Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Things have been hectic. Then I caught some kinda stomach bug. But I gave you a few bonus chapters. Keep your fingers crossed or hands folded in prayer for me to finish this thing before I leave on August 2nd.
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Chapter 13 – Celebration
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Hermione and Ginny sauntered down the stairs to the entrance hall in their elegant transfigured gowns. At the bottom of the stairs, they met up with Luna, Lavender, Padma and Parvati, and Cho, all decked out in their finest gowns, cloaks draped over their arms and handbags clutched tightly in their fists. They approached the doors to the Great Hall, where Professor Snape said they would find portkeys that would take them to his Estate. They met Justin Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones on their way in.
"You ladies going to the party at Professor Snape's I assume?"
"Of course. How about you two?"
"Naturally. Snape left these here with us and asked us to hand them out." Justin pointed at a small table next to the doors containing an assortment of party hats, flower leis, and various noisemakers.
"Pick them up and you'll find yourself at the apparating point in Godric's Hollow." Said Susan, her arm wrapped tightly around Justin's.
"Great. We'll see you there in a bit then." Said Ginny, picking up one of the party hats.
Suddenly, she found herself standing under a street lamp next to a park bench in Godric's Hollow. Hermione appeared beside her.
"These are kind of cute, actually." Hermione pulled on her party hat.
"Yeah, who thought Snape could pick something like these out?" Ginny draped her lei around her neck. Moments later, they were joined by the rest of the girls from the entrance hall.
"Shall we be going then?" Said Cho, adjusting the bodice of her dress.
"Where'd Colin say we had to go?" asked Lavender.
"Past the post office, left up Gryffindor Road, then up Snape Estates Lane. Shouldn't be too difficult. I think I see the house up on the hill there."
The group made their way down the cobblestone streets of Godric's Hollow, finally arriving at the entrance gates to Snape Estates. A house elf wearing a rather shoddy but warm looking gray sweater greeted them at the gates.
"Hullo Misses. Have the password?"
"Oh, what did Colin say it was... Possunt quia posse videntur."
"Correct. Up the driveway and to the right, please. Polly will meet you at the door to take your coats." The girls proceeded up the driveway and rounded a bend. Before them stood a stunning lavish white Victorian manor, bathed in gleaming blue moonlight. Music blared from it, and the lights in the west side of the first floor windows flashed to the beat.
"Well, we found it. When did Snape get such good musical taste?" Parvati asked Padma, who simply shrugged.
Luna lifted the large ivy leaf-shaped knocker on the door and knocked three times. The door opened without so much as a creek, and a small house elf in another gray sweater appeared at the door, only she had a pale pink sash tied around her waist and a charming pink hat perched on her large flappy ears.
"Good Evening, Misses. Welcome to Snape Estates. May I take your cloaks?" the small elf recited, obviously well rehearsed. The girls stepped into the entrance hall and peeled off their cloaks. Polly climbed a stepladder in the closet in the foyer, and the girls handed her their cloaks one by one.
"Polly will show Misses the way to the party. Please follow."
Polly descended the stepladder and led them through the foyer and down a hallway, where they met Angelina Johnson, who was just stepping out of the powder room.
"Evening, girls. Just get here?"
"Yeah. Is everyone else here already?"
"For the most part. I'll just walk with you the rest of the way."
Polly led them out into a large ballroom that occupied most of the west side of the house. Two of the walls of the ballroom were windows facing out over the twinkling lights of Godric's Hollow below, a large set of French doors standing open at one end. A middle-aged wizard stood in the windowed corner in what appeared to be a DJ booth with a tall dark-haired girl in a deep maroon gown who was handing him muggle CDs one by one and talking to him over the music.
At the other end of the room along the wall was a series of benches, mostly occupied by members of the Order of the Phoenix already. Dumbledore stood in one corner, chatting animatedly with Professor McGonagall, another tall gray-bearded wizard, and a middle-aged witch with red hair that fell to the middle of her back.
Angelina, Ginny and Hermione broke away from the group of girls and approached a small cluster of boys in the other corner of the room. Angie wrapped her arms around Fred from behind and placed a kiss on his cheek. Ginny took hold of Harry's hand, and she and Hermione made their way into the circle.
"You know, I don't know how to feel. I'm just a wash of emotions right now," said Ron with sad eyes. He tried in vain to plaster a smile across his features. "Evening Hermione, Ginny."
Ginny loosened her grip on Harry's hand and hugged her brother. "Charlie would want us to be happy tonight. You know he would."
Ron sighed deeply into his sister's hair and slowly let go of her. "I'm trying, Gin."
"Hermione, fancy a glass of punch? Seems Snape's potions talents only rival his drink mixing abilities." George held out his elbow, Hermione tucked her hand through his arm, and they made their way to the refreshments table.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm alright. It's mum I'm worried about. Mrs. Longbottom, Emmeline, and Hestia are all talking to her in the study right now. I think she'll be alright though. Just need to give everyone time."
"I'm sorry, George."
"Don't be. It's not your fault that Charlie died, now is it?" He poured her a glass of punch, then one for himself, and escorted her out onto the balcony.
"You have to wonder how many other wizards and witches are out there partying right now like we are. I'm sure news spread fast."
"No doubt. I wonder how many Death Eaters are cowering in their dungeons and cellars right now." Hermione smirked at George.
"I saw those binding spells you got off on some of them. Those were really something."
"It was nothing, really." She gazed at a lump of pineapple that was sitting idly at the bottom of her glass. "Thank you again."
"For what?"
"Coming down on your broom and saving my arse."
"Aw, don't mention it. I'm sure you would have done the same for me."
"Sure, if I wasn't complete rubbish on a broom. I never told anyone this, but Justin Finch-Fletchley and I bribed Madam Hooch into giving us remedial flying lessons on weekends back in first year. I made him promise by threat of hexing him into oblivion that he wouldn't tell anyone."
George chuckled into his punch glass and gave Hermione a thoughtful look over the rim.
"You really are a piece of work, aren't you Miss Granger?"
"That's what they all say. Personally, I'd say you and Fred are two of the smartest wizards I've ever met."
"Oh come on, we own a joke shop. That's really nothing noteworthy."
"Well think about it. All the jokes you formulated over the years. The skiving snackboxes, for one. I'm sure you two were top of your potions class. And the trick wands? Transfiguration at its finest." George blushed furiously. "And the shop's been running smoothly for a year now. Ginny tells me business is booming?"
"It is. Profits have gone up nearly 200 percent since we opened."
"And a brilliant businessman at that."
The two stood in awkward silence for a moment.
"I suppose we should be getting back inside. It's getting a bit chilly out here now. I think Snape's warming charm on the balcony's wearing off finally." George held out his arm again and led Hermione back into the ballroom.
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Chapter 13 – Celebration
----
Hermione and Ginny sauntered down the stairs to the entrance hall in their elegant transfigured gowns. At the bottom of the stairs, they met up with Luna, Lavender, Padma and Parvati, and Cho, all decked out in their finest gowns, cloaks draped over their arms and handbags clutched tightly in their fists. They approached the doors to the Great Hall, where Professor Snape said they would find portkeys that would take them to his Estate. They met Justin Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones on their way in.
"You ladies going to the party at Professor Snape's I assume?"
"Of course. How about you two?"
"Naturally. Snape left these here with us and asked us to hand them out." Justin pointed at a small table next to the doors containing an assortment of party hats, flower leis, and various noisemakers.
"Pick them up and you'll find yourself at the apparating point in Godric's Hollow." Said Susan, her arm wrapped tightly around Justin's.
"Great. We'll see you there in a bit then." Said Ginny, picking up one of the party hats.
Suddenly, she found herself standing under a street lamp next to a park bench in Godric's Hollow. Hermione appeared beside her.
"These are kind of cute, actually." Hermione pulled on her party hat.
"Yeah, who thought Snape could pick something like these out?" Ginny draped her lei around her neck. Moments later, they were joined by the rest of the girls from the entrance hall.
"Shall we be going then?" Said Cho, adjusting the bodice of her dress.
"Where'd Colin say we had to go?" asked Lavender.
"Past the post office, left up Gryffindor Road, then up Snape Estates Lane. Shouldn't be too difficult. I think I see the house up on the hill there."
The group made their way down the cobblestone streets of Godric's Hollow, finally arriving at the entrance gates to Snape Estates. A house elf wearing a rather shoddy but warm looking gray sweater greeted them at the gates.
"Hullo Misses. Have the password?"
"Oh, what did Colin say it was... Possunt quia posse videntur."
"Correct. Up the driveway and to the right, please. Polly will meet you at the door to take your coats." The girls proceeded up the driveway and rounded a bend. Before them stood a stunning lavish white Victorian manor, bathed in gleaming blue moonlight. Music blared from it, and the lights in the west side of the first floor windows flashed to the beat.
"Well, we found it. When did Snape get such good musical taste?" Parvati asked Padma, who simply shrugged.
Luna lifted the large ivy leaf-shaped knocker on the door and knocked three times. The door opened without so much as a creek, and a small house elf in another gray sweater appeared at the door, only she had a pale pink sash tied around her waist and a charming pink hat perched on her large flappy ears.
"Good Evening, Misses. Welcome to Snape Estates. May I take your cloaks?" the small elf recited, obviously well rehearsed. The girls stepped into the entrance hall and peeled off their cloaks. Polly climbed a stepladder in the closet in the foyer, and the girls handed her their cloaks one by one.
"Polly will show Misses the way to the party. Please follow."
Polly descended the stepladder and led them through the foyer and down a hallway, where they met Angelina Johnson, who was just stepping out of the powder room.
"Evening, girls. Just get here?"
"Yeah. Is everyone else here already?"
"For the most part. I'll just walk with you the rest of the way."
Polly led them out into a large ballroom that occupied most of the west side of the house. Two of the walls of the ballroom were windows facing out over the twinkling lights of Godric's Hollow below, a large set of French doors standing open at one end. A middle-aged wizard stood in the windowed corner in what appeared to be a DJ booth with a tall dark-haired girl in a deep maroon gown who was handing him muggle CDs one by one and talking to him over the music.
At the other end of the room along the wall was a series of benches, mostly occupied by members of the Order of the Phoenix already. Dumbledore stood in one corner, chatting animatedly with Professor McGonagall, another tall gray-bearded wizard, and a middle-aged witch with red hair that fell to the middle of her back.
Angelina, Ginny and Hermione broke away from the group of girls and approached a small cluster of boys in the other corner of the room. Angie wrapped her arms around Fred from behind and placed a kiss on his cheek. Ginny took hold of Harry's hand, and she and Hermione made their way into the circle.
"You know, I don't know how to feel. I'm just a wash of emotions right now," said Ron with sad eyes. He tried in vain to plaster a smile across his features. "Evening Hermione, Ginny."
Ginny loosened her grip on Harry's hand and hugged her brother. "Charlie would want us to be happy tonight. You know he would."
Ron sighed deeply into his sister's hair and slowly let go of her. "I'm trying, Gin."
"Hermione, fancy a glass of punch? Seems Snape's potions talents only rival his drink mixing abilities." George held out his elbow, Hermione tucked her hand through his arm, and they made their way to the refreshments table.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm alright. It's mum I'm worried about. Mrs. Longbottom, Emmeline, and Hestia are all talking to her in the study right now. I think she'll be alright though. Just need to give everyone time."
"I'm sorry, George."
"Don't be. It's not your fault that Charlie died, now is it?" He poured her a glass of punch, then one for himself, and escorted her out onto the balcony.
"You have to wonder how many other wizards and witches are out there partying right now like we are. I'm sure news spread fast."
"No doubt. I wonder how many Death Eaters are cowering in their dungeons and cellars right now." Hermione smirked at George.
"I saw those binding spells you got off on some of them. Those were really something."
"It was nothing, really." She gazed at a lump of pineapple that was sitting idly at the bottom of her glass. "Thank you again."
"For what?"
"Coming down on your broom and saving my arse."
"Aw, don't mention it. I'm sure you would have done the same for me."
"Sure, if I wasn't complete rubbish on a broom. I never told anyone this, but Justin Finch-Fletchley and I bribed Madam Hooch into giving us remedial flying lessons on weekends back in first year. I made him promise by threat of hexing him into oblivion that he wouldn't tell anyone."
George chuckled into his punch glass and gave Hermione a thoughtful look over the rim.
"You really are a piece of work, aren't you Miss Granger?"
"That's what they all say. Personally, I'd say you and Fred are two of the smartest wizards I've ever met."
"Oh come on, we own a joke shop. That's really nothing noteworthy."
"Well think about it. All the jokes you formulated over the years. The skiving snackboxes, for one. I'm sure you two were top of your potions class. And the trick wands? Transfiguration at its finest." George blushed furiously. "And the shop's been running smoothly for a year now. Ginny tells me business is booming?"
"It is. Profits have gone up nearly 200 percent since we opened."
"And a brilliant businessman at that."
The two stood in awkward silence for a moment.
"I suppose we should be getting back inside. It's getting a bit chilly out here now. I think Snape's warming charm on the balcony's wearing off finally." George held out his arm again and led Hermione back into the ballroom.