The door was open and they walked down the stairs into a heavily decorated room. There were dozens of helium-filled balloons that strongly resembled the different lucky charms. Actual marshmallows were scattered around the room like fairy dust and there was a suffocating amount of streamers in the colors of the charms. Eight plastic figurines, each about one foot tall, sat at the table. They were, of course, plastic replicas of lucky charms. Slughorn was dressed as a leprechaun and an old radio played a strange remix about lucky charms on loop. As his guests arrived, Slughorn danced around the room causing avalanches to his mountain of brown stuff. Several lonely pieces on the floor had been kicked around and crushed into dust.

Neville and his date, Lavender Brown, were both doing their best to hide from Slughorn within a forest of balloons. Luna didn't seem to notice their morbidly obese professor and stared at the plastic lucky charm figure that she was holding in her hands. It took a moment, but Harry realized who her date was.

"Mud! It's Oscar!" he whispered.

"Oscar who?" she replied.

"Oscar Pilot, from the boat!"

She looked around the room and saw him standing next to Luna. "Why is he here?"

"Who's Oscar Pilot?" Ron asked.

"Remember when we were smuggling you out of Azkaban?" Hermione asked. "He was the one we convinced boxes could talk."

"You what?" Ginny laughed.

"Yeah, I remember him..." Ron said as he stared towards the ceiling, reminiscing.

Before they could decide whether or not to avoid him, Oscar spotted them. "It's you two! How have Cardboardia and Boxopolis been doing? I hope King Carlo is doing well."

Ginny stifled further laughs as Harry tried to figure out what to say. "They're doing very well."

"It's just that nasty third kingdom that's ruining the formation of a peace treaty," Ron said.

"A third kingdom?!" Luna exclaimed. "Is it new? I've been fascinated with this species since Oscar told me about them."

"Oh, yeah. Very new," Ron said to Harry and Hermione's horror. "Some of the boxes got fed up with the fighting and ironically started a war to create their own kingdom. They're not very good at it. Unemboxment is at an all-time high and the young boxes can barely speak Boxish, let alone English. Yet, they're being graduated from Boxiversity. The third kingdom's in ruin. They've been raiding Boxopolis and Cardboardia for food and other supplies."

"That's so sad to hear," Luna said with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, I thought things would be looking up for their species by now…" Oscar said.

"Oh!" Ron responded when he realized he had just made a really depressing story about a fictional species of boxes. "Don't worry. They're getting ready to go back to their original kingdoms. No one got hurt in the raids or anything. It was really just like a little kid running away from home. No harm done. And once their back I'm sure the kingdoms will sign the peace treaty."

"That's a relief," Luna smiled.

"It's all thanks to you two," Oscar said to Harry and Hermione.

Hermione coughed. "Anyway… Um… How're you, Oscar?"

"Amazing!" he responded. "I just got my own ship. I'll be setting out on my own. I'm a little nervous, but I've watched my parents manage ships all my life. Our family business is expanding!"

"If you don't mind me asking," Hermione started. "How old are you? You look young to have your own ship."

"I'll be eighteen next Spring."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Harry said.

"Thank you. I don't believe I've been introduced to your friends," he added, looking at Ron and Ginny.

"This is Ginny," Harry introduced. "And this is—"

Ron held out a business hand. "Ron Weasly, Roncorp."

His eyes lit up and he snapped. "Mr. Ronworth's! I thought I recognized you from somewhere. Or at least your voice. I listen to a lot of interviews while sailing," he explained. "And it's nice to meet you as well, Ginny." She smiled and nodded.

"If there's anything I can do for any of you, please don't hesitate to ask," Oscar offered. "I'd love to help anyone who helps the species of... Boxes?"

"Boxen," Ron corrected.

"Of course, the species of Boxen."

Luna and Oscar then walked off towards Neville and Lavender.

"He seemed nice," Ginny said.

Ron nodded and Harry watched Colin and Sarita walk in. Right behind them was Crookshanks. He wore special cat sunglasses that said Bachelor Life.

"Where'd you get those?" Harry asked Hermione.

She was staring at the sunglasses too. "I did not give those to him," she answered flatly.

Cormac McLaggen showed up just as the lucky charms music was starting to get on their nerves. "I have, in fact, arrived!" he exclaimed. He basked in the hoorays from folks all around the room. He didn't notice or chose not to notice that everyone was being wildly sarcastic.

Slughorn stopped in the middle of a wobbly spin. "Is that everyone?" He began to mutter to himself. "Superhero, millionaire, Ravenclaw, journalist, second journalist, kitty, arrogance personified, Neville. Ah! Everyone's here. Gather 'round ya marshmallows."

"And I was uncomfortable being called a slug," Ron muttered.

Everyone shuffled to the table in the center of the room. "I just wanted to express how much you all mean to me. I've dedicated one of these figures to each of you. In this ceremony, you will each receive one. You may not keep them. They were quite expensive on . First, Crookshanks. Kitties have such big hearts! Here you go." He sat the pink heart figurine down and Crookshanks hopped onto the table and began to sniff it. "Miss Lovegood, here is the purple horseshoe."

"Because I love horses!" she exclaimed. Crookshanks began swatting his figure off the table.

"Yes!" Slughorn nodded as he put the figure in front of her with one hand and caught the heart figure with the other. "The blue, yellow, and red rainbow is for Mr. McLaggen who fills us with such colorful emotions."

Ron turned to his small group of people. "Sadness, shock, and—"

"Anger," Hermione finished for him.

McLaggen feigned appreciation and accepted the rainbow figurine. Slughorn went on. "The orange star is for Miss Skeeter because caution, journalists hear all, and the red balloon is for Mr. Creevey because caution, journalists see all." They each took their figurine. "Mr. Longbottom gets the green clover because he needs the luck." Neville nodded sheepishly as he accepted the temporary gift. "The blue moon is for Mr. Potter because superheroes often perform their duties during the dark nights."

"Thank you, citizen!"

"No problem," Slughorn replied. "The last lucky charm figure is for Mr. Weasley. A pot of gold because he's rolling in dough. Let's all give him a round of applause because he is going to fix the injustice that is replacing the green clover charm!"

The applause faded and the party resumed. The music became so annoying that it seemed to be getting louder.

"Maybe he wouldn't notice if we turned it off?" Ginny suggested.

"It's worth a shot," Hermione said as she used her thief skills to sneak to the radio. She stopped it from playing the same song, and switched it to a radio station. She then lowered the volume in hopes that he wouldn't hear the difference.

Upon the success of the new music, everyone was a lot less agitated to be there. Less agitated. The music didn't work miracles. "C'mon, Harry," Ginny said as she began to lead him away from Ron and Hermione. "Let's give them their space."

The evening went on as Slughorn sat in a corner while devouring enormous quantities of lucky charms. McLaggen spent his time hitting on the girls of the party. Ginny was the first one to have the audacity to slap him. However, he left Hermione alone until he found the chance to speak with Ron. Ginny had called Hermione over and McLaggen made his way to Ron.

He got close and spoke intensely. "So, you like that Granger, eh?"

"'Eh' is my thing. You're not Canadian. You're apparently Scottish."

"You'll regret that you got on my bad side, Weasley. When you realize I might have let you have her."

His intimidation went in one of Ron's ears and out the other. Ron started laughing. "You're funny, I'll give you that." McLaggen stomped away.

The party ended and they returned to Gryffindor Tower. By the morning they were lugging their trunks to Hogsmeade station and boarding the train. Harry would be going with them to the Burrow since his parents were in Australia. And because he didn't get to see Ginny very often.

Over nine long hours later, they arrived at Ron and Ginny's house. Also kind of Hermione's. The Burrow had several notable changes since Harry had last been there. Fred and George had moved out to be closer to their new joke shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Percy had moved to Canada once he got on a minor-league curling team, and Ron's orange room was no longer covered in posters. A large heavy-duty safe was now blocking his old drug stash.

After a day of curling and eating poutine, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed to the attic of the Burrow, also known as Ron's bedroom, to practice magic for the first time in quite a bit. Dumbledore had recently been making them watch reality tv during class. 80 Day Prom Date, most notably. And Hagrid always showed up.

Just as they began practicing the levitating charm, the door clicked open. Ron and Hermione stared at the door frame like deer caught in headlights. Their wands were out and textbooks were levitating.

"Hey guys," Ginny said casually as she closed the door and sat down against the wall. Harry wasn't at all surprised by Ginny's entrance. Ron and Hermione quickly came to the same conclusion.

"You told her?!" Hermione asked as she lowered her textbook.

"I had to," Harry said defensively. "Superheroes are always honest!"

"Are they?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"Don't worry," Ginny said. "Your secret's safe with me. I like to think I can help you out with all this Voldemort stuff."

Ron looked to Hermione. "She's taking this a lot better than you did."

"Yeah but you're not telling her that she's a wizard. Completely different."

Christmas Day arrived and Pigwidgeon was more hyper than usual. He shot around the house getting himself tangled in the tree until the nearest person helped him out. Crookshanks and Rock were hiding under the tree in the large piles of gifts while Hedwig tried to sleep. To his annoyance, he kept getting interrupted by Pigwidgeon crashing into his cage every couple minutes.

Mrs. Weasley gifted everyone a sweater and a map of Canada as she did every year. Ron gave Hermione a new pocket knife and Harry a large comic book. Hermione gave Harry a cape she found on and Ron a Canadian flag. Harry got each of them a wand polishing kit.

Christmas night was filled with more discussion of possible ways to prove that Snape is a half-vampire. Ginny invaded their private meeting several minutes in.

"And why do you think Snape is a vampire? What did this even start from?"

"He's some kind of monster," Hermione said.

"We haven't found any evidence to the contrary," Ron informed.

Ginny was still confused. "But… Then it's way more likely that he's not a vampire."

"Half-vampire," Harry corrected. "You ask the reason for all this? Alright, I'll tell you." Harry stood up and turned off the lights. He ripped the comforter from his bed and draped it over the four of them. He held a flashlight up to his face.

"Don't you have a spell for that?" Ginny whispered.

"Shhhh," he silenced. "In a magical village referred to as Hogsmeade, there is a melancholy waitress at a restaurant lovingly called the Three Broomsticks. Legend tells she stays in business even though she doesn't serve food. Many have questions but few have been brave enough to enter this mystical shop. One day, three young travelers ventured inside, only to find three long dark corridors. Refusing to split up, they chose the middle path and began their journey of curiosity. For two days, they fought difficult battles, solved impossible puzzles, and found ways to survive their new terrain."

"Your memoirs are going to be great," Hermione interrupted.

"Why, thank you, Mud."

"When do the vampires show up?" Ginny asked.

"Patience, young one. As I was saying, for two days they made their way to a dusty room. It looked like a normal restaurant would. However, it looked as if it hadn't been used in hundreds of years. Skeletons gathered dust as they sat at the lonely tables. Swords stained red laid at their feet. Still, the brave travelers proceeded to the bar and rang the rusty bell with great difficulty. They heard no sound, but still, it summoned someone. A wrinkly woman floated upward from below the desk. She stood in front of them, yet they were not sure if she was in fact human. She reminded them of the skeletons, but she was different. The waitress had skin, though it was the palest shade of skin they had ever seen in their young lives. She had hair… It was blonde even though it seemed as ancient as the skeletons that stood behind them. Her dead eyes gazed through them as she gave a cheerful smile and said hello in a feeble shaky tone. It struck them odd, somehow she appeared young despite having most of the tells of an elderly woman. She put down a yellow paged diary from a year that occurred eight centuries prior. The diary revealed what looked like a fatal stab wound in her stomach. For the first time, they noticed the lacerations along her arms and on her face." Hermione couldn't help but pull a throw pillow closer to her and hug it. Ron seemed a bit perturbed, but Ginny looked as if she could be placidly eating a bucket of popcorn. Harry went on. "Though the travelers assumed the wounds were months, if not years old, they offered to find help. The woman simply smiled and told them not to fret. 'Would you like something do eat?' she asked. The travelers ordered the daily special from a menu so old, the day had worn off. Who could say if they were ordering the correct special for a Saturday? She took their request and removed their menu. After they sat down at the bar she started to laugh. She walked to the cabinets behind her, laughing harder each time she opened an empty one. 'I have been forbidden to serve food!' she laughed hysterically. 'You have discovered my secret! I have no food! You mustn't tell anyone! No… no… I cannot rely on that… You must all die…' Hermione hugged the pillow tighter. "She wobbled around the counter as her laughs turned maleficent. The youngest traveler fell to the ground as the group gasped at the sight. The waitress's lower half was now in view… She had broomsticks for legs!"

Hermione winced and Ginny looked rather bored. "What about the vampires?"

"I'm getting to that. She picked up a third broomstick and charged towards them. Before she could stab them, the eldest of the three yelled, 'Stop! We'll grant you one wish in exchange for our lives.' The waitress thought about it. 'Deal,' she agreed. She told them about vampires and how she suspects someone she knows is one. Thus, she sent them on a quest to find out for sure. If they don't discover the answer within five years… the waitress would take their lives." Harry stared at them for a moment before switching the flashlight off.

Ginny lifted the blanket off of them and stood to turn on the light. "Interesting story, but I don't believe it's true."

"Fair enough," Harry said.

"Perhaps the request of the waitress is our own curiosity," Ron suggested.

"I still don't get it," Ginny started. "That didn't suggest Snape was a vampire at all."

"I forgot the last part of the story. Snape has a pet bat."

"Oh! In that case, he's totally a half-vampire," Ginny agreed. "Why didn't you lead with that?"

Hermione squinted. "How does that have anything to do with the story?"

There was a crash from downstairs and they all hurried to see what it was. "Family meeting with the Order of the Heroes!" Bill called as he picked up a chair that had been knocked over.

"Bill!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "So good to see you! How have you been?"

"Good!" he replied. He turned around and stuck his head outside the front door. "Fleur! You can come in, she's not in a bad mood!"

"Oh, her," Mrs. Weasley grumbled.

"Scratch the bit about her mood," Bill said quietly to Fleur as she approached the door.

"How'd you get mixed up in the Order?" Harry asked.

Bill laughed. "I'm a bank teller."

Interrupting their confusion, Lupin, Harry's parents, and Tonks entered the Burrow. "What's going on?" Lupin asked. "Bill said it was important."

"It is, my dude. We've got to wait for everyone else."

They shuffled into the Weasley's cozy living room and continued the wait. Soon after, Dumbledore and one of the McGonagalls showed up. Afterwards, Abs Dumbledore arrived followed by Hagrid and then Madam Pomfrey.

"Alright, we're all here," Tonks prompted.

Bill stood on the worn coffee table and began his speech. "Y'know how select people are really worried about the return of Voldemort?"

"Hasn't everyone forgotten about him?" Ron asked.

"Some people remember. Mostly the ones who love conspiracy theories. Anyway! The Wedding Hut is having a special End of Times sale. Buy one wedding, get a second FREE!" There was a silence that didn't match Bill's enthusiasm at all. "Do I have to clarify? Fleur and I will be the first one, and all we need is another set of people who are getting married."

"Fleur and you?!" Mrs, Weasley half-shrieked. "You barely know each other!"

"Zat ees not true," Fleur protested. "We've 'ad our 'air competition for a very long time." The hair competition, by the looks of it, was still ongoing. They both had the same length, falling all the way to their waists.

"So?" Bill asked the group, shaking his long, red hair behind his shoulder. "Any of you in love?"

The group glanced at each other. "Meh, okay," Lupin said. "We'll help. Tonks?"

"Oh, uh, sure," she responded.

"Wait, what?" Ron asked.

"You and Tonks?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Tonks answered. "We didn't want to take the spotlight from anyone."

"Thank you for coming, everyone," Bill concluded. "We'll set everything up for the summer." Bill locked arms with Fleur and left the house as abruptly as he entered it.

"See ya!" Fleur said as they stepped over the threshold and onto an old welcome mat that desperately needed to be replaced.

Mrs. Weasley couldn't stop time, so the end of the holidays finally, and I mean finally approached. Just as Harry and Hermione were getting tired of maple syrup and curling, they had to go back to Hogwarts. Ron returned too, but he wasn't tired of any of the Canadian activities they had partaken in because he's Ron. They had the idea to ask Sarita for help in tracking Snape, and she agreed to have her reporters look out for any activity of the half-vampire. Still, they took it upon themselves to stake out Snape's classroom when they had time.