It was the May of 1700. Ron was at the wheel, steering left and right while Percy sat of a barrel playing a flute. Hermione was dancing around deck, as she always did, and Ginny was sitting just below deck with Lavender and Dean. Hannah had said her farewells just after she had finished cleaning her three canons and went up on deck. Soon, the clicking of four heels could be heard above Ginny, Lavender and Dean's heads. They laughed and continued on with their conversation.
Ginny was sitting on a half-barrel, a red around her waist. She wore a loose, cotton blouse that had been ripped in one place was aged with wear. She wore several gold bangles on her right wrist and her black hair blew in the breeze, just under the red kerchief over her head. When she was in Ortuga, she had picked up some dye and fashioned herself a new hairdo. Lavender's clothing was nearly the same, but her skirt was a different-patterened blue with laces of white. She had stolen them from some governor's daughter named Elizabeth Swann.
Above deck, Hannah wore a brown vest and brown skirt with long-sleeved cotton blouse. Her boots had been kicked to the far corner of her cabin and her auburn curls were blowing with every tilt of the ship. Hermione's hair was frizzy and curling and bound like Ginny's with a red kerchief. She wore scuffed black boots and brown skirt. Her black jacket was around somewhere.
Dusk was falling. Ron overheard the girls dancing and quietly handed the wheel off to Percy. He leaned against the mast and watched the girls, playing his own tune on the flute.
"I'm so glad you could join us!" Hermione cried, raising her arms abover her head and trying to get a feel for the new song.
"And where did you hear that song, Captain?" Hannah asked, whirling a circle around him. "I've never heard it before!"
Ron shrugged and continued playing. Ginny rolled her eyes and lead the girls to the beat. They soon got the hang of it.
Ron smiled as he played. The girls were beautiful. The setting sun cast their shadows on deck, and the three were moving so fast that the shadow appeared to be one graceful dancer. Ginny's kerchief was loosening and she tossed it off carelessly. Ron noticed with pleasure that the sun's rays gave a halo-like effect to the hair of his girls, and he thought to himself how lucky he was to have such pretty girls in his crew. Soon his song was finished, and he pocketed Ginny's kerchief before returning to the wheel.
"Hey!" Parvati yelled, suddenly coming up from below deck. She wiped her hands off on her apron and stood in front of the girls with her hands on her hips. "How come they get to dance all the time and I'm stuck down there cooking up shit night and day?"
Percy took the flute away from his mouth. "Maybe if you made us something better than that pigshit, you could catch a break!"
Parvati stuck her tongue out and returned back to the galley. Percy continued playing.
"OY!" Hermione cried, bending down over the latch to the galley. "Pads, when is dinner?"
"Now!" Padma cried, stepping up on deck and ringing a cowbell. Hermione's eyes got wide at the noise so close to her ears, but she didn't make a fuss and went with Ginny and Hannah to take their places at the front of the table.
Soon enough the rest of the crew had joined them and was tucking in to something that smelled vaguely worse than pigshit.
Seamus banged his fork on his cup. Cheeks tinged slightly, he spoke up to his fellow crew members.
"It seems that we are being followed by an unknown ship. Haven't been able to tell exactly who it is but they don't seem friendly."
Ron frowned. "Why wasn't I told of this earlier? You bring this up now at dinner, in front of the whole crew?"
Percy, his mouth half full, pointed his fork at Ron. "And you, who say that we have no secrets here, ask such a question!"
Ron put his head in his hand and faced away from Percy, trying to ignore this point. Seamus grinned at Percy, who nodded, before looking back again at his Captain. "I'm sorry, sir, but I right fell asleep. I could hardly get much sleep last night what with all the pacing someone was doing up on deck. It was only an hour, two at the m ost. But when I woke up just now, I could still see the ship sir, and I thought you should know."
The cabin was soon abuzz with talking.
Hermione's shoulders snapped to attention as Ron stood up. Percy lazily stood up with him. Ginny and Lavender were whispering anxiously together, casting sidelong glances at Hermione and at Ron.
"This new ship will be on us before daybreak. Everyone needs to get to their posts immediately. Where is Blaise? Where is Dean? Percy would you find them for me?"
"Aye aye sir!" Percy grinned, saluted, and sauntered out. Hermione's eyes followed him until door swung shut.
"Ginny! Lavender! Dean! Hannah! To your posts! Neville, where is Neville?"
"Did someone say my name?" Neville, a little sweaty, peeked out of the kitchen. Ron ordered him to his post and he left, running as fast as he could.
"I need Cho and Luna to go up with Neville now! And no funny stuff up there, this is serious!"
Cho and Luna dashed from the table. Luna accidentally knocked over her glasses and did not bother to pick them up.
Soon everyone but Hermione and Ron were left, and they set out to find Percy.
Lavender Dean ,and Ginny had left immediatly the sides of the ship. Passing along the large balls to one another and placing them inside the canons, the three finished with one side of the ship while listening Dean telling a story of his younger years. As they made their way to the other side of the large ship, Lavender and Ginny's laughter could be heard above deck.