Lost Passions and Regrets

Petunia landed an apartment three miles outside Deep River. She was especially happy that she decided to save her money instead of spending it on the senior class trip to Russia. The apartment was a wooden loft with a southern picture window that allowed the sunlight to come through at just the right part of the small living room. She decided that with a little cleaning and decorating that she could make the place her own. It took the whole of three weeks to settle into the place. She started training the following Wednesday.

Over the first week, she learned how to differentiate the similar types of poisons from one another. She was quite well prepared despite the fact that she graduated from one of the smaller universities. Petunia chided herself for feeling so ecstatic. She had to remind herself to keep an open mind. Know-it-alls and people with big heads didn't get very far in life, or at least that's what her dad always told her.

A dull ache pierced her chest when she thought back to Aunt Polly. Petunia compared the praise that her instructors gave her to the words that Aunt Polly used to berate her. This led Petunia to question whether or not she was a complete hypocrite for not going back home to shoulder half the responsibility for her mother. There was only one thing that she could do. That was to wait until the first stipend arrived. She would go to a local store and purchase a few ingredients to make her mum a knott grass elixir. It may not completely cure her, but it would stop the degenerative effects of her lung disease.

The stipend came, and she did as planned. Petunia carefully wrapped the bottle in a package that looked like some of mum's favorite perfume. The cure could be administered respiratorily or through ingestion. She enclosed her address for her mother inside the little box. Petunia prayed that her mother's dislike of Aunt Polly and her bossy ways would prevent her divulging the origins of her little gift to her mother.

Two weeks passed, and her parents wrote her. She was a tad doubtful as to what the contents said but opened it anyway. It read:

Dear Pet,

We're happy to hear from you. Your mum used your solution, and the doctor said that she's doing just fine. She doesn't need the respirator as much. He thinks that with a little surgery that she will be able to switch to an inhaler. Sounds just fine to me.

Is everything going well for you? If not please write us; you're always welcome back if your new job doesn't suit you.

Oh, so I don't forget. Lily left an address for you to write her. I 've enclosed it with the letter. She's wanted to speak to you eversince you graduated. (She's been roaming about the house all summer like a mourner at her own funeral, but don't pass that on, heh-heh.) Lots of love from your folks, and please come home for Christmas.

Always here for you,

Daddy

Petunia cried. On the one hand she was ecstatic that her mother was doing better, and on the other hand, she felt a little sorry for Lily. Things didn't get bad yet between her and Lily until they brought their respective suitors home, and Lily threatened to tell Vernon the truth about her; because, she was so rude to James about his atrocious table manners.

She laughed at herself as she recalled that crazy moment. They began to cast spells at each other and nearly destroyed a few family heirlooms in the process. She promised herself that she wouldn't let that happen to herself this time. This time would be different for everybody.

Christmas rolled around, and she packed to head home. She placed a charm around her broom to clear the air of snow as she flew back. She was in for a long four-hour ride, but she knew that it would be worth it just to see her family again.

The blizzard really got bad as she crossed New York. She accidentally dropped a present and flew after it only to collide with a few bare branches that whipped her skin. If her skin didn't hurt so badly, she would have laughed. She decided to laugh anyway; because, she'd at least have something to tell the family about. She puffified the presents, and then set back to her course. When she reached her country, she gave a loud hooting scream unbefitting a lady, but pleasing enough to her. She chanted a misting charm and glided down the chimney in the guise of a waft of smoke to surprise her loved ones.

" Merry Christmas, everyone," she called as she shimmered back into shape.

Lily ran straight to her to hug her. Boy did Lily's arms grow strong. Had the hug been any tighter, she would have snapped Petunia in half.

" You can let go now, Lily," Petunia said in a pretentiously choked tone.

" Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that everything's been so boring around here since you weren't here. Aunt Polly's in the kitchen, so you'll have to tone it down with your spells. She said that mum and dad shouldn't have let you come, but you know dad. He told her that if he had something to say to you, then he'd say it to you himself. He also told her to stick that craning neck of hers into a boiling vat. The whole situation was hilarious. She's especially loathes the fact that mum doesn't need her as much now; she can't tell us what to do as often. Speak of the devil," Lily chirped.

" Lily, your mother needs you in the kitchen," Aunt Polly ordered ignoring Petunia.

" Hello, Aunt Polly," she said anyway and proceeded to the kitchen. That old bat wasn't going to ruin her holiday. True, she and mum had the same distance in age between them as she and Lily, but her ways were just so foreboding that it was impossible to tolerate her. Everything always had to be neat and tidy, perfect if you will.

Her mind thought back to Harry and the way that she and Vernon hounded him. Good Lord! Her bitterness turned her into Aunt Polly. Not only did she resemble her in appearance, but she also acted just like her. The apple most assuredly didn't fall far from the tree. She saw that her mum prepared a tray of meat, so she plucked a sliver of roast beef, chucked it down, and wiped her hands on her dress. There! That didn't fell so badly, now did it? She was now christened a new person.

" Pet, darling. Thank you for coming. I thought that you wouldn't come back to us," her mother said. Her complexion looked great.

" Oh, mum. I've missed you all so much. My job, however, is very fun but tedious in the sense that I don't get much time off from it, so I can't come home or write as often as I'd like to. Just let me assure you that I wouldn't miss being with you for the world," she said, holding her mother's hands.

" I almost forgot. I've brought you some more homeopathic elixirs to help you."

" Oh, please don't speak of potions or elixirs. You've got me thinking about my homework," Lily said.

" Well, remedies, then," Petunia said.

Petunia brought her mother a package of rainbow colored vials wrapped beautifully in a box with a clear top. She loved the look about her mum's face when she saw it.

" Don't worry, mum. I also have a Christmas present for you, but you can't open it until Christmas," she teased. She glanced around at Aunt Polly whose sour expression made Petunia glow and go all tickly inside.

" Oh, thank you, Pet," her mother said.

She and Lily ran upstairs to get her things unpacked. She inhaled the ododr of her room and tried so hard to make the scent last. She could enjoy that smell forever.

" So, tell me. How many boyfriends have you had?" Petunia asked.

" Oh, just one, but I'm not sure about how I feel, though," she said looking up at the ceiling.

" You know that bloke we met at dad's company convention in Shepperton last year?"

" Yes. What about him?" Petunia asked knowing she meant Vernon.

" He's been hounding dad about you for the longest time," Lily said.

" Oh, dear. I 'll have to let him down easy. I'm a career woman now, and I just don't have the time," she said holding her nose up in jest.

" Yes, I think that you can do a whole lot better than Vernon. Imagine that, Mrs. Petunia Dursley. Wouldn't Aunt Polly just love to see you become the doomed house frau that she is? You know that they live across the street from each other," Lily added.

" No, I didn't. You won't catch me married to that fat lump. My career and life come first," she said.

Unbeknownst to them, Aunt Polly listened through the door and smiled. She would show that niece of hers. A proper woman's place was in the home. She wouldn't let Petunia be one of those damned liberated tramps for long. That, you could bet on. First, it was a career. Next, it would be cohabitation. She wanted to vomit at the sheer thought of the idea of Petunia shacking up. It was her Christian duty to put a stop to all of this, and she would. But how could she do it? She'd never be allowed to interfere with the girls as long as they were under their parents' roof. That was it! She sauntered downstairs to set her plan in motion.

A couple of hours passed after their conversation, and the girls smelled smoke. Lily jumped from the bed and screamed. Petunia reached for the doorknob, and opened the door. Smoke filled the hallway, and they heard their dad scream their mother's name.

" Cynthia! Cynthia! Don't just stand there, Polly! Run and get help at the neighbor's! She's not breathing!"

The wooden beam that supported the kitchen and the dining room/ den section of the house collapsed and fell on their parents.

" Mum! Dad!"

" Lily, wait!"

Lily raised her wand and tried to do a spell, but another part of the house fell in just before her.

Petunia pulled her sister back as she clawed and struggled against her to get free.

" They're dead, Lily!" she yelled sobbing.

" No! I must get to them, Pet! Move out of my way!"

Help arrived when the Roberts' came from the house next door to escort them out of the house. The two girls held each other sobbing as they watched their beloved home burn to the ground. Petunia couldn't believe that this was happening. Her life and Lily's would never be the same. It was all over for them. Petunia knew that it was only a matter of time before Aunt Polly had total control of everything.