Chapter Five

George cleared his throat, clearly enjoying himself. "I've learnt that my lickle bruvver Ronnie is lickle in more ways than one." Ron looked puzzled. George gave him a meaningful look. Ron clearly suddenly realised what he meant, and he hit him. Hard.

"Wow, Ron, you're certainly stronger now that you're Ginny," teased George, rubbing the side of his face. "You just hit yourself, you know that?" Ron glared.

"Well, I've learnt that my little sister has a tattoo on her backside, and is… ahem…" He muttered something indistinguishable.

"What was that?" asked Ginny in mock politeness.

"You're stronger than me," he muttered, going red. "Hermione?"

"I've learnt how weird it is having only one ear."

George shrugged. "I've gotten used to it. Who's next? Harry?"

"I've discovered that being part-werewolf appears to make you crave after rare steaks. Not really much more. Sorry, Bill," Harry added.

"I've learnt how fun it is to be an metamorphmagus," grinned Ginny. "But also how uncomfortable it is to change into a man."

"Tell me about it," agreed Victoire. "And I know now that having a tarantula in your hair is a very horrible feeling," she added with a shudder.

"Hey, watch it, you'll hurt her feelings!" said Lee indignantly.

Teddy was next. "I've learned how weird it is to have breasts." Victoire hit him on the arm, and Ginny, Angelina and Hermione all threw a cushion each at him. Fleur didn't look too impressed.

"I 'ave learnt 'ow rude my future son-in-law is, and also what it is like to 'ave less controllable 'air."

Now it was Hermione's turn to look unimpressed.

Bill simply said, "Angelina makes a lot of clicking noises. I'll take her word that you get used to it."

"I've had to wear glasses today. I never really appreciated how bad Perce and Dad's eyesight was and what it was like to wear glasses all the time until today," said Charlie.

"I suppose I've only really discovered how weird it is to be a woman," shrugged Lee. For some reason, Victoire was avoiding eye contact.

"And I've learnt never to work with dragons," finished Angelina. "I really don't know how you can stand this pain, Charlie. And don't you dare say you get used to it," she added warningly as Charlie opened his mouth. He closed it again with a snap.

Ginny's hair appeared to be changing from turquoise to red.

"Ginny, will you stop messing with your hair?" said George exasperatedly.

"I'm not doing anything!" she said defensively. "Our time must be up."

HP

Half an hour later, and almost everyone was sitting round the fire, in their own bodies and their own clothes. Ginny had curled up on Harry's lap like a cat, and Hermione and Ron were huddled close to each other. Charlie had been forced to have a lie down by Angelina, and she and George were handing out biscuits. Victoire had gone outside for a breath of fresh air.

Lee glanced anxiously around. No one seemed to be watching him, so he slipped silently down the staircase and found Victoire standing just outside the door, a cigarette dangling from her mouth as she tried to light it. He sighed and stepped out. She jumped and hid the offending item behind her back.

"Does Teddy know?" He wasn't going to pretend he didn't know what she was up to.

She hung her head, obviously ashamed. "Yes. He doesn't like it, but…"

"It's hard to stop," Lee finished. She nodded, looking so forlorn. "My dad smoked. Mum and me, we tried to help him quit, but we knew it was hard. In the end, it was the fags that took him. Lung cancer."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She glanced up at the lit window. "Promise you won't tell my mother?"

"If you don't want me to. But I really think you should tell her. She might take it better than you think. You need to stop, and to do that you need as much support as you can get."

"I know." Victoire sounded agonised. "I didn't want to start, I always said I wouldn't, but there was exam stress, and I just couldn't take it. A couple of girls gave me my first. They said it'd help me to relax."

Lee gave her a quick hug. "Hey, you're not the first. But I stand by my advice. Think about it." He turned to go.

"Lee?"

He turned back to face her. She wore a small smile.

"Thanks."

HP

"So, did we have fun?" asked George as everyone got ready to leave.

"Hell yeah!" said Ginny.

"Yeah, thanks," said Bill.

Everyone else said their thanks as they trooped out the door, then Lee announced he was tired and said goodnight. George put an arm around Angelina's waist and pulled her close.

"So, did you like my surprise?"

Angelina tilted her head to one side and smiled, then kissed him.

"Yeah. It was fun."