Tonight was a night to celebrate the living.
The third Remembrance Day was tomorrow. Everyone who had fought at the Battle of Hogwarts and survived would be there. There would be speeches,there would be toasts, there would be tours of the reconstructed school. The Minister would be in charge and the senior witches and wizards of the Ministry had arranged everything. The reception afterwards would be a good chance for all of the survivors to see each other, both the fighters who had fought back the Death Eaters from the walls in the first part of the battle and the families and villagers of Hogsmeade who had delivered the fatal counter-attack.
Tonight was for a far smaller crowd. Dumbledore's Army was assembled. The signal had gone out via enchanted Galleon weeks ago. Full buffet and an open bar on Harry's tab at their regular Muggle pub.
Not everyone could make it; Lee Jordan was in South America, Dennis Creavy had finals for his Muggle university today. He had promised to make it up to Hogwarts first thing in the morning. Cho had faded away from the group. She had stood on the stage to receive her Order of Merlin 3rd Class in October, 1998 but she had never felt truly part of Dumbledore's Army after Hermione's curse in 1996 disfigured one of her best friends. That and her history with Harry had made things awkward afterwards. Two more had to excuse themselves; Angelina and George were at St. Mungo's as her water broke earlier that afternoon.
Discreet Muffliato charms had been cast and a few soft Muggle repellent wards were placed. Harry did not want anyone to be disturbed which is why they were here instead of at the Leaky Cauldron. Three Broomsticks had been taken over by the first generation of the Order of the Phoenix for their lodgings and gatherings, while Alberforth's pub, the Hog's Head was where the Ministry had camped out. All of them were staked out by the press and well wishers. The owner of the Copper Cauldron had been more than happy to rent out part of her pub on a slow Thursday night to a group of regulars that were always polite to the waitresses and willing to pay cash for a full buffet and an open bar.
Harry stood on a chair and felt Ginny squeeze his hand. He hated to speak in public. He had gotten better at it since that day in the Hog's Head that led them all to this night, but he would rather face a Dementor than a crowd. The waitress, a friendly Muggle had passed out shots of decent but not amazing decade old Scotch to the entire crowd and then stepped out just before Harry spoke.
"Welcome friends, Ginny and I just want to make sure that everyone has a good time tonight. We have a long weekend in front of us. Let's eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we're on our best behavior. Tonight is a time to celebrate our living as tomorrow we remember those who have passed beyond the veil. Our house is always open to those who fought with us against vile evil.
To the living"
Every present member of Dumbledore's Army raised their glass and then their voices:
"To the living"
And then they slammed the shot. The party had started.
Hermione's face looked like she had been bat bogey hexed.
"Harry, that stuff is foul… I don't understand why my dad likes it so much"
"That was not what your father likes." Ron smiled. He had scored himself serious future father in law points when he brought a bottle of Johnny Walker Black to the Granger house for Christmas. He still preferred barrel aged fire whiskey but saw the attraction of a long barrelled Muggle whiskey blend. It was one of the safer areas of conversation he could have with Mr. Granger as Ron was slowly willing to explore Scotch and Irish whiskeys with a budding connessueir. Football was still confusing to Ron. Quidditch could not be discussed in public although the Grangers had become Chudley Cannon season ticket holders for the upcoming season.
He went to the bar and came back a minute later with four small glasses. A single ice cube was slowly melting in each glass.
"Here, Mi, try this…" Ron handed his fiancee a glass of thirty year Scotch. He then handed the other two to his sister and his best friend.
"Take your time, take in the flavor head, take in the entire aroma complex, and drink it like a fine wine tasting."
Hermione took her time and closed her eyes as the complex interplay of grains and tannins tingled her nose. She could feel the peat bogs that fed the flames that heated the mash, and soon she could see the salt water marshes that encircled the distillery. The first sip had fire and then a soothing warmth spread in her mouth.
"You're right, that is different Ron." She smiled and gave her lover and her friend and her companion and her comrade in arms a kiss that promised oh so much more tonight once they got back to Grimwauld Place. Thankfully Harry and Ginny had placed strong sound suppressing wards on the spare bedroom that Ron and Hermione frequently borrowed after a night in Muggle London.
Across the room, Hannah Abbott laughed as Neville told their friends about the rare South American orchid he had given to Hannah for Christmas. It was gorgeous, but it made her sneeze. Now the orchid was occupying the Hogwart's greenhouse while Neville and Professor Sprout tested it for any magical properties besides beauty. She had barely put down her empty glass when the waitress (that is the word Muggles used instead of barmaid) came by and asked if she wanted another. Hannah was not on the schedule tonight at the Three Broomsticks so the decision was easy. Another one for her please.
She looked around. The Muggle pub was little different than the Magic pubs; the lights were electrical instead of candles or blue bells of flames, and the floors were not wooden. But this was a pub. Off in the right hand corner were a trio of young drunks who were learning how to become old drunks from a regular. Next to them, a cluster of pretty girls were talking with each other and trying to avoid attention. A pair of old friends about the age of most of the parents of Dumbledore's Army were having a pint. Next to them were a couple with a baby in a pram having a drink before heading back while a few boys were working on convincing the shyest one amongst them to get up the courage to talk to a trio of girls two tables over. The only big difference was the ordering and payment systems. Muggle money still confused her. She could do it, one hundred pennies to the pound and floating exchanges of euros to pounds but she had to think instead of just pulling out the knuts and sickles to make change from a galleon. The waitresses had short books and then they hovered over computers that sent an order into the back of the house. They did not have house elves but the kitchen was as efficient as any as she had ever seen.
Her eyes went over the room and they lingered on the two older men. They were looking at her. They weren't staring at her chest. That was a point in their favor, but they were looking with intent. Was it intent to start a fight? They were too old, although the suppleness of their movement hinted that they had strength and speed that one would not expect. Was it an intent to overhear the likely to be drunken words of the famed members of Dumbledore's Army? Were they reporters on speculation with the Daily Prophet?
She pulled Neville close to her and whispered in his ear:
"Honey, take a look without being obvious at those two men on the back wall over your left shoulder… they're watching us."
Neville gave his girlfriend a brief kiss on the cheek and then picked her up. He was so much stronger today than anyone could have imagined on the first ride on the Hogwart's Express. His was a strength of digging and planting and lugging and weeding. Hannah's weight quickly left the ground and was fully supported in his large, square, slightly dirty hands. He moved his head slightly to kiss her. As she closed his eyes, he spun her around and took in the entire room as he kept his eyes open. Three seconds was enough time for him to see what his friend, lover and future saw. And then he closed his eyes and lost himself in her.
They could have snogged forever or at least a while long. However Ron decided to engage in a loud critique of their technique. Both Hannah and Neville responded with a single finger as they broke off their kiss. Flush from excitement, they giggled even as Ginny moved over to separate her brother from civilized society.
"I'm sorry, he'll never be more than 14. I pity Hermione. She should be frustrated by now"
"Hey, we're among friends now… but Gin, those two men on the back wall, they're watching us. And doing a really good job of not making it obvious."
Ginny took half a glance. The two men were hunched over their beer and laughing about something. Hands were moving in explanation of an unknowable story. Their chairs were tilted so that only the corner of their eyes were able to dart to the gathering of witches and wizards. It was the same casual indifference to the observation target that she and Neville had trained dozens of resistors on in the castle in that horrendous year. They were good. She reached into the green dragon skinned bag that she used as her Muggle purse and barely touched her wand. A blink of an eye and a wordless spell washed over the bar. No other magical beings were nearby.
"They are Muggles. Pass the word to keep an eye on them without staring at them. I'll go left and play host, while you guys go right. Ask Luna to take a hard look at them. Don't bother Harry, he's stressed out enough right now being the Boy Who Lived, let him relax."
Ginny gave her friends a hug before heading left to the next cluster of veterans and friends. As she was starting to talk with Katie, Parvati and Padma, a loud bang was heard. She reached into her bag and her fingers were closing around her wand. The noise sounded like someone bouncing off of the anti-Apparation charms that she had placed around the pub that afternoon. She, Katie and both of the Patil twins were silently casting Protego charms even as Ron, Terry and Ernie knocked her into a table as they ran by to take positions by the front door.
Half a second after the noise faded, Hermione called out it was merely a truck backfiring and that everyone could relax. Ginny had not realized how tense she was until she heard Hermione's order to relax. Another beer would help.
