"Tea?"

"Please."

"Sugar, milk, honey…?"

"Just milk, please."

"I have biscuits in the kitchen, I'll just—"

"Don't trouble yourself, Petunia."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite, thank you."

"You look well."

"I had the baby a week ago."

"So I heard."

"We named him Harry. Harry James, actually, after his father."

"Oh."

"I quite like the name, Dudley."

"It's a family name."

"It's lovely, nonetheless. Where are…?"

"They're at Vernon's sister's place."

"Ah. Well, it's so nice to be able to see you, although I was hoping that Dudley and Harry could perhaps have a play date. Maybe one day?"

"Perhaps."

"Lovely house, I could never get my kitchen this spotless. James' friends are always tromping through—"

"Juveniles."

"Well, I wouldn't put it that harshly."

"Freaks. The lot of you."

"Didn't know one served tea to a freak."

"This is my second-best set of china."

"I was hoping we could avoid this, Petunia. Can't we pretend to be happy for each other?"

"Is that what you want, Lily? I haven't seen you for nearly two years and you want to play house."

"We're not exactly playing house anymore, Petunia. We each have families of our own."

"I'd prefer to keep mine away from yours, thank you."

"See? We both have our families to love and sons to protect."

"And I want protect mine by keeping it away from yours. I don't want my precious little Dudley to become a hideous freak like your son."

"It doesn't happen like that."

"I'm not taking any chances."

"And neither will I. Petunia…"

"What."

"Won't you meet Harry? As soon as you see him, you'll love him. You couldn't help but love him once you see him."

"No."

"He is so lovable, you just can't help it and—well our friends come by, but they're no substitute for your own flesh and blood and Harry needs his aunt."

"No."

"Petunia—"

"No."

"Just once, please, before it's too late."

"'Before it's too late…' You sound like a soap opera. It'll never be too late because it'll never happen! You're going to go right back into your own little world and I'm going to forget about this because this never happened and ithat's that./i"

"Fine, you don't have you don't have to like us, but won't you just meet him? He will need you one day."

"Your kind never needs a Muggle's help."

"Families help each other, Petunia."

"Maybe when we were young, but not anymore. If I could, I would forget you."

"Do you really wish that, Petunia?"

"With all my heart, I wish that every day. I wish you hadn't sent me that letter; I wish I hadn't stupidly replied; I wish that you never came; and I wish with all my will that I'll never see Harry James Potter under my roof."

"Petunia, please."

"No, Lily."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"Yes."

"I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"Do it. It is."

"Obliviate"

"Tea?"

"Please."

"Sugar, milk, honey…?"

"Just milk, please."

"I have biscuits in the kitchen, I'll just—"

"Don't trouble yourself, Petunia."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite, thank you."

"You look well."

"I had the baby a week ago."

"So I heard."

"We named him Harry. Harry James, actually, after his father."

"Oh."

"Would you like to meet him?"

"No."

"Are you sure?

"Please, don't ask me again, Lily."

"But, why, Petunia?"

"Just, just, don't."

"Fine."

Almost a year later, Petunia opened up the door one brisk morning to find a small child on the doorstep, peacefully asleep with a letter in his hand.