AN: reminder that George's birthday is April 1st. I'm also not British, so please know that, despite my best efforts, this may be a crap description of normal St. George's Day events. My apologies.

March 23, 1999

"I told you, I don't want a birthday party!" George bellowed, slamming the back door of the Burrow shut behind him.

Molly sagged into a kitchen chair. "I knew next week was going to be hard for him. It'll be hard for all of us, but especially George…" she finished, dissolving into tears.

"There, there, Molly-wobbles," Arthur soothed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We've got to let him go and respect his wishes. But if I know George, he'll find some other way of celebrating."

Molly sniffed. "That's what I'm worried about."

"George, please come with us," Ron pleaded through the fire. "Harry and Hermione are dragging us all to some muggle celebration thing and they swear we're going to have fun. I know you've not left that flat in over three weeks."

"Leave me alone, Ron," George half-yelled from his spot on the couch.

The younger man huffed. "Fine, you leave me no choice."

Five seconds later, Ginny came striding through the fireplace.

"Bloody hell, Gin, give me some warning, would you?" George cried, jerking an afghan over his boxer-clad body.

"Oh please, like I care," she said dismissively, eyeing the empty bottles of firewhiskey and other detritus that littered the room. "Now get up and get dressed."

George rolled his eyes. "I'm not going, Gin. I already told Ron-"

"If you'll just come with us today, I swear I'll leave you alone until you feel like coming out again," Ginny promised.

George heaved a sigh, knowing he'd be in for more nagging if he didn't comply, and trudged into his room to get ready.

It took multiple trips, but eventually Harry and Hermione got everyone Apparated to the edge of a muggle park and then crossed the street to a large square filled with tents, musicians, and tons of people.

"What is this?" Neville asked, craning his neck to take in everything before him.

Harry grinned. "Welcome to St. George's Day!"

"St. George's Day?" Ron snorted. "What kind of holiday is that?"

"Sounds like a bloody good one," George muttered, giving his brother a small smirk. Everyone tensed up, recognizing that George was making jokes again but not wanting to be the one to point it out.

Harry cleared his throat. "Uh, anyway, it's kind of like Britain's version of a patriotic holiday."

"Obviously, it was established to celebrate St. George, who is the patron saint of Britain," Hermione continued, easily slipping back into her teacher-like role. "Medieval legend states that St. George tamed and slayed a dragon that was demanding offerings of human flesh. By doing so, he rescued the princess who had been chosen as the next sacrifice. Muggles reject the idea as myth and claim he was simply a religious martyr, but there's some question as to whether or not St. George was really a wizard who killed a dragon that was threatening his town."

"How very romantic," Luna said dreamily. "I do wish that he'd just gotten rid of the blandhunkles that were likely stuck in the dragon's nose instead of killing him. But that krimplash has flown, I suppose."

"Uh, right," Ron said warily. "As much as I'd love to keep hearing about some old bloke who might have killed a dragon, what do you say we get started on trying all of that food I smell?"

"You only ever think with your stomach," Hermione laughed, swatting him lightly on the arm as she led her motley crew toward the various food vendors.

Harry and Hermione split up, making sure to get a little bit of everything the fair had to offer. Ron, predictably, felt love at first sight for an oversize turkey leg, and Luna and Ginny happily split a funnel cake. As Harry nearly broke a tooth on his caramel apple and Hermione scolded him for being too careless, George finished off a small pile of corndogs.

"What now?" the oldest redhead asked, excited to see what else the day might have to offer.

Hermione tapped her chin. "We could see if there are any good bands playing this early in the day."

The group agreed, and they began wandering through the various stalls toward what looked to be the main stage of the festival. By the time they arrived, Luna and George had somehow gotten their faces painted with the white and red British flag. A group of young people on the stage, dressed in medieval costumes, were in the process of warming up. When the band finally started playing, the friends started dancing almost against their will- the music was catchy! Soon they were dancing like fools and making up words to the songs they didn't know, which was all of them.

The band announced a break and directed everyone to the central green for a jousting contest. The witches and wizards shared a look and a shrug before following the crowd.

The object of the contest was to hold a jousting stick, run down the path, and knock a stuffed dragon off the pedestal. It all sounded easy enough until the emcee announced that participants would be blindfolded and spun around until they were dizzy before letting them joust.

The kids all decided to join the contest, along with over fifty other people. Each contestant was given a shot to knock off the stuffed dragon. Those who failed were eliminated, and then the process started all over again. Hermione and Neville were eliminated quickly but gladly cheered their friends on. After a bit, Ron, then Luna, and then Ginny were knocked out; Harry made it to the final ten, but wound up running into the pedestal with his body instead of his jousting stick.

George made it to the final two and was up against a stout bloke with a smug look on his face. The announcer called for a pair of "ladies" whose "honor" the jousters would be defending. Hermione rolled her eyes, but Luna just flounced forward and smacked a kiss onto George's cheek.

The ladies applied the blindfolds, and George had to hold in a gasp when his blindfold became transparent.

"Luna, you sly girl," George muttered with a grin.

"Shhh," Luna whispered, pretending to adjust his eye covering. "I like to win. And I don't think this is going to make a big difference. That other man's head is in a cloud of nargles," she murmured.

George made quick work of his jousting opponent, and he ripped his blindfold off to the cheers of the crowd. He was lifted onto a sedan chair and hoisted above the spectators. Ever the entertainer, George waved and blew kisses to the crowd, which only cheered louder.

By the time George made it off the sedan chair, the festival was nearly over. The tired witches and wizards slipped away and Apparated back to the Burrow.

"How was it?" Arthur asked excitedly, opening the door as they trooped in.

"Incredible!"

"So much fun!"

"We are so going back next year!"

Molly looked at the oldest of the bunch. "George? What did you think?"

"I think that, from now on, I'm not celebrating my birthday. I'm celebrating St. George's Day!" he cried.

Molly and Arthur seemed surprised by their son's enthusiasm, so the friends laughed and settled down to tell them all about George's wonderful day.

Written for the Houses Competition

Hufflepuff, Year 1- Additional

Prompt: [St. George's Day]; a happy occasion

WC: 1222