Change the Future

GOF 9

"I'd better hurry you have a good term, boys and Rory and I'll see you later Charlie" Mr. Weasley said to Harry, Ron, the twins, Rory and Charlie as he fastened a cloak over his shoulders and preparing to Disapparate. "Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?"

"Of course I will," she said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine." As Mr. Weasley vanished, Bill entered the kitchen.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now."

"He says someone tried to break into his house last night," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" George said thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter -"

"I am not a nutter" Mad-Eye says glaring at George on the screen.

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," Mrs. Weasley said sternly.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" Fred said quietly as Mrs. Weasley left the room. "Birds of a feather"

"Moody was a great wizard in his time," Bill said.

"He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" Charlie asked.

"Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he?" Fred muttered. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything"

"Definitely wouldn't use the word normal to describe dear old dumbles" Rory say making Fred and George laugh.

"She's not wrong" Sirius says smirking at Rory.

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry asked.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," Charlie told him. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror one of the best a Dark wizard catcher," he added, seeing Harry's blank look "Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though the families of people he caught, mainly and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone anymore. Sees Dark wizards everywhere." Bill and Charlie decided to come and see everyone off at King's Cross station, but Percy, apologizing most profusely, said that he really needed to get to work.

"I just can't justify taking more time off at the moment," he told them. "Mr. Crouch is really starting to rely on me."

"Yeah, you know what, Percy?" George said seriously. "I reckon he'll know your name soon."  At King's Cross, the rain was coming down harder than ever, and everyone got soaked carrying their trunks across the busy road and into the station. They got on the platform in groups; Harry, Ron, and Hermione the most conspicuous, since they were accompanied by Pigwidgeon and Crookshanks went first; they leaned casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it as Rory went through with the twins. The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. Pigwidgeon became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to find seats, and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They then hopped back down onto the platform to say good-bye to Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," Charlie said, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye before turning to give Rory a hug. She gave him a confused look which he just sent her a wink at.