Luna Lovegood had never been happier. She knew she didnt actually have a specific reason to be happy at this moment, nothing exciting was happening or had happened. She decided that is was because of how peaceful and right this moment felt. She was lying on the floor, her head on her boyfriends stomach as they looked into the starry night above them. The moon was full and clear as it shone, catsing silver rayes across the landscape. They were in what could be classed as a cemetery but what Luna classed as her boyfriends back garden. He was softly stroking her hair and though the night was cold, she could not feel it as she lay with him.
"What are you thinking about?" She turned her head to look into the dark eyes of her boyfriend Pugsley Addams. He was as perfect and beuatiful as he was when they first met last year and she smied up at him.
"I was thinking how right this felt." He smiled and lifted on of her hand up to his mouth to kiss.
"I love you Luna Lovegood." The way he said it, as though if he didnt he would explode made Luna's heart race and she practically beamed up at him.
"I love you Pugsley Addams." A faint scream pierced the night but after almost an entire summer at the Addams house Luna did not bring out her wand, she simply cocked her head to the side and looked towards the house. "Who was that do you think?"
"Draco, he was never much of a runner." Pugsley was smirking and chuckling as the scream came again. "I've told him not to challenge Wednesday to a duel, I guess he didnt believe my warnings."
Luna giggled. Most of the DA were here as school was beginning in a week and they were getting some early practice in. Most of the Order were here to, watching nervously as the children trained under Wednesday's steely eye trying to kill each other. She was a very good teacher and even Harry was learning from her, but Luna supposed the adults could never be calm when in a house like the Addams's. Though the DA had taken the strange house in their stride the adults were rather nervous walking arouns, excpet Luna noted Tonks who found the entire place rather comical.
"Come we must go Wednesday wants us to have a practice as well."
To others the fact the Pugsley could hear his sisters question when they were much too far from the house for any sound to carry bar screaming would have unnerved them. However Luna knew of Pugsley's abnormality, he was in fact a Lycan. A breed of Werewolf which was very old. Luna took his hand as they got off the floor and together they began to stroll towards the house following the screams to where the DA was practicing.
Wednesday had to admit the Malfoy boy had spirit. He had challenged her to a duel and though he gave off a shriek now and then he didnt back down. She was impressed. Her black hair was in two braids on either side of her procelin face and her red eyes shone strangely in the moonlight. The other DA members were stood or sat around the courtyard area that had been reserved for duelling. The adults all stood in a clump on one side, bar Tonks who was chatting to Ginny and giving some of the still practicing duelists some pointers.
"Diffindo!" Draco roared. The boy was tired and his aim off allowing Wednesday to simply step out of the way.
She was silent as a stunning spell flew towards Draco and finally the battle got the best of him, it hit him straight in the chest and he flew backwards being saved by Hermione who conjoured a cushion to stop him smashing himself on the floor.
"You did well Draco." The Addams girl said coming towards him as he groaned on the floor. "You have a lot of spirit but you need to learn to not allow your emotions rule you when you duel. That is easily done and can cost you focus and therefore the duel altogether. You will do very well though but for now rest... I am impressed."
Draco Malfoy had never felt prouder than when Wednesday Addams said she was impressed by him. He had used the Addams status to make his father allow him to come their home. Wednesday was amazing in dueling and other atributes as well. Her brother Pugsley was stronger but in skill and precision Wednesday won out everytime. If you had asked him two years ago if he would ever join a club with Potter in it or a muggleborn Draco would have cursed you, but now it was slightly ironic that he was being helped up by Hermione Granger only to have his hand shaken by Harry Potter.
"You did well." Harry congratulated and Draco smiled a little. It was a nice expression on his face.
Harry Potter himself had changed over the summer. Having an entire summer of good food and excercise had left him a few pounds heaviers but also with a healthier looking body. He was wearing a simlple pair of black jeans and shirt as he watched Hermione help Draco to the practicing healers on the side consiting of Astoria Greengrass, Colin Creevey, Cho Chang and when she wasnt with Pugsley Luna Lovegood. Only one of the old DA were not present for today and that was Marietta Edgecombe, a friend of Cho who had given the DA away last year under Verituserum and almost got them all captured. Therefore she herself had said she would not return to the DA though she had been invited back after the means used to get the confession out of her were discovered. She had decided she could not risk her mothers job at the ministry and the DA had decided they would find a new place to meet during the next year.
"Good evening brother." Wednesday said as Pugsley appeared next to her, Luna in tow.
"Good day sister. How are they doing?" He asked as Luna pulled Wednesday into a hug.
"They fight well and have good spirit. They want to fight and I believe they understand by learning this they may survive." The girls eyes trailed over the practicing children and rested for a moment on the nervous adults.
"And the Malfoy boy?" Pugsley saw a smirk flash across his sisters face.
"He did well." Pugsley was shocked, not many impressed his sister. "Do you wish to spar dear brother?" Pugsley smiled.
"Wanting to scare them even more?" He motioned to the adults and Wednesday smiled.
"The young ones deserve a show, as for the others well... lets give them one as well yes?" Pugsley nodded and watched his sisters step into the ring.
He removed his shirt and watched Wednesday remove her cape. She wore a simple black dress that reached her knees and he himself wore black trousers. The others were silent as he came towards her, stopping the correct distance away as she spoke to the crowd.
"Once many moon ago this bit of ground was used for Gladiators my ancestors had bought to fight and die here. Many lives were won and lost here. As the ages changed it became a practice arena and where me and my brother put each other to the test when we fought." Pugsley chuckled at the memory. "You have all done very well so as a... treat my brother has accepted my offer of a duel between us. The rules are simple, no magic, no help and no surrender. We fight until the other is unconscious or dead." The adults started at that, Harry suddenly noticed the big difference in Pugsleys size to his sister.
And then with a nod they were off. Pugsley charged at Wednesday who flipped over him neatly, the boy skidded to a stop, turned and punched towards his sister who blocked and aimed for his stomach before darting out of his grip. Pugsley growled and charged again leaping forwards and Wednesday leapt to meet him, they collided in mid air and hit the ground with a thud. Wednesday was on top and punched her brother who used leverage kicked her off him. Wednesday flew backwards, landing a perfect backflip on top of one of the pillars.
"You're holding back brother?" Wednesday said crouched on top of the stone work.
"As are you" Puglsye ran up the pillar and Wednesdayjumped to the ground her brother follwing her, leaping to knock her to the ground but she leapt out the way making him land in a heap on the floor. "Perhaps you dont think you can win?"
Wednesday smirked and then attacked. She was almost a blur as she swung at her brother's head and caught his throat throwing him backwards and making him crash into a piller cracking it with the force.
"Is that better brother dear?" Wednesday appeared next to him and grabbed her brothers arm throwing him again into another pillar, this time knocking it down. Pugsley groaned from a heap on the floor.
"Perhaps you should tell them to stop Harry dear." Molly Weasley looked like she was about to have a heart attack with worry and Harry smiled kindly at her.
"I'm afraid I can't Mrs Weasley. The only way it will stop is when one of them is unconscious."
Wednesday was upon Pugsley now and kicked the boy over he grunted as he flipped onto his back. She went to kick again but Pugsley grabbed her leg, knocking her to the ground as well. He scrambled up picking up a thick stick not far away and awung down towards his sisters head. She rolled out the way just in time and leapt again. He dodged and hit her on the back breaking the stick and knocking her to the ground. Pugsley flipped her over and then grabbed her neck lifting his smaller sister up into the air, his hands wrapped tightly around her throat.
"You aren't using your full potential sister." He said calmly and then threw her down, using his own weight to push her into the ground, cracking the concrete around her with the force. "Perhaps you've gone soft?" He released his grip for a second and it cost him.
Wednesday kicked his stomach. He flew backwards and as he did so she leapt and smashed his body into the ground. She grabbed his neck and pulled her fist back, the resounding crack made Harry worry Pugsley's neck had cracked as his body hit the floor, but a quick check made him notice the boy was still breathing, just unconscious.
"Never underestimate your attacker." Wednesday looked at the audience she held, her small frame seeming so much tinier in comparison to the rubble around her. "The people you are going to fight will try very hard to kill you... harder than myself and my brother tried. This was a game but it serves to prove a point. Always be ready to attack and to win. If you can't kill then render your enemy unconscious. They will not show you the same courtesy but some of you are young and therefore killing may me to much to ask."
She looked at Colin, the youngest of the group so far.
"War is coming, make no mistake in that. By being here you have all chosen your side in it. The Addams Family will stand by your side and fight with you but we must all remember that not all of us will survive this war. That is its nature. The adults will not appreciate me saying this but that at this moment it is not their concern." She looked at the DA especially now, looking into each face and they stared back at her. "Over the next year, I will teach you how to fight. I will teach you how to defend yourselves against an attacker but also how to stop one, if need be for good. I do not say this lightly, but by showing yourselves at my home you have proved yourselves. Go. Rest for now. The real work begins when we get to Hogwarts."
The DA nodded and began collecting their stuff whilst the healers looked at Pugsley. For the adults it was quite remarkable. The children in that moment had never looked more like soldiers, listening to a leader. To many they had never looked more like grownups. The Order looked at each other. This was what war did after all, it made soldiers out of the innocent. These children knew what they were up against and still wanted to fight though they were under no obligation to. Perhaps for some it was time to stop treating them as children and treat them like the adults they had become, though Molly didn't agree completely with this she agreed partly.
Fred, George, Ginny and Ron came towards their mother all expecting the same lecture or look they had had all summer but instead Molly hugged them all. They gave each other a look as she did. clearly confused.
"I," Molly looked at them all, "I am so proud of you all. I know I baby you but I am just afraid of losing you. Never forget that no matter what i say you have all made me very, very proud." Arthur had never seen all of them cry together but they did as they hugged their mother and in that moment Arthur couldn't have been a prouder father.
Harry looked at Wednesday as she stood at the side her crimson eyes glinting in the moon light.
"Are you alright Weds?" she looked at him and a shadow of a emotion he could not place flittered over her face, but it was gone a millisecond later.
"I am fine dear cousin do not worry yourself. What about you? I have noted you have not stopped looking at Miss Weasley during our sessions. Something you wish to share?" Harry blushed and he saw Wednesday smirk at him.
"I... Well... umm..." she chuckled to herself and place a cold hand on his arm.
"Do not fret. I will speak of it to no one however…. I will give you this advice, take the chance. The feeling of rejection, if it comes at all will not be anything against the feeling of regret if you both die without telling her." Harry saw no joke in her eyes and felt a strange reason to smile, perhaps it was because Wednesday spoke to him like an adult instead of a child like the others. She knew the risks and so did he.
"I might do... maybe not right now though. Thanks Weds." he girl smiled bowed shortly as he began to follow the others into the house. When he turned back the girl was gone, disappearing into the night.
"How does she do that?" questioned Hermione standing next to him and looking into the increasing darkness. Harry smirked.
"She's an Addams."
