Friday Night
The Great Hall
The amount of noise in the great hall on the Friday night was amazing. People were shouting and laughing and a few of the 7th years that weren't allowed to go were almost crying. The people who were to go on the trip were all wearing muggles clothes and looked an odd contrast to the sea of black. Even the teachers looked out of place. The 5 that were chaperoning the trip were all wearing muggle clothes as well; Remus and Sirius looked even more out of place as their outfits were distinctly camp, to say the least. Severus of course was, as always, dressed in black. Black trousers, black leather shoes, black shirt and a black jacket.
"Severus, I was wondering if you are actually capable of wearing any other colour other than black?" Sirius asked with a smirk on his face.
"No of course not! It's against his religion!" Remus laughed before Severus could answer.
"What religion is that?" Ginny asked smiling.
"The snarky git religion!" Sirius said with a straight face.
Nearly all the staff spat out what ever food item was in their mouth. The whole table started to try and suppress the fits of giggles descending on them. Severus sat their stony faced.
"Well at least my clothes with fit in muggle London. I hardly think that leather trousers and skin tight tee shirt will go unnoticed." Severus replied scathingly when they had calmed down somewhat.
"Actually Severus they will fit right in." Ginny said still smiling. "there is a part of London I think will suit them very much. Soho!"
Hermione started to snicker and seeing Severus face she quickly changed it to a coughing fit.
After the meal was finished and the student had made their farewells to their friends with promises of smuggling muggles goods such as alcohol back from London they assembled in the entrance hall.
"Can you all gather round please?" Hermione shouted as she had elected herself commander in chief of this operation. "Right I will call out your name and which group you are to be in. this is purely for ease, you will report to the member of staff in charge of your group every morning and every evening. Each group will have the name of a fruit, except it's the French word for the fruit. Professor Weasly's group is Poire. Professor Black's is Fraise. Professor Lupin's is Cerise. My group is Ananas." Hermione stopped and looked at her list with a 'just checking expression' and a badly suppressed smile. "And Professor Snape's group is… its Pomplemousse." She said and started to giggle slightly.
Remus and Sirius had to lean on each other to support themselves during their fits of laughter. Severus did not look amused.
When the groups had been sorted and each student had shuffled to the right staff member laden with bags and other luggage they had to hand their wands; in a box with their name on, to their staff group leader. When all this was done the portkeys were produced and they all touched it and waited until they were activated. Every person there felt a sickening jolt just behind their navel and the feeling of air rush past them.
They emerged in a clearing and ahead of them was a large white building. It was Gringotts.
"I hope you all know your vault numbers now. Get enough money to last you a week if possible. I don't want to make too many trips back here if I can help it." Hermione called striding towards the marble building.
Inside it was bedlam. The students were all crowding round the desks trying to be served first.
"QUIET!" Hermione screeched.
Everyone in the room fell silent as if they had been unplugged at the mains.
"Right, thank you." She continued smiling sweetly. "Now I have your attention will our students please form orderly and quiet queues to be served? Thank you so much for your co-operation, charmed I'm sure."
She turned round to the rest of the staff.
"This is going to be one hell of a trip." She said.
Remus, Sirius and Severus were left in charge of the children as Ginny and Hermione went to the leaky cauldron for a drink.
"Ginny do you think I'm making a big fuss over this?" Hermione asked as they took their drinks and sat down.
"Well Mione darling, I love you and all but yes. Loosen up they aren't children just relax it's our holiday too. Plus make the men do some work. Severus has never had a conversation with a student that hasn't included a question, a sarcastic remark or the words punishment or detention in it. Remus and Sirius are going to control their attentions any way; they are the Fred and George of their time. Just chill." Ginny said. "And if all else fails smoke this." She handed Hermione a joint. "I guarantee after that you won't care about anything.
"Ginny! I'm not going to smoke weed!" Hermione said shocked.
"Suit yourself. Come one lets get back we did say a quick drink." Ginny downed the last of her vodka.
When they rejoined the group all the students had their money converted and were wandering around Diagon Alley. Remus and Sirius were shepherding them away from the shops and towards the pub from which Hermione and Ginny had emerged.
"I think we are ready to brave London." Remus said to Hermione grinning.
"I think its London that's going to be doing the braving." Hermione said eyeing the restless group of teens.
"Right can you all get into your groups please?" Sirius shouted.
Soon they were all assembled and they set off into muggle London.
The Hotel
"Wow" Hermione said eyes shining when she reached her hotel room. "Whoever knew Dumbledore would have let us spend this much on accommodation alone?"
The hotel was impressive. The Sanderson Hotel in Oxford Circus. One of the most modern hotels in Britain and right next to Soho.
"Oh I'm in heaven!" Hermione sighed plumping down on the bed.
All the furniture in the rooms were contemporary, the height of new technology and design. Suddenly Hermione heard a noise from the bathroom. Wandering over to the door she looked in.
"What are you doing!" she shouted at Severus.
"What do you mean? This is my bathroom kindly get out." he said staring at her.
"I don't think so Severus. This adjoins my room." Hermione's face was growing pink from confrontation.
"It also adjoins mine." Severus said plainly.
Hermione felt her face burning and an overwhelming desire to scream at Severus' infuriating calm yet sneer way of talking to her. She stormed out of the bathroom and out of her room grabbing her keys on the way past. She went down to the purple bar were she found Remus and Sirius getting cosy in a corner.
"That man is the most annoying man I have ever met!" Hermione said huffily as she fell into a chair.
"What's up Hun?" Remus asked getting up to go to the bar.
"Guess who is sharing a bathroom with me!" she said but answered before they could open their mouths. "Severus!"
Remus and Sirius laughed.
"Darling you have to tell us how big he is." Sirius said before collapsing in fits of giggles.
"Well just relax its only a week, you never know Hermione you may get some action between those sheets before the week is out. Now what do you want to drink?" Remus asked.
"Red wine please. Shiraz." She said and put her keys on the table.
"Make mine a triple vodka darling." Ginny said sauntering into the room.
"Right, same again Sirius?" Remus asked and walked off to order the drinks when Sirius nodded.
"Aren't these rooms divine?" Ginny exclaimed. "I mean the furniture in every room in the hotel is amazing."
"Yes and the bedrooms! Wow! Do you think we can get furniture like this in the castle?" Sirius asked stroking the couch he was sat on.
"What are we doing tonight then?" Hermione asked as Remus came back with the drinks.
"Get plastered I say and then let the kids run riot. I mean it's their first night in a muggle hotel right? Well for most of them. Let them loose on the mini bars and the DVD's and I say we are sorted for tonight." Remus said while handing people their drinks.
"Yes but we have to have a schedule to work to. I mean we can't do that every night." Hermione said exasperated.
"I dunno, I know I could." Ginny laughed and lifted her glass before downing the contents in one mouthful.
"Hermione sweetie leave tonight as we say and we'll sort an evening activity schedule out tomorrow. I mean we are in London! Theatres, nightclubs, restaurants. There is a ton to do." Remus said and sat down next to Sirius. "Now let's hope Severus joins us. I have never seen that man drunk, and my bet is its hilarious!"
A/N: sorry if any of you have been to the Sanderson Hotel and there isn't any adjoining bathrooms, but I'm using artistic licence. Hey JKR used it! Platform 9 and 10 aren't how she described it! She was thinking of a whole other station.
