Andromeda Tonks hadn't planned on an exciting evening. A nice evening with Kings and a few moments with Harry and Hermione had been just enough for her to venture out of her home. Teddy liked all the bustle of big crowds, and she needed to break free of the gravity her couch asserted on her.
She frowned as Augusta Longbottom snarled and darted towards the dance floor. Kings was trying to calm down one of Harry's school friends. She rolled her eyes.
The chaos of a Weasley event was to be expected, but hadn't the dance been enough excitement. She rubbed her hand where the magic had flowed between Kings and herself. His many proposals were enough to create a recognizable bond.
She moved away from Kings and his pet Gryffindor. There was something happening up on the dance floor. Augusta had her wand out and the bride was shaking as the older woman pressed a sparking wand to her sternum.
"Kings, we may have a problem." She called over her shoulder. The wards suddenly activated in a visible dome over the property.
She spun and watched as all the assorted veterans around her palmed their wands. This was definitely a problem.
The quidditch crowd stared upwards in awe. The lot of them with their mouths hanging open. It was probably for the best. They were generally useless in a fight.
"I'm telling you, Minister. Malfoy is up to something." Seamus gestured to the dome above them. "You can't say that's a coincidence."
Andromeda blanched as a sudden wash of familiar magic hit her. She turned around, knowing what she'd find. Narcissa. They never gave her the credit she deserved as a child. She was beyond cunning and efficient and powerful with a spell. She'd already downed half a dozen wizards with stunners while running at full tilt.
"Get Teddy out of here." Andromeda locked eyes with Kings. "Keep him safe."
She closed her eyes. It wasn't easy letting herself flow into the darkness of her magic, but Molly didn't have the strength left to fight another Black witch and Hermione hadn't achieved her full power.
She opened her eyes and started dropping the fools around her. Stunners were better than some of the things that would be flying about. Fast and efficient, she stepped into her sister's path. She could feel the magic crackling in her restrained hair.
"Get out of my way, Meda." Narcissa snarled. "That creature took aim at my family."
"She's not a creature." Andromeda tossed up a shield and bounced a spell back toward her sister. It was a mere stunner.
The wards were flaring as they were bombarded again and again. The noise was deafening. There was no chance to talk Narcissa down.
Luna glanced up as the wards quaked again. They'd be down in a moment if she didn't get to work. She looked toward Theo and grinned. He looked panicked. The poor dear just wouldn't see the humor in all this. She grabbed his hand and hauled him towards the spot where they were needed.
"We should go." Theo clutched her hand to his chest and tried to draw her back from the fray. "Draco and the others might need us."
She could barely hear him over the repetitive booming of wards under severe attack.
She took a deep breath and yanked him forward. He came. Her Theo was too noble to let her rush off alone.
She followed the path of the nobbled-horn craylisks. They loved loud noises, so it was easy to follow them to the source of the sound. Lucius Malfoy was outside the wards throwing everything he had, body, soul, and magic, at the wards.
"He's almost through." Theo took a half step back. "One wizard shouldn't be able to do this much damage to wards this complicated."
"He thinks his family is in danger." Luna shook her head as Lucius bounced of the wards again. "Love is the greatest motivator."
"Draco is pretty sure that Lucius doesn't know how to love." Theo pulled her close to his chest as they approached the wards. "What if this is murderous rage?"
"Draco had issues." Luna shrugged. "I'm not saying they don't have a foundation, but we don't have time to heal him first. Just because Lucius is bad at expressing his affection doesn't mean he has none. That man loves. It's raw and passionate and severely repressed, but look at his aura. It glows."
"I'll take your word for it." Theo swallowed. "Why are we here? I have a strange sense that it isn't to stop him."
"Actually, that's exactly what we have to do." Luna grinned. "It should be fun."
Luna waited for Theo to find his footing. Lucius Malfoy was at his most intimidating. Any intelligent person would take a minute to assess the situation. Being brave wasn't a trait found only in Gryffindors, and she knew Theo had it.
"Fine." Theo nodded. "How are we supposed to stop a raving lunatic and former death eater?"
"We are going to wrap him up in bubbles and hug him." Luna bounced toward the wards happily with Theo grumbling at her heels.
Charlie tackled Bill and felt the flash of dragon fire burn above him. No doubt the thing protecting Hermione's back was the smallest dragon he'd ever seen. He rolled off his brother while holding him down.
"Stop growling at me, Bill." Charlie snarled. "That thing thought you were out to hurt Hermione, and it could turn you into smoky bits of wolf man meat."
"It ate that curse." Bill blinked. "What kind of dragon eats curses?"
"They can all burn them off and most magic can't hurt them because their hide is resistant." Charlie watched the silver creature fly above them. "But that creature isn't supposed to exist."
"You can tell it's a he?" Bill flipped over and watched the silver creature circle above them as well.
"The smallest dragon breed that still exists is the Peruvian Pygmy and they're the size of a fully grown hippogriff." Charlie couldn't drag his eyes from the tiny beast.
"Grá." Hermione held her arm out, and the beast flew to her and wrapped around her wrist. "Do you want to take another shot, Lav?"
"You can call the hunt on him." Lavender sobbed. "This isn't the way things were supposed to be. He was supposed to choose me."
"I'd be more worried about what I will do to you." Susan stepped forward. "I can lay curses your grandchildrens' grandchildren will feel."
"I'm sure I can find some cursed objects in the family vault." Millicent smiled. "It's always good to curse on multiple fronts."
"We've got bigger problems than Weasel's stroppy cow." Greg pointed to the flares of spell light flying fast across the lawn. "Draco's mum appears to have taken out most of the wedding guests."
"This is your fault, you whore, you death eater whore." Ron snarled and lurched toward her. "You wanted me to look like a fool, but this just makes you look like a bitter bitch. I'm glad I didn't marry you. I'm glad you aren't a Weasley."
"I'm pretty sure we dropped him on his head as a baby more than one time too many." Charlie pushed up from the ground and tried to decide what to do in the chaos surrounding them.
Arthur took a deep breath. Crushing his son to bits would serve no purpose and irritate Molly, but the boy needed to learn a lesson.
"I cast you out, Ronald son of Molly." Arthur swallowed and looked directly at Ronald'"You are no family to me or mine. My home and hearth are closed to you and yours. A year and a day I give to you to find your way and reclaim your place." Arthur took a deep breath. "One chance only."
"Dad, no, Dad." Ron tried to move but couldn't. "What have you done?"
"Protected my family and my name." Arthur whispered. He couldn't force more words through his mouth.
Red bands rose up from the ground and wrapped around Ronald like tentacles of some magical beast. He was lifted and carried toward the properties edge.
"You did this. I hope you're happy, Hermione. Lavender screamed as the bands nudged at her feet, allowing her to walk. "You ruined a family with your selfish ways. What are we supposed to do now?"
Draco turned from watching the red headed menace be evicted to comfort his wife. She had never wanted things to go this far. Hermione wasn't that cruel.
He looked where she had been standing moments before, but she was gone.
He could see her. Running with her skirts hiked up, her wand out, and a silver dragon flying above her.
Right towards his mother.
Gryffindor planning at its very best.
He took off after her.
"Why in hell do you like danger so much?" He snarled as he watched her join the fray.