Invitations and Obligations, Part 1: March 1978

Invitations and Obligations (Part 1): March 1978

Lily

"Please, please don't leave me here with them!"

Petunia had worked herself into a near hysterical fit, clinging to her mother's arm in desperation, impeding her progress down the garden path towards the car idling in wait at the curb.

"Dearest, your father and I and the Dewitts don't want to be late to the wedding. Sandy and Gerry were kind enough to drive us, and it's not polite to keep them waiting." Mrs. Evans wasn't getting very far down the path, and Petunia wasn't listening.

Lily stood at the front door, watching the scene unfold with a combination of anger at her sister's endlessly irrational prejudice and sadness at yet another rejection. It was like an unhealed wound that had remained raw for more than seven years. It still hurt...each and every time. Still, Lily loved her sister and held onto the hope, possibly beyond reason, that somehow Petunia would find her way back to the relationship they once had.

"Petunia, love, everything will be fine," her mother said, attempting to pry Petunia's fingers off her arm. She was trying to maintain her patience, but her eldest daughter was doing a pretty fair job of testing its limits. "Besides, I think it's high time you learnt to get along with Lily's friends. She's getting married in just a few months, dear, and you'll have a much nicer time at the wedding if you make friends with some of the young people who'll be there."

"MAKE FRIENDS?" shrieked Petunia. Her reaction to this suggestion caused her to involuntarily release the grip on her mother, freeing Mrs. Evans, who hastily made her way to the open car door. Petunia ran after her.

"But...but I...."

Mrs. Evans slid into the back seat of the car with her husband and shut the door; Petunia banged on its window, tears now flowing down her face.

Opening the window, her mother took her hand.

"We've got to get a move on, we'll be late!" said Mr. Dewitt, the driver of the car, impatiently.

"Love, listen to me," her mother said gently. "We'll be back home before supper. Everything will be fine. Just remember your manners, Petunia. I know it's difficult, but you will try your best, won't you?"

Petunia wiped her reddened eyes, sniffled and, after a moment, gave a weak nod.

"That's a good girl!" said her mother with sigh of relief. "Ta!"

Petunia and Lily watched as the car drove away.

After a moment, Petunia walked back towards the house, her face darker than Lily had ever seen it.

"'Tune," Lily said, "you'll like my friends if you'd just try...."

"Don't worry," interrupted Petunia, wiping her nose with her sleeve. "I told Mum I'd 'do my best'." She glared at Lily, not bothering to mask her contempt. "I always keep my promises." Petunia pushed past Lily roughly and stepped into the house, leaving a trail of fear in her wake so intense that Lily felt it in the pit of her gut, as if she'd been punched.

********

"Happy Birthday, Remus!"

Remus was so surprised when his fellow Gryffindors leapt out of their various hiding places in the Evans' family room that he reflexively jumped back and pulled out his wand. As his friends laughed and applauded, he flushed in embarrassment as he absorbed the reason for this startling display and stowed his wand back into his robes with a sheepish grin.

The girls all rushed him with hugs and kisses, while the boys stood back, chuffed at having pulled off another successful prank. Remus accepted their attentions awkwardly but with welcome pleasure.

Lily noted that Petunia remained in the kitchen, watching the proceedings warily through the open archway that served as a pass-through to the family room. While Petunia had agreed to be polite, she'd apparently decided that it might be easier with a bit of distance between herself and Lily's guests.

It had been James' idea to organise the party, both because it was Remus' birthday but also as a way to help his friend stay connected to all those who cared about him. James was worried. Remus seemed to disappear without notice for extended periods of time, and he suspected that Remus was on his own most of the time. Both he and Lily had tried to pry information from him as to his whereabouts during these episodes, but Remus had only revealed that it was some 'business' on behalf of Albus Dumbledore and had steadfastly refused to say any more than that.

They did learn, however, that Dumbledore had helped Remus acquire some bit of work as a private tutor. Since Ministry regulations made it nearly impossible for werewolves to find regular employment, the Headmaster had done what he could to help Remus eke out a meagre living. This had also been the inspiration for Lily and James' birthday gift.

"C'mon, mate!" said James, thrusting a package at Remus. "Open ours next!"

Sitting on the sofa and on the floor surrounding Remus, his friends leaned in to get a good look. Even Petunia allowed herself to venture as far as the doorway between the family room and the kitchen for a better view.

"Careful, Remus," said Annette. "If it's from James it might be dangerous!"

"True," agreed Helene with a grin. "You should check it for hexes or jinxes first, just to make sure."

"No," Sirius sniffed indignantly, "it was my turn to hex the gift!"

They all laughed as Remus pulled the paper off a large box and shook it.

"Do you think it bites?" asked Peter.

Remus smirked. "If it does, I'll just bite it back."

Lily looked up in time to see Petunia wince and step back into the kitchen.

Remus opened the box and pulled out a leather case. He turned it in his hands to feel the smoothness of the leather and the cool touch of the brass clasps.

"Look at the top, Remus," prodded Lily.

He did and, with his fingers, slowly traced the gold lettering stamped in the corner.

"Professor R.J. Lupin," he read in a whisper.

The room went quiet.

"It's amazing," he averred to Lily and James. "Really, beautiful. Thank you. But... 'Professor'? Isn't that, um... a bit grand?"

"It is not too grand," said James, clearly pleased. "It is what you do. You teach. The title goes with the job. That old raggedy satchel won't do for a professional!"

Lily, sitting next to Remus, gave him a hug and held on. "Besides, I have a feeling that there's more in your future than just tutoring," she said with confidence.

Remus laughed. "All right! I give up. I know better than to argue with your feelings, Evans!"

Helene grabbed the case from Remus. "Don't hog it now! Let's all have a look!" she said, opening it up to poke through all of its compartments as Peter and Annette looked over her shoulder.

********

A little while later, Peter and James were fiddling with the Evans' television set in the family room, gawking at the rapidly shifting moving pictures, and trying to wrestle the remote control away from each other. Remus, Helene and Annette were in the more formal front room, rummaging through the odd disc collection they'd found, and laughing at the strange, unmoving photographs on the disc covers and the funny names of the musical groups. Lily had put on a record that she said was by a group called 'The Beatles'. Strains of Help! I need somebody... Not just anybody... filled the room.

"I think that one is pretty cute," said Annette, pointing to the picture on the disc cover of a boy with a mop of dark hair and soulful eyes.

"But they don't look like insects!" Helene said, confused. She shuffled through more of the disc covers and pulled one out. "Look, these blokes are named after rocks!"

Lily and Sirius sat at the kitchen table with a wide-eyed Petunia, who sat frozen, thinking perhaps that if she didn't move she might be invisible.

"This is delicious, Evans!" exclaimed Sirius, holding the glass up to the light, entranced by the bubbles in his drink. "What's it called?"

"Coca-Cola," she replied. "And no, you can't get pissed off it."

"Pity," he sighed, grabbing a handful of crisps from the bowl on the table and stuffing them into his mouth. Try as she might, Petunia was unable to stifle an involuntary cringe, which Sirius noted with amusement. Lily watched with morbid fascination as Sirius pulled his chair closer to Petunia's, swallowed the crisps, took another swig of his cola, and graced Petunia with one of his trademark, swashbuckling, lady-killer smiles.

Petunia looked as if she were being stalked by a lion. She glanced at Lily, as if asking for help. Lily just shrugged.

This is one lion she'll have to escape from on her own, she thought. It was a bit unkind in the face of Petunia's distress but, at the moment, Lily was both peeved at her sister and curious to see what Sirius would do.

"Petunia, isn't it?" said the lion to its prey.

Petunia jerked her head in the semblance of a nod.

"I'm Padfoot," Sirius said with a toss of his hair. "Just a nickname, but I'd like it if you'd called me that."

Petunia just gaped, and Sirius looked deeply in her eyes. "I understand that you haven't met many wizards before," he drawled, leaning in towards her.

Petunia looked as if she might spontaneously combust. Lily fought the urge to burst out laughing.

"I could show you some real magic..."

"Sorry we're late!"

Alice entered the kitchen followed by Frank Longbottom who, dropping a heavy sack onto the table, drew Sirius' attention away from a visibly shaking Petunia. Lily wasn't sure if she was relieved or sorry that her sister had been spared further torture at Sirius' hands.

Frank took out a bottle of Ogden's from the sack. He moved to hand it to Lily, but Sirius jumped up and caught the bottle as deftly as he might a Quaffle and took out his wand to open it. Petunia squeaked and pushed her chair as far into the corner as it could go.

Alice hugged Lily, looking apologetic.

"We've been at Frank's house," Alice said wearily, her head on Lily's shoulder. "His mother was having tea and we couldn't get out...er...we had to stay until it was over. Augusta can be a bit, um, persuasive."

"That's all right," said Lily. "I'm just glad you've both made it. It's been great for Remus to have us all here." She gestured to her sister. "You remember Petunia? 'Tune, this is Alice and Frank. They are engaged as well."

Alice and Frank looked at each other with a smile, a bit embarrassed.

Remembering her manners as she'd promised, Petunia found her voice. "Yes, nice to see you again, Alice. F – Frank. Um... congratulations."

Lily's estimation of Petunia went up a few notches. She knew that her sister was terrified and would have preferred to face a herd of rampaging rhinos rather than a roomful of wizards. That she was able to manage her fear and remain seated in the face of it all, made Lily think that, had she gone to Hogwarts, her sister might have been sorted into Gryffindor as well. An odd lump formed in her throat, and she forced herself to swallow it.

Frank pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet and slapped it down with a vengeance on the kitchen table. "It's getting worse! Look!" He pointed at the screaming headlines. Sirius leaned over to read.

'Dark Mark in Devonshire! Family of Eight Killed by Death Eaters! Muggle-borns Targeted!!'

"It's the second time this month," Sirius muttered, glancing nervously at Lily.

Lily felt her blood turn to ice. She knew that her family was a target, but this reality was one that she tried not to think about. For once, she was glad that Petunia didn't live in her world and was ignorant as to the danger that seemed to grow more insistent and closer each day.

Alice reached over and turned to the middle of the newspaper.

"Of course they'll put the worst news in front and bury the good news in the middle! Look," she pointed, "here it says three Death Eaters were captured and sent to Azkaban!"

"Sadly, they're getting more of us than we are of them," said Frank. He was an Auror in his second year of training, just one year ahead of them out of school. Alice had followed him and was finishing her first year. Frank had been on patrols and had already seen, first hand, the devastation and terror caused by Voldemort's troops.

Lily frowned. "Azkaban's the wizard prison, right?"

Sirius looked at her in surprise. "You don't know about Azkaban?"

"Well, I've heard about it of course, and seen it mentioned in the Prophet, but I don't know much about it."

"Well, yes. It is the wizard prison, luv," Sirius said casually. Petunia was sitting behind Lily, watching him as if he'd grown an extra head. He winked and graced Petunia with another one of his charming smiles.

"It's in the middle of the North Sea, impregnable and guarded by Dementors," Sirius added in his most dramatic voice.

"But, Dementors are... vile...." Lily said with a grimace. Alice shuddered and Frank held her closely.

Sirius continued, noting Petunia's increased discomfort. "Yes, Dementors are vile creatures, really bad sorts. Not like us," he said, directing this comment to Petunia. "Not even human."

Petunia's irises were fully open, her mouth agape, her skin pale.

"But why do they use Dementors if they're so horrid?" Lily asked.

"Well, that's it precisely. It's because they are horrid!" Sirius said with a roll of his eyes. "When they come near, they drain every happy memory out of you and leave you weak and hopeless. And then, when they've done with that," he leaned in closer to Petunia and whispered, "they kiss you..."

Petunia gasped.

"... and suck the soul right out of your body!"

Petunia let out an ear-piercing scream, leapt to her feet, pushed past Lily, and ran outside through the kitchen's back door. Her screams echoed back to them as they heard her run towards the street.

For just a moment, those in the kitchen were frozen in place, staring at the still-open back door. Then James ran in, followed by the others.

"What in bloody hell was that?" James asked as he went to Lily who was staring at the back door. Then they all began speaking at once.

"Sirius!" "Who screamed?" "What was that about?" "Have you lost your mind, man?" "What happened?"

"QUIET!" yelled Frank, whose deep, commanding voice managed to cut through the confusion.

Frank was glaring at Sirius and all eyes followed his gaze. Sitting at the kitchen table, Sirius focussed on the pattern he was etching nervously around the top rim of his empty glass. He glanced up.

"What?" Sirius asked, his voice pitched a bit higher than usual.

James moaned and shook his head. Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. Peter grinned like the fox had been caught in the henhouse.

Sirius set his chin defiantly. "Lily asked me about Azkaban and the Dementors, and I told her! It's not my fault her barmy sister went mental!" he scowled.

Frank turned to Lily. "Alice and I will go after her. I'm sure she hasn't gone far." They were out of the door before she had a chance to reply.

Annette grabbed Helene, Peter, and Remus. "Let's go look at some more of those song discs in the front room. It's too crowded in here, anyway." The boys looked at her dumbly, so Annette took Remus by the arm and Helene pulled Peter, who stopped on his way out of the kitchen to grab the bowl of crisps.

Lily started to shake as James held her. "She was trying so hard not to be afraid," Lily said, wringing her hands. "I didn't even try to help her. It's not fair to expect her to accept all... this...." She made a random gesture.

James looked sharply at Sirius over Lily's shoulder, his expectations made clear.

"Um, sorry, Lily." Sirius shifted awkwardly in his chair. "I didn't mean to scare her. I was just having a bit of fun...."

Lily was on him like a niffler finding gold. "Terrorising Muggles is your idea of fun, Black?"

Sirius leapt to his feet. "That's not fair, Evans. I wasn't terrorising her!"

James got between them before it could escalate further. "Right. Padfoot, that was a completely brainless thing to do. Lily, he's really sorry, and I'm sure he'll find some way to make it up to Petunia. Won't you, Sirius?"

James' glare brooked no argument.

"Sure, mate," Sirius grumbled, looking sideways at Lily. "I'll...I'll send flowers, or something. Beg her forgiveness. Whatever."

At that moment, they heard the front door open with a bang and footsteps pounding through the front room. Then, Petunia flew into the family room, looking like she'd been through a storm: her hair was wild and her eyes were bleary and wide-eyed. But despite her wayward appearance and the manner of her departure, she appeared oddly calm. Sirius ran towards her. Annette, Remus, and Helene stayed a safe distance away, watching from the front room doorway. Lily and James watched from the kitchen pass-through.

"Listen, Petunia," Sirius began, "I'm really sorry...."

But Petunia ignored him and looked vacantly at Lily, as if she had never seen her before. Seeing her like this sent off alarm bells, but Lily was confused as to what it meant.

"Lily," said Petunia, her voice sounding rather mechanical and stilted, "there are some men...they say they're detectives...who want to have a word with you. About some trouble in the neighbourhood. They are waiting outside." Petunia made a strange, dislocated gesture with her arm that looked as if it were being controlled by some unseen puppeteer.

"What are detectives?" Peter asked before Helene jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

"Shhh!"

"Ow!"

"Don't make it worse," she whispered.

Sirius was studying Petunia , and then, noting Lily's expression, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Lily's sister. "Finite Incantatem!"

Petunia's eyes immediately cleared, and she looked around her in confusion and then in panic.

"Imperius!" gasped James.

The next second, chaos erupted.

Petunia looked at Sirius, his wand still pointing in her direction, and she began to shriek. Petunia's shriek seemed to trigger flashes of exploding red light in the front room. Helene screamed; Remus shouted. The mirror over the fireplace shattered, tables overturned and the four in the front room were either Stunned or Petrified before they could reach for their wands. Then the two 'detectives' flew into the family room, one disarming Sirius and the other grabbing Petunia from behind, pinning her arms to her sides and pointing a wand at her throat. Petunia was beyond hysteria, screaming in an endless, high-pitched panic. All this happened in mere seconds.

As soon as the attack began, James had pulled Lily down to the kitchen floor and fought to hold her there.

Lily struggled in a panicked whisper. "Petunia! I have to do something!"

"Stay down for now, until we know what they want," whispered James, "and who they are!"

The two men were both dressed in Muggle clothes: black jumpers and trousers. The one holding Petunia was tall and muscular. The one holding Sirius at bay with his wand was short and stocky. For all their efforts in the last few minutes, they hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" growled Sirius. "Let her go!"

Petunia kept screaming.

The one pointing his wand at Sirius laughed. "Oh, so brave are ya'? Are you the Mudblood's lover?"

"Where is she? The sister?" barked the taller one. "We know she's here." He squeezed Petunia harder, and she screamed louder. "This one told us she was here." He put his head down to whisper to Petunia, "Very helpful of you, little Muggle." Then he bit her ear. The screaming suddenly stopped as Petunia fainted dead away in the intruder's grasp.

He rearranged his grip to maintain his hold on her collapsed body, his wand still pointing steadily at her head. "The sister comes out now or this one is dead."

"What do you want with Lily?" Sirius asked, trying to stall for time. Unseen by the intruders, Frank and Alice had returned and, making eye contact with Sirius, were hiding in the front room.

Lily pushed James away and bounded to her feet, skittering into the kitchen doorway. She was terrified, but knew enough to hold herself back from tackling the man holding her sister. She felt James at her side, standing but still hidden.

"Frank and Alice are here. Front room. Wait for their signal," whispered James. Behind her back, she handed James her wand. Just in time.

"Expelliarmus!" the shorter intruder shouted, but Lily held up her hands.

"I don't have my wand!" Then she put her hands on her hips as if she were Head Girl scolding a pair of unruly second-years. "I'm here now, so you can let go of my sister."

"Not until you've gone with us, Mudblood," threatened the tall one.

"I'm not doing anything until you tell me who the bloody hell you are and what you want with me," Lily shot back defiantly.

Sirius stared at her like an adoring puppy.

"I don't know why he wants you, or what he needs you for," the shorter one said with some impatience. "I'm not one to ask questions, neither. He just said to bring the Mudblood." He tugged at the neck of his jumper. He looked at his partner and growled. "Let's just get on with this so I can get out of these bloody clothes!" Keeping his eye and wand on Sirius, he moved slowly towards Lily.

Sirius had backed up to a small table and put his hand around a small, black object.

"He?" Lily asked, already knowing the answer to this question.

Sirius smirked. "Lily, how thoughtful of you to invite Death Eaters to our party!"

He nodded and laughed. On Sirius' cue, a round, black disc flew across the room and, as it neared the roof, a blast of light shattered it into thousands of pieces of vinyl. When the intruders ducked against the falling debris, Sirius pushed a button on the remote control, and the television came alive with the sudden sounds and sights of scantily clad girls singing and dancing. The combined effects caused the two Death Eaters to momentarily lose their focus.

It was enough.

Frank and Alice burst out of the front room and, with a flash from their wands, the two Death Eaters fell, Stunned. Released from her captor's grasp, Petunia collapsed, still unconscious, to the floor. James handed Lily her wand and, to finish the job, they quickly cast Body-Bind spells on the two Death Eaters. It was over as quickly as it had begun.

Sirius ran into the front room with Alice and Frank to help their friends. Lily ran to Petunia and cradled her sister's head in her lap. James knelt next to her.

"You sure know how to throw a party, Evans!" he teased, belying the fear still evident in his eyes.

Frank emerged from the front room supporting Annette on his arm. She was still reeling from the spell, holding her head and wincing.

"Alice has gone off to the Ministry," Frank informed them, as if this were just another routine day on the job. "The Aurors on duty should be here shortly to take care of these two," he said, indicating the bound invaders.

"Thanks, Frank," said James with a grin. "You should get a promotion for this one. Lucky for us you're on our side!"

Frank blushed, not one to take compliments very well.

Lily cast an Ennervate spell on Petunia, who awoke screaming beyond all reason, picking up where she had left off. Both she and James had to struggle to hold her down.

"James, I have to do something. I have to get her help..." Lily said, casting about frantically for an idea. Her parents couldn't help. She couldn't Apparate with her sister. She needed someone nearby. She had a car....

Corran. His home was close by.

"I'm taking her to Corran's house," she said decisively. "It'll only take about twenty minutes to get there by car. He'll know what to do."

"Why Corran?" James asked, puzzled.

Petunia's screams hadn't diminished, and she continued to thrash about as they tried to maintain their hold on her. Lily looked at James with an expression that required no further explanation.

James nodded. "Right. I'll go with you!"

"No, James. I need you to stay here. Help... put things back to rights before my parents come home." Lily looked at the two rooms, now in shambles. "If they do get back before we return, I need you to explain what happened. All right?"

James didn't seem pleased to have to be the one to explain all this to Lily's parents, but he grunted in agreement. "How are you going to move her?" he asked, still holding down the screaming and struggling Petunia.

Lily sighed. "Sorry, 'Tune, I hate to do this, but..." She pointed her wand. "Stupefy!"

The room finally went quiet, the echo of Petunia's screams still ringing in their ears. Lily, red-faced and sweating, pushed the tousled hair out of her face and stood up.

"Now, help me get her into the car."

********

Lily barely remembered driving to the Mastens' house. She vaguely recollected blurting out to Corran, in a rush of words, all that had happened as he carried Petunia into his house. She recalled him laying her sister on the sofa in his drawing room and his wife, Heather, handing her a cup of tea, and instructing Corran to fetch a blanket for Petunia.

"What a fright for you all!" exclaimed Heather, patting Lily's hand and looking ruefully at Petunia's recumbent form.

Lily just nodded, shaking and blowing her nose into the handkerchief Heather had conjured for her. She'd managed to hold herself together until Petunia was in safe hands, then she'd fallen apart. She looked up at Heather, grateful for the calm she saw in the older woman's bright blue eyes.

Corran re-entered the drawing room with the requested blanket, followed by Albus Dumbledore. "We have another visitor, dear!" Corran announced cheerfully, seemingly pleased by the arrival of all these unexpected guests.

Lily leapt to her feet, both in surprise and relief. "Professor! How did you...? Who...?"

"Frank Longbottom sent a message. He thought I might be useful. Resourceful boy, Mr. Longbottom," Dumbledore said, placing his vein-shot hand on Lily's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. He took in the sight of Petunia lying unconscious on the sofa.

Heather drew up one of the large, padded leather chairs. "Please sit, Albus. Tea?"

"Something stronger, I think. One for Lily as well. It looks as if she's had a trying afternoon."

Lily didn't argue as Heather bustled off towards the kitchen. Dumbledore, Corran and Lily all sat staring at Petunia as if she were a fish out of water. Which of course, she was.

"Professor, Corran," Lily started, relieved to find her voice came out at a normal pitch, "You-Know-Who...."

"Voldemort," said Dumbledore quietly.

"Voldemort," repeated Lily, "sent two Death Eaters to my house... for me. But, why? What would they want with me?"

"Do you think they knew your friends would be there?" asked Corran.

Lily shook her head. "No, luckily for us. I can't imagine what would have happened had I been there alone with just Petunia... or my parents." The thoughts she could imagine caused a shiver of ice to cascade down her spine.

"Yes, you were fortunate," nodded Dumbledore, throwing a glance at Corran.

Corran leaned over to take a hold of Lily's shaking hand. "Is it possible, dear, that you've spoken about your work in the Department with anyone?"

Lily's eyes widened and gasped. "No! Of course not! I couldn't do so anyway, after taking the Vow!"

"Yes, that's true. Not since then. But, is it possible you might have mentioned something to someone before then? Certainly, your friends all know where you work, even if they don't know the specifics."

The idea that she could have done something like that, to be so unthinkingly responsible for what happened today, was horrifying. Her mind raced as she racked her memory for what she could have said and to whom.

"I don't know! I - I may have; I don't recall! But I can't imagine any of my friends would ever go to... to..." she gasped. "This is my fault!" Her hands flew to her mouth, and she burst into tears all over again.

Corran conjured a second handkerchief, and Lily accepted it wordlessly.

"The issue seems to be," reflected Dumbledore calmly, "less about who said something and more about what Voldemort wants with this information, or what he thinks Lily can provide him. Clearly, Voldemort has deemed whatever it is you are working on valuable enough to think that you can help him get at it."

"Do you...think he'll...come after me again?" Lily asked between hiccups, trying to regain her composure.

Dumbledore stroked his beard. Corran pulled his chair closer to Lily and held her hand. She squeezed his hand in return and gave him a weak but grateful smile.

"No, I don't think he'll go that route again," concluded Dumbledore. "He doesn't like to repeat tactics that have failed. He may, however, try to get the information some other way. Corran, I suggest that you look into increasing the security in the Department, and speak to Esmé about placing additional protections in her Division as well. Forewarned is forearmed, I always say!"

It seemed as if that would be the end of the matter, until Lily noted Dumbledore turning his gaze back to Petunia.

"What can we do for her, Professor? She was frightened about all this before today, but, now... I think this may drive her completely 'round the bend!"

Heather had entered the drawing room, handing small glasses of port to both of them. Lily gulped hers down.

"I think a Calming Draught might help the young lady," Heather suggested, indicating Petunia. "I've brought a phial."

"Excellent suggestion, dear!" said Corran.

Lily watched Corran, Heather and Dumbledore consider the figure reclining on their sofa, as if they were studying a creature in the zoo. It made Lily very uncomfortable as she recalled the same look on Petunia's face watching her and her friends this afternoon. Apparently the feelings of distrust went both ways. This realisation made her unaccountably sad.

"Obliviate?" suggested Heather.

"No!" shouted Lily, startling them all. "I don't want you to poke holes in her mind! She may be a Muggle, but that doesn't give you any right to take her memories!"

"But, Lily, dear," said Corran with some sympathy, "you know that if the Ministry hears about her involvement, they'll require it anyway."

Lily's eyes narrowed and her voice went suddenly calm. If James were there, he'd have recognised it for the warning signal it was.

"Then, we'll just have to make sure they don't know she was involved, won't we?" she said, clipping her words with intent.

The Mastens looked at each other and shrugged, conceding, if not completely understanding.

"I agree with Lily, actually," said Dumbledore, drawing a look of surprise from the others. "I think that it's important to keep Petunia on our side, and she'll need those memories if we want her to be useful."

"Useful?" asked Corran. Lily frowned, uncertain where he was going with this.

"Nothing specific... yet. Call it a 'hunch'." He looked at Lily. "I promise that I will do nothing to harm your sister. In fact, I think it may help to protect her. Do you trust me?"

Lily hesitated, uncertain. Then she looked into her former Headmaster's eyes and felt both his power, concern for her and her sister, and his reassurance.

She nodded.

"Please be careful, sir. She's very frightened."

Dumbledore took the phial from Heather and raised the still-unconscious Petunia up to a sitting position. He eased the Calming Draught to her lips and helped her to swallow it.

"Lily, come sit here where she can see you." He indicated the space in front of Petunia. Lily dropped to a kneeling position.

Then he pointed his wand. "Ennervate!"

Petunia sputtered, wiped her mouth, and sat up, looking around the room wildly until she caught sight of her sister kneeling in front of her. The draught was working, since Petunia wasn't screaming, but she was still shaking. Lily drew her into a hug and held her there.

"Petunia, I'm so sorry all this happened! But you're safe. I'm safe. It's going to be okay!"

Petunia clung to Lily, unable to speak. Finally, breaking her embrace, Petunia looked around the room and took in the strange faces staring at her.

"Who are they?" she whispered to Lily.

Lily moved up onto the sofa and kept one arm around her sister's shoulder while the other held her hand.

"This is a co-worker of mine, Corran Masten, and his wife Heather. This is their house, Petunia. I brought you here because I thought they could help."

Heather smiled kindly. "Tea, dear? You look as if you could use a cuppa?"

Petunia nodded weakly. Tea sounded normal, and her throat was parched and sore.

Heather went off to make some more tea.

"And this is Professor Dumbledore, 'Tune. He's the Headmaster at my school."

Petunia shrank back from the sight of the elderly wizard, edging back so far that she was practically sitting in Lily's lap. Lily grimaced, knowing the sight of the Headmaster with his long beard and purple robes would be the visual epitome of 'magic' in her sister's eyes, but Dumbledore caught Petunia's gaze and held it without a word. They stayed this way for a few quiet minutes until Lily felt Petunia slowly relax the vicelike grip she had on her hand.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," said Petunia calmly. Lily looked at Dumbledore with suspicion, but the old man merely smiled sweetly.

"And it's my pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Evans. I was very sorry to hear about the disturbance at your party. I am equally regretful that you were forced to bring those two...gentlemen...into your home."

Petunia frowned. "But they didn't force me. I invited them in..." Her hand went to her mouth as the words slipped out.

"Indeed!" Dumbledore said, in what Lily could tell was mock surprise. "Well, that is very unfortunate!"

"How... how? Unfortunate?" stuttered Petunia, going pale.

"Well, in our world, Miss Evans, it means that you put your sister's life at risk. It's thanks to both her skill and the help of her friends that your own life was spared."

"That's... that's a good thing, isn't it?" she said weakly.

"Yes, very good, for all involved!" Dumbledore agreed with a nod. "But it does leave you with an obligation, my dear."

"A...what?" squeaked Petunia.

This was all getting to be a bit too much for Lily.

"Professor! Petunia isn't obligated to anything or anyone!"

Petunia whipped her head around, having forgotten for a moment that Lily was there. She looked at her sister with an expression of need that Lily hadn't seen in years. She hugged Petunia even more tightly.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lily, but she is. In the wizarding world, Petunia, which I know appears odd and frightening to you, we have rules and laws, just like in your world. Unbreakable laws. One of the oldest of those laws holds that if someone saves your life, you owe them a debt. A life debt. And if you are responsible for putting that person at risk to begin with...which you so clearly did...that doubly strengthens that debt. This means that you will remain bound to your sister in a very serious way, until that debt is paid."

Lily was furious. "Is this really necessary, Professor?" she hissed.

He opened his palms and shrugged. "It isn't a matter of necessity, my dear; it's just the truth, whether we voice that truth or not. It can't be undone, and it's important that your sister understand what's at stake. She is as bound to that debt as any magical person. Do you understand what I am saying, Petunia?"

Petunia Evans pulled herself upright and straightened her clothes. She was still shaking but looked at Albus Dumbledore without flinching. Lily stared at her sister, impressed that she was bravely holding her own against the old wizard.

"I understand, sir. You needn't worry." Petunia turned to look at Lily, who felt fear, stubborn pride, anger and sadness in her sister's gaze.

"I always keep my promises and meet my obligations!"

Dumbledore stood up. "Well, then, that's all settled!" He reached down to shake Petunia's hand. "I'm delighted to have met you, dear girl. I hope to have the pleasure of speaking with you again in the future!"

Petunia pulled her hand out of Dumbledore's and nodded stiffly. "Forgive me if I say that I'm not looking forward to it, sir," she responded with a grim smile.

Lily felt her heart constrict, as she wondered where, how, and under what circumstances Dumbledore would find the need to speak to her sister again.

---

A/N: Corran and Heather Masten appear in this chapter courtesy of their creator, Morweniris. Corran's story is told in Mor's wonderful fic, Unspeakable Truth.

Thanks go to my super betas, celtmama and cappella_black for their diligence and efforts on my behalf.