Why She Screamed

Petunia wandered through the big park on the street near her sister's house. She did not want to go back, did not want to go back to Lily's piecing stares and James's evil jokes about her. Lily tried to stop him, but eventually she had given up, seeing that her young husband could not be easily controlled and evidently did not like people like Petunia, who were (to him) aliens. He hated Muggles, James did.

Lily had left in a storm of tears just over an hour ago, after Petunia had expressed her feelings about Lily, James and the rest of her kind. Oh, how she hated wizards and their strange, odd ways. She hated the fact that Lily had always been the "better" sister than she, that Lily had always had the favour of her parents and that Lily was better than her by being a witch.

These thoughts ran through her brain, as she walked pointlessly onwards around the park and cursed Lily and James. Somehow, shouting out their names and swearing at them out loud helped her overcome her hatred for them. She wondered several times where Lily had gone, but then decided that it didn't worry her in the least about her sister's whereabouts. She had heard their whispered conversations as she roamed around their nice house out in the countryside. She had heard the tales, and hoped that they were true; Lily and James were being hunted.

The thick trees that she had been wandering through suddenly gave way to green grass and a few sparse trees dotted around. Flowers bloomed around the bases of these trees in the early spring; daffodils and bluebells that could be faintly seen by the light of the stars and the light of the streetlamps that illuminated the concrete path on which she walked.

Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her, and a familiar but unwelcome voice called out her name: "Petunia? Petunia!" It was James, who came up behind her, calling out to her to stop. At last, Petunia stood still and let James catch her up. He did not sound at all out of breath, which seemed (to Petunia) quite odd.

"Are you going to come back, then?" he asked her. His voice was normal, and Petunia half expected him to say that he'd come after her on Lily's behalf.

"Perhaps," said Petunia shortly

"We wouldn't want you to catch a cold out here; it isn't very warm yet..." he continued. Petunia stood and listened, and suddenly it did seem colder, and Lily and James's house sounded more inviting than before when she had cursed them and the rest of the wizarding world. She turned and walked back down the path. James walked besides her, still talking.

"I'm really sorry about you having to stay at our place for a while, and I do understand that it must be really hard for you like this, with your parents having just died and you having to stay with us when you quite obviously do not like our world or the lives that we live. But I hope that you feel moderately safe until this summer when you can move in with Vernon and his sister..." James faded off, and was silent for a while.

Suddenly a new hatred flared in Petunia's mind. She turned to James and was filled with hate for him and the wizarding world. Petunia screeched out her hatred at him; shouting at the top of her lungs.

"How dare you speak to me that way! I do not want to feel you pathetic pity for me and the rest of my family! I hate Lily, and I have always hated her, just as I hate you and all the rest of your kind! You must have forced her to marry you because when I would steal her diary and read it I saw the stuff she said about you! She hated you and your friends, so you can bloody well piss off because I'll never like you!"

James's face had gone suddenly blank as his anger built up inside him. The wind had picked up its pace, and leaves were swirling all around them in a whirlwind of colour. His black silk shirt swung loosely around his thin frame and his untameable hair was ruffled to its fullest extent. He wore dark jeans that clung close to his legs, and was looking at Petunia in a particular way.

She wore a black dress (because she was still in mourning for her parents) that swirled around her legs but was tight across her chest and arms. Suddenly she felt a flutter of fear for James as she stood there, looking into his dark brown eyes. They were filled with hatred for he, and the look was what made Petunia turn and run; run back over the grassy hill and down the slope. James ran swiftly behind her, and tackled her as she flew down the hill.

They rolled in the grass, Petunia screaming at James to get off her. He did not obey, but tightened his hold on her. One hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand. Petunia heard him yell something, and everything went completely black.

When Petunia awoke, the first thing that she truly registered was pain - complete and utter pain. And then she registered the next fact - the fact that somebody was straddling her hips! Petunia screamed, and a thin hand came down over her mouth. She could dimly see James's naked outline above her, and she screamed again as James yelled in a rough voice

"Shut up, you Bitch!" Petunia felt tears rolling down her face as James slithered along the length of her body, still moving within her. She tried to speak, but James slapped her hard across the face with the back of his hand. Petunia fell silent, but still struggled beneath his moving form.

At long last, James pulled himself out with a wrench and stood up, towering over Petunia, who was cowering on the bed. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her onto the carpet, which scraped along her skin and burned her. Then he let go and kicked Petunia hard in the side. She screamed and then hurriedly bit her lip as James kicked her again; much harder than before.

"I'll make you sorry!" he roared. Petunia was shivering with fear, and grovelling at his feet, pleading him to be merciful and not to do anything else. But James was not finished; he flung Petunia back on to the bed and then leapt up again, ignoring Petunia's renewed tears and a shriek of terror.

Once again, James plunged inside her body, kissing her lips even though she was not kissing him back. Petunia was still struggling, but eventually James tired and relaxed. Petunia still struggled, and he let her go from beneath her body. She shrieked and ran across the room, desperately trying to find her clothes, ignoring the trail of blood that she was leaving in her wake. Petunia dressed hurriedly, and made shakily for the door.

"It won't open" James's voice floated across the room, and she turned to see him, lounging naked on the bed.

"Let me out..." Petunia said "LET ME OUT!!!!" she screamed the words and James stood up and crossed the room. He leaned against her, and she could feel his erection between her legs, and was exceptionally glad that she had her dress on once more. He pressed his lips to hers, and she tried to shrink away from him but failed.

Petunia suddenly realised that James was not kissing her the way that a real rapist might have done. He was kissing her with passion and love, kissing her the way that she had seen him kiss Lily. And just as suddenly, Petunia was returning the kiss, and James felt her giving in to him, and kissed harder, his hands racing up and down her back like pale spiders.

James broke away, panting. He said softly: "Now you enjoyed that one, didn't you?" His voice was softly mocking, and Petunia's brain was once again filled with flaming hatred for him. She slid away, and flung open the door. Her bare feet pounded along the carpeted corridor, and she flew into her room and locked the door. James was hammering on it with her fists, hammering until two hours were up; then he stopped abruptly and a ringing silence fell...

*****

Petunia opened the front door, two empty milk bottles clasped in her hands. She bent down to put them on the doorstep, and suddenly screamed as she saw the bundle of blankets there. The baby opened its eyes... it had the same eyes as Lily, and the hair... that was James's hair. This was their son...Petunia nearly fainted as the memories of that hated day came flooding back.

She had run after James had left. Run all the way to Vernon's place and begged to be let in. Vernon had welcomed her with open arms, and had proposed to her a few months later. She had never seen James and Lily again, but now, here was their son, and she was evidently meant to look after him now. What if he turned out like James? Petunia shuddered, and felt Vernon's heavy hand on her shoulder. She tried to get a few words out, but the memories overwhelmed her and she sank into Vernon's arms in a faint.