It's so good! I love how you talk about lilys friends coming over and severus being little and then how she really loves her family, maybe you could write one about why she felll in love with Vernon because he always forgets her birthday so he can't be that nice can he? Loved it

*bawls eyes out*

The Dursleys are so fascinating! I was disappointed when the epilogue wasn't about them in the seventh book.
You really captured Petunia's personality. You didn't leave out anything, and made her a very round character. I especially loved the fact that she tried to ignore some of the things she was thinking. Very realistic.

First, let me apologize. This has been on my favourites list for at LEAST a year now and I haven’t yet offered a review. I’m ashamed of myself. The only explanation I can think to offer is that when one reads something this great it’s hard to come up with an appropriate comment to match its brilliance. [I know. I’m laying it on thick, aren’t I? (O/O)]

Overall Thought:

What really jumps out at me when reading this piece in its uniqueness. I think that as we get older and explore fiction we come to realize that almost everything has been done before. The Bible says that everything a man can dream up has already been dreamt before, so it’s pretty refreshing when you come across something that’s entirely new to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone really express any interest Petunia and this has constantly frustrated me. She’s a character that so much could be done with and I was ecstatic to find this piece. The look into a minor, unexplored character was something I thoroughly enjoyed.

Particular Pieces:

You’re hook—(“There are empty spaces in her life now, and maybe they've always been there.”) was absolutely brilliant. I just can’t get over it. I suppose that Petunia must be an empty sort of person—not because she’s empty-headed, but because she’s been hollowed out—and this line just seems perfect for her.

(“He's no longer the boy, though; there are too many that have been given the title of 'the boy' over the years, she decides, and the quiet gives way to remembering them all, and it's hard to keep them straight if she doesn't call them by their names.”) I have to say that I this right here is one of my favourites snippets from this piece. The idea that she’s so tired of denying their existences and their natures that she’s given up and allowed them to have names. Maybe Petunia is growing? Maybe, after all these years, she’s finally decided to let go of some of the hate and bitterness that wouldn’t allow her to give them names.

(“—the wizards never thought about what they'd actually do, trapped in this tiny, empty house”) This description is well done. I’m not sure why, but I really love it.

(“Petunia misses everything, or at least that's how it feels sometimes, right down to the stray cat that she shooed off her doorstep with increasing irritation morning after morning …”) I adore how in her exile even the things she once thought horrible have come to be something that she looks back with fondness. It really puts things into prospective.

(“…new hall closet, one that probably has just as many spiders lurking in its shadows as the first one did, but it doesn't hold the memory of a child with a scar on his forehead, and Petunia uses this new closet for storage even though the old one remained empty for years after Harry had his own bedroom.”) My heart, it hurts. I can’t get over the wonderful description here (the “lurking spiders and shadows” part gives me the creeps) or the insight into Petunia’s character. I think the books kind of hinted for a while (and DH definitely showed us) that Petunia did care for Harry in some small way and leaving the closet empty even after Harry’s departure was a perfect way to symbolize that.

(“If the days are long, the nights are endless, but perhaps lying awake is better than sleeping.”) I’ve been in this exact position, so this line is one of my favourites. It really embodies the desperation and the loneliness Petunia is feeling and helps me relate to the character.

(“….got mad when Petunia said she didn't care, that she didn't love Lily no matter how Lily felt about her, and his eyes burned with anger, almost glowing in the darkness.”) Not only did you manage to fill in some backstory here as well as add character depth to the two women, you gave us an insight into Sirius Black as well, which is something I really enjoyed. It’s not much, but I kind of got the impression that you were implying that he still loved his family and would have liked them to be at his wedding, were he to have one. (Or maybe I’m a rabid fangirl reading into things….)

(“But it was three a.m., and Petunia's primary concern at that moment was that her new neighbors would see her talking with a strange man in her garden in the middle of the night.”) Description beautiful. I like how you gave a setting and place. It helped me imagine their attire and what the garden would have looked like at that particular time.

(“…and for the first time Petunia understands why the wizards and witches all seem to talk about him as if he were some sort of god. It's not because they think that he can save them, but because he's their only chance and it's either support him or admit defeat.”) This part is just perfect. The entire time I was reading the series I was a little perplexed on why a whole bunch of adults were relying on a *child*. I mean, okay, yes, he has the whole “it’s my destiny” thing going on, but still. I just couldn’t believe that they were trusting destiny instead of common sense. It was great to have an explanation for that provided.

(“It aches somewhere inside her chest, throbbing in time with her heart.”) Again, this is another description that I really like. The use of “throbbing” is what made it stand out so much, I think.

(“She'll be strong, she has to be, if only for Dudley and Vernon.”) I’ve never considered Petunia to be strong, but now that you mention it I suppose that’s a fitting label. Though it’s not any sort of strength I’d want. Being able to internalize everything and live one’s entire life denying half of the world exists is kind of horrible.

(“At first Petunia had teased her sister, made kissing noises at her every time she even mentioned Severus's name, but it wasn't long before she'd learned to hate him because he shared something with Lily that Petunia never could, and that wasn't fair. They were sisters, they'd always done everything together, and it wasn't fair.”) In the books, I think everything happened quire abruptly. I guess that’s kind of to be expected. Rowling didn’t want to drag everything out; I don’t think the readers would have enjoyed that. Yet it still kind of irks me that Petunia, Severus, and Lily met and BAM instantaneous hate that lasted a life time. I like the gradual build up you hint at here. It seems much more realistic.

(“Petunia wonders if Snape will ever learn just what it feels like to have his soul taken by a Dementor. A part of her, a part that she doesn't like to admit even exists, hopes that he will.” and “Her first birthday after Lily died, Petunia would have given anything to hear an owl outside her window, even if she'll never admit it to Vernon or even to herself.”) Personally, I think a very big part of this story is the unveiling of Petunia’s humanity. More and more, you’re beginning to show the reader that she’s a person. I think that’s something that books really lacked. The Dursleys were just painted to be these horrible people and yes, people like that do exist, but it was a little silly, in my opinion, so that aspect of this fic is one of the main things that put it on my favourite list. You show us that Petunia does have a heart, that she does have feelings and emotions. You give reasons for her actions. I really, really appreciated that.

Petunia can be such a fascinating character to explore, and I really love the way you did her in this… You depicted the emptiness, the way she's lost everything that mattered to her, in a very striking way. Your writing was spot-on, with a sense of harshness that was really fitting… Every moment was very insightful and meaningful: the way she's yearning to be alone now that Vernon and Dudley are there all the time, the way she can't help but blame "Lily's war" for the death of her parents, as though every dark event was Lily's fault, the way she misses her old life so much…

I love how Sirius embodies her fears and haunts her nightmares, it was a very Sirius thing to do, trying to convince her to go to the wedding - because it was reckless, but especially because he, of all people, would know what it's like to have your family turn their back on you… You described him in a very chilling way, it was beautifully done.

Her thoughts about Privet Drive were very well done, part of her hoping that people are missing her, that she matters to somebody, and yet the other part darkly lucid about the consequences if they were ever to go back… It was absurdly funny that she still cares so much about their reputation, still evokes it as something that exists or matters - and yet it's a very Petunia thing to do. The idea of wizards wiping memories was very interesting and meaningful, especially since Petunia very well imagines herself disappearing from memory after such a curse - and that oblivion must really scare her - and yet she has to face her own memories, day by day, which won't ever fade…

I love the way you drew a parallel between the way Petunia sees Harry, and the way the whole wizarding world does. The embodiment of hope, rather than a human being… Chilling, and yet very true… I also really appreciated the way she keeps going with that hope, and basically has to. Her keeping in touch with Hestia, "translating" her letters, and the fact that she hadn't ever realized before how much she knew about Lily's world, was just perfect.

The whole part about Severus was really, really well done, I love Petunia's childish behaviour at first, and then the way she became so jealous - and the pain of seeing Lily disappear into another world seemed clearly implied underneath the pain of seeing her get away with other friends… And it was ironical that Petunia should think so ragefully that life isn't fair, since she was the one to reject Lily.

The birthday thing was really well handled. Lily being the only one to ever remember it was so sad, and so meaningful… You evoked time's toll on Petunia very beautifully… I like the way the beginning echoes the end, like everything is about time and memories and this day which isn't any different… She has so many memories that they almost make her timeless, and yet they also weigh her down so much…

This was beautiful work, really - and your character analysis was flawless, you really did justice to Petunia, gave her some depth, and depicted everything that makes her what she is… Stunning!

This was wonderful and heartbreaking. Petunia is such an under-appreciated, interesting character and you did an excellent job of humanizing her, taking her character beyond the usual static-meanie portrayed in a lot of other stories. The flow of her thoughts seemed very natural, too, and I liked the way each section tied together, however loosely, with the one before it, like a real stream of consciousness. Very poignant and well done! :]

Angsty and bittersweet... nicely written.

A well written insight on Petunia's thoughts. I haven't come across a fic that focused on the Dursleys after they went to hiding- until now and you've done a good job.

Cheers.

This is quite angsty but brilliantly written. You really researched and looked into Petunia's character and filled in the spaces. Excellent job portraying her! :)

~Analie~

Very nice :)

An interesting insight...I always wondered what it was like for the Dursleys.

Man, that was really, really good! I loved the whole thing, all of the memories, how her 'Death Eaters didn't look like Severous' -everything. You are a great writer, and this piece was really beautiful!

Oh, this is amazing. I've never read a story about the Dursleys after they went into hiding - really, for all we know, I guess they could have died. But I like your way better. You really understand Petunia, or at least you made me feel, after I read this, that I understood her, which is a lot more difficult. I love the way you cycled through the diffrent 'boys' who have taken Lily away. I think the most poignant moment, though, was the part when Sev talked about dementors; it gave so much more meaning to the scene when Dudley is attacked in OotP. Wonderful story.

Wow, this is really intense... I love the last line :) I have always thought that in the books Petunia was a little inrealistic and inhumane, but you've made her realistic and likeable, great job :)

Wow. I love how you link the first and last paragraphs together, that just creates such a sense of togetherness in the whole fic. I love this little insight into what happened after the Dursleys were taken from Privet Drive, J.K never did concentrate much on that did she. Your writing is amazing, and I adore this piece. Really really really good job! &hearts

I've always wondered about Petunia.

I guess childhood jealousy made her angry at her sister. After all, why does Lily get to be the witch? I wonder why she never forgave Lily, it wasn't Lily's fault she was a witch.

I love how you put that in the story. The way Petunia wonders and remembers and the way she realizes beneath it all that she could've had a better relationship with her sister.

Great job!