"Mummy!" Dudley screamed. "Look at the freaks!"
Petunia grabbed his chubby, seven-year-old paw and dragged him away, casting furious glances over her shoulder at those people. An odd, 20-something man grinned at her and tipped his silly, pointed hat. Petunia huffed.
"- and he was wearing a dress!" Dudley babbled on. "A pointed hat and a dress! Is he a queer, Mummy? He must be a queer."
"Oh, he's queer all right," Petunia muttered under her breath, pulling her son as far away from them as possible.
"DADDY!" Dudley screamed as they entered the ice cream shop. "WE SAW A QUEER WEARING A DRESS OUTSIDE THE TOY SHOP!"
Vernon cast an outraged look at Petunia.
"AND HE WAS WEARING A POINTED HAT!"
Vernon's eyes became fearful, and he looked around wildly until his eyes landed on the ice cream at the counter. "Come on, m'boy, let's pick out your ice cream. Mummy and I decided you could have as much as you wanted today."
"OH BOY!" Dudley screamed as he ran to the counter.
Vernon took Petunia's hand in his and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "Was it -?"
"Yes. Stupid creature had the nerve to tip his silly hat at me!"
Vernon frowned at her for a while before tugging her to the counter. "Come on, m'love. You can have as much ice cream as you'd like, too."
Petunia smiled.