Chapter Text
I did my best to not yell at my guests, to not kick them out. Not only would it give a bad impression on the next door neighbours, but I know I can’t do much against three magical freaks with their weapons at hand. Even though I really want to rip them apart after they got our mother Dahlia Evans killed.
My freak of a sister, her freak of a husband, their two spawns and their old headmaster of their freak school sat in my living room, telling me that some terrorist wizard attacked them while in hiding due to some prophecy. Not only that, but our mother died in that attack, trying to protect the Lily’s twins.
And now they demand from me to take in one of the twins – the one they call a Squib – so that they can focus on their prophetised saviour. I always thought the Wizarding World sounded like a cult, but this is ludicrous.
‘Why me?’ she asked. She pointed at James. ‘Aren’t you some rich aristocrat? Can’t you just pay someone to take care of Harry?’
Lily’s stupid husband looked like a fish out of water, but the headmaster (cult leader) answered for him, ‘Petunia, you need to understand, squids aren’t treated well in our world. It would be best for the child to be raised away from all this. He should have a loving home.’
I huffed. In hindsight, maybe it was a good thing he rejected my application for that school, everyone seems to listen to Dumbledore without a thought of their own. I crossed my arms, ‘A loving home? With me? You are wrong, I have no reason to love him.’
‘But he is your nephew, Tuni!’ my good for nothing sister protested. ‘He is your nephew!’
‘And Dahlia was our mother, yet you had no problem to sacrifice her because he said so.’ I gestured with my thumb to the old man. ‘You are better off just placing him in some orphanage.’
‘Hm…’ I heard Dumbledore voice.
‘What is it?’
‘Orphanages and magical children don’t mix well.’ he replied. ‘He is best off with family.’
‘And none of his family, I assume?’ my husband butted in, eyeing James.
I agreed, ‘Vernon has a point.’
‘Like we said, our world is not kind to squibs-’
Vernon interrupted James, ‘Let me guess, your aristocrat relatives cull any squids that pop up in your pedigree line?’
James and Lily paled, ‘No-’
‘Can’t you place him with an adult squib or something?’ I asked. Not that I needed an answer, I just needed to distract them while I think.
Lily and I have an older sister, Rosanna. Why can’t they ask her? Is it because she already has two children while I only have Dudley? Or is it because she lives all the way in Australia? Unlike me, she is magical.
‘Why don’t you ask Rosanna?’ I snapped as James bemoaned not having relatives. ‘Did you even tell her mum died?’
Lily stated, ‘Because she is a witch like me. And yes, we told her.’
I shrugged, ‘Maybe Australians have a different opinion of Squibs? How can you know without asking her?’
‘Magical Australia was a colony of ours, so they are very similar to us.’ James explained.
I sighed. They really don’t accept a ‘no’. Lily and James don’t even try to ask Rosanna. Maybe if they don’t, I could ask her.
‘Fine. Leave him here and be dead beats. On that note, get out of my house!’ I answered. ‘And you pay for mum’s funeral, the least you can do. And don’t you dare being cheap!’ Lily and James nod, the later in a slight fear. Good.
‘Uh, Pet?’ Vernon asked confused.
I mouthed him ‘later’ and started to shush them out. ‘Out, now. You are no longer needed!’
‘Petunia, thank you-’ Lily tried to hug me but I pushed her away.
‘No hugs! Now leave before I change my mind.’ I threatened her. Lily backed away and took Charlus, their chosen one, and left the living room. Vernon – ever the gentleman – opened the door, so that they waste no time getting out of our home! ‘And don’t bother visiting!’
As soon as Vernon closed the door, he asked, ‘Uh, Petunia, why did you change your mind about raising him?’ He gestured to Harry in his carrier, unaware of what is going on.
I waved his worry off. ‘Oh, I do not plan to actually raise him. I will contact Rosanna to take him. If she says no, we bring him to an orphanage or something.’, I explained. ‘Huh! They didn’t even bother asking Rosanna! Sure, Rosie lives in Australia, but don’t have wizards basically teleportation? The distance shouldn’t be an issue.’
He nod in agreement. ‘Good point, good point.’
‘Rosanna has a daughter and the last time I checked had a second child on the way.’ I recalled. Then we heard Dudley crying from his room. ‘Vernon, can you handle Duddykins? I need to call Rosanna. I want to sort this out as soon as I can.’ He nod and left upstairs while I searched for my purse. I carry around a small calendar that includes a list of phone numbers, including Rosanna’s. While she is a witch like Lily, she is still nicer than her. Then again, not much aggression can happen when one sister lives on the other end of the world.
I found the page with the numbers, as well as a note reading ‘+9 hours time difference.’ Meaning, as it is 11 o’clock here, it should be 8 o’clock evening near Sydney. Assuming Rosie didn’t move into a different time zone.
With the number in hand, I walked to the landline and dialled her number. After a bit of ringing, I heard her speak, ‘Rosanna Evans speaking!’ Despite being married, her husband took her surname. Their father Hubert was happy with this, especially after learning Edward’s surname was… an invite to bully potential grandchildren.
‘Rosanna, it is me, Petunia. We need to talk.’ I began.
‘Oh, Petunia. I assume Lily told you about mum’s death?’ Rosanna asked.
‘Yes… did they tell you why she died?’ After a bit of silence from Rosanna’s end, I told her what they told me. ‘And the kicker is, now they want me to raise Harry. In fact, he is in my living room as we speak.’ By now he fell asleep. ‘I wanted to ask if you would take him.’ Instead of an answer, Rosanna ended the call.
Before I could get angry, I heard a snap and Rosanna appeared in my living room, in all her blonde glory. ‘In that case we need to talk in person! How dare Lily-’ Harry started crying. ‘Oh! Baby!’ She calmed down and took Harry out of his carrier on the floor, before sitting onto my couch. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you, Harry!’
I blinked in surprise. Rosanna was always such a storm of emotions. As she soothed Harry, I told her, ‘James and Lily agreed to pay for mum’s funeral.’
‘The Potter’s are rich enough, so they better do!’ Rosanna agreed. ‘That’s why I prefer living in Oz, no wizarding lordships.’
I nod, to pretend to agree. ‘Well, I wanted to ask if you can take Harry.’ I repeated, ‘If you don’t, I will surrender him to an orphanage.’
Now Rosanna was nodding. ‘I can’t even be mad at you, you live your own life. You and Vernon are far less established than me and Eddie. Oh, were is Vernon anyway?’
‘Upstairs, tending to Dudley.’ I replied.
Rosanna then placed Harry back into the carrier. She told me, ‘I want to take him, but I need to discuss with Edward first. I doubt he says no – considering we’ve been trying for a son – but I can’t just jump a third kid onto him. Also, babies can’t apparate, so we would need to pick him up via muggle means. This would take a few days of planning.’
I nod. ‘Of course, of course. But in the end you take him, good.’
‘And I don’t mind paying you for the few days you care for him.’ Rosanna added. ‘I’m sorry Lily jumped this on you. But why didn’t they ask me?’
‘James and Dumbledore told me squibs aren’t treated well in Britain and not much different in Australia.’ I recalled. Rosanna then looked confused. ‘Rosie?’
‘Besides that Oz and Magical Britain have differences, including in treatment of squibs… Harry isn’t a squib.’ Rosanna told me. ‘At least he does not feel like one. I can sense his magical aura. Oh Lily, you stupid egg!’ She sighed. ‘I’m still taking him. If our sister can’t even sense a healthy magical aura… Ed works in the Australian Ministry of Magic, it should be easy to produce the needed documents.’
I sighed in relief. By the end of the week, Harry will be out of my hair. ‘You should go and tell Edward.’
‘Yes.’ With that, she vanished in thin air with a snap. Minutes later Vernon came back downstairs.
‘I heard voices.’
‘Rosanna apparated over. She takes Harry, but she needs to discuss and prepare a few things with her husband.’ I informed him. ‘Which means Harry will stay with us for a few days, but he will be out of our hair.’
He sighed in relief. ‘Why again didn’t they ask Rosanna directly?’
I explained to him what Dumbledore said. ‘The thing is, Rosanna said he isn’t a squib.’ I sighed. ‘Not that it matters to us now.’
Days later, Rosanna and Edward rang on our door. As soon as I opened the door, Rosanna handed me a gift basket. ‘A small thanks for caring for Harry for the last few days, I know you really didn’t want to.’
‘I-Thank you.’ I replied, totally surprised by it. We walked into the living room, were the children and Vernon were. He stood up and greeted Edward and Rosanna.
‘I hope the flight wasn’t too bothersome compared to appa-whatever?’ Vernon said.
Edward shrugged. ‘Not to brag, but we flew first class.’
‘Oh.’ my husband voiced.
Edward then continued, ‘How’s working at Grunnings?’
While our men talked about their jobs, Rosanna cuddled the kids, including Dudley.
‘We may be here to pick up Harry, but I might as well cuddle my other nephew when I am here.’ Rosanna said. ‘Also, there is a lil something for Dudley in the basket, too. Nothing magical, don’t worry.’ She added, ‘Listen, Petunia. If Lily and her associates ever approach you about Harry or whatever, let me know and let me handle them.’
So I don’t have to deal with them? ‘Gladly.’ Then I remembered, ‘I just realised, you never filled me in on your second pregnancy.’
‘Oh! Right. A second girl, around Harry and Dudley’s age. We named her Primrose. Jasmine is not so happy to have a sibling. Then again, I wasn’t that happy either when you and Lily first appeared! But that is typical for older siblings. Being used to all the attention and then not any more…’ Rosanna chatted.
Then I asked, ‘Who is taking care of your daughters while you are here?’
‘Eddie’s parents. In fact his mum is making an appointment for us with some doctors to make things process smoothly.’ she gestured to Harry. ‘Magical and non-magical. I’m still irritated they said Harry to be a squib. I need to double check that.’
‘Of course. What about school?’ I asked. When I tried to attend Hogwarts, I was told about this enchanted book that automatically wrote down the names of all eligible children to attend the school. If Australia has a school, do they also have such book? Would Harry be added?
‘Well, if he is a squib, which I doubt, we sure find something in Sydney. If he is magical, Cheshire Academy of Magic, of course! After all, Eddie attended-oh, you wonder if they have a book like Hogwarts. Nah, anyone with magic can attend. Cheshire is less stiff.’ Then Rosie was silent. ‘Then again, shouldn’t Harry be listed in that book? Oh, never mind. Hogwarts is irrelevant now.’
After a few hours it was time for them to go back to Australia, this time with Lily’s son in tow.
As soon as Eddie and I landed in Sydney, his dad picked us up. When we got into his old Citroen, he told us proudly, ‘Had to beat Alicia in Chess to get the honour to pick you up. First one to meet the new grandkid!’
‘Dad! Focus on the street! You can cuddle Harry later.’ Edward told his father. ‘Wait, you beat mum?’
‘I may push a century but defeating a chess champion is not impossible for me!’ Earl cheered. ‘How was England?’
‘Rainy.’ I said, ‘Eddie, remind me to send a howler to Lily.’
‘I’m surprised you hadn’t already done so.’