Chapter Three: Muggle California
"We have to wait for a bus?" Severus' voice was less than amiable as he stood with his suitcases in his hands, staring incredulously at the Black sisters, who were reveling in the California sun.
"Oh shut it Snape." Bella snapped as she pulled out a pair of lime green horn rimmed sunglasses and putting them on over her eyes, shielding them from the hot sun. "We're waiting for our shuttle and then we'll be taken to the proper hotel, don't get your knickers in a knot."
That shut him up, but he shot her a surly look, slamming his suitcases on the floor and crossing his arms.
Voldemort, on the other hand, was staring wide eyed at the palm trees, pulling out a wizard's camera and snapping shots of the waving fronds. He'd have to scrapbook these with Amycus and Alecto when he got back. They were talented like that.
Narcissa leaned up against the brick wall on the outside of the airport. "Well, it ought to be here anytime now, don't worry." She smiled happily and tapped her long, red painted fingernails against the side.
As if on cue, the tour bus pulled up against the side, and a rotund, bearded man with an accent waddled out and opened the hatch.
"I am Valter; please poot yoor theengs eenside the hatch." He explained as he stuck their oddly shaped, weird coloured bags inside the back, almost unable to fit them all. Finally, after fitting them all in, the people stepped in.
It was a tight fit; Voldemort, Fenrir and Snape piled into the back, then in the second row it was Bellatrix, Narcissa and Rodolphus, the next row contained Draco, Peter and Rabastan, and finally, in the front seat, sat Lucius Malfoy.
Apparently 'Valter' didn't get on too well with the Malfoy man, as by the time they reached the hotel, he had had enough of the "Oooh! Palm tree!" every corner, and had turned up the radio as loud as possible.
"We're here!" Sirius and Dumbledore cried in unison, as they 'walked' out of the airport and into the hot sun. Their luggage was in tow, as was the rest of the little group along for the ride.
Harry and Ron were still playing the Animal and Mineral game, with Ron usually choosing some sort of lunch meat, and were swinging their bags back and forth, usually nearly hitting those behind them.
Nymphadora and Remus were walking hand in hand, each free hand holding onto their corresponding suitcase, her head was sleepily resting against his jumper clad sweater and she yawned from time to time. They were thoroughly unfazed by the change in atmosphere.
Arthur and Minerva walked out next, the former in a daze, completely giddy at the fact he had just flown Trans-Atlantic, muggle style. The latter was grumbling about Dumbledore not walking with her, and holding onto her knitting in the free hand.
"Watch your backs will you?" Moody whispered rather loudly as he caught up with them on his good leg. "Constant vigilance!" He added knowingly, as Kingsley rolled his eyes and wished he had remembered his yoga mat. It was definitely going to be a long holiday.
Finally, after a good forty-five minute wait, the little red shuttle bus arrived. This time, it was driven by a happy looking man with no accent, and they were at least used to muggles enough that they knew how to put their things in the trunk. Piling into the van, 'Dora, Remus and Sirius took the back, Dumbledore, Minerva and Kingsley took the second row, the first was inhabited by Harry, Ron and Arthur, and the front seat was taken by Alastor, who really enjoyed the Elvis song that the driver had playing in the background.
Upon reaching the Disneyland Resort Hotel, the "Oooo's and Ahhhh's" were nearly deafening. It was gigantic! At least twenty-five floors and six different shaped pools. Nymphadora found that especially nifty, she could have six different looks, one for each pool. Remus however, found that he wasn't going to be extremely fond of that area (not only because of the scars that crisscrossed across his chest, but because of the young men who were sitting around the pool).
Slowly they walked inside, trying to take in absolutely everything at once. That, of course, was far too much, so they decided they would probably have to come back down later and repeat the process, trying to find the things they had missed on the way (Ron suggested that perhaps they ought to leave their suitcases the second time, to which, he got smacked by his father).
The check in desk was covered in Disney memorabilia, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy (of which, Nymphadora teased Remus that that's what he was like on Wolfsbane) figurines adorned every corner. A hotel administrator named Dennis checked them in, and they crammed themselves on the elevator.
"This is incredible…" Arthur breathed as he looked at his reflection in the mirrored glass. Some sort of modern jazz was playing in the background, and Harry and Ron both made faces.
It reached the corresponding floor (which was, as a matter of fact, one level lower than the 'Nutters'), and they walked out, going to their rooms, keys in hand.
The keys seemed to pose a problem, as Remus and Nymphadora tried desperately to figure out how the little card fit in to the door of their room. Harry and Ron triumphed with theirs, figuring it was because of Hermione, Sirius groaned at the fact that Arthur was examining every detail of the door mechanism before inserting the little, decorated card, Dumbledore and Minerva were too busy arguing over why he couldn't just walk through and unlock it from the inside ("You're a ghost you stupid prat!"), Alastor and Kingsley were just feeling a little put out that they had to share a room. Moody didn't like the fact that Shacklebolt enjoyed yoga, and Kingsley didn't enjoy that Mad-Eye put his eye in a denture glass every night, and put his fake leg at the end of his bed.
Finally all was well, and everyone had put their things in drawers and closets etc…they met in the hallway, each with a different idea of who was going to do what. Finally they decided on groups. Harry, Ron, Arthur and Sirius were going to visit the pool (much to Sirius' chagrin, as he couldn't put on a swimsuit), Nymphadora and Remus were going to go check out a little chocolate factory down in the lobby, Minerva and Dumbledore were going to remain in their room knitting (Dumbledore was good at keeping track of how many knits and purls she had accomplished), and Kingsley and Mad-Eye were going to go and get airbrush tattoos.