The Dursleys were already seated when Megan went downstairs the next morning, sitting in front of the latest plasma screen, a homecoming present for Nathalie. None of them gave her the slightest notice, of course but she had grown used to it. Megan took a piece of toast and sat down. The Dursleys were watching the news (well, except Nathalie who was touching up her make-up as she did all day long).
“... The public is warned that Black is highly dangerous. A hotline has been set up, and any sightings should be reported immediately.”
“No need to tell us he's riff-raff, look at that hair!” Vernon growled.
Megan had always had trouble disciplining her hair, but compared to the escapee's, which hung loosely about him at shoulder length, her worst days were nothing.
“The ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries announces today that-”
“Hey, wait a minute! That idiot didn't tell us where he escaped from!”
Petunia craned her thin neck out the window, as though expecting the convict to come up their street right then and there. Megan was pretty sure nothing would please her more than to call the hotline.
“Hanging. That's the only way to deal with those low lives.” Vernon said before glancing at the clock on the wall. “I had better get going, Petunia, Marge's train gets in at ten, and we don't want her waiting.”
Megan, who had been thinking happily about her Broomstick Servicing Kit, snapped back to reality with an unpleasant jolt.
“Aunt Marge? She's not coming here?”
Marge was Vernon's sister. Since they weren't related by blood to Megan, she wasn't really her aunt, but Vernon insisted she called her aunt. Marge lived in the country where she bred bulldogs. She seldom stayed in Privet Drive, complaining she couldn't bear to leave her dogs, but none of her visits had been pleasant in Megan's eyes. When Nathalie had turned five, Aunt Marge had tripped Megan up to stop her winning against Nathalie at musical chairs. A few years later, she had come at Christmas with an expensive make-up kit for Nathalie, and a hairpin for Megan. The last visit had been the year before Megan had started at Hogwarts. She had accidentally trodden on the tail of Marge's favourite dog, Ripper, who had chased Megan outside. She had stayed stuck up a tree until past midnight before Marge called Ripper away. Nathalie still laughed herself hoarse at the memory.
“Marge will be here for a week,” Vernon said. “And while we're on the subject, we need to settle a few things before I go.”
Nathalie smirked and turned to look at them.
“First,” Vernon said. “You’ll keep a civil tongue in her presence.”
“I will if she does.” Megan said coldly.
“Second,” Vernon said, ignoring her. “She doesn't know about your abnormality, and we're going to keep it that way. You behave.”
“I will, as long as she does,” Megan retorted.
“And third,” he went on, “we've told her you attend St Bertha's Correctional Centre for Criminal Youths.”
“What?” Megan shouted, outraged. “I'm not a criminal!”
“And you're going to stick to that story, or there'll be trouble.”
Megan stayed silent, too shocked to speak. She couldn't believe it. Marge was coming, and she was supposed to be going to a criminal rehabilitation center or whatever that place was supposed to be... it was going to be a very, very long week.
“Well, I'll head out, Petunia,” Vernon said. “Want to come along, Natsy?”
“No, the Young and Restless will be on in a minute”, she said.
YOU ARE READING
Megan Potter - A saga of the Heart - Book 3 - Past and Present
Fanfiction- Things are seldom what they appear - Megan was ready for yet another long, boring summer at the Dursleys. Little did she know that this summer would soon turn out even worse than the last. The reason? Her cousin's aunt Marge. And as if that wasn'...
