lily and Snape while Lily, so full of pride and loyalty toward her best friend, fought back with insults she’d once told Petunia not to listen to.
Despite Petunia’s apparent hatred of magic, she had to admit to a certain fascination with it. Sometimes, when Lily was practicing the spells Snape taught her or trying the charms in her new textbooks, Petunia could almost feel her magic. It was like something inside her perked up at the scent of power in the air, the brush of wonder against her skin. She found Lily’s letter and wrote to Minerva McGonagall, asking to attend Hogwarts. She had overheard Snape once, admitting that Petunia might be a Squib instead of a Muggle. Maybe she did have magic buried deep inside her and going to Hogwarts would help her unlock it.
A week later, Lily found Headmaster Dumbledore’s reply telling her it wasn't possible and they had their biggest fight yet. It ended with Petunia telling Lily not to come back from school since she never wanted to see her again and Lily replying that she didn’t care what Petunia wanted since they were no longer sisters.
For the next five years the pair saw each other only fleetingly or at opposite ends of the table at holidays.
Petunia eventually grew into her features; her hair becoming smoother, her thin frame leaning more toward slender and her face filling out so her teeth weren’t as prominent. When she was fifteen she met Vernon Dursley. He went to Smeltings, a boarding school in Manchester, and was home for the summer. He helped his dad run the local hardware store, but still found time to take Petunia out for a milkshake or go to the movies. They stayed in touch via letters and occasional calls, their relationship building until they were planning a future together.
When Petunia turned 18 she and Vernon married. Vernon had been hired at the London branch of Grunnings Tool and Die while Petunia would be attending the University of Surrey studying horticulture. They had bought a house in the suburbs and a new car with the help of their parents but something was missing.
Petunia remembered laying in the garden with Lily, dreaming of their future weddings, and realized that all her imaginings had included a splash of red hair standing at her side. She missed her sister but didn’t know how to go about repairing their relationship when they had barely seen each other in five years.
Then, during their first summer at their new house, Petunia received a letter. It didn’t come through the mail slot, it came through the window attached to the leg of a barn owl that landed on the kitchen table. Petunia knew about owl mail and managed to get the letter by bribing the bird with a bit of leftover bacon from breakfast. When the owl flew off it left Petunia staring at familiar looping handwriting.
Mrs. Petunia Dursley
765 Rose Court
Cokeworth, England
Mum and dad must have told Lily about the wedding but not their new address. She wondered how the owl had found her and was surprised when she answered ‘magic’ with significantly less scorn than in her past. She tore the letter open and began to read.
Dear Tuney,
I know you might not want to hear from me. You might not even open this letter, but I really need my big sister right now.
Sev and I had a fight. He called me a horrid name I wont even write here and refuses to speak to me. I would forgive him if he only apologized but he’s been hanging out with people who have some very bigoted ideas and I don’t know if he's the same boy I knew any more.
There’s another boy here that’s a right ponce. Everyone says he’s in love with me and is just ‘pulling my pigtails’ but all I see is a bully. He and his mates pull pranks that everyone thinks are so funny but they’ve hurt people before and the Headmaster lets them off with a pat on the head.
Headmaster Dumbledore is meant to be a great man but he does nothing to sooth the animosity between the houses. There’s a war on and instead of thinking about the safety of his students, he seems content to let the hate fester.
I supposed that’s what has me so on edge. The War. You probably don’t know about it. So far the Ministry of Magic has managed to keep it secret from Muggles, but if it gets much worse you may hear about strange sightings or killings. On my end things are already escalating. There’s this older girl I study with, Amelia Bones, she hasn’t even graduated yet and she needed to take in her niece because their whole family was killed.
I haven't told mum and dad because I don’t want them to worry but I needed to talk to someone outside all this madness. Tell me about your life. I heard you got married. What’s he like? Are you going to uni? What do you do for fun nowadays?
I miss you Tuney. I’m sorry about everything. I knew you were having a hard time in secondary and I should have been more considerate. You were just always so talented with your art and your flowers that I was excited to have a talent too.
Anyway, I guess I should get back to studying. We have this big exam called OWLs coming up that determine our entire future. I’m about ready to rip my hair out. Maybe then Potter will stop reciting poems about ‘locks as red as autumn leaves’ at breakfast.
Hope to hear from you soon.
With love from your sister,
Lily
Petunia lowered the letter and stared into the distance. There was a lot to unpack but the most pressing was the secret war happening in Britain and that her little sister was likely to be caught up in it. Lily would never back down no matter how scared she was. If there was a chance she could help people, Lily would grasp it with both hands.
Petunia read the letter again, her eye catching on Lily’s comment about talent. Now that she thought about it, Lily had often been described as a wild spirit, flitting this way and that; adventurous but unfocused. She was a good student and a devoted daughter but she’d never had many hobbies or tangible interests until she developed magic. Meanwhile, Petunia had dabbled in watercolors as an extension of her larger passion for gardening. She hadn’t realized that while she’d been jealous of Lily for her looks and easy personality, Lily had been jealous of Petunia’s artistry and skill.
Without really thinking about it, Petunia went upstairs to the bedroom they’d made into an office and sat at her desk. She pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write.
Dear Lily,
First off, I need to give you an apology of my own. You're right that I was having a hard time in secondary but that was no excuse to treat you as I did. I thought I was above petty jealousy and didn’t realize how much I allowed mean words and unfair comparisons to affect me. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I miss you too.
I’m sorry you and Severus had a falling out. I know how much you care for him but sometimes people change. Have you told him your concerns about his friends? Knowing you, you probably have and he didn’t heed your warning. I hope he sees the error of his ways with time but you can’t help someone who does not want to help themselves.
I must confess, the thought of you being hounded by a love sick boy is amusing but I will hold off laughing at you since you seem so frustrated. Is this someone you could see yourself with if his attitude changed? If so, tell him what you expect if he wants a chance to earn your affections. As I said before, people change and sometimes, it’s for the better.
I can’t really give you an opinion on your Headmaster. The only interaction I’ve had with him was his reply to my plea to come to Hogwarts. Can you tell me more about him? And the nature of the war you say is brewing? I want to understand so I can be there when you need a sympathetic ear.
To answer your questions about my life, Vernon is wonderful. He’s very hard working and supportive of my passions. I’m studying to be a horticulturalist at the University of Surrey. I’ve enclosed our new address since we’ve moved to Surrey to be closer to Vernon’s job and my school. I have the run of the garden to plant what I want and we often go on walks since Vernon was a champion boxer in school and likes to keep healthy.
But enough about me, I want to know about you. How is Hogwarts? What are you learning? Who are your friends? Did you find your passion? Tell me everything! I’ll be waiting for your next letter.
Love, your sister,
Tuney
As Petunia sealed the letter in an envelope and wondered if Muggle post would be able to reach Hogwarts, something tapped on the window. She looked over to see the same barn owl from before. Petunia tied the letter to its claw and it took off over the street.
From then on Lily and Petunia kept in touch. When Vernon got a promotion and she finished her course, Petunia wrote Lily. When Lily passed all her OWLs and went on her first date with James, she shared it with Petunia. Their letters weren’t always happy. Lily wrote about more deaths from the war and Petunia despaired over her and Vernon’s difficulties conceiving.
They’re lives weren’t perfect, but they faced them together.
After the first few letters, Vernon humored his wife and built a sturdy bird perch which was kept in the sunroom where the door remained open except in bad weather. Eventually, he noticed the presence of different owls taking shelter and questioned Petunia. Petunia asked him to wait a couple days but soon she sat him down and explained about the wizarding world. She told him it was kept separate from the world he knew but because her sister was a witch Petunia and her parents were aware of it. She showed him Lily’s letters, especially the one giving permission to explain it to him and going over some basic information about magic and wizards.
Vernon didn’t believe a word of it until Petunia showed him her journals. They were full of notes about magical plants and their uses as well as how normal weeds and herbs could be used in potions. She explained that the ointment she used to sooth his back after long days had been made using magical ingredients.
Petunia’s next letter included a post script full of questions in unfamiliar handwriting which Lily happily answered alongside greetings for her brother-in-law.
As Petunia expected, Lily got involved in the war in her seventh year. Their communications became more secretive. She had long ago explained that her status as a Muggleborn put her in danger and that Death Eaters wouldn’t hesitate to target her family. The Dursley house had a ward up that would give her and Vernon a bad feeling if someone that meant them harm was on their property. The ward was tied to a rather ugly porcelain vase courtesy of Lily’s fiance James and his brother Sirius, both avid pranksters.
Their childhood home in Cokeworth had similar wards but it did nothing against the factory explosion that killed their father, nor the undiagnosed heart condition that took their mother the same day. Lily told Petunia she would attend the funeral but she never showed. Petunia's next letter was irate but the reply was grief stricken and tear stained. Lily explained how they had received an alert from a friend of theirs and rushed to help only to find the entire family slaughtered. Lily had tried to get away so she could at least make it to the burial but Dumbledore and someone she called the ‘peg legged bastard' had questioned her for so long she missed it.
After that Lily began hinting that she didn’t think Dumbledore was as benevolent as he seemed, saying some of her friend’s recent deaths were suspicious. The other Order members thought there was a traitor in their midst but Lily wasn't sure it was that simple.
Years passed. Lily got married and shared the same regrets Petunia had felt about not having her sister with her at the altar. Petunia finally got pregnant and was overjoyed when Lily informed her she was also expecting. They gushed about baby clothes and nursery design and complained about morning sickness and swollen ankles. Lily told Petunia her fears about bringing a child into the war while Petunia fretted over every ultrasound. She had been diagnosed with polyhydramnios and needed to be monitored frequently.
Despite it all, Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter were born only a little more than a month apart. Petunia received a photograph of a tiny black-haired boy with baby blue eyes already showing a touch of green. As she watched, the baby yawned and blinked at the camera before wriggling happily in his blankets with a toothless grin. Alongside the photo was an old-fashioned camera and a bottle of strange silvery fluid. Within days Vernon had a dark room constructed in the cupboard under the stairs and soon they had their own moving pictures of a chubby-faced blonde baby to send to Lily and James.
Just after their sons first Christmases, Petunia received another letter but this one came by Muggle post. Lily explained that she, James and Harry were being hidden due to a prophecy that claimed Harry could destroy the Dark Lord. The wards on their safehouse would keep owls away but, as always, wizards forgot Muggles had their own ways to communicate.
Over the next year and a half the Dursleys were the only people the Potters could communicate with. Petunia got to know James better and thought he’d be a fun uncle for Dudley once the war was over. Lily and Vernon talked about combining magic with machinery, wondering if they could figure out how to make electricity work around magic.
When the boy’s first birthdays passed, Dudley with a party full of friends but no family and Harry with only his parents in a hidden cottage, their mothers decided enough was enough. It would take months to untangle the wards that alerted the Order if they left the house for longer than a couple hours but James and Lily were determined. They chose November 1st for Dudley and Harry's first playdate, explaining that they would use their Samhain celebration to strengthen their protective charms as a precaution.
Petunia slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake Vernon, and checked on Dudley before all but skipping down the stairs. Last night had been Dudley’s first Halloween where he could speak enough to say ‘twick o’ tweet’. Petunia had pictures of her baby in an adorable teddy bear costume and she wanted to know all about how Harry’s first Samhain went.
She put the kettle on and pulled out the ingredients for a healthy breakfast after the mountain of candy they’d eaten the night before. Once the cheese omelets were done she set the table and poured herself and Vernon some tea. She put a dash of milk in hers and filled Dudley’s sippy cup with the rest which reminded her that she hadn't collected the milk last night. She wasn’t worried about it going bad since it was so cold outside but she wanted to make Lily’s favorite cakes and the recipe called for a few cups of milk. Petunia headed toward the front door, wrapping her housecoat tighter around her shoulders before opening it.
She screamed.
Laying beside the milk, wrapped in a blanket, was a baby. And not just any baby, she would recognize that head of messy curls anywhere. His lips were turning blue and the left side of his face was red from the cold but the right was stained with blood. A long, jagged gash extended from above his eyebrow and down his cheek to his chin. It branched like a bolt of lightning, cutting over the bridge of his nose and shooting off toward his ear and jaw. It looked healed enough that she was sure someone had used magic but the fact that it hadn’t closed completely told Petunia everything she needed to know. Her nephew had been cursed.
“Pet! Are you okay? What's the matter?”
Vernon’s voice snapped Petunia out of her shock. She quickly grabbed Harry and brought him inside, holding him close to her chest in an attempt to warm him up.
“Get the hot water bottle! Quickly! Someone’s left Harry on the front step and he’s freezing.”
“Bloody hell!” Vernon cursed, catching a glimpse of the nasty cut on his nephew's face as he rushed past. He used the leftover water from the kettle to fill the bottle and returned to his wife as quickly as he could. “Who would have left him out there?” he asked as he handed the bottle over. “I thought James and Lily were coming for lunch?”
“I don’t know. Something’s wrong. They wouldn’t leave Har—”
As Petunia shifted Harry to lay him against the warmth, an envelope slipped from the folds of his blanket and hit the floor. Vernon picked it up and tore it open before reading aloud.
Mrs. Petunia Dursley,
I regret to inform you that your sister Lily and her husband James have fallen to the Dark Lord. They died bravely to protect their son, Harry James Potter.
Lord Voldemort has been defeated but I do not believe he is dead. Lily’s sacrifice placed powerful protections on her child and as long as Harry can call your house a home, he will be safe from Lord Voldemort until he comes of age.
As Harry’s only living relatives, responsibility for his care falls to you.
You wrote me once, asking to attend Hogwarts. I regret that I had to turn you away but this is your chance to make an impact on the world you wanted so badly to be a part of.
I wish you good luck,
Albus Percival Wilfric Brian Dumbledore
“That's it!?” Petunia cried. “No explanation for what caused his injury? No mention of a funeral? My sister is dead!” Petunia sobbed, clutching Harry tighter. “Lily’s gone! I never even got to see her all grown up.”
Harry started fussing, little choked off cries that would soon build to a wail. His face scrunched up as he wriggled and tried to find comfort in her arms.
“Who does this Dumbledore bloke think he is?” Vernon bellowed. “Expecting us to take in another child. I won't have it!”
Petunia was so focused on soothing Harry that she almost missed her husband’s words. Her eyes snapped to him, noting how the edges of the letter were crushed in his fist and the way his face was turning an angry purple.
“What do you mean Vernon?” she questioned warily.
“The boy doesn't belong to us and we shouldn’t have to raise it. I won't have Dudders exposed to all that nonsense!”
Petunia narrowed her eyes.
“Vernon, please give me the letter.”
He handed it over and the moment she touched the parchment she felt something creep into her mind. It whispered that Harry was a burden, urged her to hide him away where he wouldn't be a bother and tried to convince her that he was dangerous and diseased simply because he had magic.
Petunia slammed down her occlumency shields, the creeping vines in her mind palace’s garden making short work of strangling the compulsions trying to take root.
Since reconnecting with Lily, Petunia had learned a lot. She studied herbology and potions but also things like occlumency, runes and simple rituals that called on natural, wild magics that flowed freely through the world. She quickly moved over to the glory box against the wall and opened it, revealing what could only be described as a ritualistic altar. Colourful crystals and bundles of dried herbs sat beside oddly shaped candles while strange runes were painted across the inside of the lid. Petunia selected a white candle and lit it with a short plea for cleansing and clarity before setting the letter on fire. She dropped it on a silver plate to let it burn and watched as the cruel and hateful look in Vernon’s eyes faded away. He blinked and swayed on his feet as if the world had spun too fast for a moment.
“Pet? What happened?” he asked.
“The letter was spelled to make you hate Harry. It almost got me too.”
“What?! Who would do that?!”
“Probably the same person who penned the letter and left a baby out in the cold. Lily was right. Something is off about Dumbledore.”
The thought of her sister brought a fresh wave of grief crashing over her. Petunia’s face crumpled and tears welled in her eyes no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.
“Oh, my flower,” Vernon soothed, guiding his wife and his now sleeping nephew toward the couch. “You just stay here. Have a good cry and cuddle your nephew. I'll get Dudley up and fed then we can focus on next steps, but not until we’re thinking clearly, alright?”
Petunia nodded and squeezed her husband's hand. Vernon kissed her forehead and went upstairs to wake their son while Petunia buried her face in Harry's wild locks and cried for her baby sister and a man she’d never get to meet.
A little less than an hour later, Dudley and Harry were babbling to each other in the playpen as Vernon and Petunia watched over them. Petunia had more or less calmed down and was nursing a cup of lukewarm tea as she thought over their options.
“We can’t stay here,” Vernon said, watching Dudley hand his favorite cuddly toy to his cousin. “I don't care what protections that smarmy bastard says Harry has. Dumbledore’s just as much a danger to Harry as this Voldemort character.”
“What about your job?” Petunia asked.
“I’ll ask for a transfer to the Manchester branch. You know I only applied to the London office because it was closer to your school. I kind of miss my old stomping grounds.”
Petunia smiled and pulled out a pocket notebook and pen.
“Alright, here’s what we need to do. I’ll look for a house in Manchester. You organize packing and hire some movers. Don’t forget the vase. I know the theory behind wards but can’t actually cast them. It’s the only protection we have.”
She studied the horrid pink vase with misshapen gold and white ivy leaves on it. It was undeniably ugly but, while Petunia could one day give Harry Lily’s letters and old textbooks, the vase was the only thing she had from James. Suddenly, she remembered that a Sirius Black had also been involved in the purchase of the vase. The man was Harry’s godfather and she wondered if they could somehow get ahold of him but quickly shot the idea down. They had no clue how to contact him and trying would just draw attention. She could try leaving a message though.
“I need to go to the bank,” she stated, jotting it down on her list of tasks.
“The bank? Why?” Vernon questioned.
“Wizards may be largely ignorant about Muggles but goblins are not. There are secret ways to access the wizarding bank Gringotts through some Muggle banks.”
“And why do we need to do that? We need to be discreet. Wouldn’t accessing a magical bank give us away?”
“According to Lily, the Goblins are considered a nation separate from their Ministry. They value honor and secrecy above all except gold itself.”
Now it was Vernon’s turn to study the vase thoughtfully.
“Alright Pet. I’ll start packing the non essentials while you go to the bank. See if they’ll help us with extra warding as well. Didn’t Lily mention something about tracking charms on letters when she started using normal post? We already know owls can find us even without an exact address.”
“Good idea dear. I’ll ask.”
While Vernon went to scrounge up some boxes in the garage, Petunia got dressed and gave each of her boys a kiss before heading out. As she pulled onto the street her heart felt heavy. It was only mid morning and her entire world had been turned upside down. She should have been welcoming her sister and brother-in-law into her home but instead, she was taking the first steps toward going into hiding.
She parked around the back of the bank and went inside. It looked the same as always as she walked across the foyer toward the teller but everything felt different now, less ordinary.
“I would like to speak to David Thurston please,” she said.
“Just a moment.” The teller picked up the phone and spoke briefly before hanging up and smiling at her. “Please go down the hall. Last door on the left. He’s expecting you.”
With a polite nod Petunia did as asked, knocking on the door and hearing a call to come in.
Inside was a simple cluttered desk along with a few file cabinets. The man sitting behind the desk looked perfectly ordinary with short brown hair, a carefully trimmed beard and a well fitting but not particularly expensive suit.
“How may I help you today?” he asked.
“My name is Petunia Dursley. My sister, Lily Potter, has passed away. I need—”
Mr. Thurston raised a hand to cut her off and shuffled some papers aside until he located a small snuff box. The next second there was fire dancing inside a tea cup and Thurston was sprinkling some dust from the box into it until it turned jewel green.
“Account Manager Griphook,” he called.
“Mr Thurston,” a gruff voice answered from out of the flames. “May your coffers overflow.”
“And may your enemies fall before you,” Thurston replied. “A Mrs Petunia Dursley has just walked into the–” he leaned over to look behind Petunia. “—Surrey branch of the British Royal Bank. She is Lily Potter’s sister.”
Petunia turned to see several plaques on the door. The one that said ‘Surrey’ was glowing while the ones that said ‘Greenwich’, ‘Harrow’, ‘Reading’, ‘Crawley’ and various other communities in and around London appeared to be normal shiny brass. The fire in the teacup was silent for a moment before the voice spoke again.
“Very well. A direct portkey, if you please.”
The flames turn red again before snuffing out. Thurston dug in his desk drawer before pulling out a coin and handing it to a very confused Petunia.
“Sorry ma’am. Account Manager Griphook gave specific instructions if someone claiming to be related to either Potter came asking questions. The coin you're holding is a portkey. If you give it a firm squeeze and say ‘Griphook’s office’ it will transport you there instantly. You may feel a slight tug behind your navel, it’s normal.”
Petunia nodded and thanked the man before activating the portkey and disappearing.
She reappeared in a much larger office. The desk was made of rich dark wood, there was a marble fireplace and the walls were lined with weapons, paintings and shelves full of books.
“Greetings Petunia Dursley. May all your endeavors bear fruit. Welcome to Gringotts Main Branch located in Diagon Alley,” the same voice from the flames said.
Petunia looked over to see a small man with large pointed ears, beady black eyes and a long nose. He wore rich maroon robes and his slender fingers held a quill above a thick ledger. She tried to recall how Mr Thurston had greeted the goblin earlier.
“And may your coffers overflow?” she replied hesitantly. The little man chuckled, his sharp teeth visible behind his slight smile.
“You are more polite than most wixen are, Madam Dursley. I am Griphook, the Potter account manager. I apologize for whisking you away so suddenly but Dumbledore has moved against the House of Potter and I can not allow it to go unchecked.”
He gestured to the chair across from him and Petunia took a seat while the goblin slid a piece of parchment and small knife toward her.
“This will prove your identity as Lady Potter’s sister. Please place a drop of blood on the parchment.”
Petunia nicked her thumb and let the blood fall. Griphook waved his hand and the cut healed instantly but Petunia was more interested in the red ink blooming across the page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Name: Petunia Dursley nee Evans (squib)
Husband: Vernon Dursley (muggle)
Children:
Dudley Dursley (squib)
Harry Potter (appointed guardian, blood nephew, half-blood)
Parents:
Florien Evans (muggle)
Anna-Lee Evans nee Edwards (squib)
Siblings:
Lily Potter nee Evans (muggleborn)
Severus Snape (blood adopted by Lily Evans, half-blood)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It appears you are who you say you are,” Griphook confirmed. “Are there any questions before we get started?”
Petunia was staring at the parchment, relieved she was already identified as Harry’s guardian and shocked that she had somehow gained a brother, but pulled herself together quickly.
“You mentioned Dumbledore was ‘making moves’. What has the old coot done now?”
Griphook raised an eyebrow, surprised that the squib sister of Lily Potter already held animosity toward the Headmaster.
“Early this morning he attempted to access the Potter vaults, claiming magical guardianship over young Harry. He was denied due to our standard policy of doing a full audit after the death of a Lord. He also sealed the Potter’s wills by order of the Chief Warlock, which is the position Dumbledore holds within the wixen government. We can not unseal it until Heir Potter comes of age but it is safe to assume they named you his guardian based on your inheritance test.”
Petunia was seething over the sealing of the wills but now was not the time. The only important thing was that even though the wills couldn’t be read, magic still recognized Lily and James’ wishes.
“What’s a magical guardian?” she asked.
“When a wix is muggleborn or muggle raised they are assigned a magical guardian to be their guide within the wizarding world. Magical guardians act as their ward’s parents in place of their Muggle guardians.”
“Can I switch Harry's magical guardian?”
Griphook gave her a larger and much more terrifying smile.
“Absolutly, and if Dumbledore wants to contest your decision he will have to prove Lily and James assigned the role to him which would require unsealing the wills.”
Petunia smiled back.
“Let's do it. Harry has a godfather, Sirius Black. I would like to make him magical guardian and speak to him about being part of Harry’s life. If you would be so kind, I need help contacting him.”
Griphook’s face fell.
“Sirius Black has been sent to Azkaban. He was accused of betraying the Potter’s location to the Dark Lord, resulting in their deaths.”
Petunia gasped.
“That’s impossible! James thought the world of Sirius!”
“I do not know if it’s true or not but the Wizengamot has decided he’s guilty. His vaults have been locked down and the only reason he hasn’t lost his Lordship is because he’s the only person who still bears the Black name.”
Petunia’s first thought was what she was going to tell Harry when the time came. She couldn't introduce him to the memory of James Potter without mentioning his Marauders, Harry’s honorary uncles.
“What about Remus Lupin?” she asked. “He was close to James.”
“Mr Lupin left the country a couple years ago and we have not been able to locate him since. Besides, his condition would bar him from ever accepting a guardianship role.”
“His condition?”
“Yes, Mr Lupin is a werewolf. Lycanthropy is quite manageable nowadays but the prejudice remains.”
Petunia took a steadying breath. She didn’t know many people in the wizarding world and that list was depleting fast.
“Peter Pettigrew.”
“Deceased. Besides betraying the Potters, Lord Black was also charged with the murder of Mr Pettigrew and 12 Muggles.”
“Alice and Frank Longbottom.”
“Near catatonic in St Mungo’s Hospital. They are not expected to regain their sanity.”
“Mary MacDonald.”
“Missing, presumed dead.”
“Severus Sn—” Petunia trailed off. Lily had never said it directly but Petunia always suspected that the ‘bigoted people’ he’d abandoned Lily for had become Death Eaters. What if he had also joined Lord Voldemort?
“I can guess what you're thinking,” Griphook said solemnly. “Mr Snape did indeed join the Death Eaters.”
Petunia deflated. That was everyone she knew. She tried to remember other names from Lily’s letters. Maybe Amelia Bones or Dorcas Meadowes would be willing to help.
“However.” Petunia’s eyes snapped to Griphook. “Dumbledore has claimed that Mr Snape only took the Dark Mark to act as a spy for the Order. He has been given amnesty.”
“That still doesn’t help,” Petunia replied, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Dumbledore has already proven to be a danger to Harry. That bastard left him on our front step in the cold with a barely healed curse wound and a letter soaked in compulsions urging my husband and I to resent him for his magic.”
“A curse wound?’ Griphook questioned.
“Yeah, it runs from his forehead down to his chin on the right side. I plan to take him to the pediatrician but he doesn’t seem to be in pain.”
“Curse wounds can be unpredictable. I would recommend bringing him to Gringotts for a cleansing before you take him to your own healer. I’ll provide you with documentation that can be used to register Heir Potter as a citizen in the Muggle world. You’ll be able to get his papers, enroll him in school and even adopt him if you wish.”
“Thank you Griphook, that's a load off my mind,” Petunia said gratefully. “But we still haven’t solved the magical guardian problem.”
“If I may be so bold, leave that to me. I can call Mr Snape to the bank and extract a Vow of Secrecy from him before calling you. It may take some time before I find an excuse to summon him without drawing suspicion. Perhaps I will confer with the Prince account manager and finally get the stubborn wizard to take his Lordship.”
“Please do what you can Griphook,” Petunia agreed. “You’ve already been a great help but I do have another favor to ask. My family and I are moving somewhere Dumbledore can’t find us and require protection against tracking and spying. We have an intention based ward gifted by James but nothing else.”
“Gringotts can provide a ward stone containing various protections against surveillance spells. We can even add wards against specific individuals for an additional fee.”
“How much?”
“70 Galleons plus another 20 for the specialized spell work. 90 Galleons all together.”
“Can you access mine and my husband’s savings account?”
“With a void cheque I can link it to a new Gringotts safety deposit box.”
Petunia took out her cheque book and handed over a voided cheque. With the addition of a few runes and some quick spellwork a small skeleton key appeared.
“Box 1375 is yours,” Griphook announced, handing her the key.
“Thank you. Please convert 1000 pounds to galleons and take your payment out of it.”
Griphook wrote out the request and placed it in a specific box on his desk. A minute later there was a sucking noise and the box was opened to reveal a sack of gold coins.
“110 Galleons remaining,” the goblin informed her. Petunia took the bag and tucked it in her purse. She wasn’t going to try to figure out the exchange rate. Vernon had always been better with numbers.
“And here are the documents you’ll need to claim Heir Potter. I apologize if the contents are distasteful to you but it is the best way to go about moving a wix from the magical world to the muggle one.” Petunia took the folder and decided to read it later when she’d had a chance to process everything.
“Finally, two portkeys.” Griphook handed her a coin like she’d used in Mr Thurston's office and a small silver bell on a red ribbon. “The coin with the mortar and pestle on it will take you to our healing hall. When you're ready to bring Heir Potter in for a cleansing make sure both you and the babe are touching it and say ‘Gringotts Healing Hall’.
“The bell, besides being a portkey, also acts as a signal. When I have Mr Snape in my office I will call for you and the bell will ring. To travel, simply hold the bell and say ‘Griphook’s office’.”
Petunia tucked the portkeys in her purse before standing to leave and realizing she didn’t actually know how to get home from Diagon Alley. Griphook chuckled and waved his hand over the coin she’d used to get there, handing it to her once the glow faded.
“Just say ‘Thurston’s office’ and it will take you back.”
“Thank you Griphook. How do you say goodbye in your culture?”
The goblin once again looked surprised and then immensely pleased.
“The one leaving wishes a boon upon their host while the host invites their guest to leave with a boon of their own.”
Petunia thought for a minute.
“I wish you fortune, Account Manager Griphook.”
The goblin nodded appreciatively.
“Go with fury, Friend Petunia.”
Petunia blinked, caught off guard by the goblin’s choice of boon. Then her eyes fell on the swords, maces, knives and spears decorating Griphook’s office. Lily had said goblins were a war loving people, warriors that zealously protected what had been entrusted to them.
Petunia had entered the bank feeling lost and sorrowful. She was leaving angry and determined, burning with the fury of a wife and a mother that would not let anyone hurt her family.