Okay guys. Here it is. I decided to divide the story in really short chapters for those who don't have a lot of time lately. This way you can read a chapter in five minutes now and read another one when you have another break later. But who knows? You could read it in one go. Anyway, I hope you like it. You're going to find a lots of "u" due to my word decide to play and made me write in British lol.
Discleimer: I don't own any character of this story. Those names that don't belong to Harry Potter's universe do belong to my friends in some kind of way. I don't have any second intentions with this story just to get some fun and pay a bet.
It was an usual night for seven friends. That kind of night that would be filled with endless conversation, bad movies, pizza and beer along with some stupid board game they would end up arguing about. But this time, the seven friends weren't together. Works, vacations, fame, relaxation, whatever the motive, they were miles apart.
Harry and Luna were in London taking care of their newborn baby; Elizabeth. They were happily married and they decided to finally settle down after four years travelling the world. Ron was on tour with his sister thanks to the passion of their lives; Quidditch. They were famous due to their fight on the war against Voldemort, but it was just an amount of fame you can take from pain and loss. In the end, they found their way into the same team and after their last championship; the entire world chanted "Weasley is our Queen" to Ron's dismay. Neville was in a trip to America because he discovered a new plant there that would help the world to revert the effects of Obliviate. He was doing it for Hermione. Some people said that the enchantment could be reversed easily, but look at Professor Lockhart still at St. Mungo. Neville was pretty interested in this because he wanted to give that kind of gift to Hermione. Meanwhile, Fleur and Hermione were enjoying a dew days in Paris before Christmas.
It was impossible for all of them to get together in one place. Fleur and Hermione didn't have a fireplace to use red flu from their cozy apartment and it was a long trip to make even if just to London. Harry's baby wasn't going to appear anywhere since she was so young and fragile. Taking a muggle transport would cost them hours of valuable time they could spend wisely otherwise. Also, the difference in time zones was going to drive them mad. Between France and England was only an hour but it wasn't the same about America or Australia, the last one was where the Weasley were at the current moment. It was almost a miracle in itself to keep the tradition going. It was morning for Ginny and Ron, not even ten so Ron was groaning and mumbling while trying to stay awake. Neville was just fine at three pm. Harry and Lune were somewhat tired at ten. Finally, Fleur and Hermione were there at eleven pm, the brunette trying not to fall asleep and Fleur, she didn't have a real problem with it.
Despite their inability to be together physically, there was another kind of magic called technology. Muggles found their ways to get together across the world. Certainly, it was the perfect solution for the group. The whole ordeal wasn't easy the first time and some needed to explain phones, laptops and such to others.
Harry, Neville, Ginny and Hermione knew all about technology. They always knew a phone one a thousand times faster than a letter. An email could travel faster than any owl. Start a video chat would be easier, and less creepy, than introduce your head in green flames to see a person in another place of the world. Besides, in the magic world there was no a great knowledge about muggle stuff, sure, people were getting more interested but if the "expert" Arthur Weasley wasn't sure about what rubber ducks were made for, it was hard to explain how Internet worked. Out of those four, half of them grow up in that world. The other half got interested when they hold the world on their hands for the first time, quite like most children in the modern world.
Anyway, they explained as much as possible to their companions and by the time their night was about to start, all of them were familiar with technology and the powerful religion called: Internet. Among that knowledge was the name of its ruler, Google. It was easy to find anything in the searching bar, from exotic ingredients to bizarre games.
To be honest, it wasn't the first time those friends were separated for one thing or another. So, for this Friday night, they were ready. Popcorn, sodas, beer, more snacks and a laptop for everyone.
Cams and microphones ere in place for the video chat where they would keep a conversation going and finally, end up screaming at each other over a damn game all of them hated and loved at the same time. Pairings were separated in different rooms to prevent them from cheating and at last, the same page was open in seven different devices. It wasn't a simple game. Oh no, far from that. It was war, a battle to decide who was the best… or the worst. Well, to know who would be the ultimate winner. At least until they joined to play again.
How they found Cards against Humanity? None of them cared. The only thing that mattered was to stop Fleur Isabelle Delacour from winning once again. No one would accept that even if they lost, everyone laughed at her responses. To the surprise of most, the blonde had a pretty good sense of humour, or so Ron would say.
This game would be to ten points. Thirty blank cards already on place. Seven friends looking for victory and their destiny written in their first ten white cards. With a final nod towards their cameras, all was settled for a battle to be the best…or the worst. Ehm, whatever.
Harry cursed under his breath, glad that his daughter was on her own room, because he was the first Card Czar. Everyone hated to be the judge in the first round. Nevertheless, there was no going back now. Harry read the black card out loud for everyone to hear:
I got 99 problems but _ ain't one.
Harry tried to imagine all the variables his friends could use. For a moment he thought Hermione could try something along the lines of pregnancy but his best friend and Fleur were already thinking about marriage and kids. So, perhaps they wouldn't pick something like that. In the end, Harry thought, they would do anything for a point.
Six white cards were displayed but only one caught Harry's attention. It was a simple card, even an innocent one in the middle of a sea full of black dicks and white people, a card that could be easily dismissed but there was a story beyond two simple words. And Harry knew, for the smug grin on her face, to whom it belonged to.
A tree.
It was meaningless to anyone out of their group but when all of them read it, a shared memory made its way to the front of their minds. A moment lost in time, but oh so fresh in their memories that made them laugh without shame.
A year after the war was over; things were getting back to normal. It was a slow process but people were healing and life took its cause once again. People weren't afraid to go outside and enjoy the fresh air. The smell of death was gone and the only reminder of a cruel war was the empty spots at dinner tables. However, the Magic World showed to be stronger that it had been before, they were brave enough to believe in future and they conquered their fears to keep hope on their hearts. Slowly but steadily, everyone was on their feet, ready to face another day.
Harry, Ron and Hermione needed to go back to Hogwarts because they didn't have a chance to finish school once they started chasing Voldemort and the parts of his soul. But they wouldn't take the full year of classes and homework. They proved to know enough to defeat the greatest evil wizard of history, above Salazar Slytherin, and they survive with the knowledge they found by themselves. Okay, okay, all the world knew it was Hermione but still, Harry and Ron helped too, right? They were The Chosen one, the Boy Who Lived and uhm, eh, Ron. Anyway, a few lessons and a couple exams later and they would be done for good. Ready to face another challenge, the rest of their lives.
What the Golden Trio didn't expect was to find the one and only Fleur Delacour back in Hogwarts. Her marriage with William over and Fleur trying to improve her English under the wing of the Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. It was a second chance for the castle as well. After the events of the Triwizard Tournament where Fleur was expressive enough for the whole Hogwarts she didn't like the castle, this was another try. Fleur left her prejudices behind. She didn't care of the rusty moody stairs, the horrendous armours singing carols in mid September or the old looking place in general.
Nothing could go wrong, right? That was until Fleur decided to explore Hogwarts' grounds and crossed her path with a very violent tree. The encounter wasn't friendly to say the least. Confused as hell and angry with the damn plant, Fleur Delacour lost her manners and decided to fight the Whomping Willow back.
Screaming curses in neat French, dodging every blow, jumping the branches and still with some odd air of elegance, Fleur let the tree bare of any life. One would say winter had arrived just seeing at the tree, but not satisfied with that, Fleur almost set fire to the ancient tree. And she would have if not by a certain Hermione Granger getting on the way. The lesson everyone learned was not to mess with Fleur. From that day, the Whomping Willow would shake in fear every time the blonde was on sight.
Even if Harry didn't want to, he had to pick Fleur's card. His laughter loud and fond at the memory of that encounter. It also meant the start of Fleur and Hermione's relationship. It wasn't all that hard after what happened in Shell Cottage. To the present day, Fleur was the only allowed to see Hermione's scars.
One click later, Fleur had the first Awesome point of the night.
Luna was the next Card Czar and she was ready. Luna had a special sense of humour. Sometimes a dull card was pretty funny and vice versa, but Harry had the perfect card this time. He doubted someone could win Fleur at this particular game, but at least, he could get an Awesome point.
A romantic candlelit dinner would be incomplete without _.
Of course no one knew Luna the same way Harry did. They were married after all. However, Fleur found a good friend in her. They shared a few moments back in the Triwizard Tournament. If Fleur wasn't with the Beauxbaton's Academy, she was with the much younger Ravenclaw. Luna was truly special and Fleur really enjoyed those days. Luna Lovegood changed how Fleur used to see the world, she make Fleur reconsider what was good and bad, what was real and what wasn't. And Fleur learned that she wasn't sure about anything back then, now the only thing she was sure about was Hermione and her lover for her. Fleur would say there was nothing bigger than her love. Luna surely would ask why and then the Beauxbaton's champion would say that nothing was more important for her than Hermione Granger.
While playing CAH, Fleur was the only one that understood Luna's sense of humour completely and the older one was lucky enough to get Luna's favourite cards from time to time. This was one of those times.
Firing a rifle into the air while balls deep in a squealing hog.
That was Fleur's card and she was sure she'd win until she read the rest of the cards and sighed in defeat. Looking straight to the camera Fleur smiled gently with her piercing blue eyes trying to kill Potter.
"It's you. Isn't it, Harry?"
The man only laughed and after a beat, he had his first point. His card was only meant for Luna. Because for him, a romantic dinner wouldn't be complete without the Card Czar. The same that went downstairs to kiss him in the lips, something more valuable than a point.