Reborn as Petunia Evans with a System

It had been over two weeks since I last saw Severus. Every day, I still went to our usual meeting spot, hoping he would show up. Though he didn't, I kept myself busy. Lily and I spent most of our time in the garden, experimenting with magic. We whispered spells under our breath, trying to make our mother's flowers bloom with a flick of our fingers or to levitate small objects using only our minds. While our efforts weren't always successful, the sheer thrill of discovering magic together made it worthwhile.

During my free time, I delved into the books Severus' mother had given me. Thanks to the photographic memory gifted by the system, reading and understanding the material was effortless. Learning felt as natural as breathing, and every page brought me closer to mastering spells and concepts.

As Lily and I practiced, I couldn't help but notice that she sometimes grew quiet. I wondered if she felt overshadowed by my quick progress. I didn't want her to feel left behind, so I made sure to include her in everything I did.

One evening, while reading one of Eileen's books, I had an idea. If I could write stories from my past life, I could earn money to save for our Hogwarts journey. My mind buzzed with excitement as I thought about "Twilight," one of my favorite books. I remembered every word of it.

I grabbed our family's old typewriter and began writing. Hours turned into days as I typed tirelessly, stopping only to eat and sleep. By the time I finished, I had the entire manuscript neatly stacked in my hands.

At dinner, I mustered up the courage to talk to my parents about it. I cleared my throat nervously.

"Dad, Mom, I wrote a book," I said, placing the manuscript on the table.

My dad raised an eyebrow, intrigued, while my mom's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "A book?" Dad asked, flipping through the pages.

"Yes," I said eagerly. "I was wondering if you could help me find a publisher. I know I'm only ten, but... I think this story has potential."

Dad read a few pages, his expression softening as he became engrossed. When he looked up, pride was evident in his eyes. "This is impressive," he said.

Mom, ever the emotional one, clutched my hand. "Sweetheart, this is amazing! You're so talented!"

I noticed Lily growing quiet again, her fork idly poking at her food. My heart ached. I didn't want her to feel left out.

"You know," I said, turning to Lily, "I need your feedback. Will you read it and tell me what you think? I trust your opinion more than anyone's."

Her face lit up with a smile. "Really?" she asked.

"Of course!" I said.

Our parents joined in, promising to read the manuscript together as a family. Dad even said he would take it to a publisher he knew, confident that they would love it.

The next morning, before heading to work, Dad kissed the top of my head. "I'll arrange a meeting with the publisher. You've done something extraordinary, princess."

I hugged him tightly, my heart swelling with gratitude.

The Publishing House

The following day, Dad took a day off, and both he and Mom accompanied Lily and me to the publishing house. My nerves buzzed as we walked into the tall building with glass doors that reflected the sunlight. Dad held my hand reassuringly while Lily hummed quietly, trying to calm me down.

Inside, the publisher, a sharp-looking woman with glasses perched on her nose, greeted us warmly. She flipped through the manuscript with increasing interest, occasionally nodding and jotting down notes.

"This is remarkable," she finally said, looking up at me. "You're very talented for someone so young. We'd love to publish this."

My heart soared. "Really?"

"Yes," she said. "We can offer a 50-50 profit share for the book."

Before I could reply, Dad stepped in. "That won't do," he said firmly. "My daughter worked hard on this. We'll only agree to a 70-30 split, with 70% going to her."

The publisher hesitated. "That's a steep request..."

Dad smiled confidently. "I'm sure other publishers would be interested in this story as well. It's truly one-of-a-kind."

After a tense moment, the publisher relented. "Alright. 70-30 it is."

Mom clapped her hands in excitement, and Lily hugged me tightly. "I'm so proud of you!" she whispered.

On the way home, my parents treated Lily and me to ice cream at our favorite shop. Mom beamed with pride, and Dad couldn't stop talking about how proud he was of my determination.

"This is only the beginning," Dad said, raising his ice cream cone like a toast. "To many more stories!"

"To many more stories," I echoed, laughing.

Even Lily seemed genuinely happy, licking her chocolate cone with a wide smile. For the first time in weeks, everything felt perfect.