The Rise And Fall Of The Stag And The Doe

life is for living

The lawyer finished speaking and Lily was perfectly clear on what was happening. Lily would get her mother's pendant, her father's books and half of what the house was worth, all of the rest would go to Petunia, which was perfectly fine with her. It was all signed and taken care of. There was nothing else to do, in a month her father's house would go on the market and in two weeks she'd have to get all of her possessions out of it.

Petunia rose first, she was wearing a grey pantsuit, which matched her expression perfectly.

"Petunia, wait." Lily called once they were in the hallway.

To her everlasting shock, her sister listened, though the sour expression on her face didn't fade. "What?"

"They're gone." Lily stated simply. "It's just us now."

Petunia swallowed, "...And?"

"You're my sister...I'm not asking for us to be best friends or even be close, but please don't let this become something where we act as thought the person doesn't exist."

"What do you want Lily?"

"I want something...I want us to be cordial." Lily asked with a note of desperation she wished she could have hid.

Petunia looked down her younger sister skeptically. "Fine, for dad."

"I will write you."

"Do it the normal way," Petunia warned her. "I don't want your nonsense around me."

Lily flinched but conceded. "Fine."

"Well-"

"Can we have dinner?...You can bring Vernon if you want." Lily questioned impulsively.

Petunia looked unsure. "And who will you bring?"

"I can bring my boyfriend." Lily suggested. "I don't think you've ever spoken with him."

"Is he like that other boy?" Petunia asked darkly, her nose turning up.

Lily frowned and in a low voice she said, "He's nothing like Severus... so what do you think?"

"...Fine, but don't pull any of your usual crap." Petunia pointed at her sternly. "I want none of it, do you understand?"

"Yes, yes I understand." Lily rolled her eyes.

Petunia cleared her throat and fixed her bangs, "Then I will be in touch, I suppose."

"Bye."

Her sister twitched as if she wanted to hug her sister, but her jaw firmed and she turned quite determinedly to walk off in the opposite direction. Lily, who was used to leaving a conversation with her sister bitter and angry, was pleasantly surprised to think she at least might have some connection to her past, even if it was a begrudging one. It wasn't much, but at this point Lily was more than willing to take it.

It took a few minutes for Lily to walk to a floo-able fireplace, but when she did she felt better then when she arrived. There wasn't going to be a spring in her step, and she wasn't smiling, but she wasn't crying either and that was at least a start. Coming back to Hogwarts, Lily tripped on one of the logs and nearly rolled out of the fireplace from the angle she hit the floor. Groaning, she laughed at her own lack of coordination and let Dumbledore help her to her feet.

"Thank you sir." Lily said politely.

Dumbledore said, "You're very welcome. I wonder if you would mind sitting for a moment while I have you here? I want to take only a few minutes of your time."

Lily brushed the soot out of her hair and sat down. "Not a problem Professor."

"What are you planning on doing after Hogwarts?"