Right, so, I would say I wrote too much but we all know when you're a FanFiction reader there's no such thing as an author writing too much. I write this story on my phone and then upload it using the desktop version through safari so my phone, wifi and Thisbe website freak out when I write more than around 8000 words and try to uploads all in one go...so you have a double chapter update because I'm gonna let you have it all in one go instead of making you wait for the second half because you're all amazingly awesome! :)
Thanks for favs, follows and reviews. With regards to the new group leader, I had to agree with With love from KK since I was thinking along those lines anyway so thank you for cementing my decision.
Lastly, Simon appears in the second half of this update, now known as chapter 27, so just to warn you there will be mention so of his attempted rape of Rose. Also, Simon will only turn up one more time and thus be dealt with appropriately when he does. I'm not going to bother with author notes on chapter 27 because they're the same as this one, and I'm going to start posting these notes at the bottom of the chapter so it doesn't get in the way of the story. So as of chapter 28, unless there needs to be warnings, I'll do this stuff at the end.
Friday night rolled around quickly. The meeting on Tuesday with the family had gone surprisingly well, everyone had been both gutted and understanding at Rose's choice to step down from her leadership role. Everyone voted on a new leader and it was decided that Louis and Lucy would take the trouble-making back to Hogwarts while Rose, Fred, Teddy and Al helped them in any outer school endeavours. The rest of the week had flown by and now Rose was ready for their mandatory Friday night ice breaker, something most of her team still couldn't believe she was serious about. They were going to James' bar, The Masterful Marauder. Rose had flooed home from work and changed quickly, taking off her work clothes and opting for a pair of comfy skinny jeans, boots and a loose fitting t-shirt that fell off her shoulder slightly. She didn't even bother trying to tame her hair and she didn't really wear make-up so she went without that too. She left her parents a note, the second one in a week, to tell them where she was and not to wait up since she wouldn't be home. She planned on staying with James and Polly, knowing they'd let her crash on the sofa. She was pretty sure the rest of her cousins were planning on crashing on the same sofa so it was a good job they could transfigure it into a large one and they all got along. Rose threw the floo powder into the fireplace and stepped into the green flames, smiling as it swept her away to the bar.
"Hey Rose!" Polly grinned as the red head emerged from the fireplace.
"Hi Pols," Rose grinned back.
"How's my favourite cousin?" James called from behind the bar.
"Happy it's Friday!" Rose called back, making James laugh as he continued to serve beverages to his patrons as the bar became increasingly busy.
Rose and Polly moved into a quiet corner not too far away from the bar but out the way enough that they could all have some privacy and get to know one another. It was also close enough that Polly could slip under the bar and get them their drinks if the night got so busy that James and the other bartenders were swamped; since she did own half the pub she made a point of telling him she could help herself to whatever she wanted provided they could afford it.
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"So, when's the party starting?" Jackson grinned as he approached the table about twenty minutes after Polly and Rose had themselves seated.
"I would guess around the same time Fred walks in," Rose smirked as Jackson scowled.
"I've been told I'm the life and soul of the party on more than one occasion, you know?" He grumbled.
"And I'm not disputing that, I'm merely saying that maybe your parties weren't quite the same as ours, because if anyone is the very soul of a party, it's Fred." Rose gave him a remorseful look and a friendly pat on the arm as he sat down beside her. The rest of the team were quick to join after that, leaving just Al and Fred.
"Sorry sorry sorry!" Al cried as he swooped into the free seat next to Polly. "I was caught up with some stuff..."
"What did Aunt Ginny want to know now?" Rose smiled sweetly.
"Whether I'd met anyone new since school and would like to invite them to the Burrow on Sunday for family lunch..." Al grumbled.
"Seriously?" Polly snorted.
"Seriously..." Al nodded with a laugh. "We haven't had any new victims recently and I think she's starting to get bored."
"You call potential girlfriend's victims?!" Louise asked in a strangled sort of cry.
"To my mother they are, yes." Al nodded again, this time with a grimace.
"And to you?" Drake asked.
"My secret, until I think it's worth them meeting my mother..." Al scowled at the chuckles from around the table.
"He's not lying," Polly said, deadly serious. "I love Ginny Potter as if she was my own mother, but that woman is downright terrifying when it comes to dating her children. I hate to see what she's got planned for Dex." Polly shivered and the rest of the group looked with wide eyes between her and Al.
"Sorry I'm late!" Fred sat down, panting as though he'd been running.
"What's up with you?" Rose frowned.
"The twins..." Fred puffed. "Booby trapped...house...home alone..."
Rose looked in shock at Fred before bursting out in a loud laugh as he glared at her. Polly, Flick and Al weren't far behind, closely followed by Kevin and Louise.
"Which ones?" She asked through her tears.
"Which ones?" Rex repeated.
"I have two sets of twins," Fred explained. "And it was both of them..." he growled.
"That's odd, I've never known them to work together before?" Al frowned as a good percentage of the group looked at Fred in shock.
"No, me neither. Apparently a certain Malfoy advised them that if they work together they'd be almost unstoppable." Fred's eyes flashed a menacingly dark colour before turning back to their usual brown. He looked up at Rose and she just shrugged. "I'm going to kill him, almost literally..." Fred said, very matter of factly.
"I won't stop you," Rose said, holding her arms up. "If he was stupid enough to get himself into that mess, he can deal with the consequences."
"You have two sets of twins?" Jackson asked, pulling the rest of them back into conversation.
"Yeah," Fred nodded. "I thought all you lot knew all us lot?" Fred frowned at Jackson patronisingly.
"I thought we did to," Jackson huffed.
"Maybe not so much, huh?" Al smirked.
"No, maybe not..." Jackson grumbled reluctantly.
"How do we not know that?" Ray asked curiously. "Your faces and your families are all over the papers nearly everyday. How did you manage to keep two sets of twins out of the papers?"
"Me and Sarah are private people," Fred shrugged.
"And?" Rose gestured for him to continue.
"And what?" Fred glared back.
"And, carry on..." She raised her eyebrows at him in a challenging way.
"Rose..." Fred part whined and part huffed. "So much for the bloody circle of truth!" He grumbled before looking up at the group. "We went to great lengths, all our family, keeping our kids out of the papers and the public eye, and we still do, because we don't want them growing up like we had to..."
"What d'you mean, like you had to?" Barbara asked.
"We grew up with war heroes as our parents," Fred shrugged.
"Always under the watchful eye of the press," Rose took over. "Since we could walk we've never been able to do anything without the whole of wizarding Britain knowing about it, and then subsequently having an opinion on it." She shrugged. "It has an impact on you, it changes the way you grow and who you become..."
"Always having to look over your shoulder, knowing a bunch of strangers are just waiting for you to mess up for no real reason..." Al added. "And never ever knowing if someone is interested in you as a person or as what having you as a friend will get them...that one is particularly hard to swallow. Why d'you think the lot of us are so ridiculously close and fiercely loyal?"
"...I've never thought of it like that," Louise said softly.
"Not many people do," Al shrugged nonchalantly before giving her a small reassuring smile.
"So how'd you and the Malfoy end up best friends?" Drake asked as he folded his arms.
"His name is Scorpius," Al said with a warning tone. "And we ended up as friends because he was in the same boat as us, only the expectations on him weren't to be whiter than white but blacker than black." Al looked around the table and smirked. "The press used to print some crazy shit about the Potter Malfoy feud reigniting, which was utter bollocks since it was more of a Weasley Malfoy feud, especially after the war...anyway, me and Scorp decided it would be a better blast pissing on all their fireworks by making it look as though we were the best of friends and in doing so, we actually became the best of friends."
"And on that note, I feel we should already be drinking!" Fred slammed his hands on the table before whistling at James. "Oi! Bar wench! Can we get a few trays of shots over here for your favourite customers?!"
"Fuck off Fred!" James yelled back, the tiniest smirk gracing his features.
"Come on Jamesy Wamsey!" Fred cackled at him.
"Call me that again and I'll bar you!" James growled at him. "And 'cause of that, you can get your own pissing drinks all night now!"
"Aw cous...did I hit a sore spot? Were your feelings hurt?" Fred continued to torment him as Polly stood up and made her way to the bar, ducking under it and making up the drinks.
"Fred! Don't make me want to duel you in my own establishment! I don't have the time to fix it all once we've broken it, you arse!" James huffed at him.
"No! No duelling!" Polly looked warningly at the both of them as she levitated the drinks back to the table. James and Fred exchanged a smirk before they went back to their respective tasks.
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"You're a dick when you want to be Fred Weasley!" Polly reprimanded him.
"Yeah, but you love me anyway Pol," Fred grinned and Polly sighed.
"So, what else don't we know about you lot?" Tyler asked.
"A lot," Al grinned, dishing out the shots.
"We have five kids between us, because me and James have a little boy too. But there's nine between our generation all together," Polly said.
"You and James have a kid?" Juliet looked at her with wide eyes. "But you're not married yet?!"
"No, we're not," Polly said slowly. "Samuel was unexpected but, we'd have had him eventually anyway."
"How about we do a shot for every question asked?" Flick said slyly.
"What?" Ray frowned.
"You wanna ask someone a question, you take a shot. You don't want to answer a question, you take a shot." Flick grinned.
"I like it, let's do that," Rose nodded, taking two shots and looking at Kevin, then Louise. "How'd you know what home alone is?"
"I'm a half-blood," Louise shrugged. "My dad loved that film, we watch it every Christmas. I cannot believe your children put you through all that stuff! That's inventive!" She giggled thinking about it.
"I'm muggleborn," Kevin said, no elaboration coming from him.
"You're muggleborn?!" Drake looked at him incredulously.
"Shot!" Flick shouted and Drake grumbled as he took a shot, not expecting Flick to take every single question into account.
"Yes." Kevin nodded briefly as an answer.
"But, your a really talented wizard?" Rex frowned.
"Meaning?" Kevin frowned.
"Shot! Shot!" Flick pointed at the two of them and they sighed before downing their liquor.
"Meaning, its quite uncommon for muggleborns to have as much magic as you," Rex said. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not stupid enough to believe you stole it or some shit like that, but still, it's pretty unusual."
"Baring in mind we're sat drinking on a Friday night with our new team leader who just so happens to be the daughter of one of the most powerful witches of all time. Said witch being the muggleborn Hermione Granger, right?" Kevin downed a shot before Flick could make a sound and looked at Rex with a twinkle in his eye and look that said 'I dare you to keep talking'.
"Well played Kevin," Rose laughed. "I believe that deserves a victory shot, you may pick any person around this table and they have to take a drink." Kevin picked Rex.
.
"Okay, so, how do you keep your children secret?" Piper asked, taking a shot herself. "Surely healers know about the births and such...?"
"We all pay for private medical care," Al said. "After it was leaked to the press that Mum was pregnant with James' before she could even tell any family and friends, all our parents and grandparents thought it was best to avoid public healthcare, as good as it is."
"Aunt Ginny didn't know she was pregnant, she went for a routine medical for work when she went into St Mungo's. She was still a Hollyhead Harpy back then but once all their tests came back and they realised she was pregnant, it spread faster than wild fire and Uncle Harry had to hear it from some awful paparazzi guy," Fred scrunched his nose up in distaste.
"That's so not on!" Louise looked just as disgusted for them.
"It's just another example in a sea of many that explains why we hate the public eye and the press so much," Rose said with a shrug.
"Question for one and all, who has a partner and, or children?" Flick asked, taking two shots for each question.
"Single," Kevin said.
"Same," Jackson and Tyler nodded.
"And here," Louise smiled.
"I've got a husband, no children," Piper offered.
"Well, you all know now that I have four kids and a wife..." Fred grinned.
"We're both single," Al motioned to himself and Flick who fist bumped him.
"Well, I'll have a husband in a few months time, and I have one son," Polly grinned.
"I have a wife," Drake said. "No kids, and never want any."
"I'm divorced, two kids," Ray sighed.
"I'm engaged," Barbara squealed and the group chuckled.
"I have a boyfriend," Rex said. "Nothing serious yet..."
"I have a boyfriend too, although I'm hoping it might get serious very soon!" Juliet smiled brightly.
"Rose?" Al smirked at her.
"I'm unmarried and have no children," she glared at him.
"What is your relationship status?" Jackson took a shot and asked her directly.
Rose looked at him before giving him a wicked smirk and downing a shot without answering.
"You said this was supposed to wait till Friday, its Friday!" Al laughed. "What's going on with you and Scorp?" He picked up a shot and knocked it back.
"It's complicated!" Rose growled.
"Not an answer, take a shot..." Al gestured to the glasses on the table and Rose reluctantly drank another one.
"Are you dating?" Rex asked, downing another.
"No..." Rose squirmed in her seat. "Not exactly..."
"What does, not exactly mean?" Fred laughed as he drank yet another mouthful of the liquor.
"It's means...well..." Rose huffed in frustration because she knew none of them would get it. They wouldn't understand. And she couldn't say they were dating in case that got out and the press got wind of it, because they weren't technically dating. Rose groaned and just downed a shot, giving the group a defeated sort of look. "I don't know, it's too hard to explain."
"D'you love him?" Al asked softly and chuckled when Rose knocked another one back before he'd even finished his question.
.
"So, new game..." Fred grinned. "Never have I ever...snuck into the kitchen at school and persuaded the house elves to make me a chicken and mushroom pie just like Gran's!"
Rose glared as she took a shot. So did Al and then Flick.
"We can't play this with shots, we need actual drinks or we won't be able to stand up in five minutes!" Rose laughed, the alcohol beginning to seep through her self and making her a little merry.
"What are we playing?" Ray asked.
"Never have I ever," Flick explained. "Basically, we go around the table, each of us says something starting with the phrase 'never have I ever' and if you've done the thing they say, then you have to take a drink. If no one drinks then you have to drink. Simple!" She grinned.
"We can go one further and charm the glasses too, make it so we can't lie?" Al suggested and everyone in their slightly intoxicated states decided it was an awesome idea. Except for Kevin, who even a little drunk knew it was a bad idea.
Polly ran to get drinks and charmed them to refill as they emptied whilst Al charmed them to force their user to drink if they had indeed done the deed. James looked over frowning as his future wife and little brother sat side by side giggling. Rose shot him a knowing smirk and shook her head at his silly but understandable jealousy. She winked at him before turning her attention back the group.
"Never have I ever broken my own wife's nose!" Rose beamed triumphantly as she watched Fred forced to take a gulp of his drink and explain to everyone how he wasn't a violent husband really, it was an accident involving a jam jar lid and an over enthusiastic ego that told him he could do it the muggle way.
"Never have I ever passionately kissed a Malfoy," Jackson grinned at Rose who smiled sweetly and remained perfectly still before hearing quite the commotion coming from the other side of her.
"You fucking bell end!" Al cried before being forced to drink. Flick calmly taking her glass and drinking too.
"What? I thought I'd try and cut through the 'it's complicated' bullshit!" Jackson huffed before realising what Al's frustrated cry and subsequent drink then meant. "Has he got a cute cousin or something then?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as Al grimaced at him.
"Let me clarify for you JJ," Rose said, her face the picture of innocence.
"Rose!" Al warned. "I'll fucking end you, this will be war!" About half the group looked in shock at Al. Rose giggled and looked around the table.
"So, you lot also have siblings and close family," She said as she pointed to Piper, Kevin, Ray, Louise and Tyler. They all nodded, snorting in response to Al's outburst.
"Never have I ever..."
"Rose Nymphadora Weasley! You'll severely regret it!" Al barked, paling slightly as Jackson frowned at him.
"...passionately kissed Scorpius Malfoy." Rose finished with a flourish towards Al who drank from his glass whilst glaring murderously at his cousin.
"What?" Jackson's jaw dropped.
Fred, Flick, Polly and Rose were doubled over laughing as Al's cheeks flamed a brilliant red. Most of the rest of them joined in after only a few seconds, leaving just Jackson gaping and Drake frowning. Rose was beginning to wonder if the latter had a sense of humour at all.
"It was a fucking dare!" Al growled before being unable to help himself and joining in the laughter with the rest of the team.
"How come you never drank to that?" Rose asked Flick. "I figured you must have kissed him, living in the same house dorms for seven years and all the dares and shit we all got up to?"
"Nah, always managed to evade it. It'd be like kissing my brother!" Flick's features twisted up in momentary disgust. "I drank to the Malfoy thing because he does have a really cute cousin out in France. Their families never see each other but when me and my family went vacationing over there a few years back, I accidentally bumped into said cute cousin whilst at a club and spent a decent amount of time with his tongue down my throat until he told me his name and I felt like I was going to be sick. Scorp found the whole thing hilariously funny, so much so I had to hex him repeatedly to get him to stop laughing!"
"Never have I ever..." Al had to really think now, because there were a lot of endeavours he could get Rose with but he'd also been a part of them too, as well as Fred and Flick. He didn't want to incur the wrath of all three when he'd only declared war on one.
"...transfigured the grand stairs at Hogwarts into a dragon..." he shrugged. It was old for them but it worked well enough. Rose smirked as she took a drink.
"If Snuffles hadn't made an appearance at work today, I'd be asking for an elaboration," Jackson mumbled. "Can we get a why?"
"I'd only slept for a couple hours that night and didn't want to sit through two hours of History of Magic," Rose said nonchalantly as Jackson stared at her in awe.
"Never have I ever had a crush on my brother's fiancée," Rose retaliated.
"Oh you just had to bring that up, didn't you?!" Al glared, drinking from his glass. He was pleasantly surprised that both Ray and Tyler also drank from their's.
"It happens! How is it your fault if your brother ends up with a fucking hottie?!" Tyler argued.
"Exactly!" Al nodded enthusiastically in agreement before groaning in embarrassment. "Sorry Polly, again..."
"I have no problem being called a fucking hottie, but I'd keep your voice down a bit 'cause James' already looks like he wants to kill you!" Polly giggled and playfully leaned into Albus. Most of the group were in hysterics by this point and causing quite a scene. None of them were too drunk yet either, they were all just having a good time, well most of them.
"You mean it's Polly you have a crush on?!" Louise laughed in disbelief.
"Yep!" Al grinned, slinging an arm around Polly's shoulders and winking at a glowering James. "It'd probably be easier to get over if she wasn't such a bloody diamond about it too!"
"Yeah yeah, you just need to find the right girl Al..." Polly shook her head with a chuckle and subtly removed herself from under his arm.
"One that can make it past my mother! It'll take a bloody miracle!" Al groaned.
"Or one hell of a woman," Kevin smirked.
"Hadn't thought of that..." Al grinned. "That would be kind of hot, now you mention it! Maybe that's why I ended up with a crush on you Pol? 'Cause you're the first girl to beat her at her own game..."
"As drunk as we are, that actually makes a lot of sense," Polly nodded.
"Okay, so, where were we..." Al sat in thought.
"Never have I ever smoked a cigarette," Louise said before he could come up with one. Everyone but herself, Barbara and Ray had to drink.
"Never have I ever wanted to actually murder someone," Juliet said. The table were not that surprised when Rose, Al, Flick and Polly all picked their drinks up in unison and drank. Kevin, Piper and Louise were not far behind, sullen looks on all faces.
"Who and why?" Jackson took two shots and smirked at all those having to answer. All seven of them scoffed at him and proceeded to do two shots of their own.
"Damn!" Jules said. "I feel like there're stories behind those drinks!"
"There are," Rose said.
"Just not very nice ones," Fred replied darkly.
"Never have I ever had a one night stand," Barbara giggled sweetly, looking on in horror as the entire table took a drink from their glasses. "Everyone?!" She shrieked, embarrassed.
"It's not a bad thing to have never had a one night stand," Rose said. "I wish I hadn't if I'm honest with you, but it happened and there isn't a great deal I can do about it now. She shrugged.
"Never have I ever had sex with more than one person at the same time," Jackson smirked.
"Going for a lower tone, are you?" Rose looked at him as if he were a teenage boy.
"Just decided to keep it there is all," Jackson shrugged with a grin, taking a drink from his glass and winking at Rose as she rolled her eyes. He nearly spat it back out when both Louise and Flick drank from their glasses too, Louise having turned a wonderful beet red colour whilst doing it.
"Didn't think you were the only one having fun, did you JJ?" Flick practically purred. Jackson practically melted in his chair.
"Never have I ever had sex on trampoline!" Al raised his hand in triumph and watched gleefully as Rose drank with a glare.
"Your making it sound like I'm some kind of slut!" Rose whined.
"Are you?" Jackson wiggled his brows.
"No! I've only slept with three people!" Rose huffed.
"Sure you have," Jackson smirked.
"Never have I ever slept with more than three people," Rose glared at him and watched as he turned bright red when he couldn't take a drink. She couldn't help the sly grin that worked its way onto her face.
"Three?" Rose asked.
"Three!" Jackson nodded glumly. "One of the people I had the threesome with was my long term girlfriend who left me not long after anyway!"
"D'you think you could stop making it out as if your some kind of charming player?" Rose asked in good humour. Jackson nodded in defeat. "There's nothing wrong with being a one woman kind of guy." She smiled at him and he grinned sheepishly back.
Surprisingly not many people had had to drink to the last statement; Flick, Jules, Rex and Drake were the only ones who did and it wasn't really surprising.
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"Never have I ever shagged someone in my bed without a locking or silencing charm, in a dormitory full of roommates!" Rose glared at Al, getting him back for his last one. Al took a drink, again followed by Tyler and then Flick, Jules and Drake.
"Never have I ever fallen off a broom mid flight since I was about six!" Al retaliated, Rose having to drink as well as Barbara, Louise, Kevin and Polly.
"Never have I ever mixed up potions ingredients so badly that instead of a sleeping draught I ended up making something that turns your head into a giant orange pumpkin!" Rose cried and everyone laughed as Al drank.
"Never have I ever wanted my hair so straight that I made my own charm up that instead turned it into live snakes!" Al bit back, laughing as Rose then had to drink.
"Never have I ever been caught with my pants down in the girl's locker room and tied to a doorway!" Rose laughed manically as Al turned red and took a drink.
"Never have I ever hexed a teacher from out of sight!" Al smirked before Rose took a drink.
"Never have I ever..."
"Hey! You're getting pretty specific now guys..." Fred began.
"Sorry Fred, you feeling left out?" Al grinned, breaking the tension that seemed to have built within the group that weren't used to this sort of banter. "Never have I ever flashed Professor Mcgonagall."
Fred drank with a huff.
"Never have I ever fathered a set of twins," Rose said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
"Guys..." Fred paled as he drank.
"Never have I ever married a woman named Sarah," Albus said.
"Stop!" Fred cried as was forced to drink again before he could stop himself. He didn't have time to interrupt them with one of his own.
"Never have I ever been stupid enough to get in the middle of an obvious never have I ever war!" Louise spoke up and the group fell about laughing as Fred drank once again.
"Okay, okay!" Polly said as the laughter died down. "Let's try something a little more for everyone...never have I ever fallen in love." She immediately took a drink of her own glass and watched the group. Fred obviously took a drink pretty quickly, as did Piper, Ray, Barbara and Rex. Everyone looked warily at Drake who, despite being married, didn't pick up his glass. "Pureblood arranged marriage." Was his only explanation. Rose almost managed to take her drink without anyone noticing since they were focused on the man in a loveless marriage.
"You do love him then?!" Al grinned at her and she wanted to hit him.
"Never said who!" Rose cried, beginning to feel like she was having one of those pointless arguments that you do when you're kids.
"It's obvious who!" Al laughed.
"It's obvious who!" Rose mimicked him and his face fell flat.
"Don't start that again!"
"Don't start that again!"
"Rose!"
"Rose!"
"Fine! I'll drop it!" Al huffed. "You're bloody lethal at that game, I don't know how you make it more annoying than it already is but...argh!"
"Thank you sweet cousin of mine," Rose grinned.
The never have I ever game went on for a little while longer, the team learning new and interesting things about each other. The five that were already family were pleasantly surprised at how easily some of their new team members seemed to slip into their kind of banter and add to the dynamic of their group without seriously changing it. Nearly two hours after their mandatory ice breaker meeting had started, a few of the team began to say their goodbyes and drift off. Jackson, Tyler, Louise and Kevin were the only ones left after ten o'clock. Not long after their group had diminished did Scorpius and his new quidditch team descend on the bar.