Petunia was always the worse sister - not as pretty, not as kind and especially not as magical as Lily. Jealousy and bitterness rule her life, until one fateful encounter changes her destiny ...
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Petunia was always the lesser out of the two Evaness...
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Petunia blinked, stunned into silence by his words. Was Eugene ... flirting with her?
Surely not, the calcified shell around her heart quickly reflected, having accumulated over years of being compared to someone more lovely.
But as of late that protective shell had grown brittle, layer after layer chipped away with every one of Eugene's smiles, every time the wind tangled through her hair upon Aspen's back and Petunia felt powerful and free.
But never ... pretty.
Petunia knew her own flaws quite well, though she never liked to acknowledge them. But no matter how much she might wish to, she couldn't change the fact that her eyes were too pale, her face too narrow, her lips too thin and her neck too long. Her hair might have a nice colour but it was brittle and wispy without any volume or shine, no matter how dedicated Petunia was in her care, unlike Lily's which always tumbled in effortless, brilliant waves down her back like roiling flames.
And that insecure, cautious part of herself that had steadily grown in silence and darkness, in fleeting thoughts before she fell asleep, in compliments grown-ups had rained on her sister but never on Petunia, had only one function: to protect her.
It had never allowed Petunia to consider the reasons why Eugene actually volunteered to spend his time with her. Maybe he truly liked their companionship, maybe he liked talking to someone who was eager to learn more about Magical Creatures or someone who wouldn't always mention his father.
But maybe he was simply too nice. Maybe he pitied her. Maybe it actually didn't mean anything to him.
It wasn't until now, standing underneath feathery sunlight and looking into warm, brown eyes that Petunia realised her armour had long failed her. Sometime between that first letter and Eugene opening up to her about his father, he had burrowed underneath her scales, digging his claws into the pink, vulnerable flesh beneath.
Because her heart was beating faster than ever before, clamouring against her ribs in its painful eagerness. Her head was light and hope, the most dangerous thing of all, pumped through her veins.
Maybe he is flirting ... maybe he actually likes me.
Petunia wasn't even aware that she had stopped walking. Only when Eugene's gaze turned questioning did she suddenly realise that she hadn't answered, hadn't even reacted and just stared at him for who knows how long - a spike of adrenaline mixed with terror pierced through her, her fingers twitching and straightening in useless agitation.
She couldn't even clearly recall what Eugene had just said, what they had been talking about, only that it made her feel giddy and his tone had been teasing ...
To her surprise, it was Eugene who continued talking, not waiting for her panicked thoughts to straighten into any suitable response.
"Well, you'd have to teach me first, of course. When it comes to breaking the law, my record is still behind yours, Petals. First Aspen, then Ivy, not to speak of all the things you hopefully get up to with none the wiser."
