Chapter One
Little Whinging, July 31st 1983
The heat rose off the sidewalks in a haze, burning bare feet and melting popsicles. The playground was full of young mothers gossiping and fanning themselves, only glancing at their children every once and a while.
Across the playground sat a woman, alone and not even reading the novel in her lap. Instead she watched her children, a fair boy and dark girl as they toddled about, interacting with the other children and enjoying the array of new toys to be found. Not far from them two boys were in a scuffle, one considerably smaller than the other.
Sonia was only three, but already knew when something wasn’t right. She toddled over and gave the larger boy a big push.
“Shoo.” She said, crossing her arms and giving the large boy a piercing glare. “Shoo!” she said again, and he gave the smaller boy an annoyed look.
Andrew came over to join his sister and smiled at the smaller boy, then frowned “You hurt?” he asked, putting a finger to his own forehead.
The smaller boy touched his forehead, revealing the rest of a lightening scar. “No.”
“I Andy.” Said Andrew “Tha Sunny.”
The boy smiled shyly “Harry.”
The three had soon forgotten the scuffle earlier and began playing in the sand box. Hazel watched them with a smile, fully aware of who the little boy was. He looked just like James, as they all knew he would, but Lily’s almond shaped green eyes blazed brightly.
The children got along as well as they had before, and Hazel just enjoyed watching them. Every now and then she would come to this playground, watch Harry play mostly by himself, but sometimes with other children if that little rotter Dudley felt him alone.
It was the most painful think Hazel had ever gone through, watching her godson under the care of Petunia – the last person Lily had wanted to look after Harry. It had been exactly two years since the death of Lily and James, and every day Hazel felt the gaping hole left by her best friends. Not only had she lost them, but also Sirius – she refused to believe that he had really killed those Muggles. He was angry, yes, practically livid – but he would never kill.
Losing Sirius so quickly, with no real means of goodbye, was almost as hard as seeing Harry tormented by Dudley. Of course she still had Remus and Winston, but there was an emptiness that Sirius had once filled; she didn’t laugh as often, there were fewer jokes and very little who enjoyed playing a quick game of Quidditch while the twins were sleeping.
Hazel often thought of the day Sirius had asked to a Muggle film – why hadn’t she said yes? And then she thought of Remus and wondered how she could think that way when he was being so kind to her.
Her whole life was a mess, and Hazel didn’t know how to untangle and straighten it out.
“What are you doing here?”
Looking up, Hazel saw the owner of the voice that had hissed so venomously at her. Petunia Dursley was glaring down at her with disdain, eyes burning with hatred.
Standing, Hazel smiled “I am here with my children.”
Wincing, Petunia took a step backward; Hazel had always made her nervous. She’d felt the power that was so carefully maintained as a child, but now it burned so brightly she felt fear strike through her. It was such a violent feeling that Petunia found herself lost for words, and her mouth opened and closed much like a fish out of water.
“Why are you here?” she stuttered finally.
“I told you,” said Hazel quietly “I’m here with my children.”
Looking over the playground, Petunia saw the two toddlers playing with her nephew “Who would ever have children with you?” she spat, momentarily forgetting her fear.
Features freezing, Hazel smiled tightly “Severus Snape, you remember him don’t you?”
Staring at Hazel, Petunia tried to digest this news; the greasy boy from the poor part of town had somehow got the stunning princess of sorts from the top of the hill? “I-that’s shocking.”
Tilting her head slightly, Hazel smiled “Is it? I never thought so.”
Coming to her senses, Petunia once again adopted a look of revulsion “You can’t come here – this is my town.”
“You are forgetting that this once used to be my town, too Petunia.”
Taking another step backwards, Petunia couldn’t hide the fear this time “Go away – don’t you dare come near my son again.”
Smiling, Hazel shrugged “I’m not here for your son, Tuney – just checking up on my godson.”
Eyes widening, Petunia barely noticed as Dudley began tugging on her skirts. “Mummy, want sweeties. Sweeties!”
“In-in a moment Dudders, Mummy is just…we’re leaving.” Picking her son up (with difficulty) she turned on Hazel venomously “Don’t come back here.”
“I am bound to not take my godson away from you,” Hazel informed her “But that does not mean I cannot check up on him – he is Lily’s son, Petunia, don’t forget that. You have no idea how much this pains me.”
“If you want him so badly, just take him!” cried Petunia, holding Dudley to her, who was starting to wail about his sweeties “Go on – I don’t want him, he is only a burden! Always breaking things, he’s odd. Not right.”
Hazel gave Petunia a piercing look “He is a wizard Petunia, you cannot squash the magic out of him as I know you will try to – magic runs through his blood, and there is no doubt that he will be a great wizard.”
Shaking with fear, Petunia scrambled backwards “Stay away – don’t come to this town again! And take him with you – I don’t care if you’re bound, I don’t want him!”
“You have no idea how much I want to take him from your clutches,” Hazel whispered “But I made a promise, and I cannot break it. Just know that I am watching, and I will be until he is safely at Hogwarts.”
Walking away quickly, Petunia put Dudley in the pram and tugged Harry away from Andrew and Sonia. “Stay away!” she called over her shoulder.
“I’ll be watching.” Hazel called back, then said it lower “Don’t worry Harry, I’ll be here. Just you wait; you will be loved again one day.”
Taking Andrew and Sonia by the hand, Hazel left little Whinging with full plans of returning again.
A/N: Haha, I updated!
I'm in Greece everyone, and unlike Turkey I'm niot just sitting at home on my laptop all day...so probably less updates, but I have internet now! It was down for FOUR DAYS. FOUR DAYS.
Question: What did you think of the scene between Petunia and Hazel?
Rose<3