Secrets She Kept » Harry Potter

Part 9

Since their lunch at Petunia's home the pair of adults, Severus is left feeling more positive than when he arrived. He had expected Petunia to recall all the memories in that home where her family had previously made him feel welcome, wanting to know all about the magical world. Petunia was left out from such conversations during the early years of Hogwarts where he and Lily would boast about their subjects and how their spell casting had gone. She was a jealous and bitter child, as she was left abandoned by her own family as she wasn't special like her sister.

There was a pang of guilt in the wizard, he too had made that same comment as a clueless child. He knew she had heard it, the last hope that there would be a link between Petunia and the magical world. Although he tried to take on the new perspective that she spoke of, there was a lot of heartache in her life and she was truly trying to make up for any abuse she had performed. She was manipulated by her husband to be that way, it still didn't make her feel any less guilty. Harry was an innocent child entrusted to her by her sister who had been murdered, he had suffered enough pain to last a lifetime.

The adults did agree to meet again before Severus left for Hogwarts. It was an encounter where Severus would lay eyes on Harry Potter, his last memory of him was screaming after he had found Lily dead in their destroyed home. It wasn't long before Dumbledore whisked the boy away to the care of Petunia, unaware of the abuse that would ensue.

Petunia had simply invited the wizard over for a cup of tea after she had put George down for a nap from his morning at daycare. Time vanished quickly by the time the adults had spent talking. That's how Petunia found two young boys running into the house, excitedly chanting that they were going to beat the other in a video game. The pair of boys had stripped their coats over the floor and dropped their school bags as they run into the living room, finding a strange man sitting there enjoying the company of Petunia.

Harry's green eyes were curious, looking at the wizard in front of him. All Snape saw in return was a mirror image of his childhood enemy James Potter, although he was looking at Lily's eyes. Dudley too eyed the man, scared his mother was already replacing his father. "Mummy, who's this?" He asked, there was still hope he felt that his father was changing and they would get their family back together.

"This is my friend Severus." Petunia introduces the boys. "Now, why have you two just thrown your belongings all over the floor?" Her tone is firm.

There is guilt laced in both boys' faces. "We wanted to play the new video game Dudley got sent," Harry admits the truth, shaking the back of his messy hair.

"I was going to beat Harry in it." Dudley chimed in.

Severus is left amused by the banter between the two boys. It reminded him of his friendships during his Hogwarts days with the boys from the Slytherin house. Petunia sends the boys upstairs with their bags, mentioning to keep quiet to keep George asleep. She turned to Severus apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry, you probably didn't want to see the sight of children on your break." She was still thinking that men weren't interested in knowing women with children, she didn't want to put any pressure that any man will become a father if something were to lead more to any friendship.

Severus shook his head laughing. "It's quite alright Petunia." He assures the woman.

There is a moment where the adult's eyes meet, blue eyes looking into deep brown eyes before they're broken apart by the sound of George screaming from his bedroom. Leaving Petunia to sigh. "Perhaps we arrange something different earlier in the day." She mentions.

"Whatever makes you comfortable," Severus adds, not wanting to make Petunia uncomfortable with his presence around the children. "You have a lovely evening to tend to the children and we can arrange something else another day."