On December Something

The Magical Moment

Dursley's Home
Harry's Third Year - Azkaban Escapee

Petunia was shaken. So much had happened at the dinner that she had worked so hard to make sure went off without a hitch. Glasses were broken, her dining room furniture was practically ruined, Dudley had a button sized bruise on his forehead and Marge had blown into a balloon. After Harry had stormed out of the house after the Marge happenings, Petunia was surrounded in a cloud of confusion and complete terror. How could she have been so careless? She knew she couldn't let it get the best of her temper.

Marge had been put back together and deflated as well as obliviated by people from the ministry. She was thankful for that so that there were no stories at future family events. They couldn't have her finding out about their well kept secret. They did have to make up an allergy to explain the redness and swelling.

Petunia took a deep breath and waited for a good hour in bed until Vernon was fast asleep. This was when she often snuck to her secret bunker. While Vernon and Dudley were off to their respective places, she formed letters and that allowed her secret owl to stretch his legs.

She gently folded back the covers and tiptoed over to the bedroom door, begging for it not to squeak. She managed just fine as she hurried down the stairs in the dark and not bothering to change from her nightgown. She had to make sure that it was what she thought it would be. She grabbed a vase filled with Marge's favorite flowers and crept out the back door to her cellar.

She looked around to make sure no one was watching and that's when she saw it. A black dog with shaggy hair. His eyes were dark but he was just sitting on the other side of her garden, panting happily, and then he just laid down.

That must be the neighbor's new dog.

She thought to herself. She couldn't worry about some silly mutt at a time like this. She had to see if it was true. She needed to know if she was the reason for this evening.

When she felt she was secured in the cellar she set the vase on her desk and backed away from it slowly. All of her emotions were built up in the back of her mind but they were searing every fiber within her. She was confused, hurt, sad, and angry but nowhere to truly let those feelings be free. Until tonight, or so she thought.

She had to concentrate. She stared at the vase for what felt like hours and nothing happened. Maybe it hadn't been here. She closed her eyes but the sickening memory that was tonight crept behind her dulled irises and invaded her thought.

It's the mother's fault anyway...

Marge's words came calling back to the rage inside Petunia's head. There was nothing wrong with Lily. There was nothing wrong with James. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Harry. Her fingers curled into her palms and her fists clenched the sides of her nightgown. Something caused her blonde tresses to fall from it's tight bun and brush behind her with a furious wind.

If there's something wrong with the Bitch...

That was all Petunia needed. The wind blowing her hair past her shoulders became stronger and the lights from her candles flickered before going out completely. Her eyes flew open and the vase burst into a thousand pieces that glittered on the dirt floor. Stunned, she fell backwards into the wall with her rapid panting.

She was the reason. She had made the glass shatter, not Harry. She didn't blow her up or maybe she did. She didn't remember. All she knew was that her strong feelings brought the magic back to her fingertips. The magic that she had forgotten about so long ago. She had managed to hide it for years from everyone, even Sirius. What had she been afraid of?