Change the Future

GOF 2

The atmosphere inside number four, Privet Drive was extremely tense. The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. Vernon had looked downright alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o'clock.

"I hope you told them to dress properly, these people," he snarled at once. "I've seen the sort of stuff your lot wear. They'd better have the decency to put on normal clothes" Vernon had put on his best suit. Petunias arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry and Rory "They'll be driving, of course?"

"Er," Harry said "I think so," Vernon snorted into his moustache. Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. Vernon was pretending to read the paper, but his tiny eyes were not moving, he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around his bottom.

"You" Petunia spoke suddenly pointing at Rory.

Rory sunk lower into the chair hiding her face in James side as he looked at her confused. Harry on the other hand looked at her concerned knowing what came next.

"Hide that hideous thing on your neck this instant. We don't need to see that" Rory pulled her hair around further to cover her neck. Harry looking angrily at Petunia as Rory shook her head at him.

"You can't even see it for crying out loud" Sirius shouted at the screen whilst James just tightened his arm around Rory more.

Harry and Rory left the room and went to sit on the stairs in the hall.

"You okay Ror" His eyes found hers.

"I'm fine Harry she's said worse I don't care anymore what she says"

"What else did she say to you" Euphemia asked her granddaughter whilst glaring at the screen.

"Doesn't really matter" Rory muttered.

"Lily I'm going to kill your sister" James told her.

"I'll help you at this rate" Lily said, an angry look on her face.

Five o'clock came and then went. Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, opened the front door, peered up and down the street, then withdrew his head quickly.

"They're late!" he snarled at Harry and Rory.

"I know," Harry said whilst Rory sat next to him looking down at her lap subconsciously making sure her hair still covered her neck before deciding to just put her hood up to hold it more in place.

"Oh dear, she's got into her head" Alice said looking at the screen sadly. Rory just hid her head back in her father's side hating the sympathy.

"Maybe - er - the traffic's bad, or something." At half past, Vernon and Petunia were talking in terse mutters in the living room.

"No consideration at all."

"We might've had an engagement."

"Maybe they think they'll get invited to dinner if they're late."

"Well, they most certainly won't be," Vernon said as we heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. "They'll take them and go, there'll be no hanging around. That's if they're coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay their kind don't set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that's broken d- AAAAAAARRRRRGH!" Rory and Harry jumped up. From the other side of the living room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified.