Like Magic

Chapter Five

A loud thump woke Petunia up.

It took a moment for her to realise where she was. Several of Lily's books had fallen over onto her legs, and the cloak above her was suffocating. Petunia moved it out of the way. It was a little better now, but she was still hot.

"Bunch over, Remus, you're blocking the window."

"There isn't anywhere else to sit," complained a voice directly above Petunia's head. The owner was obviously sitting on top of the trunk.

"Lily, why didn't you put your trunk above the seats like we're supposed to?"

"It's too heavy, my dad couldn't lift it. Besides, there's no room."

"We'll shove it under the seats, then."

"Wait, let me grab my book -- " Petunia heard the lock on the trunk click and the lid sprung open just long enough for a hand to grab a book by her head. Before it closed again, Petunia could see the sunlight stream through the cloak that covered her, and she could hear the rumblings of the train that carried them all to Hogwarts.

The lid slammed shut, but didn't lock, and the trunk began to rock back and forth. Petunia braced herself against the pile of books and other supplies, hoping she wouldn't be crushed. Soon the trunk stilled. She heard what she thought was the compartment door sliding open.

"Hey, Davey Gudgeon's gonna try to turn himself into a toad! Wanna watch?"

There was a thundering herd of elephants, and then the compartment door closed again. It was silent.

Petunia decided to take a chance. She pushed on the top of the trunk, and breathed a sigh of relief to find it was open. But she couldn't open it more than a few centimetres. Grabbing a bit of the cloak, she shoved it into the opening to prop the lid up. She took a very deep breath of cool air. Before she could get a good look, though, the compartment door opened again.

"You think Davey will stay green like that?" It was Peter. Petunia strained to look at him, but could only see his knees.

"Madam Pomfrey can turn him back. She doesn't ask questions." This was a different boy, with a bit of a deeper voice, the one who'd told Remus to shove over. He spoke authoritatively.

"Would you, if you were the school nurse? Half the school would walk around broken if they thought they'd get the third degree before getting fixed." Petunia strained to get a better look at her sister, but all she could see was the bare knees beneath a skirt.

Lily wasn't looking at her trunk, else she might have seen the bright eyes peering from inside of it. She sat on the seat next to the window, holding an orange kitten in her lap.

"What's he doing here?" groaned the boy. "I hate cats."

"He's Carol's cat, and she gave him to me to keep for a bit," said Lily. "She's in Davey's compartment and he's allergic."

The kitten jumped off of Lily's lap and onto the boy sitting across from her. "Oh, Sirius!" cried out Lily, laughing. "I think Crookshanks likes you!"

Sirius glared at the kitten and shoved it off his legs. "Stupid cat!" he muttered.

"If you don't like him, you could always leave," said Lily sweetly.

Sirius grinned. "Fine then, Lily, which compartment is your sister in? I'll get on her nerves her for a bit."

The mood changed almost instantly. Lily pursed her mouth. She didn't look up from the kitten, who'd returned to her lap for gentle caresses, and was now purring and kneading its paws in contentment. Peter, sitting next to Lily, glared at Sirius.

"Shut it, Sirius."

"What?" asked Sirius, confused. "I just wanted to know -- isn't she here?"

"No," said Peter shortly.

"Yow, you mean she's a Muggle after all!"

Peter jumped up and pointed his wand at Sirius. "Shut it, shut it, shut it, or--" He was shaking, he was so angry. Sirius wasn't exactly the most tactful person, and usually the best response was just to tell him to shut his mouth. Peter didn't care. He wanted something stronger than words. Sirius looked at Peter's wand with something like bewilderment in his eyes.

"Oh, sorry," said Sirius with a snort. "You and your wand frighten me so much. What are you going to do, levitate me to death? It's the only thing you do right."

"Sirius!" cried out Lily. "Don't be mean."

"I can hex you!" shouted Peter, still upset.

"Right-o, Petey," said Sirius, clearly not believing him. "I'll leave you two alone in your misery. Maybe Davey is still green."

Sirius left the compartment. Peter's wand was still raised in his direction, and Lily took his arm.

"It's okay, Peter," she said softly. "It's my own fault. I'm going to have everyone asking about Pets, aren't I?"

"I can so hex him, I can hex him good," said Peter, still mad. "I'll show him!"

"Sure you will, Peter," said Lily, leading him back to a seat. "Don't worry about Sirius. He doesn't mean it, really. It's not like you're Severus, at least -- Sirius would never hurt you."

"Severus Snape is a snake," said Peter. "And that's not just because he's in Slytherin. Besides, he deserves to beaten up, half the time."

"No one deserves it," said Lily firmly. "Not even Severus."

Peter stared at her. "How can you say that? Don't you know he's the one who keeps getting us into trouble with McGonagall? He set off those dungbombs under the Gryffindor table our first year, and he figured out how to get into our common room and turn everything green our second year -- "

"And last year he got every one of us to fail our Potions exam by adding nettles to our cauldrons without us realising it," said Lily, smiling. "I know, I know. But do you really think he would have done any of that if he didn't have reason?"

"Yeah, because he's a slimy git?"

"No! Sirius beats up on him every chance he gets. If Sirius beat up on me, I'd try to get back at him too."

Peter's eyes narrowed. "If Sirius ever laid a hand on you, Lily -- "

"James would probably kill him," said Lily.

The door opened again. "Who would I kill?" asked James lightly, coming inside.

"Oh, nobody," laughed Lily. "Is poor Davey still green?"

"No, but his tongue is about five feet long," said James, throwing himself on the opposite seat and propping his feet up on the wall. "One of the prefects even owled ahead to warn Madam Pomfrey."

"He's going to miss the welcoming feast, isn't he?" Lily's eyes narrowed. "You're not going to miss it again, are you?"

"Hey, I've only missed one feast. One! And it wasn't even my fault! How did I know that McGonagall would get so mad?"

"Humph!" Lily picked up her book again. "I am ignoring all of you."

The compartment fell silent, and James started studying his wand, mustering up his courage. "Uh, Lily?"

"Shh, reading."

"I just wanted to say sorry about your sister. I know you really wanted her to be here this year."

Lily's eyes were quickly filling up with tears. She squeezed her eyes shut very hard. Lily had spent the last two weeks dreading the moment when someone first asked about Petunia. That it had first been Sirius who bumbled into it hadn't exactly been the worst possible option (that would certainly have involved Severus Snape -- Lily may stand up for him, but it didn't have to mean she liked him any). But James was everything Sirius hadn't been -- he was quiet, and kind, and he knew that Lily didn't want pity. And he knew to pass the word around, so maybe the rest of the Gryffindors would leave her alone about it. Lily looked up at James, with a small smile.

"Thanks."

* * * * *

Petunia settled inside the trunk. It had been hours since she'd first woken up on the train, and she was bored. She was bored and lonesome, and tired and uncomfortable, and hot and hungry, and her muscles felt as though they had knots in them. She couldn't stretch or move very much, and every bone in her body ached. She wanted to sleep but couldn't get comfortable, and even if she had, the older children in the compartment were so noisy she never would have managed a nap. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse --

"Anyone for a nibble?"

"Oh, yes!" cried out half the compartment, and soon it was filled with yummy smells of cakes, and pumpkins, and chocolate. Petunia hoped they wouldn't hear her belly rumble.

"All right!" said Remus, opening his Chocolate Frog. "I got Agrippa!"

"Here, Lily," said Sirius, "I pulled out all the butter rum beans for you." He held out his hand, trying to keep the curious kitten at bay.

Lily peered at them. "Are you sure? Last time you gave me a butter rum, it was really ear wax."

Remus grabbed the hand with the beans and sniffed. "Vomit," he promptly declared.

Sirius glared at him. Distracted, he didn't notice when the stalking kitten pounced on his arm, flinging the beans in his hand over the compartment. "Sirius! You better clean those up!" shrieked Lily.

Something hit Petunia's forehead. She groped a bit in the dark trunk before finding the jelly bean. Oh, at least it's something! she thought and quickly popped it into her mouth. And immediately regretted it. She spit it right back out and had to stifle a groan. Her empty stomach began to rebel, and Petunia laid back down, her eyes tight shut, hoping the nausea would pass.

"Argh! Stupid cat! Can't you sit down already?" yelled Sirius. He was struggling with the orange kitten on his lap, which was turning in circles to find a more comfortable spot to rest in. "Geroff me, dumb cat -- ow, that hurt! Lily, you're in charge of this beast, not me!"

Lily pointed her wand. "Dormi Felinius!"

The cat stood completely still, and then promptly curled up, nose tucked under its paws, and fell asleep. Sirius gave a sigh of relief. "Thanks. Stupid cat. Why is Carol in Davey's compartment anyway?"

"None of your business," said Lily primly.

"Oho!" said Sirius, his eyes gleaming.

"Shut it, Sirius," said Remus. "Besides, Snape is in the compartment with them and he might throw Crookshanks out the window."

"Smartest thing that slimy git might ever do," muttered Sirius, but he gently moved the now snoring kitten onto the seat next to him. "Look at that, it's even snoring!"

None of them noticed that the snoring was actually coming from the trunk below.

* * * * *

Petunia was shaken awake. The trunk was moving.

"Thank you, Remus," said Lily's voice. "Now, shoo, I'll change as fast as I can."

"What, we can't watch?" asked James teasingly.

"No!"

"What if I promise to keep my eyes closed?" asked Sirius. He wiggled his eyebrows and leered at her.

"Keep them closed, for all I care -- you'll be in the hallway."

"If you don't let me stay, I'll kiss you!" said James.

"Oh, sure, James, there's a threat!" scoffed Remus.

"You could offer to bite her," said Sirius. Remus kicked him -- Lily didn't know about his secret yet.

Lily shoved them out of the compartment and slid the door shut, locking it. Almost immediately they began to bang on the door.

"Lily! Lily! Let us in, Lily! We promise to behave! Lily!!!"

Lily groaned. She had perhaps a minute before they succeeded in breaking the door down. Last year it had only taken them a minute and a half. She didn't even stop to think. "Alohamora!" she said, pointing her wand at the trunk. The lid flew open and Lily began to lower the blinds on the window, her back to the trunk.

Petunia blinked as light flooded into the trunk. She could hear the banging on the compartment door, and the boys' voices clamouring for entrance. She sat up, relishing the feeling in her limbs as she stretched. Lily, on the other side of the lid, couldn't see her. The kitten on the bed, awakening, could see her very well and was looking at her curiously as it stretched.

"Accio Uniform!" she cried out, and the clothes around Petunia began to fly over her and towards her sister. Petunia still clutched the cloak in her hands, waiting for the moment that Lily would reach in for it and find her.

This is it -- and I'm not even at Hogwarts yet, thought Petunia. I'll never get to see it now -- the lake or the castle, or the Forbidden Forest ... As nice as it was to sit up, she thought she might cry. She curled up again at the bottom of the trunk.

Lily was still pulling her jumper over her head when she came around to the open side of the trunk, reaching for her cloak. Petunia gingerly held up the wizarding robes, knowing that in a few moments, she'd be found out. I wonder if she'll scream, or cry, or laugh, she thought miserably.

But to Petunia's surprise, Lily didn't even notice that the cloak was handed to her. She grabbed it from her sister's hand as at the same time she threw her discarded clothing into the trunk, and onto Petunia's cowering head. She was already halfway to the door when she slammed it shut, never noticing the shaking girl inside.

The compartment door slid open. "All done!" said Lily brightly.

The boys didn't so much race as fall in -- they had been climbing over each other in their efforts for an all-assault force on the door. Lily simply climbed over them and out of the compartment with as much dignity as she could muster.

"I'm going to find Carol and Erika," she said cheerily. "See you at dinner!"

From the bottom of the pile of arms and legs, Remus reached an arm out and slid the door shut after her. "Girls," he muttered. "Ow, geroff me, will you? We're going to be there in ten minutes."

The boys began pulling out their cloaks and uniforms. They ignored Crookshanks, pacing and pawing the top of Lily's trunk.

"Peter, is it true?" asked Remus.

"What?" asked Peter from beneath his jumper.

"About Lily's sister."

Peter thought it might be nicer just to stay trapped in his jumper. "Yes, it's true."

"No teasing Lily about it," said James firmly. "She's pretty upset, she always thought Petunia would be coming this year."

Petunia could barely hear the voices outside of the trunk. Desperate to hear what they were saying, particularly since she could make out her sister's name, she pressed her ear against the seam.

"She seems okay," said Remus doubtfully.

"She's not," said Peter. His head poked out of the neck of the jumper, and he glared at Sirius in the corner.

"Well, she's going to be embarrassed in front of the whole school," said Sirius quietly "after talking about how her sister is coming to Hogwarts, and now there's no sister to show. It's her own fault."

Peter grabbed his wand but James was faster. "Sirius, put a sock in it," he said quietly. "She needs our support. Saying it's her own fault isn't going to help."

Sirius shrugged. "Oh, I'll beat up anyone who hurts her, if that's what you mean. And Petey there can levitate them to death."

Peter gave some sort of choked noise.

"Shut it, Sirius."

Petunia fell back. Lily -- embarrassed? I thought she'd be glad to have me here.

The train whistled and pulled to a stop. "All right, FOOD," yelled Sirius, bounding from the compartment. "I'm starving, hurry up, let's go."

The boys thundered out, and gradually the noise from all of the students on the platform outside disappeared. Petunia remained very still inside the trunk, until she couldn't hear a thing.

And then she did.

It was a rustling, and low murmurs, and Petunia could hear all sorts of banging and crashing around her. That when she realised that she was flying.

Well, sort of flying. But it was the same sensation as when Peter would levitate her to the tree branch at home. In fact, everything was levitating inside the trunk. She could feel a sort of gentle bouncing as well, as though someone -- or something was carrying the trunk off the train.

The murmurs got louder.

"There is larger groups of students this year. It is taking twice so long to sort all this, it is." The voice was high, and nearly squeaky.

"Bubby must be lighting the common room fires and the beds turning down. Bubby will have to be hurrying, carrying these trunks." But it wasn't a complaining sort of voice; just a bit worried, as if there wasn't enough time to finish the tasks named.

Petunia, still floating a bit, managed to lift the lid of the trunk slowly, hoping to get a glimpse of Hogwarts.

"It's way up on a hill," Lily had said, "and when you're going across the lake, it seems like a long way off. There are so many twinkling lights in the windows you can't tell where the castle ends and the sky begins. And it's not shaped like castles in books, it's like they just kind of kept adding to it so it's like a bunch of castles together, but it's really sweet and small and cosy. And then you're docked and the front gates open for you. They're golden and brass, and they have a beautiful sign, all bewitched to be shiny, that says 'Hogwarts School' -- oh, Pets, you'll love it!"

But that wasn't what Petunia saw. It was -- falling down -- a ruin. It was -- dark, with broken windows and the stones were scattered across the burnt-grass yard. And as the trunk passed through the gates -- not gold and brass but rusty iron with cobwebs and broken bars -- Petunia could see the sign: "Danger. Do Not Enter. Unsafe."

"No, Tinky, you is carrying a first year trunk, downstairs takes it until first years is sorted in them's house. Bubby, you is following Tinky."

Petunia looked towards the voice, and got the second shock -- a long, skinny, greyish creature with a head the size of a football and ears shaped like spades was giving orders. Bits of hair sprouted in all directions and the long skinny fingers pointed straight at Petunia. The mouth opened, and Petunia could see yellowish pointy teeth.

The lid slammed shut. Petunia had fainted.

"Bubby! Gryffindor Tower! Hurry up!"

* * * * *

It was late when the Welcome Feast finished. Lily, Carol, Erika and Megan ran giggling into the Fourth Year Girls dorm room, still trying to catch up on each other's gossip from the summer.

"But you haven't kissed him yet?" asked Megan. "Why not!"

"I only saw him again on the train," said Lily. "And he was with Sirius the whole time, I'm not snogging in front of Sirius! Eww!" She pulled Crookshanks off her trunk. "Silly cat, what's in my trunk that you want?"

Carol opened her trunk to pull out her night-gown. "You could kiss Sirius too," she suggested. "Like a greeting, you know, Hello and welcome back to school."

"Not that kind of kiss," groaned Megan. "I'm talking tongue here."

"Ewwwwww!" shrieked Erika. "That's disgusting!"

"How do you think you get babies," said Megan. "You kiss boys, that's how."

"That is not how you get babies," said Erika, her night-gown over her head. "And I'm not telling you if you don't know."

But Lily was quiet for a moment, staring into her trunk. She softly closed the lid and walked to the door leading to the common room. The girls watched her pass them, one by one.

"Lily?" asked Carol, "You're not going to find James, are you?"

"Yes, I am," said Lily, and slipped out of the room. As she closed the door, she could hear her friends shriek with cheers and laughter. "Ninnies," she muttered, and broke into a run. Reaching the boy's room, she threw open the door to find them all in various states of undress. She fell back against the door, closing it.

"Argh, get OUT!" yelled Remus, diving under the bed. Peter sat down on the ground and held his pyjamas over himself, and Sirius leaned up against his bedpost, grinning. If Lily hadn't been so distraught she would have taken note of the heart patterned boxers. But she only had eyes for James, already dressed for bed, and standing in the middle of the room with a confused look on his face.

"Er, Lily, isn't your dorm room on the other side of the tower?" he asked politely.

Lily leaned against the shut door. "Petunia's run away."

Peter stood up, ignoring his half naked status. "Your parents owled you?"

"No," said Lily shakily. "She's asleep in my trunk. She's come to Hogwarts."