Petunia and the Little Monster

January 1972

There is no way he would be here that early, Petunia decided. Eugene didn't strike her as someone who would arrive more than an hour before that train would leave the magic station. She expected relief to spread through her stomach, easing her tight belly, but instead it seemed to fill with lead, sinking through her body and settling somewhere around her feet.

You're here to make sure Eugene doesn't meet Lily, she reminded herself, her eyes gravitating towards her sister who was talking to some unknown girl. Not to meet him yourself.

Platform 9 3/4 looked different from the last time she'd been here, which was mostly because it was missing the suffocating mass of people. This time barely anyone was present yet and the space looked strangely cavernous and empty. Red brick walls curved high above her head, making the steps and muted chatter echo loudly all around her, while a dispersing cloud of smoke whispered across the ceiling. Its scent lingered in the slightly cool air, reminding Petunia of burning wood.

Familiar, delighted laughter rang out and Petunia's attention wandered back to Lily, who was still talking to her friend. The girl had short hair and pudgy cheeks, wearing the same red-gold scarf Lily had proudly displayed since Christmas. She looked kind and harmless and, Petunia thought, weak. But maybe that was a wrong impression, then despite the impressive glower Severus was sending her way, the girl didn't flinch or even spare him a glance.

Her mother had gone to talk to some other adults, leaving Severus and Petunia behind, an obscure pairing considering they had been ignoring each other ever since Severus first got into the Evan's Vauxhall. Petunia's mother had taken the wretched boy along to London as a favour to Mrs Snape, though Petunia wished she would have just brushed the other woman off. That way Petunia wouldn't have been forced to spend all of the car drive obsessively focusing on whatever was outside her window and trying to ignore that the wretched boy was not only sitting next to her, but that he was sitting next to her after he had seen her cry.

At least Severus seemed to share her intentions, and had never once even acknowledged her presence, happy to bathe in Lily's light and concentrate solely on her during the drive.

His luck ran out though, when Lily spotted one of her new friends after just stepping through the wall and promptly ran over to talk to the girl.

Catching herself staring back at the fake-wall, Petunia decided it was time to divert her attention. She knew he wouldn't step through, so what was she waiting for?

Gazing around for a distraction her eyes stilled on the dark expression on Severus' face. He was decidedly unhappy and she almost found his pouting comical.

"Must be one of her new friends." The comment slipped from her lips before Petunia could remind herself that they were ignoring each other. Severus hadn't forgotten though, refusing to respond or look at her, but his expression soured a bit more.

Now that she had already started, Petunia didn't intend to stop.

"Matching scarfs," she tutted, her voice deceptively soft. "They look very close."

He still refused to respond but Petunia didn't give up that quickly. "Why don't you go over?"

Severus' lips twitched downwards before he squeezed them into one pale line.

"You don't like Lily's new friends? Or could it be that ... they don't like you?"

He finally glanced at her, his black eyes spitting venom. His voice was pressed and silent. "Shut. Up."

Petunia didn't even think about it. "I wonder why that could be ..."

Severus sneered. "A muggle wouldn't know."