On December Something

The Rehearsal Dinner

November 15th, 1978
The Rehearsal Dinner

The room was filled with people that Petunia didn't know that were there to celebrate her relationship with Vernon. The only person not thrilled about the arrangement was Petunia herself. She was getting married tomorrow.

To the wrong person.

She fiddled with the bow on her hip that tied her dress together. Originally, she would just play with her hair nervously but Vernon stressed the need for her to have it in a bun. She couldn't believe that James and her sister had talked him into marrying her before the year was over. She wasn't sure how they did it or what they bribed him with but he came to his knees begging for Petunia to forgive him.

She had to. She had no choice in the matter.

She scanned the room for a familiar or friendly faces and she couldn't see any. Until she landed on a pair of familiar eyes with deep red hair.

Lily.

She had come. This brought an unwavering smile to her lips as she rushed over to greet her sister.

"Lily," she breathed, pulling her into a tight hug.

"You look beautiful," Lily whispered, returning the hug.

Petunia could feel her body relax into her sister's heavy embrace and the tears started to brim her eyes for the hundredth time that afternoon. She didn't want to do this. She couldn't do this. All of these people were here for a relationship that wasn't real. They all expected more out of her than what she actually had. It was painful. She stifled a sob and broke the hug with Lily. Lily pulled her into the closest bathroom and peered around to make sure no one was listening and locked the door. Petunia wept. She had been weeping for months. Her eyes were always red rimmed and her irises were vibrant against the tears that covered them. She felt caged.

Her hair had to be put up the way Vernon liked it and her clothes had to be conservative like he preferred. Even her wedding dress had to cover everything. That ruined any chance of wearing the dress she imagined she would wear when marrying Sirius. Just the thought of him brought a fresh wave of tears.

"Oh Tuney," Lily whispered, pushing a stray piece of hair behind Petunia's ear.

She inhaled a shaky breath and looked at herself in the mirror. She was completely disheveled.

"How can I do this?" Petunia asked through her watery gaze.

Lily didn't have an answer but she looked just as miserable as her sister.

"How can I put on that dress tomorrow and marry someone I don't love, Lily?" She asked again, sobbing.

"I don't know, Tuney."

"Vernon made it clear that he didn't want you or James around after we get married. He's going to force you out of my life! I can't handle this!"

Petunia slid to the floor in angst and brought her knees up to her chest. She wondered quietly when everything got so complicated. If this is what magic did then she didn't want it. She wished she had never had it. She had spent years wishing to be like her sister and she wished now, more than ever, to take that back. If she could get rid of it then maybe she could be with Sirius instead of sulking on the bathroom floor at her rehearsal dinner.

"It was the arrangement we made. If James and I aren't around then you're much safer," Lily cooed.

"I'd rather be in danger," she whispered.

The bathroom grew quiet except for the random sniffles that echoed through the walls. She could hear the sound of people laughing and chattering at a party that she had no interest in being a part of. She smoothed the skirt of her dress and took a deep breath.