NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 84: The Funeral
Aside from a few reports in the Times about gas leaks and car accidents, the deaths of the Evans family caused no ripples in the Muggle world.
On the day of the funeral, the Kirkworth Cemetery lay beneath a gloomy leaden sky, the damp air heavy with the scent of earth.
Snape's gaze passed over rows of dull gray tombstones, resting on a pair of new oak coffins up ahead.
In the front row, Lily and Petunia stood with a measured distance between them.
Lily's slender shoulders looked fragile beneath her black mourning dress, her red hair losing its usual fiery glow, lying flat against her pale cheeks.
"It's so sad," a man's voice spoke beside Snape. "They were so young."
Snape turned to see a stout young man in a tight suit, nearly neckless.
"Hello," he said. "I'm Vernon Dursley—Petunia's colleague and fiancé."
"Hello," Snape replied briefly, shaking Vernon's large hand. "Severus Snape. A friend of Lily's."
"What do you do?" Vernon asked, eyes scanning Snape up and down as he puffed out his chest slightly, pride tinting his tone. "I work in drilling equipment at Grunnings in London. Junior supervisor."
He emphasized the "supervisor."
"Uh…" Snape's mouth twitched slightly. "My uncle's money's endless, so I don't need to work."
An embarrassed look crossed Vernon's face.
The crowd began moving toward the open grave.
"We'll talk later," Vernon said as he pushed forward, his solid frame parting the people.
Snape's gaze returned to Petunia. He barely recognized her. The girl he once knew now wore a tailored black dress, her blonde hair pinned neatly back, her face a blend of sorrow and anger.
When her eyes met Snape's, a clear flash of disdain sparked within them.
The priest began his prayers. Snape saw Lily's shoulders trembling but the girl stubbornly held back tears.
When the final shovelful of earth covered the coffin, the crowd dispersed. Snape noticed a few oddly dressed figures standing conspicuously at the cemetery's edge, pretending to adjust ties or handbags. One caught Snape's gaze and nodded slightly—it was someone from the Order.
Snape and Eileen finally found a chance to approach Lily, but she walked toward Petunia and Vernon.
"I'm so sorry, Petunia, truly! Listen to me—" Lily grabbed her sister's hand tightly; Petunia struggled to pull away.
"Lily," Petunia's voice was cold and clear, pulling hard to free her hand, "it's ridiculous, this gas explosion story. Lucky you were willing to tell me the truth—you freak finally brought misfortune on the family. Mum always loved you."
Petunia yanked her hand free. Lily's eyes brimmed with tears.
Vernon watched confusedly, unable to understand what was being said.
"What truth?" he stammered, looking at Petunia.
Petunia was silent, her gaze flicking between Snape and Lily before settling on Vernon.
"Vernon… it's nothing… we'll talk later, alright?" Her voice softened—Snape had never heard her speak this way.
Then, coldly, she turned to Lily. "I'm going back to London."
Lily lifted her head, green eyes full of tears. "Petunia, you can't just leave… we need—"
"No," Petunia cut her off. "You need to. I have my own life now. These… memories… they're yours."
Snape watched Lily's face go pale.
"You mean… you won't come back?" Lily whispered.
"Exactly." Petunia's eyes held deep sorrow. She glanced around at the graves, the damp grass, then at Lily. "There's nothing here left for me."
"Petunia," Lily's voice trembled with pain, "Mum and Dad loved you, Petunia. They always hoped we—"
"Hoped what?" Petunia snapped sharply. "That we'd pretend nothing happened? After you became… after all this happened?" She glanced at Lily with disgust. "Look at what your choices brought to this family, Lily. That's your choice."
Vernon cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the argument. "Dear, shall we go?"
Petunia nodded without looking back, tears glistening briefly at her eyes before she wiped them away.
Lily reached out to grasp her sister's arm, but Petunia had already turned away. Her hand hovered, then fell limply.
Her body wobbled slightly. Snape instinctively steadied her. Lily buried her face against his shoulder, sobbing silently.
He could feel her tears soaking into his robes, warm and damp.
"I hate myself…" Lily murmured, voice broken by crying.
Snape gently patted her back.
"It's not your fault," he whispered.
After the funeral, they returned to Saint Catchpole village. Lily grew increasingly silent, often sitting alone in the garden, lost in thought.
When Charlie clumsily climbed down from a toy broom to deliver news, Snape and Eileen recalled their earlier plans to vacation in Albania with the Weasleys.
"Let's go together, Lily?" Eileen said, helping Charlie down. "Think of it as a chance to get out of the house. You've been alone too much lately."
Lily thought for a moment, then forced a faint smile and whispered her assent.
Eileen quickly packed their bags, stuffing everything into Snape's small purse enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
"So convenient," she said. "Did you make this yourself? I can never get that charm right. Could you make me one or two more?"
"Ahem," Snape tried to explain, "It's hard to perform Undetectable Extension on something so small. I can't make it in a short time."
"Really?" Eileen studied the purse's texture with suspicion. "If your skill is that good, shouldn't you be able to?"
"Come on," Snape hurried, pulling Charlie along. "Mrs. Weasley and the others are waiting."
Together, they crossed the yard toward the Burrow.
The midday sun scorched the hillside, raising waves of dry heat. Occasionally, a breeze stirred the rustling dry grass.