As Nymph continued to rest under the silvery moon and stars, the selected people who were to perform at Tonks and Remus' wedding, arrived in the clearing after a long, tiresome trek through the woods. Hagrid was leading the way with Neville close at his heels. They were all dressed in heavy cloaks and Hagrid's large body shadowed Dennis.
Fred and George each used magic to make two chairs appear and the actors began to seat themselves into a circle. Hagrid went to sit upon one of the chairs but decided against it, as the frames looked very week and Hagrid had been eating rock cakes.
"Is everyone here?" Hagrid enquired loudly.
"Yes, yes," Neville nodded, "we all arrived together, remember? There's no way any of us would have wondered in here alone," he exclaimed to the half giant. The other members of the group nodded in agreement. "This is a perfect place to rehearse. It's so, desolate."
"Neville," Hagrid said slowly.
"What now, Hagrid?" Neville moaned, recognising the tone in the Professors voice.
Hagrid cleared his throat and began to wave his script about. "This comedy will never please, there are things about Pyramus and Thisbe that will confuse the audience," Hagrid began.
"Are you sure it's not just you?" Fred mumbled under his breath but was ignored by the Professor, who seemed unaffected by the laughter from the younger cast members.
"Pyramus kills himself by using a sword. This shall never do as it will scare the ladies," he informed them.
"More like in reality he would use the deadly curses," George informed them and all the gang except for Hagrid laughed. "Then we'll leave the killing out," he said sadly, seeing Hagrid's determined expression.
"No, that will not do," Hagrid moaned and Colin rested his face in his hands. "I have an idea that will be the solution to all our troubles. Neville, you can write," he stated bluntly, "you'll write me an intro-thingy and we well tell everyone who we are and that nobody was harmed during the making of this play and the performance."
Fred snorted. "That has yet to be tested," he muttered to his brother.
Neville sighed. "Very well, we shall do that but it will be short and serve a minor purpose," he added.
Hagrid shook his head. "No. It must be longer," he stated.
Fred laughed. "And won't the ladies be afraid of the lion also," he stated sarcastically and instantly regretted it.
"Oh, yes. I'd be terrified," Dennis mumbled.
"Of yourself?" George questioned.
Hagrid moved onto his high horse. "My, he is right! Can you imagine what would happen if they fled in terror, it would be the last time we set foot in the castle," Hagrid shouted, "there is nothing more scary than a lion," he added.
"Except a Slytherin."
"I guess your intro will have to include a piece about the lion also," Fred glared.
"We shall rip the suit in half!" Hagrid announced, "that way, they will see that it is indeed Dennis in a costume and that way they will also be able to see that he is as harmless as a man," Hagrid informed them and all the previous Gryffindors hated the idea of slicing their beloved mascot in half.
Neville bit on his lip. "Very well. We will use magic to repair the costume afterwards," he added, to the seriously evil looks the others were giving him.
"Will the moon be out on the night of our play?" Dennis asked, looking upwards.
Hagrid searched his large pockets and pulled out a calendar, as he passed it to Neville, Fred and George pretended to make kissing noises behind him, and looking at a nearby tree, resulting in Colin bursting into a fit of laughter.
"Yes; it's a full moon on the night," Neville nodded. "Dennis, you shall also play the moon shining over the wall when the lovers pass," he informed the youngest peer.
"And so a man must portray the wall, as well," Fred added, "and they can speak from under his arms," he informed the rest of the group.
"Then let it be so," Neville crowed, sighing once again, "you can portray that part. Now, we must rehearse or the performance will go down the toilet."
As the actors began to rehearse, there was a lot of noise and arguments as nobody could settle upon a suitable standing position. Whilst they were talking, they failed to notice Dobby approaching from behind a bush. His eyes widened as they settled upon Hagrid.
"What weirdoes are performing here? The Hogwarts Game Keeper and Master of creature's dear. Rehearsing the play for the wedding, no doubt. I shall listen and perhaps perform," he squeaked.
Neville turned to face Hagrid. "Come, speak now. We shall sort the movements later," he complained.
Hagrid took on the role of Pyramus and spoke as though he could not speak the words. "Thisbe, the flowers of odious savours sweet—"
"Odours," Neville corrected him.
"… Odours so savours sweet. S hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear," he stammered the words, "but hark, a voice. Stay thou but here awhile, and by and by I will to thee appear," whilst the others laughed into their hands, Hagrid hid in nearby trees.
"A strange way to say and be," Dobby croaked, following Hagrid.
"Is it my turn now?" Colin asked.
Neville nodded. "Yes, yes," he added, "you must speak and understand that he has heard a stranger come to hunt him."
Colin cleared his throat and began to speak as Thisbe. "Most radiant Pyramus, most lilywhite of hue, of colour like the red rose on triumphant briar, most brisky juvenal, and eke most lovely, Jew, as true as truest horse that yet would never tire, I'll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny's tomb—"
"Ninus' Tomb," Neville moaned.
"Who wrote this rubbish?" Dennis moaned.
"Just call for Pyramus," Neville sighed tiredly.
"O, Pyramus!"
Hagrid appeared from behind a tree, closely followed by a discrete Dobby, who was keeping well out of the way. Hagrid was no longer sporting his wonderful, ogre head but a Donkey's face rested on an equally as hairy face.
Hagrid continued his speaking as Pyramus, totally oblivious to his transformation. "If I were fair, fair Thisbe, I were only thine."
Neville shouted loudly. "Hagrid, you've, you've improved," he backed away from Hagrid and the others followed queue. "Run!"
Dobby grinned eagerly as the actors ran around, trying to find a way out of the wood. "Now you shall meet the queen so dear," Dobby grinned as he teased Hagrid forwards, "I'll lead you to her bed where she slumbers, and all shall fall into place."
Hagrid scratched his head, failing to catch his long ears. "Why do they run away?" he questioned himself, "are they playing games?"
Fred ran into Hagrid's stomach and bounced backwards, "we are under attack. Hagrid, you have been Transfigured," he shouted.
"Stop being such an ass and tell me what you see?" Hagrid shouted and Fred ran away into the wood before he could supply an answer.
"Neville!" Hagrid shouted and the student quivered.
"Oh, Hagrid. I wish I could help but I failed Transfiguration and I don't really want to go the same way," Neville grimaced, before running away in the same direction as Fred had left.
All of the performers except for Hagrid remained in the clearing. He sat upon the large rock that was resting in the centre of all things. He leant on his elbows and pouted sadly, trying to work out why all the others had been so scared and work out what was wrong with him.
"This is to make an ass of me," Hagrid sighed once again, "I see their tricks. They were trying to scare me but I will not fall for their attempts to scare me. Scare me!" he repeated, "impossible. I shall sing to prove it." Hagrid cleared his throat and began to growl a song. "The Flobberworm, so slimy and pale, has not a voice strong enough to wail," he sang yet nobody came.
From high above Hagrid's head, Nymph woke from her sleep and began to lower down to the ground beside Hagrid. Her eyes were not fully focussed and she rubbed them playfully in an attempt to stir the sleep from them.
"What beauty wakes me?" Nymph asked with a smile. She looked up at Hagrid and fell forwards so that he could see her. "Oh, such a voice I wish to hear sing again, do so my good," she paused, "man," Nymph swayed forward. "My eyes have never seen, such a prize. How the singer shines in my eyes. Sing again, good sir."
Hagrid snorted. "I think perhaps you heard someone else, as there is little reason for you to think that," Hagrid informed the fairy queen.
"You are so wonderful!" she said, gliding forward and attempting to reach up onto his arms.
"I am? I think you are wrong. If I was wonderful then I would have not been left on my own," he informed her, beard twitching at her very sight. "And long me gone from this wood."
"You desire to leave me? Oh, do not go," she exclaimed in horror. "You shall stay with me, yet you know, all the powers that my shape does hold, will be shared with you, more expensive than Welsh gold. You shall have all that you need and want, so long as you stay with me," she smiled, "you big dolt!" she laughed lightly.
As though she had called with some silent charm, four fairies appeared from the trees in a circular formation. The fires that had been lit previously, once again began to flicker and Hagrid looked at the four dancing fairies expectantly.
"Ready!" stated a yellow, female fairy.
"You requested my presence!" a green, male fairy said.
"Ready!" exclaimed a blue, male fairy.
"As am I!" insisted another female fairy, yet this time coloured red.
In unison, the four fairies shouted. "How may we serve you?"
"Be good to this gentleman and give him all that he desires, whether it be wine, food or the most precious of all flowers. Sing to him as you would to me and let his life sore free, free as a bird as my spirit may be and as full as life as you or me," Nymph replied.
The green fairy looked Hagrid in the eyes. "Howdy, dude!"
Hagrid smiled and his beard twitched once again. "How must I call to you?" he questioned the fairies.
"Just call us by our colour," the yellow fairy informed him.
"Wait upon him, so much as he needs and then bring him to by chamber with heed. For I can sense a fulsome night and underneath the moons glorious light, we shall be adventurous of all our rights," Nymph stated sweetly.
The fairies each togged on Hagrid's large overcoat and began to drag him away from the clearing. Nymph followed behind gracefully, smiling to herself as though something pleasurable was about to take place. The clearing that had played host to so many people, suddenly became quiet and nobody was to be seen or heard.