Chapter 2: Set

Sitting at the Weasley dinner table, was a rather overly nervous tall boy with an athletic build. He wore a maroon, white, and pale yellow color-blocked oxford shirt, the top two buttons undone, and light-blue skinny jeans with matching suspenders - which were undoubtedly more fashionable than they were practical. A cluster of rope-braided bands was loosely tied around his left hand and they made a slight scratchy noise as he interlocked his fingers into his spiky blue hair. His right leg shaking in a nervous fashion beneath the table, he appeared absolutely frantic to any onlookers, and the reason for his distinctly uncharacteristic jitters was standing not 5 wand-reaches in front of him, helping Grandmum Molly attend to the numerous amounts of wizarding dishes they were currently preparing for the big festival.

The tips of his hair went red as cherries as he thought of the witch before him, not to mention the sight she was giving him, unintentional really since no one in concentrating on other things could think too consciously about where their bum was pointed, but it was rather lovely.

His godfather, Harry had told him about his mum and how she could change her looks at will, it took Teddy a great deal of concentration to achieve this though. As a result, especially at times like these when he couldn't spare a thought to anything else, his hair in particular took on a life of it's own, it was rather revealing actually. He knew on instinct that his hair was changing color but couldn't pull himself from looking at the witch before him and the two small things in his pocket.

Victoire. She truly was a victory, and a veela too with her silvery hair, which seemed to catch any and all wind even when there was none, and seemed to slow it if it was too harsh; with her tall statuesque frame which seemed to catch the eyes of any and all competition, not limited to men Teddy might add; with her twinkling eyes which seemed to reflect the light of the moon even in broad daylight.

As if she needed any of that though.

For Teddy, she was more than anything he could have asked for. He couldn't even jumble his thoughts enough to get an explanation out, but she understood, and he loved her for that, that and so much more. And that's why he had what he had in his pocket; today was the day.

"Hey, Ted," said a voice from behind him as a hand clasped onto his left shoulder.

Teddy gave a start and his blue hair with reddening tips turned bright orange. He turned around to see a smiling man, with subtle chin hair, round-rimmed glasses, and a fading scar on his slightly lined face. He was looking relaxed and smart in a button down and some khaki shorts. If Teddy was honest, he looked impeccably young for having raised 3 children, well 4 if he counted himself. The feeling of surprise turned into the feeling of dread, Harry was one of the only people who could tell what his hair colors meant, and the roots of his hair started to turn a puce green for a bit before Harry glanced in front of Teddy to follow his previous line of vision and stared back at Ted with a chuckle about his features,

"Don't worry, son." Harry Beamed at him. Teddy, embarrassed and sick to his stomach with all his raging and ever changing emotions, shot up and extended a rather stiff hand to his godfather. Harry chuckled, he took Teddy's shoulder, and led him out of Victoire's ear shot, who had turned around briefly startled by the commotion.

Once out of range Harry turned to Teddy, "You're about as sick as I was when I planned to propose to Ginny, blimey that brings back memories. You okay, then?"

Teddy nodded dully, the blue slowly returning to his head.

Harry continued, "Well Roxanne's just come to inform the lot that George is almost ready to begin. We best be getting on with it, you don't want to ruin the surprise by making Victoire suspicious. Something about Weasley women, even those who marry into the family mark me, they're a little strong and intimidating aren't they? Think they'd give a bloke a break, ah well, it doesn't get easier, but that's just all the more fun, yeah?"

Teddy gave a nervous laugh and dived his hand into his pants pockets to twiddle with something in there.

"Some enchantment Aunt Hermione taught me," he whispered to Harry's astonished face, "makes my pants pockets deeper but that bit is undetectable, they're in here, just didn't want to wear pants that would give me away. She's a Ravenclaw, she'd notice, I think."

"It's a good idea, actually." Said Harry, "Definitely something your Dad would have done too"

They shared a private smile.

"Well," Harry continued, "seeing as you're the opening act, you'd best get your mate and head to the set tent, it's just there to the left of the stage, I think Roxy has gathered the rest of them already. Don't worry, I'll get Victoire, oh, and, Teddy,"

"Yes?" Teddy piped, a little too squeakily for a man of 21.

"Urm, Maybe you should just leave the rings in your pocket alone, don't want to burn a hole in your jeans."

"Oh, right." He jerked his hands from his pants, almost losing the rings in the process, but Harry stopped them with an unsaid spell and tucked them into Teddy's outstretched hand.

"Yeah, okay, into your pocket then, and put on a good show. Don't worry about the main event until later, yeah? I better go, I left your Aunt at the concession area alone with the ferret. She's bound to hex me if I don't get back. I'll be watching from there," he started off, then turned and added, "don't break a leg!"

As Roxanne walked back from the burrow and into the tent sitting beside the stage, she had to walk down stacked and packed rows upon rows of chairs and umbrellas. In the very middle of the bleacher-like grassy seating area, was a boxed-off section for the family members of the bands, who unapologetically, were mostly Weasley and Potter Clan members.

She remembered the description of the Colosseum in a Roman history book she had received from Aunt Hermione for her last birthday. That's where the idea for the seating arrangements had come from. Seems it was a good thing too.

They never really expected this much reception to the idea, but it seemed that all of Hogwarts, Diagon Alley – all the shops in the alley had heard wind of the event and agreed to sponsor it to varying degrees, given that they could set up small tents from which to sell, trade, and advertise their newest merch, and even Hogsmeade had turned up to the burrow for their families' hosted event. Most of the witches and wizards present were of school age, though anyone underage had to be accompanied, as her mum had insisted they emphasize in their advertisements. She didn't think that anyone would have expected such bounding success from what started out as a small family musical show-and-tell the first summer that more than one Weasley/Potter was to attend Hogwarts.

It was 2 weeks since Louis had turned 11. All he could talk about that Christmas was going on to Hogwarts. The entire Weasley-Potter clan stomped down the burrow's creaky stairs and into the living room- Aunt Fleur, Uncle Bill, Aunt Aubrey, and Uncle Percy along with their children were all in attendance having decided that holidays would be spent at the burrow that year, and for a good 10 minutes any of the adults would have told you that only indiscriminate screams and shouts could be heard, yet only flying wrapping paper bits could be seen. Uncle George and Aunt Angie had gotten everyone a broom the year previous, at decent price considering their collaboration with the Nimbus Racing Broom Company, firebolts were just too expensive for a lot of that size. And this year, the biggest gift for all of the Weasley-Potter clan was a muggle musical instrument with specifications to each child from Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron. It was after this moment that the competitive spirit of the house sky-rocketed and the very first Weasley Battle of the Bands commenced the following summer, just before James, Lucy, and Louis went off to Hogwarts for the first time.

Of course, it was an utter mess. Anyone gifted with drums just hit their sticks hard as they could with no real beat attached to it, a Grandmum kept shouting that someone was going to poke their eyes out, anyone with a bass or guitar strummed until Uncle Ron swore his ears were bleeding, all the key board players sounding instead like they were playing music on saws as Uncle Harry had pointed out, and Lucy with her didgeridoo just kept spitting all over the place. Grandad Arthur seemed to have a fit of constant giggles, Uncle Charlie sat back and enjoyed the madness while Uncle George stuck his wand into the air pretending to conduct it, and the rest of them went about trying to repair the damage and stop the noise.

When everyone was thoroughly exhausted and most of the children were upset that they had to stop "making music," Uncle Bill just lamely said, "Well, I guess for next Christmas someone's going to need to buy you all lessons." That gave them all a good hearty laugh, and they stored their instruments and gave into a nice bonfire evening where the children spoke excitedly about adventures at Hogwarts to come, and the adults reminisced in soft and happy tones about the times that had past.

She entered the white tent and was instantly bounded upon by a witch with brunette hair, expertly curled so that it lay softly on her shoulders. She was wearing a light blue sun-dress which criss-crossed in the back, and had light red roses in a floral pattern all over. Her sandals matched the color of her hair, and her pink shawl with white fringe matched the pink on her lips and fingernails.

"Roxanne, oh good, we've been waiting for you, you know. Rose has been having an absolute fit about it all, wondering after you! I've told her not to worry so much, but you know how she has her fits and just doesn't let anyone tell her anything. But I did notice that she sort of stuffed up about it when Scorpius and Al entered, the tent…"

Sensing where the conversation was headed, Roxanne hugged Aunt Hermione firmly, this seemed the only way to stop her tirades, with a long-winded show of affection, pulled back and said,

"We best get starting soon, Aunt Hermione, Dad says he's ready. There's a seat in the middle box for you, that book you gifted me on Roman history was a really useful thing. I know I can always count on you to find something worth a read!"

Hermione blushed slightly then replied, "Oh Roxy, everything is worth reading. Well except anything by that Rita Skeeter, Rose is over there, try to calm her for me alright?" She kissed Roxy on the forehead and left the tent.

"Way to abandon your station, Potter." Drawled a voice from the concession tent. A familiar face greeted Harry, Draco Malfoy, with sharp and impeccable looks that harkened back to their school days, a few age lines now softening his features. He wore pressed white pants, and a silky pale green polo, his blonde but graying hair sleeked back into a small pony-tail at the nape of his neck stood with an apple in his mouth, eyeing Harry.

"And here I thought you the withstanding hero, has chivalry come and gone already? Your dear wife has been laboring away under these harsh conditions, with no help from you."

"I see you're getting along well then, Ferret" said Harry briskly. Eyes of gray and green met with an intense connection until –

"BOYS!" a slender witch wearing a white open-knit kimono which fell to her knees, floral print Bermuda shorts, and a flowy black crop top was bounding towards them with a tray of pasties in her hands, and a look of fury in her eyes to match the scarlet locks that toppled off of her head in undone waves from beneath a crown of white poppies. She set the platter down on the stand, whipped out her wand to cast a heating spell and looked at the two men pointedly, "George has gotten up on stage, they're just about to draw the curtains, and here you are eating apples and talking about furry animals!"

The blonde man turned, hid his apple behind his back and Harry clasped his hands in front of himself to speak gently, "Ginny, sweatheart, I'm sorry, I just got Teddy, see, we're just having fun tossing around words, you know."

"Right" added Draco, with a small unconvincing grin on his face, "So, what else needed to be done then?"

"Ugh! Wait until I tell Ria-"

"No!" both men shouted aloud. Malfoy, with a few age lines softening his other wise sharpened features, cast a narrowed stare at Harry and continued,

"I'm sorry, just wanted a bite of something, don't tell Astoria I was slacking, please."

"Well, get on with the heating spells then!" Ginny boomed, "Draco you're on heating duty and Harry can get the anti-gnome and anti-doxy charms, you know it gets bad at the burrow around this time. And where is Victoire? Merlin, do we women have to do it all around here?" She stomped off without another word and Draco and Harry scurried to the stand to get to work.

Draco muttered to Harry, "These women…"

"I know," said Harry stonily.

"I mean Astoria was a Hufflepuff but even she gets cross sometimes, I don't know how you do it with these red-heads, they seem five times as likely to get all upset." He waved his wand over the pasties and renewed their heat.

"Yeah, but that just means that it's all kind of dispersed you know. At least I don't get it all at once since I'm getting it all the time. I don't know what's worse, constant fireworks, or the occasional bomb."

They agreed in working silence.

Just as Ginny went to grab Grandmum Molly and Victoire from their spots in the kitchen, three men with fire red hair entered.

The first was taller than the other two with hair parted neatly to one side. He was a gangly fellow wearing a Black shirt that read "Red Hot Racket" on the front and had a large golden lion whose mane was fire red on the back of it. He wore straight jeans with small tears at the knees and muggle sandals. The man behind him was the second tallest, he wore a low ponytail, single dragon claw earring, and a scar which made the left side of his face droop a bit. He was willowy and had more crinkles on his eyes than the first man, but looked well put-together with his faded, fitted jeans, boots, fitted shirt, and tweed vest. The last man to enter had tightly curled hair that receeded a little. His nose was higher than the other two though he was the shortest in stature. He wore a neat polo tucked into slacks, and simple dress boots, which were a little out of place in comparison to the other's outfits.

The second man spoke, "Mum, we're all settled, is seems they're all here. Well the tickets are all counted any ways."

Then the first fellow chuckled, "Yeah, well they aren't gonna have any seats they come strolling in now, besides those clicky things 'Mione passed out were gone before the last 50 even checked in to the site."

The third man spoke this time, adjusting his collar, "Hermione called them 'click-ballots,' Ronald, you'd think after so many years of marriage something would penetrate that thick skull of yours."

"Yeah," replied Ron, "I'm sure Aubrey still has trouble getting her ideas across that rug on your head, Perce. Ow- Mum, it's a joke yeah?"

Grandmum Weasley had pinched Ron on the arm and shoved the plate into his hands. When the second man attempted to grab one of the buns Victoire protested,

"Dad, it's for the booth! Please bring that out to Uncle Harry and Mr. Malfoy."

"Like Mother, like daughter," chuckled Ron who got a smirk out of Percy.

"Well, Let's get to our seats then, I don't want to miss the first set, I'm very excited to hear Teddy sing again," Mrs. Weasley said excitedly, making to rush out of the house.

"Grandmum your apron!" shouted Victoire.

"Oh right!" She took off her apron, put a shawl around her shoulders and they all bustled out of the kitchen, Bill with the plate in hand, and a single bun i his mouth, towards the middle box.

Harry and Draco brought out their omnioculars so they could better see the event from their spot to the far left of the stage, just as Astoria, Aubrey, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasley-Potter Clan settled into their box.

The crowd broke into tumultuous applause just in time for the curtain to drop from the stage, and George Weasley tilted his head to look from the sky and into the crowd. He placed his wand to his throat, whispered something, and then his voice booming and echoing around the area outside the burrow he gestured his hand skywards and then outwards in a sweeping motion, bowed, and said, "Welcome, one and all, to the 1st annual Weasley Battle of the Bands!"