Sibling's Love

Chapter 1

The boy stares at me with those emerald green eyes that seem to look into the depths of my soul, just like Lily had always done! How they remind me of Lily, my beloved sister, my friend of younger days and later my rival. 'How did it come to this?' I ask myself. Oh how long I have denied myself any thought of her. Now it all comes back to haunt me, to remind me. Long forgotten memories flood my brain, like water floods into a pond, watering the drought of memories in there.

Very distantly I hear the roar of my husband Vernon, as he sees the boy. My body is standing next to him, but my mind is in the past.

She is dead and the only things that stay are memories, lost hopes and dreams we once shared. I well remember the powerlessness, we felt as we watched while our world as we knew it broke apart.

I will go back to tell you how it all began. How the two of us were driven apart.

As long as I can remember Lily had been there. It did not matter, that I was two years older then her. We were like twins. Never were we parted. Neither one of us was seen without the other. We were like one half of a whole. We told each other every secret, we had the same friends, and we went to the same school and did everything together. At this time it did not matter to me that I did not have my own identity that Lily was just referred to as my twin. We were truly happy. We neither thought nor cared about what the future would bring. We were blind to the truth....But maybe just maybe we needed this blindness. It was what held us together, what made us strong.

Our carefree world was shaken for the first time, the day the Hogwarts owl arrived. It had been a day like any other, except maybe, that it had been Lily's eleventh birthday. When I woke up I had a funny feeling in my stomach, as if something unexpected would happen that day. When I went down to breakfast, the table was already laden with presents for Lily.

When Lily came down the stairs, her red hair as usual fluttering behind her, everyone stood up to congratulated her. Not much later we sat all down for breakfast. The day went by fast and we had a great time and shared a lot of laughter.

During breakfast the next day, something happened that I will never forget, Out of the blue an owl swooped over our heads and dropped a letter on our table. Everyone was frozen with amazement and fear. Lily carefully opened the letter, while the rest of the family still stared at the window, where the owl had left.

Lily cried out in joy as she read the letter, which she then handed to me. It read:

HOGWARTS/SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Evans

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

All necessary books and equipment for first year students:

UNIFORM
First-Year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please not that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

P.S.: The books can be bought on Diagon Alley in London. Directions will be given in reply.

That was when I knew, I had I been replaced. Lily still loved me, but I firmly believed that magic had taken my place in Lily's heart. What a fool I have been. A feeling that I had never felt before, which I later identified as jealousy combined with over protectiveness, nearly cut the air out of my stomach, making me unable to reply, when Lilly asked me what was wrong with me. During this time of our lives we were still very conscious about each other's feelings. Lily always knew if something was bothering me.

Now, when she came back from Diagon Alley it was already as if she had been replaced. This was not the Lily I had grown up with, the Lily I had shared my secrets with. This was Lily the witch, who put magic before her sister. I would never truly bring back the Lily of my childhood.

I went with the rest of the family to bring her to the station. There were many children in Lily's age, wearing strange robes and carrying toads, owls or cats.

Lily sent us many letters. She seamed to be truly happy at this school. I always tried to tell myself that this was the most important thing. However, the feeling I had first had when I saw her face after reading the letter did not go away.

When Lily came home for the first time I went up to greet her. Another thing had changed; it had never bothered me before that I had stood in my sister's shadow. Now however I felt ignored and betrayed whenever my parents talked about Lily's achievements. Never before had I even dared to think that my parents might prefer her over me, but now that thought pushed itself deeper and deeper into my brain, poisoning my thoughts. When I told her that, wile she came home during summer break, she sounded hurt and angry "How could I take the liberty to say such things?" she shouted at me. But the worst was the knowing look she gave me, like she understood me, like she knew something I did not know. The thought that someone understood more about me than I, even if it was my own sister, was unbearable.

The silence following the fight was frightening. Eventually we spoke to each other again, the day she departed. There was however not the same atmosphere between us, as it had been during our childhood, it was cool and calculated. It was what our parents, who were blind to the truth, wanted us to act like.

So the years passed by, and the wall separating me and Lily grew higher and higher. The insults we shouted at each other went deep. Our relationship was ruined. When I called her a freak one day, she ran into her room crying. I knew she would forgive me, if I just apologized, but I stayed distant.

Two years later I graduated from school. I was one of the best students of the class. That was the last time I saw Lily.

During my time at the University I had met Vernon Dursley. He was starting at the company Grunnings, which made drills. Back then his bad temper was good natured, and he was an excellent soccer player. I fell in love with him at first sight.

Half a year later we married, shortly after our parent's death. They had been attacked by wizards. The neighbors were told that they had died in a shooting, but I knew the truth (or what I thought was the truth.) In my grief I blamed Lily for our parents' deaths (My sweet tempered Lily, how I could ever say such a thing is a mystery to me today.) Lily just stared at me in disbelief. She said nothing, but I will never forget the hurt in her voice when she wished me goodbye. The seed of mistrust and anger between the two of us had been planted from the moment Lily had set foot on the Hogwarts train. Unbeknownst to both of us it had grown deeper and deeper, estranging us, this conflict was only the last drop. We had chosen different paths in life, and we were already estranged so much so that we could not find common ground any longer. I had to let her go. I could not hold on any longer. The Lilly of my childhood days was gone once and for all.

For many years I did not hear anything from my sister until she got married. I had of course told my husband what my sister was. He did not believe me at first, and when he believed it he told me to stay quiet. I was happy with that solution, because so I had not to think about the pain I caused her. Outside I pretended to hate her, but on the inside I loved her like none other. When the wedding invitation came, Vernon ripped it apart and threw it in the fire. That night I cried myself to sleep.

The news of her death shocked me more then I wanted to admit, even to myself. I knew magic could bring nothing good. In the end it brought her death.

Listen to me Lily, if you can hear me up there in heaven, I will take care of Harry, for your sake. I will not let him will not fall into the same trap as you. Magic destroyed my life and yours. It took away everything: my friend and my sister and my parents. Magic is only an illusion. I will protect Harry from it, at all costs. This I promise to you Lily.