Evans Home Visit Ⅱ

Glancing up at the banister Andrew's breath as always is caught he is astonished by the beauty of Petunia Evans. She was truly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. Her hair is light-colored, with gorgeous pale blue eyes, and glossy pink lips. She wore a white cotton blouse and a knee-length pink wrap-around skirt. Her feet are bare and perfectly delectable.

Ignoring Andrew's besotted gaze, Rowan with a crooked grin greets her friend.

Putting her hands on her hips, Petunia peers up at Rowan. "Row, you and Severus are still freakishly tall," she hummed. "Though it looks like you're done growing if the height difference is any clue," she triumphantly smirked.

"I know," Rowan forlornly grimaced. "It will only serve to boost Severus's ego."

Petunia snorted, before leaning over to place a kiss on Andrew's face. "You are looking rather dashing this morning, drew."

"Thank you, pet," Andrew flushed at being kissed on the cheek in front of everyone. He at times still wasn't used to how casual muggles were about showing their affections in public.

"Wait for us here, drew," Petunia instructed her boyfriend. "I'll settle Rowan down in my room and then we can go out!" She excitedly said as Andrew obediently went to sit down on the family couch to wait.

Leading Rowan up the stairs, Rowan barely has a chance to enter the floral wall-papered room when Petunia slams the door shut behind her. Folding her arms over her chest, Petunia stubbornly says, "Out with it, Row. What is going on with Andrew?"

"Geez, Petunia, at least give me time to set my things down," Rowan rolled her eyes and placed her bag on the sea foam green bed cover that had ruffled ends. The carpet isn't nearly shaggy or as thick as Lily's.

Glancing around the room, Rowan is surprised to see that the posters of movie actors and singers are gone from the wall. Instead, there are pictures of chefs such as a Scottish chef by the name of Gram Kerr, a small-time chef from Los Angles who had been featured cooking for the Hollywood elite by the name of Wolfgang Puckk, or that of a stout female American chef who aired on the telly by the name of Julia Childd, and that of a marriage couple, who are chefs in the wizarding world.

The male has silver hair golden hair pulled back into a long braid, and his skin glows like the moon. There is a pair of dark-rimmed spectacles on his nose with an artistic pointed goatee. The female chef is a tall (squib) woman who proudly gazes at them folding her arms and showing impressive bulging forearms. Koris and Zeina Feviel, the proud owners of the Hermetic Cauldron who had taken the London culinary scene by storm. There is a waiting list for six months out!

Rowan recognized the couple as she had seen them at the Hermetic Cauldron. The food was absolutely divine, and it had been worth it to do a favor for Terry. Not to mention Koris Feviel was a cousin of Terry's, who was well-liked in the family even if he had an artist's temper.

Glancing at the bright pink cord phone lying on the pink phone receiver, Rowan sits down on the edge of the bed. "Well, how should I put it? In common terms, there was a terrorist attack during the last field trip of the school year."

Petunia stumbles in shock and slumps down onto the floor to sit. "A terrorist attack?! How is that even remotely possible?!"

"The IRA has done so in England. Why couldn't a magical faction do the same?" Rowan arched her brow.

"I just-, I mean," Petunia stammered in shock. "I would think that that wouldn't occur with magic and all!"

 "Wizards and witches are just as human as everyone else. There are good and bad ones," Rowan tiredly sighed. "Having magic is just a genetic trait like hair or eye color. It doesn't determine what kind of person you are."

"I guess I thought having magic would make all the difference," Petunia weakly said unconsciously toying with her hair in a form of self-soothing. "I suppose that seems silly in retrospect," she bitterly smiled. "There's bound to be bad people wherever you go."

Rowan nods her head sagely in agreement.

"Was Andrew there?" Petunia anxiously chewed her lip. It was a family trait that she and Lily shared.

"We all were."

"Lily too!" Petunia gasped as her eyes bulged with fear.

"Yes."

Shivering Petunia rubs her bare arms which are covered in goosepimples. "How bad was it?" She hesitantly asked.

"There were several dead among students and staff and the townsfolk," Rowan solemnly recounted, "with dozens injured from light to severe injuries."

"Is that how Drew got his scar?" Petunia asked with trepidation in her voice.

"He was struck with a curse," Rowan replied. "Scars made by dark magic never completely fade away."

Gripping her hands together as if in a prayer, Petunia's hands slightly trembled. "I thought it was weird that Lily didn't sleep much after coming back for the summer holidays. Mum said Lily was having nightmares, but I never much thought to ask why."

"I'm a bad sister, aren't I?" Petunia asked gazing up at Rowan with a barrage of emotions.

"How could you have known," Rowan truthfully responded. "It isn't like you could have read it in the paper or got a phone call from Hogwarts informing your family of what occurred. And besides I'm fairly certain that your parents don't know what actually happened or else they would never let Lily go back to Hogwarts."

"Dad sure wouldn't," Petunia firmly nodded her head in agreement. Glancing down at her hands, she uncertainly says, "Do you think Lily will talk about it if I ask?"

"Everyone needs someone to talk to," Rowan earnestly replied, "it's human nature to do so. It isn't though Lily can tell the truth to your mum and dad what occurred. I would guess she probably told your parents something along the lines of seeing a tragic accident occur which in retrospect isn't necessarily a lie."

Seeing Rowan's rigid posture, Petunia understands that it is better to end the conversation at this juncture. She knew sufficiently of what had occurred. She would get further details from Andrew and Lily. She would do her best not to pry, she was worried and just wanted to be there for them.

Feeling that her legs are half-asleep, Petunia cringes as she stumbles back up. Wincing, she felt the blood rush back down her legs. "We better get going otherwise, Severus and Lily will leave without us."

"Oh, they would," Rowan snorted as she slid off the bed. "Those two lovebirds are in their own little world."

Petunia sagely agreed as the two of them headed back downstairs. Lily is impatiently waiting downstairs and says, "The two of you took long enough!" She narrowed her emerald eyes suspiciously eyes them. "What exactly were the two of you doing?"

"Discussing the upcoming landing of the US Viking on Mars," Rowan lied without pause causing Petunia to snicker to herself.

Lily's green eyes remained suspiciously narrowed at them. However, she didn't want to waste any more. There was plenty for the two of them to do in town!

"Mum, we're heading out!" Lily called out to her mum in the kitchen.

Sticking her head around the kitchen door, Mrs. Evans says, "Take care. I want all of you back no later than six to have dinner with your father."

"Yes, mum!" Lily briskly replied before shyly grabbing Severus's hand.

Rowan loudly smirks at Severus, who sends a scowl at his twin, before devotedly gazing back at Lily as they hold hands together. "Twitterpated," she mumbled under her breath.

Waving goodbye to Mrs. Evans, Andrew shyly holds his hand out for Petunia to take. Petunia confidently grabs his hand as the two of them stroll alongside Rowan and watch Lily and Severus walking up ahead. "Ug, they're so gross," Petunia huffed under her beath.

Rowan doesn't comment other than arch her brow and glance down pointedly at the intertwined hands of Petunia and Andrew. "So where exactly are we headed?" She asked. "I mean it's just after breakfast. The earliest matinee isn't until the afternoon."

"Beats me," Petunia shrugged. "We're following those two," she gestured at Lily and Severus. "Dad said I was not to leave the two of them alone."

"Those two can wander outside for hours without doing anything," Rowan drily remarked.

"I know," Petunia gloomily replied.

"Well, they won't be out for long," Rowan glanced up at the sun feeling the warming at her back. "It's supposed to be hot again."

"I'm so over this heat wave," Petunia grumbled. "The pool's no better, it's packed. It's like being wet sardines in a can."

Following the two love birds, the three of them began to chat. They talked about Petunia's upcoming birthday. Rowan offered to give up one of her free opportunities to dine at the Hermetic Cauldron, so Andrew could take Petunia there. Petunia was so thrilled at the idea of meeting one of her heroes, Zenia Fevel, that she loudly squealed and hugged Rowan much to her disgruntlement. Woe was Rowan.