I looked in the mirror and the face of a stranger looked back. Green eyes greeted me, greener than any I had ever seen; A soft, oval face that was near unrecognizable despite the lingering sense of familiarity, the small change of being unladen from my glasses enough for it to feel like I was looking at someone else. My hair was now, if not tamed, then at least looking far more decent after copious amounts of hair spray. I would say it was wavier now, as opposed to the usual windblown bird nest for it had. The colour of it, however, was not black, but a deep ruby colour that even if it would be hard to pass as natural, looked almost perfectly equal to the woman that was ruffling her own red tinted curls playfully from the picture resting against the looking glass.
Lily Evans.
My father hugged her waist and smiled, full of pride, and then laughed heartily as I did the same and stained my hands. I grimaced with the next blink. Contact lenses would take some getting used to though.
The whole thing was quite a spur of the moment kind of thing, and I was surprised at how well it had turned out, specially as I had only used whatever things Aunt Petunia had laying around. I had no idea why shed keep red hair dye, but I really could not complain, as it had been what had given me the idea in the first place.
The bell rang, making me jump; my aunt and uncle must have gotten back from the store, they always rang to make me go help with the bags. I looked at the mirror once more and breathed in, son of Lily Potter indeed. I guess it was time to see the results.
I jumped the steps in pairs, landing in front of the door without answering to my aunt’s calls, and opened the door. Petunia stood there, her head turned to the street and a paper bag filled with groceries on her chest. She looked towards me and I could tell it took her a moment to register. I saw confusion first, then fear, her eyes widening and her face paling.
The bag fell to the floor, spilling vegetables all over the foyer. She stepped back, mouth opening and closing in an unsuccessful attempt at wording... Something.
“You- your- Lily- What- Vernon! VEEEEEEERNON!”
It would be hard to tell what was faster, uncle Vernon reaching the door or the nosy neighbour across the street peeking out. Vernon’s reaction was similar, if more muted. Now I had two people gawking at me, one looking dangerously pale while the other went dangerously puce.
The neighbour chose that very inopportune moment to crack a laugh, and Vernon started wheezing like a deflating ball. I felt my heart start thumping faster, and my legs primed to run; It still took me a conscious effort to make myself stand straight and glare back at him, even after five years.
“Get inside!” he whistled, his moustache quivering under the pressure of his exertion.
I stood still, back straight and looked at him for a couple seconds, until I saw the twitch on the corner of his eye that I knew would come, and just as he was about to speak again, I got inside. Petunia crouched and pawed at the floor hurriedly, picking up what she could while Vernon stomped behind me. I knew I was in trouble now, but whatever punishment it would be absolutely worth it.
I only hoped that the people of my world, of my mother’s world would be as moved about my changed looks, and that maybe, just maybe, I could then hear more about that shadowy figure that lurked in my past. That woman that had given me everything she had, everything she was.
That woman I could barely remember.