A magical love affair - Severus Snape x Petunia Evans

Chapter 7 - Facing some bitter truths hurts!

Park near Spinner's End, Cokeworth, July 1978

Petunia felt absolutely horrified and depressed because Severus voiced her greatest fears. That Vernon would break her spirit and body in the future, if she didn't leave him beforehand, because he loved to see her suffer, inflict her pain and reduce her into a silent, submissive and miserable woman. She couldn't help herself to be a better person in the future and seek her happiness, if she didn't leave him as soon as possible, for he only wanted to control her life, turn her into an isolated, unhappy and terrified housewife and destroy her anyway low self-confidence. She knew deep down in her bones that she would end up like Eileen, a broken, self-loathing woman beaten to death by her husband, if she didn't leave him tomorrow and this morbid thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Petunia promised herself that she would act tomorrow, but gather her strength today and revel in the positive vision Severus envisioned for her future. She really felt like she was in an alternative universe because Severus listened to her sorrows patiently, stated his honest opinion and helpful advice without a snarky remark and comforted her with tight hugs and encouraging words. She really liked this empathetic, truthful and caring version of Severus and could gradually see why he had been Lily's best male friend for such long time. He really seemed like an ideal choice for a best friend. A patient listener with a sound mind, good advice, and honest words who tried to comfort you at your lowest point in life and stayed loyal at your side. Petunia wished that she had not wasted her time in their childhood fighting with him, disregarding him as a wicked, awful and freaky boy and angering him with her verbal bullying, because they now seemed to have a lot in common and could have been kindred spirits while growing up.

Petunia couldn't understand, why Lily distanced herself completely from him and badmouthed him in front of their parents as an evil, dark wizard who had joined a violent, maniac gang hell-bent on ruling the Wizarding world by killing Muggles, Muggle-borns, Blood-traitors, Squibs and Magical creatures when they asked her about their failed friendship. In Petunia's opinion, Lily clearly painted Severus in dark colors, like some crazy, determined killer that you should avoid with every means necessary, because she wanted to wash her hands off of him without being labeled as the bad guy. Therefore, she needed to tell lies about him and demonize him as an evil, dark wizard who wanted to kill people like her family due to his belief in blood-purity and the supremacy of pure-blooded wizards and witches to stop their parents nagging and kill any feelings of sympathy they might have towards Severus.

In Petunia's books, Severus couldn't be this stereotyped, dark wizard for real, because he surely wouldn't try to comfort her, a devastated, unhappy young Muggle woman, if he was hell-bent on killing every Muggle. And he also wouldn't encourage her to leave Vernon, if he wanted to see all Muggles suffer or pay her any compliments and instill hopes for a happy future with her Mr. Right in her heart, if he thought himself superior to her and only regarded people like her as human trash. Besides that, no evil person would comfort their childhood nemesis and listen to her sorrows, because you needed a heart to qualify as a good comforter and great hugger. And despite the fact that Severus behavior might be fueled by his Whiskey consumption, Petunia believed in the old saying "Drunk talk is real talk", so that she knew for sure that this vulnerable, honest, empathetic and comfort-sharing Severus was his true self.

So. whatever lies Lily wanted to broadcast about him, Petunia didn't fell for them. Especially, since she knew all about Lily's oftentimes hurtful lies, mean behavior, and tendencies to overdramatize everything to gain the attention of her environment and depict herself as a victim. For how could a young man who believed in the concept of soulmates, suffered under the verbal and physical abuse of his father, lost his beloved mum to his savage beatings and transferred hope to Petunia ever join a heartless, violent band of maniacs? It didn't make any sense. Therefore, Petunia decided to judge Severus due to his actions, words and thoughts, instead of the unverified and horrific gossip from her sister.