Chapter Text
!4th May, 1972
Ollie always hated May.
It was too warm and wet, and there were always bugs flying around. School was dreadfully boring too, since tests were over and teachers basically turned a blind eye to whatever the kids did. Worst of all, it was Ollie’s oldest sister’s favorite month to drag him outside of the house when all he wanted to do was sleep in. Petunia insisted that it was pointless for him to mope around in his room all day, especially on his birthday.
That was exactly why they had been walking around town, staying close enough to home in case it rained. It was always hard to tell when it would rain with the fog that rolled in every evening.
Ollie was carrying Debbie, the family’s brown and white wire-haired dachshund, since Deb always whined and cried when she was left alone for too long. Their mum insisted fresh air would do Debbie good either way.
Petunia talked about whatever as they walked, snatching a few candies from the bag in her hands and plopping them in her mouth. She had a real knack for them, always having some in her pockets or room. Ollie tried to pay the most attention he could to his sister’s ramblings, but it was difficult. He was more focused on what Lily could be doing right now.
Lily was his other older sister, the middle child. Their parents' favorite, if Ollie was honest with himself. She had left for this special school for people like her last year in September and had been gone ever since.
Their family had this secret, one kept away from the rest of the town for the sake of their peace; Lily was a witch, or a freak, as Petunia always claimed with this awfully haughty tone. Their parents didn't think the same. In their eyes, Lily was a wonderful miracle, a gift. They were beyond proud of her, but as if that were anything new.
Lily sent letters from her school often of course, through the owl of one of her friends named Mary, but it wasn't even close to really talking with her. Ollie was relieved summer was almost here, not just because he wasn't a fan of school, but because he'd actually hear his sister’s voice again.
When the two were passing by the local river, which was an awful brown color and littered with trash everywhere, they noticed the sky was darkening to this soft orange with purple streaks slowly overlapping.
“Come on,” Petunia’s head turned in the direction of their house, “We should go home before mum and dad start worrying their heads off.”
By the time they reached the porch of their average sized house, Ollie got this weird gut feeling something wasn't right. It was a bad habit of his, worrying all the time about everything and anything, but he couldn't stop it.
Their mum was making dinner, the smell of spices growing denser when Ollie and Petunia passed by the entrance of the kitchen. She wasn't making cake though. She knew it wasn't Ollie’s favorite thing to have on his birthday.
Their dad was trying to fix the tv in the living room, which had been acting up since last week. That may have been partially Ollie’s fault, since a week ago he had managed to accidentally crack the screen. Though in his defense, the tv was old anyways. Maybe they’d finally be able to get a new one.
And despite the minutes that passed by, nothing bad happened. The day was its plain old normal self. Ollie assured himself he was overreacting, pushing the bad feelings away the best he could by the time dinner was ready.
Petunia and Ollie were fighting over who got the first spoonfuls of mash potatoes, Debbie peacefully curled up between their feet. Ollie thought he clearly should've gotten them first this time. It was his birthday after all. Eventually, their little squabble led to a spoonful of mashed potatoes landing on Petunia’s lap as Ollie stole the entire plate.
“You are such a child, Ollie.” Petunia huffed, wiping away the wasted food.
Ollie just gave her a cheeky grin, unable to keep himself from smiling.
“Now, now, calm yourselves.” Mum couldn't help chuckle.
Ollie was about to start serving himself when he heard a noise from the window. At first, he thought it was the branches of the trees near the house being knocked closer by the wind, but once the tapping became constant, his eyes wandered to the window just next to the oven.
The moment Ollie saw the shape of the owl, he bolted over to the window. That must be Lily, sending a letter through Mary’s owl, Fizz. But as Ollie pushed the curtains aside and opened the window, he realized it was definitely not Fizz. This owl’s feathers were a charred grey, nothing like Fizz’s taffy, and the eyes were a bit closer together.
The owl flapped its wings, launching itself off of the cill and perching on Ollie’s shoulder. He made a noise of surprise at the claws gently jabbing into his skin but couldn't help but giggle as the owl nipped at his ears and ruffled his hair.
“Quite affectionate, that one.” His mum laughed lovingly.
Ollie only realized the owl had a letter for him moments later. He quickly unclipped it from the owl's foot, confused by the stamp at the front. The red seal was odd. It had a capital ‘H’ at the front accompanied by four animals: a lion, a snake, a badger, and an eagle. It felt familiar, and when Ollie finally managed to rack his brain for the memory of where, he let out an involuntary gasp.
Even as his father came up behind him and took the letter from his hands, Ollie wasn't sure if this was real. Yet the wave of surprise that washed over his father's face– then joy– was unmistakable. The same had happened with Lily, albeit with more confusion at the appearance of a severe woman at their door.
The joy seemed to be infectious, spreading from his dad to mum almost instantaneously at the sight of the stamp and the name addressed at the front ‘Oleander S. Evans’. Even the atmosphere suddenly felt electric. The only two people in the family that seemed to not feel the same were Petunia and Ollie himself.
Petunia sprang to her seat, toppling the chair she had been sitting on back. They all flinched at the loud sound, now looking at Petunia. She had her hands on the table, her face looking beyond gutted. Her eyes flickered from the letter to Ollie repeatedly, tears brimming the corners of her eyes gradually in the tense silence.
“This… This is so… unfair,” Petunia said slowly, her voice beginning to crack, “Why did you… why did you get a letter and…”
She couldn't even finish her sentence, instead opting to storm off upstairs to her room. Her bedroom door slammed, leaving the whole house shaken.
Ollie felt his hands begin to tremble, staring off at where he'd seen Petunia last. He swallowed, forcing his legs to step forward.
“Tuney, I– wait–” Ollie all but whispered, his voice nowhere near loud enough to be heard.
“Come here, darling.” Mum all but scooped him up, stopping him from committing to running up the stairs and pleading with Petunia to talk.
“I’ll go talk to her.” Dad said firmly, already halfway up the stairs.
No matter whatever his mum said to reassure him, his mind refused to focus on anything other than Petunia’s sudden outburst. He finished dinner solemnly, his appetite long gone.
Even after he finished, he heard Petunia crying behind her locked door. Ollie’s nerve to go after her had vanished, and he could bare himself at the possibility of being called the names Petunia used for Lily if he so much as stepped a foot in his oldest sister’s room.
That night, he was restless. No matter how much he tossed and turned, one thought wouldn't let him rest, why me?