Chapter 23: Party Time
After setting up the hoards of favors the twins and Lee had supplied and a brief (albeit entertaining) lunch that included dancing pastries and a half-scowling, half-laughing Severus, the tree of us retreated to the entrance hall to greet the incoming guests. The first to arrive was Ron, Luna, Remus, and Ginny – who was hideously disfigured beyond all belief. The word "SKANK" was scrawled across her face from ear to ear, and while Marietta's had only looked like a nasty bout of acne, Ginny's looked as though someone had taped a string a Christmas lights to her face. The pustles were large, throbbing, and changed colors with every breath she took. Her hair had been charmed short, grey, and frizzier than Hermione's on a bad hair day, and she was so rotund that she could have given my uncle Vernon a run for his money. Needless to say, I couldn't help but stare in awe at Rein's handiwork.
"Wow… Ginny, you look, erm…" I looked to the twins for help, but the simply turned away and snickered behind Lee's back. "Did you do something with your hair?"
Ginny burst into tears.
"There, there." Luna said, rubbing her back comfortingly, "It could be worse. You could be smelly on top of it all."
Ginny glared at Luna. "Easy for you to say, with your long blonde hair and small waist and flawless complexion."
"Thank you." Luna replied, untangling a paw-shaped earring from her hair, "I do try so very hard."
"Well you definitely succeed." Ron said, brushing a bit of soot from her sleeveless, Chudley Cannons orange robes. Normally, that color hurts my eyes, but on Luna, it was almost pretty. Almost.
"Well Harry," Remus said smiling, "Happy Birthday! How are you enjoying it so far?"
"It's been…" I looked over at the twins and Lee. "Interesting, to say the least."
The distinct click of heels on tile preceded Severus's entrance.
"Lupin."
"Severus, how are you?"
"I'll be better once I have my home back to the status quo."
Behind us, the fire flared to life and revealed Blaise Zambini, Daphne Greengrass, and, Viktor Krum.
"Hello Harry, 'ave you been keeping up with Quidditch?"
"Yes, you were brilliant in that last game against the magpies."
"Potter." Blaise said, inclining his head in greeting.
"Viktor, Zambini, Greengrass. Thank you for coming."
"Thank you for inviting us." Daphne replied.
"Why did you invite us, Potter? It's not like we're friends."
"You're not my friends, no, but you are Rein's. I didn't want her to come and have nobody tot talk to if I leave the room."
"I see."
"That's very sweet of you, Harry." Daphne smiled, nudging Blaise in the ribs. He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you say darling."
"Excuse me," Neville called from the fireplace, causing Blaise to jump aside startled.
"Sorry Longbottom, I didn't see you there."
"It's alright, I've only just arrived. Happy Birthday Harry."
"Happy Birthday to you too." I smiled. "Now we're just waiting for Rein and Mina."
The fire flared to life a fourth time and everyone moved aside as Mina stepped through.
"Hello Harry."
"Hi Mina, where's Rein?"
"Mmm? Oh, she wanted to make a 'grand entrance'." Mina rolled her eyes, "Honestly, she can be so over-dramatic at times. She must get it from her father."
Severus snorted, amused. "Well, she has to get something from me. Otherwise I'd wonder where we found her."
"Severus!" Mina admonished, wrapping her arms around him. "Take that back!"
"Make me."
"OK…" I said, pulling them apart lest they weird my friends out even more by snogging in front of them, "that's definitely enough of that."
Severus let out a long-suffering sigh. "If we must…"
Just then, a thick cloud of purple smoke began to pour out of the fireplace, obstructing our view of the inside completely. A flash of thunder and a strong gust of wind later, the smoke cleared to reveal Rein, looking more radiant than I thought possible. She was wearing a sleeveless rose colored top, a pair of cuffed navy shorts, and black high-heeled sandals. Her finger and toenails were perfectly manicured, and she had a pale pink rose in her hair.
"Hello Harry." She said in that whimsical voice of hers.
"Hi…" I said, my mouth suddenly dry. "It's – ahem – we were just talking about you."
"In a good way, I hope?"
"We were wondering where we found you." Severus said smirking.
"I'm sure nana wondered the same about you, dad."
Severus stuck his tongue out at her.
"So…" I floundered, looking for something to say, "These are um, my friends. Ron, Luna, Fred, George, Neville, Lee, and--"
"You must be Ginny," Rein drawled, extending her hand, "I'm Rein, Rein Nightshade. Harry's girlfriend."
"You – you--" Ginny sputtered, her eyes darting between me and Rein.
"Me, me." Rein said, in her most Snape-worthy tone. "I see you opened my… gift."
"Your curse more like it!" Ginny raged.
"Well, that's what you get for trying to ensnare my boyfriend with your little potion." She responded, placing her hand over my rapidly-beating heart and smiling deviously. "Too bad, so sad. Hello Daphne, Blaise."
"Hi Rein!" Daphne said enthusiastically, "Nice catch."
"Thanks, I think so too. How's your step-father Blaise?"
"Dead."
"Oh… I'm sorry."
"I'm not – he was a right foul prat if you ask me."
Daphne rolled her eyes. "Blaise."
"What? It's the truth."
"Anybody want punch?" I asked, deliberately changing the subject.
"Later Harry," George said, "first let's play a round of Hang Man!"
"Noose included!" Fred chirped.
We all laughed at Fred and George's antics and dutifully relocated to the parlor, where we lost game after game to the twins Weasly. Severus insisted that it was because they insisted on using four and five letter words he said were "completely unsuitable for polite company". (Gred and Forge simply shrugged, saying that they'd feel a lot worse about it if they were in polite company.)
xxx
After the party games were played, the food was eaten, and the presents were unwrapped, we all sat outside eating cake and ice cream and watched the impressive fireworks show the twins and Lee had engineered. As I sat on the lawn with my arm around Rein under the twinkling stars and flashing lights of pinwheels, I couldn't help but bask in the calm perfection of it all. I was with my friends, having fun, and my scar hadn't so much as tingled all day.
Today was a good day. I thought laying back on the grass. And nothing could happen to change that.
Fate picked that exact moment to send my life straight to Hell.