The Wilson family of number seven Privet Drive were sat around the white round table in their kitchen diner helping themselves to the Sunday Roast upon it. The scene distinctly resembled the Bisto advert with its piles of broccoli, Yorkshires, roast beef, roasties, mash, gravy and carrots. Emma Wilson insisted on cooking the traditional Sunday meal each week, it was a little ritual and she took great pride in knowing whatever they were doing, wherever they where, her family would sit down once a week at least and get together. Emma, Dave, Will and Izzy were close, and nothing would ever change that.
Krissie (Izzy was the way she said her name as a baby, and it stuck) was 6, and had to sit on a large cushion in order to actually reach the table. Her blonde hair was fine and her large blue eyes always appeared to sparkle with her love for life. Older brother William (or Will, or Liam, or whatever name he was going by this week) had just left Little Whinging County Primary School and was going to Stonewall High in September. His parents were not happy about this, unfortunately they lived just outside the catchment area for Woodhey High School (their preferred choice) and the appeal to get in was unsuccessful. The only comfort Will took in this was that at least Dudley Dursley didn't go there.
Will's pale skin was currently sporting a deep purple blotch around his left eye after Dudley decided that he would "demonstrate" his boxing skills on him. Will kept brushing his blonde hair over his eyes, grateful he had curtains, so that the effect was less noticeable. The only problem was he would probably get a matching one next week, he was 7 years younger than Dudley and a good foot shorter, he couldn't put up much resistance.
"I can't see why Petunia sticks up for him, I really can't. He's just a brute that boy. Can you imagine what the other one is like though if even that blind woman admits he has a problem?" Emma said, pushing numerous carrots onto her daughter's plates and walking round the table for the gravy. "A foul family if you ask me, I want nothing to do with them".
Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he had been daydreaming about Bolton Wanderers winning the Premiership. A highly unlikely scenario but thanks to his dad's persuasion a dream he would never give up on. He didn't like people talking about him being bullied; it made him feel inferior. He shouldn't take the crap as much as he did.
Seeing the concerned look on his son's face Dave spoke up "It's not your fault. He's a coward that one, notice how he's always got his flankies with him? One day you'll have a decent job and then you can boss him around. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in Strangeways. I have to agree with you mother, I wonder what the other one is like. St Brutus' indeed. I hear it's just like a Young Offenders Institute you have to pay for. I wouldn't like to cross him."
Strangeways was the prison in Manchester; it had just come back after having a load of riots a few years back. Dave was a Lancastrian and damn proud of it, his speech was always peppered with phrases few outside the county would understand. Even in Surrey where people supposedly speak the same language he was frequently forced to repeat himself. It was all Dave's fault Will had a Bolton obsession. His dad used to sing the Bolton anthem to him at night, although Will could only remember a couple of lines "We'll never forsake them, we'll fight till we die, for the white flag of Bolton, shall always fly high".
"Arrogant bunch if you ask me" Emma continued, putting more potatoes on Will's plate, "Petunia told me the scruffy one's parents died in a drink driving accident. Makes you wonder if people are destined to go certain ways doesn't it?"
By this point Will had switched off, he pushed the remnants of his food around the plate until all that was left was a brown paste. He deliberately ignored his mother's glares as he left the table and went upstairs, on the way grabbing some kitchen paper and running it under the cold tap. He would use it as a cold compress and hopefully he could have a few days looking normal until he encountered Big D again.