I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Hi everyone, hope all are well. I'm experimenting with a new chapter format that might become it's own isolated series depending on likes and what not. Hope you enjoy. Have a lovely weekend!

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Extended Family

Chapter 162 – Behind the Scenes

Takes place all over the timeline once more, with the first instance starting in chapter 58.

"It's so shiny in here!" Sirius shouted loudly. "No wonder it's called Shine!"

"I am so sorry," Harry said, looking very weary and slightly mortified.

The greeting wizard that was immaculately and fancily dressed smiled pleasantly though his eyes twinkled ever so slightly with understood mirth. "Quite all right Mister Potter," he said in a professionally kind voice. "When the party's nature was made clear, we assumed certain behavioral patterns would be occurring. Worry not, he is behaving within an acceptable range."

"Don't say that out loud," Harry begged, "he'll take it as a challenge!"

The night had started pleasantly enough. It was Sirius' bachelor party and the participants: Sirius, Remus, Harry, Ted, Thomas, Sebastian, David, and Arthur, had met at Grimmauld before going to Diagon Alley together. They went to a very nice restaurant there to eat and drink and after finishing, Sirius decided to go and party more. He had contacted Shine on Luxurious and the owner had said their private room was available for them. So they party trooped there in varying degrees of inebriation with Harry being the least.

Thankfully Sirius had contained himself after the initial outburst and the men were led to the small private room and they continued to carouse and drink and laugh together.

"I'll take the bill," Harry said to the greeting wizard and the owner who had come to say hello. "Also, one of the party is a Muggle. I hope that isn't a problem."

"Not at all," the owner said smoothly. "I assume he is the most well-behaved one of the lot right now, not counting yourself?"

Harry grinned at that. "Not an unsafe assumption.

The owner chuckled. "Lord Black is a regular and I know his coffers can cover whatever that happens should the need arise."

"Uncle Ted is a solicitor and already told me something," Harry sighed. "I don't know why, but he did."

"Splendid." The owner looked at Harry. "I would love to ask a boon of you later, before you leave."

"Sure," Harry said. "Thanks for squeezing us in."

"It is our pleasure," the owner said and he and the greeting wizard left them to their party. The night continued with the others getting steadily drunker and Harry relaxed a little, just enjoying the company and seeing them being debaucherously happy.

The door slammed open and Thaddeus Nott stood in the doorway with a few others dressed in very expensive robes. Nott glared at them all, looking incredibly irritated.

"Hey, you weren't invited," Sirius said, turning belligerent. "Get out."

"This is my room," Nott hissed.

"Not right now it is," Sirius shot back.

"I am so sorry." A witch that worked for Shine appeared and looked very upset. "They refused to listen to me when I said the room was taken. Mr. Bradbury is with another VIP and I couldn't find the assistant manager…"

"Not your fault," Harry said gently, giving Nott and his friends a wary look. They were obviously sizing up Sirius and the others and the air was thickening, growing tense. "I'll try to keep things calm but try to get them please."

"Yes Sir," she said gratefully and ran out of the room.

"Look, I'm sure we can talk about this rationally-" Harry said, holding his hands up.

"Silent whelp, this concerns not you," Nott spat.

"You shut your face," Sirius said angrily. "That's my godson you're talking to and you keep your fat tongue behind your ugly lips."

"You should think twice before insulting me so openly!" Nott shouted, incensed.

"I'll think twice to think of something worse to insult you with!" Sirius shouted back. "This isn't the Wizengamot and you've got no power here. My gold is just as good if not better here and I got the room fair and square."

"Oh, 'fair' is it?" Nott sneered. "Much like your debate on the trading agreements? I wonder how the others would think of you behaving like a drunken bastard."

"They're just as drunk if not drunker than me," Sirius laughed harshly. "And I know my parentage, much to my shame. What about you? Who's your father again?"

Nott's compatriots gasped and looked even angrier and Nott stood up, hand to his wand and looked at the rest before his eyes fell on David. "Who are you? I do not recognize you."

"David Granger," David said, standing up slowly. "I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I don't think it is."

"Granger?" Nott's face turned dark and he looked down at David. "Related to that Granger that works for him?" he asked, pointing at Ted.

"She's my daughter," David said proudly, narrowing his eyes.

"You sound awfully proud to be the father of a mudblood whore," Nott said coldly. "Of course, you are a Muggle so siring her is probably the only thing you are good for."

You could hear a pin drop in the room and the air felt like the sudden sharp stillness that came before the storm. Before anyone could react, David swung and punched Nott in the face. The wizard screamed in pain and went flying head over heels, landing on the ground with an almighty crash. That prompted the others to draw their wands and suddenly spells filled the air.

Harry summoned David by his jacket and pulled the man behind him, casting a large Shield Charm in front of them. He winced as the spells flew fast and thick. He was worried that Sirius and the others would be at a disadvantage due to their drunken state, but the others were no better it seemed and spells went back and forth, splashing against shields or other objects and people on either side dipped and dove and dodged.

"Sorry," David grunted, sounding anything but. "But I wasn't going to let that wanker get away with calling my daughter that!"

"No he shouldn't get away with it," Harry agreed. He contributed to the brawl by conjuring rocks and throwing them into the way of spells aimed at his friends and loved ones. He began to realize more spells were coming his way, as in, aimed directly for David, especially by Nott once the man regained his feet. Harry was beginning to grow angrier and angrier and was hoping that the fight would be broken up by the workers of Shine or someone else.

He saw a blast of virulent energy heading right for David and he cast a Deflecting Charm on it. The spell ricocheted into a table. The table glowed with a lurid light and it shriveled before them. It grew weak and sickly before falling apart.

Harry stared at the destroyed table with wide eyes before turning to look at Nott who flinched at his expression. Harry thrust his wand at the man without an incantation and the man was blasted backwards and he went flying through the air. He hit the back wall but the wall did nothing to stop him and instead he kept going, and going, through the other walls before flying into the street.

The others, the ones still standing, gaped at the Nott shaped hole through the walls, stunned by the sight.

"STUPEFY OMNIS!"

Harry shot wide-ranged stunners at everyone in the room that was still standing and they all toppled over, from figuratively stunned to literally magically stunned. Harry also hastily managed to catch his falling friends with slowing charms though he let the others fall harshly and painfully. After swiftly casting diagnostic charms on his loved ones, and begrudgingly on the others, finding nothing more serious than stuns and bruises, he stood in the center of it all, face buried in his hands.

"Well now, this is quite the sight." Bradbury looked in with open interest as other patrons and workers clustered around the holes in the walls and gaped and gasped.

"I am so sorry," Harry said weakly. "I uh. I did that and will pay for it."

"Lord Nott must have said something especially heinous," Bradbury said, remarkably unconcerned.

"He did, an ugly slur against my best friend and adoptive sister," Harry growled.

"Well he got what he deserved then," Bradbury said. "And I assume you stunned everyone?"

"I invoke the contrition law," Harry said, remembering.

Bradbury smiled. "I accept, with one tiny additional caveat. Remember when I mentioned I would ask you for a boon? I was hoping for a few tickets to your next game and perhaps an autograph or two? My daughters are fans of yours. We all are honestly."

Harry smiled with relief. "Done and done."

"Wonderful!" Bradbury shook his hand warmly. "No need to fret over the damages. I will charge the Notts and the Blacks. The Aurors are on their way too. A usual precaution." He prodded one of Nott's friends with his foot and the man moved limply, like a sack of sand. "You are quite the wizard, Mister Potter! I have never seen a stun this deep before."

"I was really irritated," Harry said.

After a few minutes, Kingsley walked into the back room, looking about with an impressed air. He stifled laughter when he saw Sirius and the others laid out in a fairly orderly fashion and gave Harry a sympathetic look. "So, bar fight?" he asked, grinning.

"What gave you that idea?" Harry asked, sighing once more and felt a little better when Kingsley laughed openly.

"Right, run it down for me," he said, opening a small notebook. He listened to Harry's account, the report from the waitress, the greeting wizard and Bradbury, and made more notes while asking a few questions. "Well, that's all I need to know. Even if you didn't do the contrition law, it's fairly obvious who's at fault here."

As they talked, medics from the Auror Corps had checked everyone out and were transporting the others to St. Mungo's. They kept shooting Harry surreptitious glances after seeing the state of the stunned individuals as well as the state of the walls.

"So are we good here?" Harry asked.

"Pretty good," Kingsley smiled.

"Thanks," Harry said. "Oh, better do this then." He waved his wand and a silver lioness came into being, shocking the others, making them exclaim with wonder and delight. The lioness looked about and snorted deeply, seeing a stunned Sirius and turned to Harry, looking sympathetic.

"Please pass the message to MumAndi," he said and the lioness nodded. "MumAndi, I need your help. There was an…incident and it's mostly smoothed over but I need you and SamaMum to come help me. We're on Luxurious in a place called Shine. Starfall."

The lioness nodded understanding and licked his cheek before bounding away.

"I do believe this has been one of the best nights we have ever had," the greeting wizard said with a smile.

"Glad everyone had some kind of fun," Harry said wryly, making Kingsley and Bradbury laugh.

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"See? I told you I can throw a party," Ron said smugly.

"Yes, well done Ron," Percy said pleasantly. "Did people insinuate you cannot?"

"Those two," Ron said, pointing at the twins.

"That should not count. They call everything into question," Percy snorted.

"And Alicia and Angelina and Hermione," Ron added. "Said we better not muck things up."

"They were just being concerned," Percy said.

It had been a very fun party. It was Harry's bachelor party and it had gone swimmingly. They had met at Harry and Katie's flat at first before going to the Port. The Pride of Portree team hosted the main party there, letting them drink and fly around on the pitch and enjoy the space privately. They were then going to return to the flat but the twins suggested going to the Flaming Alchemist for more fun. It was a new bar and had good reviews and so they went.

They were able to get a private room, the owners being so happy to see Harry and Oliver be there as well as being fellow business owners on Diagon with the twins and Ron. The party continued with everyone getting comfortably drunk to different degrees.

"Hey, Nev suggested a new game," Oliver said. "Come on."

"A new game?" Percy stifled a yawn. "I thought we were starting to flag a little."

"I fixed that," Tonks said smugly. "Did a little vodka Pepper-Up. Keeps you in the mood but gives you energy. Good stuff that."

"Oh, they have Pepper-Up here?" Ron asked.

"No, I got some from the twins. Said we brought it," Tonks said. She frowned. "You alright Percy?"

"Oh no," Percy gasped, face draining. "Was it my Pepper-Up?"

"Yeah? They said you wouldn't mind which now I'm saying that out loud, I should've asked first-"

"No I mean, my Pepper-Up is not your usual Pepper-Up," Percy said frantically.

"What do you mean not the usual?" Tonks asked, frowning.

"It's modified to be more efficacious," Percy said. "It is not supposed to be mixed with anything!"

"Uh…is mixing it with magical vodka better or worse then…" Tonks asked, starting to share the alarm.

"I have no idea," Percy said faintly.

"Right Harrikins, since you're the man of the hour," Fred said drunkenly with a big smile on his face. "This is what you've got to hunt for."

"Hit me with it," Harry said, smiling and his words ever so slightly slurred.

"Gotta find what you love the most," George continued.

"Hmmm." Harry hummed and swayed slightly. "Right, I know what. Neither are here right now though."

"The point is you have to find it here," Neville said.

"But they're not here," Harry insisted. "No problem. I can go get something and be right back."

"Wait." Oliver held his hand up, trying to stop Harry. "Harry, we're not in Skye."

"I know," Harry said indignantly. "I'm not that drunk."

"So you can't really just go there and come back," Fred said, scowling at Harry a little. "Not without apparition and you can't do that."

"I absolutely can," Harry disagreed. He climbed to his feet. "I have my license and everything. It's not a big deal, I can do it."

"Wait, Harry-" Percy began.

"I can do it!" Harry smiled. "I'm getting married and if I can do that, I can do anything!" He held his arms out and disapparated with a very large crack. The others stared at the spot that he was just in for a long moment.

"Did…did he just apparate while drunk?" Neville asked in a horrified whisper.

"Why did you goad him?!" Percy shouted at Fred, grabbing him by his shirt and shaking him.

"I wasn't trying to!" Fred shouted back shakily as he was being shaken. "I didn't think he'd actually do it!"

"This is why you were worried about the magic vodka and the Pepper-Up!" Tonks shouted, also sobering swiftly.

"He could be anywhere!" Oliver cried. "Or in multiple places at once!" He stared at the twins with mounting horror. "Alicia is going to kill me and then you two!"

"Then Angie is going to double kill us!" George gasped.

"Then Katie!" Fred shrieked.

"I just wanted a quiet bachelor party!" Ron shouted.

"OKAY SHUT IT!" Tonks roared and everyone turned to stare at her. Her hair turned long and black and her eyes green. "Okay, we scatter and look for him. First to find him contacts the others. Let's go!" She pushed a person out of the room and told them where to go first and they did as told, listening to her air of authority.

"Mum is going to murder us if she finds out," Tonks growled as she and Percy were the last.

"Ours as well," Percy groaned.

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Hedwig flew fast and went flying through the window into the flat. She had been out doing some night hunting but she felt something odd and broke off to return home. She pushed the bedroom door open and found Harry sleeping on the bed, curled around a pillow.

"What in the world? I thought you were out tonight. Where are the others?" Hedwig fussed around Harry, growing more irate seeing him sleeping there by himself and in a state of extreme magical intoxication. "Those idiots! They're supposed to be caring for you! I should go teach them a lesson! But I don't want to leave you alone…"

She puffed up on his side and seethed silently for some time, thinking of what to do to the ones that let her chick get that way before looking up when the door opened.

"Oh hi Hedwig," Hermione said as she opened the door into the bedroom, making Luna and Fleur sigh with relief. "Wait…is that…Harry?"

Luna and Fleur went running and ran right into Hermione's back, making her stumble in. Fleur breathed a deep sigh of relief at Harry lying in the bed, snoring lustily and with Hedwig sitting on his side. He was curled around a pillow and looked remarkably at peace.

"Thank goodness," Luna sighed.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concern driving the intoxication away. "Is something the matter?"

"No, no, of course not," Fleur said, laying it on thick. "Just surprised to see Harry here. I suppose his party must have ended earlier."

"Yeah I guess," Hermione hiccoughed. "You'd think they'd have someone here sitting with him just in case."

"I'm sure Hedwig took very good care of him," Luna said with a sharp smile. She reached out and Hedwig hopped onto her wrist. "Why don't you go tell them the good news?" she said, eyes blazing. "Make sure they get the point."

Hedwig clacked her beak, her eyes mirroring Luna's. "Oh yes. Don't worry. I'll make sure they get every point!" She bobbed her head very enthusiastically and she tugged Luna's hair lovingly before flying out the window.

"I would feel sorry for them but they do deserve it," Fleur said softly to Luna.

"They certainly do," Luna said as she tucked Harry in.

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"Where are you," Hedwig growled as she flapped over Diagon Alley. "I know you're here somewhere. I can feel you two. You two are responsible, I just know it. Ah ha!"

She saw George running down the Alley, calling out for Harry and looking about wildly. "At least you're looking for him but that won't spare you! Time to do as Moon-Song suggested and make sure you get the point!" Staying silent until the last moment, she dove and struck, digging her talons deep into George's arse.

"DEAR MERLIN!" George screamed. "HEDWIG?!"

Hedwig flapped her wings and was able to drag George a good length of the way down Diagon Alley, ignoring his panicky pained cries. When she dragged him around the corner, she saw her second target and let go of George only to dig her talons deep into Fred's arse and drag him up Diagon with powerful sweeps of her wings.

"OW MY ARSE!" Fred howled. "Hedwig let go!"

After some dragging, she did and she flew after them as they ran screaming from her. "You left Chick alone! You were supposed to watch him! Get back here you feckless idiots!"

"Oh, thank goodness," Oliver breathed.

"That made you say that?" Percy pointed at his brothers running screaming from the vengeful owl.

"No way she'd be doing this if Harry was in a bad way. He must have gone home somehow," Oliver said reasonably.

"Did any of us actually check his flat?" Percy asked. He groaned at Oliver's sheepish look. "Why are we idiots?!"

"Look, let's just be grateful that things seem okay and let's go check the flat to be sure," Oliver said. "And never tell Alicia what happened."

"Bold of you to assume she does not know already, and will not figure it out," Percy countered.

"A man can dream," Oliver grumbled.

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poka - It was one of my favorite chapters. I had to really think about writing without obvious dialogue which was a fun challenge, and then adding dialogue later for the first speaks with words chapters, and then full on edit. Hedwig is totally Head Owl.

Lady of the Snakes - Glad you enjoyed it.

odonnellzoo99 - It's a great line and she's not wrong. She only recognizes her own authority so her giving herself the power makes sense. I was unreasonably proud of the Crookshanks Gene Granger line after the Hedwig Jane Potter line.

alix33 - Hedwig is the best at taking care of Harry and dispensing justice.

TheSphynx - The best Head Owl.

Ghostwriter - They're a good pair.