Chapter Twelve: Yo ho, yo ho..a pirates life for me

It looked like New Orlean's, and Nymphadora was having a complete blast looking throughout the souvenier shops, a grin plastered to her heart-shaped face as she counted up how much left she had to spend upon the trinkets that would inevitably find their way into the back of her closet and end up never seen again. Remus obviously knew what was going on in her head, because he was eyeing her carefully, trying to figure out how he could stop her from going on a complete spending spree.

"Can we go to the ride now?" He questioned hopefully, poking her shoulder as he peered past her at an atrocious bust of an infamous pirate sneering back at them.

"Don't you think he would look great on the coffee table?" Tonks suggested as she tapped the glass with long, violent violet fingernails. Remus was actually thinking how good it would look in the dumpster behind Grimmauld Place, but after he heard her speak he shut his mouth.

"Oh….yeah, he might…"

"Well, maybe he'll be here when we get out of the ride." Nymphadora replied hopefully, sighing wistfully as she stared at the sculpture with wide eyes. Remus had to practically drag her away from the window, cursing the image of Captain Jack Sparrow under his breath as he escorted her towards the building that contained the ride he was so very anxious to board.

They waited in line for what seemed like hours, this time it was Remus' turn to turn wistful as he heard the ecstatic cries of the children waiting to get on the little boats in the water; he began to miss Hogwarts and teaching quite a bit now. Another half an hour went by, and finally they were able to begin their ride.

"Do you suppose this will be scary?" Tonks asked as they neared the laughing skull, her hand groping in the dark to find his and hold it in a vice-like grip. He was almost sure that his hand would have permanent indentations.

"I certainly hope not." He answered, his attention more towards the appendage being crushed. They reached the beginning, and down the little boat went over the first dip in the path. Nymphadora screamed and the little children in the boat ahead of them turned and laughed at her. So much for the 'Constant Vigilance' mantra. Remus on the other hand was enjoying this ride quite a bit! Especially where they were all singing, and the animatronic people were dancing (Nymphadora did cover his eyes when they go to the bit with the women of ill repute). He even found himself singing along after a while, getting the chorus down pat. This, however, was much to the chagrin of the younger children behind and in front of their little boat.

Soon, the ride was over, and they were passing the lone skeleton on the sand (Tonks was quite fond of the little crab). She also found herself quite entranced by the paintings on the wall, at once thinking about the statue back in that shop. Oh how she wanted it! So it was now Dora's turn to drag Remus back to the store, this time pulling him inside the store. There, waiting for them on the table, was the statue of the Captain. Remus found it quite atrocious actually, a silly beard, dreadlocks, and he was wearing eyeliner. He didn't know how Sirius would react to this sitting on the coffee table in his cousin's flat. Then again, the two had been spending so much time at Grimmauld that perhaps it would be on that table? Remus sighed, knowing Sirius, he would find it absolutely hilarious and order a pair. He couldn't object, however, when he saw her face light up as she took it to the cashier's counter, he merely resigned and looked out the window. Was that? No…couldn't be. Remus thought he had seen a former student and a cousin of of Sirius' outside walking towards the ride that they had just left. He decided not to bother Tonks with this silly worry, and merely slid his arm around her waist as she walked triumphantly out of the store, bag in hand, continually peeking inside to make sure that her prize was still safely contained.

"This looks like it might be a little frightening." Rodolphus commented as he glanced about the line warily, seeing the murals on the wall and hearing the screams and the music. "Do you suppose we ought to go on something a little bit more…calm perhaps?" He suggested, looking towards Draco, who was walking alongside him at a casual pace.

"Oh come on uncle, as if there's anything scary about pirates." Draco retorted scathingly, pulling the other man into the line beside him. "Hey…" He whispered, looking out the line, seeing two very familiar looking people stroll by. "Is that…?" He turned to his uncle who was also peering out.

"No…no I don't think that it is." Rodolphus replied lazily, having just overcome his fear of pirates. They soon came to the point in the line where they could actually board the little boat, and did so quite eagerly (though less so in Rodolphus' case). Draco was scoffing towards the children murmuring about how frightening the ride could be. Ha! He wasn't afraid of anything! He was going to be a Death Eater for heaven's sake. Rodolphus was beginning to question his choice once more as he heard the music beginning. He didn't at all like the way that they were singing, or the words for that matter. 'A pirate's life for me'? He didn't think so, he preferred the Death Eater's life actually. Well, sometimes, that stint in Azkaban did nothing to advertise the good points.

The laughing, talking skull did it for poor Roddy, and his fingers were now grasping the front of the boat so tightly his knuckles had turned a ghostly white colour. Draco was still sneering, even when they went through the little town scene, seeing the pirates and others. How stupid it all was.

"You call this an entertaining ride?" He asked in a disdainful tone, glancing around. He could not wait to get off.

Then, as if to get back at the stupid, young git, the ride sped up just a little bit, going over a dip rather fast and nearly making poor Roddy be sick, but it made Draco go pale. Perhaps the ride was frightening after all? The skeleton at the end did it, and the younger Malfoy leapt into his uncle's lap. All of the children he had made fun were now turning the tables against him. They burst into laughter, pointing and giggling, generally just making Draco feel stupid.

Which was an incredibly humiliating thing, which almost never happened. Until now.

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Eeeee, sorry about the wait, had mid-terms and have a major essay due in my world literature class next week:o