A/N: 101JRae, thank you so very much for your lovely reviews!

Chapter 10

I'm gonna crack that code (The truth about love- P!nk)

They all had decided after opening the massive amount of gifts that a game of Quidditch was necessary. Most everyone had gone out to fly over the last few weeks, but this was going to be a real game with Severus refereeing. Ginny was excited, she had not had a proper game in months and should she decide to go the route of professional Quidditch she needed to get back into shape. Draco and Blaise had been all for it, should she want to, though they had reminded her that having a job of any sort was unnecessary. She was thinking that it would be best to, at least publicly, be fervent in her desire if only to give Severus a reason for her not going back. Theo had actually pointed out that if there was a battle at Hogwarts their world would be in turmoil for some time and that perhaps even Dumbledore could be swayed into her opting out of her final year.

She wasn't going to think about it anymore today. Not when there was a game to play. They were even bringing the bludgers out for it. That tingly feeling she always got before a match was back and she all but ran over the bridge to get to the pitch. The twins and Charlie were already there and she could hear the others that had decided to play almost in much of a hurry as she was.

Hopping on the new broom she had opened just a few hours ago, she flew up to where her brothers were hovering. "So, we are going to win."

Charlie laughed. "Was that a question or an order?"

She just snickered wondering why boys asked such silly questions- of course they would win.

Blaise, Draco, and Aradia, who was still wholly human for now at least, would make up the rest of their team. Blaise was going to Keep while Aradia and Draco would Chase with her. Theo, Pansy, and Chris would be Chasing for the other team with Daphne and Tracey Beating, while Tristan was Keeping and Bill would Seek. He had claimed that it had been far too long since he and Charlie had been able to go head-to-head over a snitch. It was as even a human/lycan split as they could manage.

Severus flew up, donning trousers and a jumper for the day in concession to the need to fly. He just glared at all of them. "I won't say to keep it clean. Do try to leave Aradia, Tristan, and Chris in one piece. Cissy will have my head on a pike if one of you were actually injured."

"We will do our best," Blaise said cheekily, taking off to the opposite end of the pitch.

"You know," Aradia said, catching the Quaffle Severus threw to her, "If you would just do what we want than no one would have to worry."

Ginny shook her head and flew up a bit higher. They had yet to tell Aradia that they would be doing so soon enough- they were thinking of it as a Yule present. "Oh, let's just play!"

Severus released the Bludgers and retreated to the edge of the pitch as Ginny caught the Quaffle and raced off towards the goals.

-DBG-

Narcissa, Marguerite, and Astrid were bundled up under a pile of blankets on one of the benches surrounded by every last person that called Valhalla home. It did her good to see all of them happily bundled up, most with hot cocoa that the elves were busy passing around and sweets they had received earlier. Gone were the looks that they had arrived with and those the wary, oh gods what will go wrong now attitudes.

"She is good," Marguerite said.

"She is brilliant," Astrid amended. "I checked, by the way, Holyhead was definitely keeping an eye on her last year as was Falmouth."

Narcissa sighed, but didn't let it ruin her enjoyment of the game. "Perhaps something can be done then."

Mandy leaned back against her legs. "I think it would be mean to separate them for that long. I mean, they aren't attached at the hip or anything. But, it would mean a lot less hexing by her and less fits by them if you manage it."

"Did you see that!" one of the first years, Isabel if she remembered correctly, called out as she pointed towards the pitch.

Narcissa turned back, wishing she hadn't missed whatever it was that had them all excited. Even knowing that eleven of the players really could not be injured didn't mean that she still wouldn't worry. Most of them were so fast that it was difficult to see more than a blur of colour as their plaits whipped around even as relatively close as they were to the pitch. She nearly screamed as one of the players, she thought it might be Pansy, dove down almost to the ground and catching the Quaffle before shooting back up and scoring.

The children cheered loudly with each manoeuvre and score and yelled at Severus whenever they thought one of the more serious fouls had been committed.

She just rolled her eyes. They rarely used any of the rules unless they were training for the house team and today looked to be no different. There were fouls left, right, and centre, but Severus remained on the side-lines only stepping in if it looked like Aradia, Tristan, or Chris would be hurt too badly.

"OHHHHH LOOK!" Padma yelled, surprising them all.

"The Snitch!" everyone cheered.

Narcissa leaned forward watching Charlie and Bill kick, hit, punch, shove, and attempt to outfly one another as they raced around the pitch. Ginny, Aradia, and Blaise took full advantage, scoring at least five times before they too turned to watch. She couldn't resist laughing as Bill reached for the snitch only to have Charlie tackle him and snatch it out of his fingers. The tumbled the last little bit to the ground and were on their feet moments later.

Narcissa clapped along with everyone else, it had been a wonderful game though she was glad to have them all back on the ground…except they weren't. She looked up to see that Ginny, Draco, and Blaise were still tossing the Quaffle around and Theo was still guarding the goal while Daphne, Tracey, and Pansy seemed to be chatting and watching the other four.

She laughed wondering how long it would be before they actually came down.

-BGD-

Hours after the match, Severus trudged back towards the pitch unable to take much more of Cissy's little comments about them 'freezing to death' and how they needed to 'prepare for the evening'. He knew that she was becoming tenser the closer it got to the time in which they would have to seriously discuss a return to Hogwarts. Hells, he was tenser as well. None of them wanted to return. He most definitely did not want to have to go back to teaching bumbling oafs day in and day out when they could simply remain here and all but ignore the world around them.

Stepping out into the clearing he spotted them already headed his way, all of them laughing and joking. They looked far happier than he could ever remember any of them being before. It wasn't just Draco, Ginny, and Blaise either but Pansy, Theo, Daphne, and Tracey as well. Wrapping his cloak around himself a bit tighter, he waited.

"Did Mum send you to check on us?" Draco called, his tone light and playful.

"She was worried you heathens would find a way to freeze to death," he replied drolly. "How will the ladies be ready for the festivities in time if you keep them out here all day?"

Much to his amusement, Ginny kissed her boyfriends and then raced off with the other three girls, all of them rushing past him in a blur.

"Oh yes, thank you for that," Blaise drawled, leaning against Draco. "We had plans for her!"

Theo snickered, brushing past shaking his head and whispering, "You put your foot in, Severus. Do have fun."

"Heathen," he muttered, not bothering to glare because Theo was long gone. He turned to glare at the amused duo. "I do not wish to hear your plans, gentleman."

"Aww, ruin our fun," Blaise said with a dramatic sigh and pout.

Severus sniggered, unable to stop himself. "Oh do stop. I do have something more than your mother's worry that brought me all the way out here."

He was pleased to see that he now had their full attention. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited a beat. "We want to know what concessions you will be asking for."

Draco smirked. "Why would we tell you that?"

"Yes, Severus, that is our bargaining chip for when you sit us down to discuss it after all."

"Horrid, horrid heathens," he muttered, turning on his heel to head back towards the castle. There was no way he would get any sort of answer out of them in this sort of mood. He didn't truly mind though, not if it meant that they teased everyone rather than storming around in a temper. He ignored their laughter, knowing that any response would only set them off again.

-BGD-

They danced and drank and smoked as much Inferno as they wanted long into the early morning hours before most were collapsing where they fell. Ginny had all but fallen into Blaise's arms, laughing uproariously at something she couldn't quite remember. Part of her mind, the part that wasn't dead drunk and high, knew that they had to have consumed way more than she thought for them to be this wasted. She didn't care though. Not when she had such gorgeous boyfriends who were looking at her as if she was their entire world. If she could have managed it, she would have told them how much she loved and adored them as well. But, she was having a spot of trouble with that just now.

"Best Yule Ever!" Pansy called out as Theo walked by them with her over his shoulder, both looking as if they were about to collapse.

It set her off laughing again. She found herself cradled in Blaise's arms and she grinned through her laughter. It was so damn easy to be this way, here away from everything. Draco peeked over Blaise's shoulder and his expression was enough to have her grin and blow him a kiss. Gods, she loved her life.

-BGD-

"Oh gods," Padma whispered, leaning on Mandy. "Would you look at them."

Mandy followed her line of sight and giggled wildly at the sight of Ginny, Blaise, and Draco all wrapped around one another. "Oh my. Think they will shag right there?"

"Dunno, but it would be interesting to watch."

Mandy almost fell over, taking another drag of the cigar before passing it to Padma. "Oh, good idea. Maybe they should. We are Ravenclaws after all, research is…" she couldn't quite think of the word she was looking for.

"Im- imperative!" Padma cried, looking proud of herself.

Mandy nodded, finishing off her glass of wine. "Yes! You are amazingly brilliant."

Padma levelled her with a look that sent Mandy's senses screaming. She just grinned drunkenly. "I think…" she paused and struggled to remember what she had been thinking, having been distracted by the gorgeous view. Then it came to her. "Ohh yes, we should retire to my rooms, don't you think?"

"Yes, yes indeed." Padma took her hand and tugged her towards the doors.

Mandy couldn't find a reason to complain.

-BGD-

"Oh well, fuck me!" Aradia exclaimed, falling into Chris' lap.

"Well, if you insist," he said with a cheeky, if very drunken grin.

"No no, that is later. Look!" She pointed to the door where Mandy and Padma had seemingly fallen and were now quite clearly snogging. "Did you know?"

Chris just stared. "Holy hells, that is hot."

She swatted at him, totally missing. "Yes, we all know that. Did you know?"

He snickered, finishing off his wine. "Hells no. Now, about that request?"

She grinned at him. "My legs no longer work."

"Oh." He frowned. "Well, mine do."

She laughed and laughed, shifting in his lap and snogging him senseless. Who needed legs?

-BGD-

Astrid simply covered her face with her hands having not imbibed as much as everyone else clearly had. She certainly did not need to see her daughter and Padma rolling around on the floor struggling to undress one another. "Make it stop?" she all but pleaded.

"Oh my," Narcissa exclaimed, pushing away from the table and slowly making her way across the room.

"Well," was all Marguerite had to offer. "Cissy has them well in hand."

"Oh gods," she whimpered, not daring to check and see exactly how Marguerite might have meant that.

"No no, I believe Cissy has plans for Sev. She has called an elf. It is really a good thing we sent the younger ones off before this all started. They will be regretting this tomorrow."

She looked over to see Marguerite laughing. "I don't care what Mandy does. I just do not want to watch!"

"Why do you think I am looking away from my son?" Marguerite said dryly, handing her a cigar. "Just go with it and make sure not to look too closely at any of them."

She seriously reconsidered her decision to remain at least mostly sober, scanning the room. Oh gods, was that really… Taking the cigar, she took a deep drag. "I think I should go to my rooms. This is going to scar me mentally."

Severus laughed loudly. "So be like us and make sure you don't remember a thing."

She stood, snagging a packet of the cigars and bottle of Firewhiskey. "I think I will see about doing just that."

Carefully skirting the dancing young people, she made her way warily across to her rooms. She decided to cut through the corridor where the seventh years' rooms were to get back quicker and almost immediately regretted her decision. Up ahead, Theo had Pansy backed against the wall and she was not complaining. All but running past, she made it to the door to her rooms without further mishap.

"Oh, ma'am."

Startled, she looked down to find an embarrassed house elf. "Yes?"

"The girls are sleeping, ma'am. Sorry to disturb you."

She laughed. "Oh, no, you have reassured me!"

The house elf grinned and disappeared.

"Good gods," she muttered to the empty room, settling down on her bed a moment later, pondering Severus' wisdom. "Now I know why the alcohol and Inferno is allowed! Self-preservation!"

With that in mind she opened the bottle and lit a cigar. She planned on being utterly unhelpful to any of the hung-over young people tomorrow. Fitting paybacks in her opinion.

-BGD-

Pansy groaned and burrowed deeper under the blankets. She hadn't had as much as it had likely seemed the night before, but gods her head ached something fierce anyway. It took quite a bit more than usual to get any of the lycans drunk or high but boy, if her hazy memories were any indication most of them had managed it.

"Shh," Theo whimpered, pulling her against his chest. "No noise, please."

She snickered but complied, happy to lay here with him all day if he so wished. But, there was something in the back of her mind. She remembered something. Surely she hadn't seen what she thought she had. "Oh gods!"

"What?"

She closed her eyes and tried not to giggle like a fool. "Do you remember?"

"Ugh," he muttered. "Remember what? Can we sleep more after this?"

"Think on it. Who did you have to step over to get out of the ballroom?"

He sat up, wide-eyed with his hair all wild. He was clearly horrified. "Oh gods, they are so going to regret that!"

She was ever so thankful when a house elf appeared, handing them hangover potions.

"Here, love, take this and you will feel better," she said wickedly, downing her potion. It took a minute to kick in, but she felt so much better as a result. Her headache was all but gone and she was no longer cursing the bright sunlight either.

Theo cringed at the nasty taste and then set the vial aside, pulling her into his lap. "So, now that we are awake at this ungodly hour, whatever shall we do?"

"Get dressed!" Draco called up from the main doors to their suite. "If we have to be up, so do you!"

"Spoilsport!" she called back, trying not to laugh.

Theo grumbled, pulling her with him as he got out of bed. She found herself over his shoulder a moment later. Laughing and playfully swatting him, she didn't even attempt to get out of his arms. They were in the shower minutes later, their laughing friends waiting out in the main room.

"Oh, you laugh now," Blaise called sullenly. "Just you wait. Apparently we need to discuss going back today. Mum, Cissa, and Severus are not budging on it either!"

"Fuck," Theo muttered.

"Agreed. Why today? Did they think that being hung-over would put us in a better mood?"

He didn't answer and they quickly showered and dressed. Within twenty minutes, all five were seated in the Great Hall. Daphne, Aradia, Chris, Arturo, and Tristan looked no happier about this than she did. Tracey just stared at her mug, not bothering to even acknowledge anyone else. That in of itself told Pansy just how upset she was.

"Now that you all are here," Severus began, grinning fiercely when many of the older students winced. "If you had not over-indulged you wouldn't be in pain. We have an important matter to discuss and it cannot be put off any longer."

"We all know we will go back, damn it all to Tartarus," Blaise growled. "Why not wait one more fucking day!"

"Because," Marguerite said, "We are having a guest today that has been given the Oath and will not be too terribly surprising to some of you."

Pansy's brows shot up and she sat back. Just what the fuck was going on!

"Good afternoon, all."

She (and everyone else) turned to see Nymphadora Tonks standing in the doorway smiling sheepishly.

"What!"

"Oh do stop." Tonks smirked, her hair going from bright purple to pale blonde like Draco and Narcissa's. She was very clearly related once the shocking hair colours were gone. "I am family after all. I am also on your side in this no matter what Dumbledore thinks."

"So, why are you here today of all days…cousin."

Oh, Draco sounded right grumpy. This could go one of two ways, Pansy decided. He could decide that having this sprung on them with no warning meant that they would not be going or it could just anger him enough to agree to go back, with more concessions than already discussed, and then slaughter anyone who angered him the least bit once they were back in Britain.

"Aunt Cissy told me you would have some requests. Dumbledore will need time to arrange things should that be the case. There is also the fact that this will cause mayhem and I never turn down that sort of opportunity."

Narcissa waved her over to the empty chair by Astrid at the foot of the table. "We know that going back is likely the only course of action, but you are correct. I warn you, these heathens like to make dramatic …requests."

"We want our falcons with us," Draco drawled in his 'do not fuck with me' tone.

Pansy snickered when Tonks' eyes went wide and she pulled out a parchment to make notes. Little did the woman know that it was just the beginning. They had quite a list when you really got down to it.

"We will carry our blades openly and defend ourselves to the fullest extent needed," Blaise added dryly.

"We get Quidditch back."

Pansy bit her lip or risk roaring with laughter at the militant expression on Ginny's face. She decided now was as good a time as any to add her two knuts. "The puppies go as well. All of them."

"Pansy," Marguerite cautioned.

She turned to glare. "Oh fucking what? We want to stay here where we are safe and happy."

"And left the fuck alone," Daphne added angrily.

"But no. We, once again, are getting yanked around."

She leaned in and all but sat on Theo's lap. She could feel his rage building and knew that if she didn't help him control it, he would not calm for days.

"Puppies?" Tonks asked warily.

With a vicious grin, Tracey whistled, bringing the dogs (which had been banned from the room previously) racing into the room. "Puppies."

"Oh good gods," Tonks whispered, wide-eyed. "Those are not puppies, why you could almost ride some of them!"

"And?" Draco retorted blandly.

"I told you," Narcissa interjected, looking all long-suffering. "Dumbledore thought he would get one over on them and they simply will not allow it."

"I almost hate to ask…" Tonks winced and covered her face with her hand.

"We leave again the first time we are threatened by another student or member of staff," Aradia spoke up, after a quick elbow from Daphne.

"We will fight in the manner in which we chose. There will be plans implemented that we need neither Dumbledore's approval nor that of the Ministry to carry out." Theo smirked. "Upon our return, there had best be a mew for our falcons which is not accessible to anyone but us. If our pets are put in danger by the staff or students, we will retaliate."

Tonks whimpered. "That the last of it?"

Pansy buried her face in Theo's chest and tried not to laugh loudly when Draco said, "For Dumbledore."

Blaise's voice was added to the mix. "Now, Mum, about that dragon…"

She lost control of her mirth when the replies came very quickly and with that air of defeat from both Narcissa and Marguerite.

"Fine."

She could have sworn she heard someone fall over and hit the floor, but she was too busy thanking the gods for her friends to actually check and see.

"Severus, about that sauna…" Ginny said leadingly.

She laughed and chanced a peek at Severus as he simply nodded.

-BGD-

Not three hours later after picking herself up off the floor and returning to Britain, Tonks was back. She looked a little harried, Draco noted. They were all sprawled out in the ballroom, thankfully all cleaned after last night's party. "So? What news from Britain?"

She sank down on the nearest chair, shaking her head and all but gaping. "He agreed. I mean, he barely read the list and was ordering the castle to amend itself. I-I-"

Ginny took pity on her. "Oh, you get used to it. You saw, even Cissy and Marguerite cannot tell them no."

"Us," Draco amended cheekily. "You count now too, darling."

She grinned up at him from where she was stretched out with her head in his lap and her feet propped up on Blaise's thigh. "I do, don't I."

"So, what were Dumbledore's requests?" Blaise asked, motioning over Theo, Tracey, Pansy, and Daphne.

"That you give the other students the benefit of the doubt. Apparently Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood spoke up and all but ruined what reputation Potter had left," Tonks confided. "I rather wish I had seen it actually."

"Really?" He stared at his cousin, trying to gauge if she was lying. All indications were that she was being totally honest.

"Really. The students have been ignoring Potter since the moment you all left. They are making friends in other houses and basically figuring out that getting along is preferable to all that stupid in-fighting. They also harass the staff constantly about when you will be back."

"I will still vent my rage should one of them harass or insult one of us." Draco made sure that his tone and his expression told her quite clearly how serious he was.

"He gets it. I get it. I do not think it will be as bad as you think."

Draco scoffed. It was always as bad, if not worse, than they expected. There was no way that this would be any different.