Secrets She Kept » Harry Potter

Part 8

What Petunia didn't expect was Severus Snape entering her life long after the death of her sister. Although running into locals was easy every time she ventured into the town centre when the man was there on semester break. They had brief conversations while the children were at school and her youngest was placed in daycare, giving her a moment of peace while she shopped for items they needed in their household. It was another way to prove although she was busy being a housewife, she had the power to be independent and have things sorted for when her ex-husband would be released from prison and try to fight for custody of their children. Vernon did make it clear he was only interested in taking Dudley and leaving her with George.

A busy Saturday hit Petunia and she was in need to purchase groceries for the busy week. She was thankful that Harry and Dudley had been taken to their soccer game that morning by one of the other mothers in their team, so that left her to venture to the market with a sleeping George in the pram. She had wrapped him tightly in a warm coat and thick blanket to protect him from the cool air that surrounded them in the Autumn.

While browsing the vegetables on offer, Severus Snape notices the familiar woman wrapped in a thick coat. He too was in need of food items since returning to his Muggle home for the semester break. He was finding spending time apart from Hogwarts was beneficial for his mental health, there were still memories that lingered as he strutted through the halls of the bullies. One of whom had married Petunia's late sister and that made the wizard bitter as he had loved Lily long before James Potter did.

But she was dead, there was no bringing her back to rid of any mistake made on either of their parts in their stories. Fate had written it that way. All Severus was left to do was complete instructions given to him by his boss to keep Harry Potter protected. It had surprised Dumbledore to hear that Petunia had returned to her childhood home to raise Harry, that wasn't what he had expected from what he was told in the prophecy. Dumbledore instructed the young wizard to get close to the Muggle, keeping an eye on their activity to protect them from the dangers of ruining the plan the wizard had in place for when Harry was old enough. "Petunia, how nice to see you again."

The greeting leaves Petunia shocked, she hadn't expected the wizard to return so soon from the winter holiday break. "Severus!" She exclaims, holding her hand across her chest to settle her breathing. "What are you doing back so suddenly?"

There is a gentle smile on his pale face. His black hair blew in the wind. "Hogwarts is on another holiday break." He confirms her previous thought. "Is this one of your children?"

Severus eyes the infant that remained asleep in the stroller. "Yes, this is my youngest George." She explains. "Quietest infant I have ever come across." It was the truth, the child slept through the night and never made much of a fuss unless it came to not being fed at the appropriate time. He also enjoyed interacting with the older boys now he was big enough to start engaging in games with the two containing toys.

The pair of adults take a few more moments to catch up on their recent lives before they part ways. Petunia was busy finishing her shopping before the soccer match was over and Severus returned to the safety of his home to finish marking the assignments written by his students.

Petunia knew the semester break was short, as she recalled her sister returning from Hogwarts for two short weeks. The elder sister was jealous about all the adventures she was embracing while she was stuck being a plain girl, there was nothing special about her. So one lunchtime, she had organised to have a meal with the wizard on a weekday when the children were at school and daycare. The woman would put in the effort to prepare a nice pasta salad and fresh baking for the occasion. There was a sense of excitement in her inviting a man into her home, other than having the officers report any news on her court cases or information regarding her ex-husband.

She was caught off-guard by the doorbell ringing right on the minute she had arranged for Severus to arrive. After brushing flour from the bottom of her floral skirt, which she had handmade for herself as a hobby to pass the time while the children were busy, she opens the door to see the wizard standing there dressed in dark Muggle clothing. It was a sight she hadn't expected, Severus looked so casual in a dark navy sweater and black slacks. Although he wore his usual dress shoes. "Welcome!" She greets, her cheeks flushing red due to the extra time she had spent staring at his sudden change in appearance.

There is a short laugh from the wizard before he accepts the invitation into the home.

Petunia wasted no time fitting back into the role of being a host. She had always had the expectation from her ex-husband to please any guests they invited into their home. Not everything she had suddenly dismissed from her marriage, she found she enjoyed hosting dinner parties and different guests in her home. These days it was usually her friends or the mothers to drop the children off for sleepovers with the boy's friends. It was nice to have someone new.

While preparing a pot of tea Petunia invites the wizard to the living room. There Severus is able to see an array of different photographs of the children, even featuring pictures of Petunia and Lily when they were growing up. The man did feel a dull ache looking at the bright smile on Lily's face, moving on to the recent family portrait Petunia had done of the three boys and herself in a garden setting. He could see the joy the woman held, holding the infant on her lap as they smile at the camera. "Sorry about the mess!" She muses, noting the children's toys which were sitting in a basket in one of the corners.

Looking around the room, there were no signs of toys scattered everywhere. It would be a different story once they got home from school since it was cooler outside. "No need to apologise, I can understand the ruckus that comes from young children," Severus explains as Petunia pours them both a cup of tea.

"My former friends think I'm insane for being a single mother to three children." She mentions, feeling comfortable giving more insight into her old life. "They said I should've taken my ex-husband's offer for his parents to raise Dudley."

Severus knew the woman in front of him was a strong and independent soul, capable of caring for others before herself. She would prove herself to finish any challenge given to her, so knew she was fit for caring for three children. If she wasn't, she would've refused to care for Harry when she found him on the doorstep that night. "I couldn't imagine the pain you'd suffer without having your family together." Although his parents were long gone from this world, he held no emotions toward them. Both were cruel in their own ways and selfish with their arguments, never agreeing to be civil and separate. They would rather make Severus feel miserable in their presence to finish screaming. "There aren't enough wizarding families able to take on caring for foster children."

That gave Petunia a reason why Harry was placed in their care rather than in a wizarding environment. It may have been that she had knowledge of the world to prepare him when it was his time to start Hogwarts, as she was never close with her sister in their later teenage years.

Moments of silence followed as the adults eat their meals. "I never got the opportunity to apologise-" Severus is cut off by Petunia.

"You had, you were a blubbering mess at Lily's funeral." She retorts, keeping her feelings of sadness hidden. "We both had apologies well overdue. Although as life has changed for me, it's better to enjoy the moment and don't be trapped in the guilt of the past."

Severus noted it was a wise thing to do. Both adults had been dealt with shitty childhoods and were jealous of those around them. Although they were both from different worlds there was an understanding that they both lost someone that night in Godric's Hollow, that they both cared for, and now they have the opportunity to move on from the pain. That didn't mean completely disregarding that Lily existed, it meant being able to live life without any more regrets.