evermore (keep your eyes down)

i.

Petunia was fifteen when she had her first Mating Hunt.

It was as barbaric as it sounded. A witch was chased by wizards who desired her, and if said witch desired the wizard as well, she would let herself get caught.

Being a muggleborn witch, Petunia always knew her place in the wizarding community.

Petunia knew she was replaceable. So what if she was at the top of her class and called The Emerald of Slytherin? It could be gone in a second the moment she didn't fit the standard they had set a thousand years ago.

So Petunia was always on her best behaviour, courteous but not snobbish, friendly but always keeping people at arm's length, and it worked. It smoothed her path and got her a sponsorship from House Black.

On the winter solstice of her fourth year, on a specified holiday she had to be in Lady Walburga's tutelage, Lady Walburga summoned Petunia to her solar.

"I like you well enough, Petunia." Lady Walburga said as she sipped on her tea. "You are well-mannered and have a good head above your shoulders."

Petunia smiled sheepishly. "You think of me too highly, My Lady."

Lady Walburga chuckled, and things would never be good once she did that. "I will be frank with you, Petunia. I will host next year's Mating Hunt."

Mating Hunt was held once every two years, and two years ago, House Longbottom hosted it.

"And I assume you want me to participate, My Lady?" Petunia asked, and the plate of lemon cake floated before her.

"Naturally," Lady Walburga put down her cup. "It would be good to introduce you to the society this way, make you more desirable too if you didn't get caught."

"Then, to whom should I get caught, and when?"

Lady Walburga smiled; it was eerie, but Petunia had learnt to dance to the tune.

"Next Mating Hunt, of course, preferably to Regulus, but if Sirius could catch you, I wouldn't complain much. Morgana knew how much his nose could help him."

Heir Sirius Black was haughty enough to think his and his friends' unregistered animagus went unnoticed, but Lady Walburga and Lady Dorea would beg to differ.

"And, if your performance was good, perhaps I would consider your sister as well."

Petunia's hand on the teacup stiffened. Lily was stubborn and never truly accepted the wizarding culture and traditions as easily as Petunia, so even now, Lily had yet to get a sponsorship.

If Lily still had yet to get a sponsorship in her fifth year, forgot about marrying a good wizard from a good house, Lily could drag Petunia down.

Petunia had too much to lose; she had already climbed too high and sacrificed too much.

She smiled, as easily as that. "Consider it done, My Lady."

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Petunia participated in the Mating Hunt.

No one could find her until the sun rose.

Lady Walburga Black smiled satisfactorily when Petunia returned to the Manor with her robe unsoiled and hair intact.

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Two weeks later, Lily got a sponsorship from House Rosier.

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Petunia's popularity rose, especially among the purebloods. No one ever hid as long as her; not even her scent could be traced.

Most witches got caught not even thirty minutes after the Witching Hour; the longest after Petunia was Narcissa. She sent the wizards flying when they got too close.