Work Text:
It's funny how a seemingly harmless decision has the potential to change someone's life forever. In one universe, George Thomas decided to go to a bakery on his way home from his job, and ended up dying in what was later announced to be a gas explosion from a leak in the main.
What had really happened was that Peter Pettigrew, in a last ditch attempt to save his own life and kill Sirius Black, cast a Blasting Curse that ended in the deaths of 12 muggles and Black's arrest. George's wife and year old son were never informed of his death (as his remains were in such a terrible state that he was unable to be identified) and never knew why George had never returned home from work that day.
However, in this universe, George still decided to stop by the bakery that day; but Peter Pettigrew never fired that spell. In the end George went home to his wife Sarah, with a strange tale about a giant black dog that had appeared out of nowhere to attack a rat by George's foot. “The odd thing is I swear that dog winked at me. Then he trotted back on his merry way, tail wagging the entire time. It was most peculiar.” He finished the story before passing the bag of goodies from the bakery to Sarah. “But enough about dogs and rats! How was little Dean today?”
“Oh he did just fine today. Tried playing with that little football you got him but couldn't figure out how to stay standing and kick the ball at the same time!” Sarah laughed at the memory, “it's funny though, he somehow got your football out of the cupboard and was rolling it up and down the hall! I still have no idea how he managed to open that door, get it out and shut the door without me hearing. I was only in the kitchen for a moment and when I came back out there he was proud as can be. It was almost like magic!”