I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Note: One last extra update since I probably won't be able to update until the end of the week. To everyone that celebrates, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for all you kind readers. Your kind words have really helped me on rough days and I'm glad I have taken this up as a consistent hobby. Thank you all.
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Extended Family
Chapter 57 – Hearty Party
Takes place a few weeks before chapter 143 of Family.
"Say Hermione?"
"Hmm?"
"Where're we going?"
"We're going to lunch, Ron. Have you forgotten?"
Ron snorted. "Haha. No I know we're having lunch but where are we going to lunch? You never said."
"To the Cauldron."
"Was that so hard?" He stopped. "Wait, hold on."
"What now?"
"You're hiding something."
"I resent the implication."
"Resent it all you want. Whenever you're trying to be sneaky you always look over someone's shoulder. What's going on?"
Hermione sighed. "Drat, I thought I fixed that tic. Nothing is going on; we're going to lunch like I said." She coughed. "Only it'll be with a few other people."
"Like Harry?"
"Harry won't be here."
"Okay, I grew up with the twins and my suspicion alarm is screaming so I'm going to go and-" he groaned when Hermione took his elbow in her iron grip. "You're going to finally do it. You're going to kill me. And without Harry seeing it. You're going to make up some story and-"
"Oh shut up," Hermione said but with a smile. "I will not be killing you." She led him to a private room and opened it and pushed him in. "Now I don't know if the others will though."
Ron saw the twins there and smirked as he saw that they were tied to chairs. Then he saw Oliver and became more confused. Then he saw the other occupants in the room and groaned. "You know, I'm not hungry so I'm going to skip out on lunch-"
"Sit down third bollock," Alicia said and pointed at an empty chair. Ron blanched but did as ordered, glaring at Hermione who looked unrepentant. "Right," Alicia continued, "this is your first and only warning. There will be no illegal nonsense, no shenanigans, nothing untoward happening this Friday night. Do you understand me?"
"Wait, what's happening Friday night?" Fred asked.
"Really?" Oliver asked, amused.
"I have a busy social life unlike you attached sods," Fred sniffed.
"It's Harry's stag do," George said, glaring at Fred.
"Oh right right."
"How could you forget?" Oliver asked incredulously.
"I didn't! I was just wondering why Alicia would be so pre-emptively upset over it!"
"Really?" Angelina asked, giving Fred a flat stare.
"We're not planning it," Fred said, using his head to gesture to George and himself. "Ron is, he's the best man."
"As if you two aren't helping," Hermione said with an arch look, "or have plans to make things…lively."
"We didn't but now that you mention it," Fred mused before flinching at the look Alicia and Angelina gave him. "You know, I'm a bit upset about the assumptions being made about my alleged involvement in the planning of the stag do."
"Not saying anything incriminating, we did offer aid to our brother and was soundly ignored," George said.
"I can throw a party," Ron snorted. "It's not that hard."
"Wait, why am I getting the lecture by the way?" Oliver asked.
"Because you have the tendency to let the twins do what they want," Angelina said.
"I've never let them do anything. They just do things. You know that. And hey! You have more pull over one of them than I do now."
"What does that mean?" George cried indignantly. He glared at Ron and Fred who made identical whip crack sounds. "Just because I'm happily in a relationship doesn't mean I'm whipped."
"I'm happily in a relationship!" Ron sputtered.
"I'm happily not in a relationship!" Fred said.
"Merlin have mercy," Angelina groaned, palming her face.
"He might but if I hear anything bad happening at the bachelor party, I will have none!" Alicia shouted and the boys all flinched. "I swear to magic itself that if I have to bail out any sorry arses out of the drunk and disorderly cells on Saturday then I will rain fire and fury on all of you! And then on Oliver again!"
"How's that fair?!" Oliver said.
"Because that means you failed in keeping them in line and will suffer double the consequences! Let that be inspiration to keep control of things!"
"That's just setting me up to fail! I couldn't control the twins for five years at school, what makes you think I can now?!"
"Have you lot forgotten whose party it is? It's Harry's," Ron said, bravely speaking up to cut through the argument. "He won't do anything stupid like that."
"Without one of us there," Angelina said, gesturing at herself and the other two girls, "he can be convinced by you idiots."
"Percy'll be there, he'll keep things contained like a giant wet blanket," Fred said.
"Neville's pretty calm too," George said.
"And Tonks too, she's responsible," Oliver said.
Hermione snorted. "Only when she's on duty."
"Okay look, I have a pretty low-key thing planned. We're just going to hang out, play some Quidditch, and then drink and eat things," Ron said. "Seriously, nothing is going to be weird. Fred and George aren't bringing Wheezes and it'll all be fine."
"It better be," Alicia said, eyes narrowed.
"And what about you lot then," Fred asked, a glint in his eye. "Need us to give you the speech regarding Katie's hen party?"
"I trust us far more than I trust you," Alicia retorted.
"I should hope so," George snorted. "If we have to bail you lot out, now wouldn't that be grand."
"We wouldn't ask you to," Alicia sniffed.
"Don't worry, Hermione'll be there. She's their Percy," Ron said with a sharp smile.
"Hey!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I'm sorry but I'm mad you led me into this without warning," Ron said. "Also, am I wrong?"
"That was still rude," Hermione sniffed.
"We know how to contain ourselves," Angelina said, shaking her head. "Alicia's hen party was a lot of fun and no one got in trouble."
"Still can't believe Sir Harry wore witch robes," Oliver chuckled.
"Say, that's an idea," the twins said.
"I said no, stop asking," Ron sighed.
"Well, as long as you all are aware of the consequences," Alicia said with one final glower. "I suppose we are done here."
"No we're not, I still haven't had lunch," Ron sniffed.
-0-
Alicia glowered as she watched the Weasley bollocks walk down the street and waved as Oliver left the opposite way. "I don't trust them."
"George knows the consequences if he lets the other two get too over-enthusiastic," Angelina sighed. "And they're not wrong, Percy will help and Tonks will hopefully not let it get too out of hand."
"I'm not our Percy, am I?" Hermione asked plaintively.
"No, you've loosened up a lot more than he has," Alicia said soothingly.
Hermione felt a little better. "Are we being over-cautious here? I mean, Harry isn't a difficult drunk. If anything, he gets really clingy and affectionate and sedentary when he's drunk. He's like a cat."
"If it was us with him or just him then that's one thing, it's how suggestible he might be with the other idiots influencing him when he's under the influence." Alicia rubbed her face. "That's all Katie needs. A bunch of pictures in the Prophet of the Boy-Who-Drinks being hauled off to the drunk tank by overzealous Aurors wanting to be famous."
"The Prophet has gotten better about printing random and personal stuff about Harry," Angelina said. "The sports parts love him obviously though."
"The Prophet is afraid of Sirius and the Tonkses," Hermione said. "Starting our sixth year, Sirius and Ted went to their office and Sirius vowed to duel anyone that prints anything about Harry without permission in postremo sanguine. Ted said he'll make the survivors wish they weren't survivors afterwards. Then Andromeda went the next day and they especially got the point after that."
"I'm assuming postremo sanguine is one of those fancy Society things that's actually legitimately frightening," Angelina remarked.
"Yep," Alicia whistled. "Maybe we can use that against the idiots?"
"I wouldn't. Sirius would want to join the party and it'll guarantee to go off the rails," Hermione sighed.
"Let's just hope George and Oliver's sense of self-preservation and hope for future fun times keeps them in check then," Angelina said.
"I didn't need to hear that last part," Hermione said, blushing.
"Hermione, just so you know for the future, withholding intimacy is a valued and effective negotiating tactic," Alicia said matter-of-factly.
"Noted," Hermione said stiffly and glared at the laughing women.
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"The nerve of them," Fred and George said in unison.
"Can you blame them?" Ron snorted.
"No, but it's still rude," Fred sniffed.
"What do you have planned by the way?" George asked.
"I told you lot. Some Quidditch, then eating and drinking. Nothing crazy."
"Nothing exciting you mean," Fred sighed.
"Look, I don't want to muck this up and after that lecture, I really don't want to muck it up," Ron said. "It doesn't have to be exciting. Check that, it doesn't have to be your guys' definition of exciting."
"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist," George said. He and Fred waved when Ron left. "So are we going to take this lying down?"
"Nah, if they want to assume we're going to do something, then let's earn the assumption," Fred said.
"Besides, we know what we're doing," George said confidently.
-0-
"Hello ladies!" Rosmerta sang out happily. She smiled at Katie wearing the silver hen circlet. "I've been looking forward to seeing you all!"
"Aw thanks Madam Rosmerta!" Katie's face was bright and happy. "Thank you again for letting us have the run of the Three Broomsticks again."
"Of course! It was lovely having Alicia's party here and so I wanted to offer it to you and Angelina when it's her turn. Private party just like that last time. Menus on the counter here and just go ahead and order what you want."
Katie sighed happily, throwing an arm around Alicia and Angelina. Hermione, Luna, Lyla, Daphne, Tracy, Mirabelle, Ginny, and members from the Portree team were there. "Thank you all for coming!"
"Would not miss it for anything," Daphne smiled.
"Too bad no Harry here in witch clothes though," Tracy laughed.
"I think they scheduled the stag do at the same time to prevent that," Lyla laughed.
Drinks flowed and music played as they laughed and chatted. The door opened and more squealing was heard as Fleur, Colette, and Aimee appeared. The merriment increased and they continued to enjoy themselves.
"Are you well?" Luna asked Fleur later on in the night.
Fleur shook her head slowly. "I must be more drunk than I thought. The trip and the alcohol is having a greater effect. I only see one of them," she pointed out the window.
"I can see why you are confused. Usually there are two of them." Luna frowned at Fred trying to peek into the Three Broomsticks without being seen. "I think something must be wrong."
"Let us go see then," Fleur said. She leaned heavily on Luna and winked slyly. "I need some fresh air."
"It's fresh outside," Luna said and pretended to carry Fleur out the back door, waving away the concerned looks of the others. As soon as they walked into the crisp night air, Fleur straightened and they snuck around the front of the tavern.
"Bonjour Monsieur Weasley," Fleur said and Fred jumped in fright.
"Don't do that!" he exclaimed, rubbing his chest.
"Speak French?" Fleur asked, giving him a stern look.
"Scare me. Speak all the French you like." He gave her what he thought was a dazzling smile. "You sound very enchante when speaking French." He grinned at her snort and eyeroll.
"What are you doing here?" Luna asked, voice sharp.
"Don't worry, Harry didn't send me," Fred said.
"I should hope not," Fleur sniffed. "He trusts Katie."
"Right, of course. Paragons of relationshiphood they are."
Luna narrowed her eyes. "Frederick Fabian Weasley, what are you doing here and why are you not with Harry?"
"How'd you know my full name?" He quailed at the looks from Luna and Fleur. "I just needed a bit of fresh air myself, much like you two."
"Is Harry's bachelor party here as well?" Fleur asked.
"No, it's not. Why are you so far from the stag do?" Luna growled at Fred's hesitation. She reached out and grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down until they were eye to eye. "What happened?!"
"Blimey you're frightening," Fred gulped. "Everything's fine! Harry's not in trouble!"
"Where is he?" Luna asked.
"That's, uh, well, what I'm trying to find out," Fred said weakly.
"What do you mean?!" Fleur shouted.
"Keep it down!" Fred hissed, looking at the tavern with fear.
"How did you misplace Harry?!" Luna hissed in a very loud and threatening whisper.
"We didn't misplace him! He misplaced himself! Also, it's not my fault, it's George's fault." He started to gasp when Luna tightened her grip. "We got a little drunk and well Harry got really drunk and they started this game of hunting things and well…we can't…find him."
"How far can a very drunk Harry walk?" Fleur asked, concerned.
"Walk? Not far." Fred gulped at their looks. "He…might have…apparated."
"He what?!" Fleur shrieked. "Apparation is dangerous enough sober! How could you let him?!"
"I didn't know he gets weirdly confident when he's drunk! It's kind of impressive honestly and-Luna, Luna! You're…gripping…too…tight," he gasped.
Luna released her hands and Fred massaged his neck, pulling the collar out to loosen it. She breathed heavily, glaring at Fred. "I assume the others are out looking?"
"Yeah," he coughed. "Him going missing kinda sobered us up. Tonks checked the tanks, Percy went to St Mungo's, and Oliver is checking the stadiums. Ron went to Grimmauld and George and the others are running up and down Diagon."
"Why did you think he came here?" Fleur asked.
"He said something about going to what he loved most," Fred said. "If I didn't know him before, I'd say getting married turned him sappier."
"Should we ask the girls for help?" Fleur suggested.
"No," Luna sighed. "It will ruin the evening and not to mention the boys will be dead by the morning." Fred bobbed his head emphatically. "Harry's sensible even when drunk so hopefully nothing is wrong. Normally he's very sedentary when drunk."
"We might have mixed Pepper-Up with some stuff," Fred mumbled.
"Regular Pepper-Up or Percy's Pepper-Up?" Luna asked. She groaned at Fred's 'what do you think' look. "Okay, well, Harry hasn't appeared here. You go help the others. I will try to excuse myself and join in and you better hope the others do not find out."
"Thanks Luna!" Fred ran away, disapparating with a pop.
"I feel like we should tell someone," Fleur fretted.
"I have an idea first," Luna said. "You can come with me or stay and try to cover for me while I do the idea."
The door opened making the two women jump. "Oh there you are!" Lyla walked out, face red. "We're going back to Harry and Katie's flat to finish out the night. Some people are leaving so we wanted to relax in pajamas and eat all the food Harry made for us earlier."
"That sounds good, count me in," Luna said with a wide smile.
"Will this interfere with the idea?" Fleur murmured.
"No, I needed to go to their flat anyways so it works," Luna whispered back.
Katie, Angelina, Alicia, Hermione, Colette, Aimee, Fleur, Luna, and Lyla apparated outside of the flat and walked in. The others laughed and chatted, drunk enough to miss Luna and Fleur's more serious demeanors. Luna swore softly at the empty roost in the sitting room. "I was hoping she'd be here."
"Oh hi Hedwig," Hermione said as she opened the door into the bedroom, making Luna and Fleur sigh with relief. "Wait…is that…Harry?"
Luna and Fleur went running and ran right into Hermione's back, making her stumble in. Fleur breathed a deep sigh of relief at Harry lying in the bed, snoring lustily and with Hedwig sitting on his side. He was curled around a pillow and looked remarkably at peace.
"Thank goodness," Luna sighed.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concern driving the intoxication away. "Is something the matter?"
"No, no, of course not," Fleur said, laying it on thick. "Just surprised to see Harry here. I suppose his party must have ended earlier."
"Yeah I guess," Hermione hiccoughed. "You'd think they'd have someone here sitting with him just in case."
"I'm sure Hedwig took very good care of him," Luna said with a sharp smile. She reached out and Hedwig hopped onto her wrist. "Why don't you go tell them the good news?" she said, eyes blazing. "Make sure they get the point."
Hedwig clacked her beak, her eyes mirroring Luna's. She bobbed her head very enthusiastically and she tugged Luna's hair lovingly before flying out the window.
"I would feel sorry for them but they do deserve it," Fleur said softly to Luna.
"They certainly do," Luna said as she tucked Harry in.
-0-
Harry groaned, regretting waking up. He could hear the sunlight thudding into the ground and he knew he should not be able to do that. He tried to open his eyes and started to panic when he could not. Rather, they were open, he thought, but all he saw was white. Then the whiteness moved a little and he heard a soft cooing.
"Oh, hi Hedwig," he rasped. He smiled when Hedwig moved off his face and nuzzled him. "Aww, were you keeping the sun out of my eyes? Thank you."
She nuzzled him some more before launching herself into the air. She soon returned on Hermione's head. "Morning," Hermione said.
"Quieter please," Harry pleaded. "I feel like my head is about to shatter."
She snickered. "Goodness, you got really drunk." She handed him a vial.
He drank it swiftly. "Thank you," he breathed, groaning with relief as the hangover potion went to work. "I replace Ron as my best man with you."
"He shouldn't be best man for many reasons," Hermione growled.
Harry squinted. "What? Why?"
"How much do you remember from last night?"
"I...don't know? That's concerning."
"Come out and let's see if we can get the story straight." She helped him out of bed and Hedwig walked across her shoulder to Harry's, climbing up his hair to sit on top of his head. Harry unsteadily walked down the hall, leaning on Hermione, and blinked when he saw the people clustered around the sitting room.
"See? He's fine!" the twins said loudly with obvious relief.
"I wouldn't say that, I still feel hungover," Harry said. "What happened?"
"We're trying to figure that out," Alicia said sharply, glaring at the twins and Ron. Oliver, Percy, and Tonks stood to one side, looking various degrees of guilty. Angelina was glaring at George and Katie had smiled when Harry came in but went back to glaring too. Daphne scowled and Fleur, Aimee, and Colette looked equally angry. Lyla and Tracy waved at Harry when he entered.
Luna sat squarely in front of the three Weasleys and the three Weasleys were looking anywhere but at her. Hedwig fluttered over to sit on Luna's lap and she joined the women in glaring at them.
"Harry," Fred hissed. "Call her off, please."
"Who?" Harry asked, sitting down with a sigh of relief.
"Luna," Fred said, looking over Luna's head.
"Good morning, Harry," Luna said brightly but her eyes still bore holes into the boys. "How are you feeling?"
"Like my brain got drunk and vomited," Harry said ruefully. "Why are we upset with the twins and Ron?"
"Because they lost you last night," Daphne said angrily.
"I just wanted a quiet party," Ron said. "Not my fault!"
"Harry, tell us what you do remember," Alicia said.
"Uh well, we met here first. We then went to the Port to fly a bit. We were going to head back here but the twins suggested that new bar in Diagon. The Flaming Alchemist?"
"Ooh, how was it?" Tracy asked. "Hey, I haven't gone yet," she said when Daphne slapped her stomach.
"It's fun. Lots of weird mixed drinks. Kinda looks like a potion dungeon. Colored smoke. The owner gave us a private room where the bar goes into for private service." Harry frowned. "That's when things get hazy for me."
"Well because by then, we got seriously drinking," Oliver said.
"What exactly did I drink?" Harry asked.
"A kind of vodka imported from Russia, made from magical ingredients," Tonks said.
"I drank straight vodka?!"
"No and if you did, we'd probably have had a better time of it," she said sheepishly. "We mixed it with something. We were starting to flag and well, thought a pick-me-up was in order."
"And it's Percy's fault!" the twins yelled. "Wrong Weasley!"
"I brought the Pepper-Up for after alcohol, not to be mixed with alcohol!" Percy exclaimed.
"Normal Pepper-Up or your modified Pepper-Up?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.
"The modified formula," Percy sighed.
"Oh I wasn't allowed to have more than a sip of that," Hermione said.
"Because it made you go insane," Daphne said. "You know those two students flinched and ran from you for the entirety of our time at Hogwarts. I would have said you were lying when you said you could hear them from hallways away until you recited their conversation verbatim."
"Apparently the magical ingredients in the vodka reacted with the Pepper-Up," Percy sighed. "It created a very intoxicating energy potion."
"Which was fine until someone suggested the hunt game," Ron said.
"Who did that by the way?" Tonks asked.
"Neville I think," Oliver mused.
"Why isn't he here then?!" the twins said indignantly.
"What's the hunt game?" Lyla asked.
"Well it was supposed to be the confines of the bar," Oliver said. "Someone says 'what's your favorite thing' or 'what do you like on chips' and you go around asking and looking for the thing. It's usually fun and silly."
"Except when Harry was asked what he loved most, that's when he left completely," Percy said, palming his face.
"Oh you know what, I'm starting to remember that. I left because what I loved most wasn't there," Harry said.
"They had treacle tart there," Ron muttered.
Harry smiled. "Well okay fair but that's not what I love most. Though I do love treacle tart."
"Is that why you came back here?" Luna asked, her face soft and loving.
"Yeah. I was coming to either grab something of Katie's or a Hedwig feather. Both probably. I think I decided on Katie's pillow and felt super comfortable in the bed and passed out."
"You're such a sap," Fred said, shaking his head and smiling.
Katie leaned over to hug and kiss him. "I love you too." She giggled when Hedwig flew to them and nuzzled them.
"I think I'm going to be sick," George muttered.
"I can make sure you'll be sick," Alicia hissed.
"Angie, save me!"
"Nope, you let this happen."
"I thought we established that this wasn't technically completely my fault."
"Why did you apparate?" Aimee cut in, looking at Harry. "It is terribly dangerous to apparate when you are drunk."
"I…don't know." Harry frowned and thought hard. "I normally don't do stuff like that."
"You were weirdly confident with all that vodka Pepper-Up in you," Tonks said. "Like super weirdly confident."
"Oh!" Harry pointed at Fred. "You said I couldn't do it!"
"I didn't think you'd try and prove me wrong!" Fred exclaimed, wilting under the looks from the others. "Normally you ignore us when we say stuff like that!"
"Certainly scared me sober," Percy sighed. "He just disapparated and we all stared blankly for a moment and started…losing our shite."
"We scattered to look for him," Oliver said weakly.
"And none of you thought to come check the flat?" Hermione asked.
"I think we each assumed someone else would," Percy said, rubbing his temples.
"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry said sheepishly.
"You shouldn't be the one apologizing," Luna said. "They should have done a better job of handling you."
"You know, if we're airing grievances, I have one. Actually several," George said.
"Do you honestly think you're in a position to air grievances?" Alicia growled.
"Yes! I have multiple wounds that say I do!"
"Oh no, what happened?" Harry looked alarmed. "I didn't cause them, did I?"
"Did you sic your owl on us?" George asked.
"I don't remember doing that."
"No, I did and Hedwig agreed with me," Luna said with a sharp smile. "I told her to make sure you got the point of the good news."
"I'll say, got multiple points," Fred grumbled. The twins blanched when Hedwig sat on Luna's lap once more, extending her legs and flexed her talons at them in grasping motions.
"I have literally never seen her do that before," Harry said, staring at his owl. "What did you do Hedwig?"
"She sank her talons into my arse and half dragged me down Diagon," George said and the flat erupted into laughter. "Luckily it was the middle of the night or my dignity would look like my arse."
"She did the same to me," Fred said, trying to scoot away from Hedwig and wincing a little.
"You are such a good owl," Luna cooed, petting Hedwig.
"Did she get the same arse cheek on the both of you?" Tracy asked with ghoulish enthusiasm.
"Right," Fred said while George said "Left," at the same time.
"At least that'll help us tell you apart," Hermione laughed, wiping tears of merriment away.
"I saw and heard Hedwig do that to them and assumed all was well," Oliver said. "So I got word around and uh yeah, that's what happened."
"Normally, when people have bad bachelor or bachelorette parties in France, a decapante is involved," Colette said.
"Bless you," the twins said in unison.
"There better not have been one!" Alicia shrieked.
"There wasn't," Percy said hurriedly.
"You know what that word means?" Hermione asked, eyes wide.
"I had a rather interesting conversation with a few envoys from France," Percy said weakly.
"What's a dekapant?" Lyla asked.
"A stripper," Luna said helpfully.
"Oh no I shot that idea down super fast," Ron said.
Katie started laughing hysterically. "Harry would've helped her find her clothes and they'd become good friends by the end of it."
"That does sound like me," Harry laughed, face red. Everyone joined in the laughter.
"So yeah, alls well that ends well," Fred said with what he thought was a winning smile.
"I think they suffered enough. At least things didn't end terribly," Harry said and the twins and Ron sagged with relief. "How about they go out and get us a bunch of breakfast foods and things and we call it even?"
"Thanks Harry this is why you're the best a bunch of full English breakfasts coming up!" they shouted and before they could be stopped, the trio went running out of the flat.
"I'm not done with you lot!" Alicia went charging after them, followed by Angelina.
Harry chuckled and winced, holding his head. "I'm never drinking vodka Pepper-Up again. I still feel terribly hungover."
"Food will help but let me make you another," Daphne said and she gathered his potion kit and things and started brewing. "I believe we all can use some in degrees."
"I really am sorry," Percy apologized wryly. "I feel…slightly responsible given that I did bring the potion."
"You couldn't have known it'd mix and react funny," Katie said, patting his arm. "And well, things ended okay and was rather funny."
"Oh speaking of, I better tell Mum and Sirius. They wanted to make sure you were okay," Tonks said, reaching into her pocket for her mirror.
Harry settled back onto the couch and smiled when Hedwig flew over to sit on his face again. "Thank you, Hedwig," he said as she settled comfortably over his eyes.
"Owl eye mask?" Fleur smiled.
"It's very effective," Harry sighed. "Did you have a nice hen party Katie?"
"Yup! We got drunk but not as bad as you did apparently. And not as exciting, thank goodness." She leaned against him. "Is it bad that I want to try the vodka Pepper-Up now?"
"Go for it, I'm not having any more," Harry chuckled.
"I guess it just wouldn't be a Weasley party if it didn't go tits up," Tracy snickered.
"I wish I could disagree with you," Percy smiled. "But I really cannot."
"I honestly thought we'd be in for an easy night with how Sir Harry is usually when he's drunk," Oliver chuckled.
"People do react differently to different alcohol," Fleur said. "Red wine makes Colette argumentative."
"What does white wine do?" Hermione asked.
"Turns her into a decapante," Aimee laughed.
"Only certain white wines," Colette said without a hint of shame. "And only for friends."
Eventually the twins, Ron, Angelina, and Alicia returned bearing large bags full of breakfast foods. Harry elongated the coffee table to hold everything and they all sat around and ate a long leisurely brunch together. After all the fatty carb-laden food and more hangover potions, everyone felt much better.
"You know, in hindsight, things ended rather well," George said airily.
"Don't say hind," Fred whispered, looking at Hedwig.
Harry grinned. "It was a good night. And lessons were learned."
"Yeah, don't let Percy bring drinks," Fred snarked.
"Trust you two to alter plans chaotically," Percy retorted.
"And that Hedwig is excellent at getting the points across," Luna said sweetly.
-0-0-0-
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Glad you enjoyed it.
guest - I like knowing that I can help people smile. Thank you for reading.
diffident-serpiente - I have no idea sometimes haha. I usually have a random idea that somehow becomes something more profound than what it was. I may want to expand on a magical dodgeball game though, that does sound like a lot of fun. I knew people wanted to See Nicholas again as well and didn't know how to work him back in a way that fit until I had the idea for this chapter. Thank you for all your kindness, it has really helped lately. A hug to you too and I wish you the best. Hope you and yours affected by the storm earlier this year can have a warm Thanksgiving.
DGJabberwocky - I'm not taking requests at this time but will think if I can work with that. I don't think he would be as big of an authority on Muggle sports but perhaps.
