Four Weddings & A Funeral

Chapter Twelve

'I can't believe the wedding is the day after tomorrow - where has the time gone?!' complained Hermione as she flopped onto the couch.

'Wherever it's gone, it went there too bloody fast!' replied Ginny as she joined Hermione on the couch.

They were at Harry and Hermione's putting finishing touches to their "decorations" for that night's gathering.

'What time's Seamus arriving?' asked Hermione, turning to look at Ginny.

Ginny shrugged. 'Not sure, actually. A little after lunch, I think Dean said. Speaking of lunch, why don't we go back to the Burrow and have some? Mum was making some soup this morning and I'm starving after all this work!'

'You sound like Ron!' laughed Hermione as she glanced at her wristwatch, her eyes widening in surprise. 'Twelve o'clock! More time gone flying!'

As they stood up and prepared to Apparate, Ginny asked Hermione, 'Harry's not going to come home before we get back is he?'

Hermione chuckled as she shook her head. 'No, he promised. He knows you're worried about him messing with our decorating.' Hermione waved her arm expansively indicating her newly "decorated" loungeroom before she continued, 'He said he'd be with Ron, having a long lunch at the Burning Broomstick. Then they're going back to the Burrow to meet up with Seamus first before they come here.'

'Lucky for Ron his work has wound down a bit with the Quidditch World Cup being over. Come on, let's go!' said Ginny as they both stood, Ginny looping her arm through Hermione's. The two friends smiled at each other as they Apparated.

'Mum? Mum!' called Ginny as they walked through to the kitchen at the Burrow a few seconds later.

Hermione spotted a piece of parchment on the kitchen table. 'Here's a note,' she said, picking it up. 'She's just gone to Diagon Alley for a few things.'

'She won't be long I suppose,' commented Ginny as she went to check the contents of a large pot on the stove. 'Mmmm, the soup's hot,' she murmured, inhaling a delicious smell. 'Mum won't mind if we help ourselves.'

'And here's some bread,' said Hermione from the sink; a large, warm, fresh loaf reposed on a wooden board, a bread knife nearby.

Ginny whipped out her wand. 'Accio bowls!' she cried happily, catching the two soup bowls as they reached her.

Hermione began slicing the bread and within five minutes both girls were seated at the table, giggling at their attempts to outdo each other's appreciative noises of Mrs Weasley's cooking.

A series of sudden, loud knocks on the kitchen door nearly made both of them drop their spoons.

'Hello! Anyone home?' called a deep, male voice with a distinct Irish brogue.

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other. 'Seamus!' they cried simultaneously, jumping to their feet and running to the door.

If anyone had been watching they no doubt would have a good laugh at the scene that followed.

All three faces had wide smiles on them, which transformed into looks of amazement at the sight of each other.

Ginny gaped at Seamus who was now as tall as Ron, his sandy hair cut very short; Hermione stared in surprise although she'd known Seamus wouldn't look as he did last time she'd seen him. Seamus, after quickly glancing at Ginny and taking in her bright, brown eyes and shining red hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, turned and simply stared at Hermione, his light blue eyes roaming appreciatively over her and coming to rest on her face. He was capable of only one thought at that moment: Wow!

The frozen tableau lasted but a second or two before all three burst out laughing and Seamus found himself being hugged firstly by Ginny and then Hermione (Holy Merlin she feels good! he couldn't help thinking) before being ushered into the kitchen, the girls getting him some soup and bread and putting the kettle on for a cuppa.

'I can't believe how tall you are!' said Ginny. 'You really look grown up!'

'Happens to the best of us!' said Seamus, grinning. 'As for you two - well, I must say you've, um,' his eyes came to rest on Hermione again, 'also grown up,' he finished lamely, unable to find any safer way of saying what was running through his mind; After all, 'Holy shit Hermione, you're hot!' wasn't a very appropriate comment, he thought wryly.

'There's something you'll need to do, Seamus. Have you heard of Invenios Elixir?' asked Hermione as she carried a fresh pot of tea to the table.

Seamus shook his head, looked a little puzzled.

Hermione explained briefly that there was a problem with an impostor, more thank likely a Death Eater, within the Ministry who seemed to be impersonating different people and so for security reasons they needed to verify each other's identity each time they met again.

Looking a little dazed, Seamus readily drank the Elixir Hermione offered him after which Hermione and Ginny both also drank some, telling Seamus it was necessary so that he could be sure they weren't using Polyjuice Potion. They went on to tell him that he would need to get his own phial of Elixir whilst he was visiting them.

Even while he listened to the explanations and chatted and listened to the two girls - women! he corrected himself - there was one part of him that remained focused entirely on Hermione. Why hadn't he ever noticed her potential at school? he wondered. Surely there must have been something of this gorgeous creature in that be-robed, bushy-haired school girl? What a difference a few years can make! Hermione was an attractive woman - her slender figure was very nicely in proportion and she now had total control over her hair although she didn't go to elaborate lengths. Seamus was entranced by it all, including her dark, honey-coloured eyes and soft, clear skin which he felt an irresistible urge to touch...and he was enthralled as he watched her - the way she laughed, dropping her head back slightly to expose the creamy skin of her throat...the way she reached over once or twice to lightly touch his arm to emphasise what she'd just said... and the way her hair swung across her back when she turned her head...

And then he saw it: the ring on the third finger of Hermione's left hand.

'Who are you engaged to?' he asked abruptly, not even aware he was cutting off Ginny's reply to something Hermione had said.

'What?' asked Hermione, a perplexed frown creasing her brow.

Seamus pointed to her ring, forcing himself to sound calm. 'Sorry Ginny - I just noticed Hermione's ring. Who are you engaged to?' He found he hated the thought of her being engaged - because it would preclude him from "having a chance" with her. But some dreadful little voice in the back of his mind said engaged, not married...what if...

'Harry of course!' cried Ginny, even before Hermione could reply. 'Heavens! Don't you hear about anything over in Kenmare?' Ginny sounded shocked. 'The news of Harry and Hermione's engagement was all over the place! Not to mention her kidnapping!'

Harry? Harry? Shit. Harry. Potter. Just great. What wizard could hope to stand a chance against Harry Potter? he thought with disgusted irony.

But he smiled. 'Harry - of course! Congratulations! And well, we don't really pay much attention to papers and such in Kenmare - they have something like the Daily Prophet but I guess it's a very insulated little village and so wrapped up in itself the outside world takes a back seat.' Ginny's last piece of information finally seemed to reach him. 'Kidnapped? What do you mean, kidnapped?'

'Oh, a couple of Death Eaters fooled me and I was held captive by them for a couple of days - they didn't actually hurt me -'

'And Harry saved her, of course!' interrupted Ginny.

Of course he did, thought Seamus bitterly. 'Which Death Eaters? I thought they were all caught or dead or something.'

Hermione shook her head. 'No, unfortunately!' She gave Ginny a quick glance. 'We believe Lucius Malfoy's got the last of them together again -'

'Lucius Malfoy? Now he was in Azkaban, I know!' exclaimed Seamus.

'Was being the operative word,' replied Ginny. 'He escaped some time ago. Even Draco and his mother are in hiding from him - at Hogwarts.'

'Draco? Malfoy? At Hogwarts?' Seamus shook his head looking rather confused. 'I can't believe it! What's been going on over here? I've certainly missed a lot!'

'You have no idea,' said Ginny as she and Hermione exchanged a look of amused disbelief. Seamus must've been living with his head in the sand!

'Mind you,' continued Ginny, 'one of the Death Eater's that kidnapped Hermione is now permanently residing in the nutter ward at St Mungo's and the other one escaped before his trial but the Aurors managed to catch him again. He's now where he belongs - in Azkaban.'

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny's summary but couldn't help smiling.

Seamus was still looked rather dazed. 'You don't know the half of it!' Ginny told him. 'And by the way, I'm married,' she informed him happily, holding up her hand to show off her wedding band. 'Didn't Dean tell you about us?'

'Wow! Congratulations!' And he did indeed feel truly happy for them. 'A lot can happen in a few years, can't it? I have some catching up to do. Dean didn't really have a chance to tell me anything.' For instance, he thought bitterly, that Harry and Hermione were engaged. 'What about Ron?' he continued, 'and Neville?'

Ginny groaned. 'Didn't Dean tell you that Ron and Luna's wedding is this Sunday?'

Seamus shook his head, also groaning. 'He just asked me when I was arriving and said there was a special party on and to bring my dress robes.'

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, their exasperation with Dean showing plainly on their faces.

'Wizards! I tell you, they can be as thick as bricks at times!' said Ginny tartly before she gave Seamus a brief rundown on his former schoolmates' lives. She finished with telling him about Neville and Priscilla: 'And Neville's engaged to a lovely girl - who works with Hermione, actually - named Priscilla. She's lovely.'

'Priscilla? I once knew a Priscilla. Unusual name. What's her last name?' asked Seamus curiously.

'Laycock,' answered Hermione and at the look of shock on Seamus' face, continued, 'You know Priscilla?

'Pretty girl - blue eyes - black hair?' asked Seamus. Hermione nodded as Seamus shook his head in amazement.

'Small world, isn't it? She has to be the same Priscilla that used to spend some of her summer holidays with her mum and dad in the same place we did. That was before Hogwarts though. Haven't seen her since. I often wondered what happened to her. Her dad was a Muggle, like mine.'

'Her dad died in a car accident; it's only her and her mum now,' said Hermione, feeling a brief wave of sadness for her friend. She thought Priscilla and her mum had been very courageous.

'I'm sorry to hear that; he was a nice bloke, too - got on with my dad really well.'

'You'll get to catch up with Priscilla tonight, too - along with everyone else!' Ginny told him.

'Can't wait!' said Seamus, momentarily distracted from his Hermione-watching by this happy thought.

As the three friends sat wondering at what a small world it was, Mrs Weasley arrived home, using the recognition code and being assured by the girls that Seamus was Seamus, after which they helped her put her shopping away.

When they'd finished, Hermione and Ginny suggested that Seamus come back with them to Harry and Hermione's flat, Mrs Weasley assuring them she'd tell Ron and Harry about the change in plans.

When they arrived in the transformed loungeroom of Harry and Hermione's flat, Seamus gasped.

'I take it this is your place and that it doesn't usually look like this?' he asked, gazing around.

The girls laughed. 'We did a little redecorating for tonight,' Hermione told him. 'Come on - you can stay in our spare room tonight if you like - or you can go back with Ginny and Dean of course, I suppose you'd probably rather catch up with Dean.'

I'd rather catch you! he thought wickedly, wishing uselessly once more that she was a free agent, before telling Hermione he'd be quite happy to stay with her and Harry that night and then he'd go to Ginny and Dean's the following morning to stay, if that was all right with everyone which of course it was. 'I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone,' he told her as she showed him to the spare room.

Hermione stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame, a curious expression on her face. As Seamus dropped his things on the bed, he noticed and said, 'A penny for your thoughts!'

Hermione gave a quick laugh and shrugged. 'Nothing really - just - remembering...'

'Remembering what?' persisted Seamus, wanting to prolong this time alone with her.

'Well, it's just that this was Harry's room when he first moved to London from Hogwarts. It just brings back memories.'

Seamus wished he hadn't asked, realising that Harry's room now must also be Hermione's room.

'Come on,' he said, pushing aside a sudden stab of jealousy, 'let's go get ready to party!'

And party they did. Harry and Ron arrived shortly afterwards and Seamus marched across the room, grabbing Harry's hand and shaking it enthusiastically, forgetting his envy for the moment. 'Harry, mate, how are you? Looking good oh He-Who-Defeated-Voldemort! A belated thank you, by the way, for that - no one but the Chosen One could've done it, eh?' He laughed then turned to Ron. 'And well done, He-Who-Organised-The-Quidditch-World-Cup!'

'Didn't do it alone, mate,' Ron laughed.

After these greetings, Harry and Ron studied the newly done-over loungeroom and praised the girls' decorating efforts, Harry moving to stand behind Hermione, slipping his arms around her waist and dropping his head to whisper in her ear. Hermione turned her head to smile at Harry, bringing her hand up to caress the side of his face.

Seamus couldn't help but stare. And couldn't help but wish that he was in Harry's shoes. He's had a couple of girlfriends in Kenmare - nothing serious. No girl had ever really taken his fancy since he'd outgrown his various adolescent crushes at Hogwarts. Until he'd clapped eyes on Hermione that afternoon. He was still astounded at his reaction to her - a reaction other blokes had described to him, usually over a pint at the pub, but he'd always thought they'd been exaggerating. Now - unfortunately - he knew exactly what they meant...

'Here you are, mate!' cried Ron, pushing a large glass of Butterbeer into his hand. 'A toast!'

Hermione and Ginny had been handed a glass of chilled white wine and the three men were all holding a glass of Butterbeer.

'Here's to reunions, remembrances and rollicking fun!' said Ron.

'Ron, I'm impressed,' said Ginny, smiling archly at her brother. 'You don't usually remember things you read or hear that aren't connected with Quidditch or Luna.'

Ron playfully poked his tongue out at his sister, making the other four laugh. 'For your information, Miss Smart Aleck, I made that up myself!'

'Well, of course you did,' replied Ginny, leaning towards Seamus, standing beside her, and whispering in his ear, 'after he swallowed a dictionary!'

Ron cast his sister a suspicious look as Hermione glanced at her watch. 'Won't be too long before Dean, Neville and Priscilla arrive,' she commented. 'Where's Luna, Ron? She should be here, shouldn't she?'

'Actually, you're right. I wonder why she's late?' Ron's face was suddenly creased with concern.

'Why don't you go check? Make sure she's all right.'

Ron quickly agreed and Apparated to his flat.

'Right, let's get everything ready,' said Hermione, sharing a conspiratorial smile with Ginny.

'What are you two up to?' inquired Harry. 'I thought this was finished,' he added, indicating the room.

'Oh, just one or two little additions to be made,' said Ginny airily. 'Why don't you and Seamus go and wait in the kitchen - get yourselves another Butterbeer.'

After dropping a kiss on Hermione's cheek, Harry happily complied and led Seamus to the kitchen, knowing Hermione had a reason for shooing them away.

'What d'you reckon they're up to?' asked Seamus as Harry opened the fridge to get another two Butterbeers.

Harry shrugged. 'Wouldn't even try and guess - what man knows how a woman's mind works?'

'I'll drink to that!' laughed Seamus as they sat themselves at the kitchen table with their drinks.

'So, Harry - you and Hermione. How about that? And congratulations, by the way.' Seamus raised his glass to Harry. Lucky bastard, he thought.

Harry smiled, his expression one of immensely happy satisfaction as he touched his glass to Seamus'.

'Thanks. How about you? Got a girl back in Kenmare?'

Seamus looked down into his Butterbeer as he placed his glass back on the table.

'No one serious. Been too busy, I guess.' He smiled wryly at Harry. 'Wished I'd known Hermione was going to turn out to be so -' he hesitated.

'What? Gorgeous? There's more to her than that, mate,' laughed Harry.

'I don't doubt it,' replied Seamus. 'You're one lucky wizard, Harry Potter.'

'And don't I know it!'

'Know what?' inquired Hermione as she walked into the kitchen.

'Everything,' said Harry promptly, making Hermione laugh. She walked over to where he was still sitting at the table with Seamus and leant down, resting her hands on his shoulders and kissing him quickly on the temple before saying, 'Come on, we're all ready and Ron and Luna will probably be back any second. The others shouldn't be far behind them.'

Seamus followed them out of the kitchen wondering what it would like to have Hermione kiss him...

As Harry, Hermione, Seamus and Ginny waited for the arrival of their friends, Harry and Seamus looked around then congratulated the girls on the "extras" they'd added.

'Bloody brilliant!' cried Seamus.

'Ron and Luna will love it,' laughed Harry.

Harry and Hermione's loungeroom now resembled a smaller version of the Gryffindor Common Room with a few modifications. Because this night was celebrating Seamus' arrival as well as Ron and Luna's pending nuptials, there was a harp-playing leprechaun in one corner wearing the green Kenmare Kestrel robes, the front of which were adorned with the characteristic two yellow "Ks" back to back; the leprechaun kept winking cheekily at Ginny and Hermione. A replica of Luna's lion hat that she'd worn at Hogwarts was perched on a large chess piece - a knight - which was positioned beside the "portrait hole" which was in fact the doorway into the loungeroom and the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw house crests were hanging side by side over the fireplace which held merrily crackling flames.

Special arrangements had been made for everyone's arrival for this particular night and they were able to Apparate directly into the loungeroom.

Ron and Luna arrived first - Luna clapping her hands in delight at the setting and looking rather misty eyed at the sight of the lion's head hat. Ron just smiled, shaking his head in disbelief; he'd seen the "Gryffindor Common Room" but Ginny and Hermione had added the house crests, the hat and chess piece after he'd left to find Luna. 'My finest chess game ever,' he said, looking from Hermione to Harry. He meant, of course, the game he'd helped the trio win, enabling Harry to reach the Philosopher's Stone.

Luna hugged both the girls before turning to Seamus, her silvery eyes staring intently at him for a moment as though trying to place him.

'Luna? Remember me?' Seamus asked, smiling and waggling his eyebrows at her.

Luna cocked her head to one side. 'Yes. You didn't believe Harry -'

'Of course she remembers you!' interrupted Ginny who was sure Luna was going to say something it was better she didn't as was her way. 'Come on, I'll get you two a drink.' She led them to the side of the room where one of the tables had been set up with some glasses and bottles of wine and so forth.

Dean arrived at that moment, saying hello to everyone, quickly moving to shake Seamus' hand. 'Great to see you again mate!'

'Should've made the trip sooner!' replied Seamus as Ginny, having made sure everyone had a drink, brought Dean and Seamus a bottle of Butterbeer each. Dean leaned down and kissed her, pulling her to his side with his free hand.

Seamus raised his glass in a silent toast to them. 'Who would've thought your little fling in Fifth Year would lead to this?'

'Oh, it hasn't been smooth sailing,' commented Dean ruefully.

'But it's been worth it!' finished Ginny.

'Here they are at last!' cried Hermione as Neville and Priscilla appeared, their expressions showing their amazement at the sight that met them.

'Wow!' exclaimed Priscilla. 'I feel as though I'm back at Hogwarts!'

'I know what you mean,' agreed Neville as he looked around. Then his eyes fell on Seamus and widened.

'Seamus! You made it!'

Walking up to Neville and Priscilla, Seamus was also smiling and nodding, his hand extended.

Neville took the proffered hand and laughed.

'Seamus Finnigan! Good to see you again!'

'Great to see you too, Neville.' His eyes moved to Priscilla who was staring at him as though deep in thought.

'This is my fiancée, Priscilla Laycock,' said Neville. 'Priscilla, another of my old dorm mates from Hogwarts, Seamus Finnigan.'

Recognition dawned on Priscilla's face. 'Seamus? From the holidays in Ireland? With that lovely Muggle dad, like mine?'

Seamus nodded, 'One and the same!' and Priscilla let out a small scream as she threw her arms around Seamus' neck and hugged him.

Neville looked completely nonplussed as did everyone else but Ginny and Hermione until Seamus and Priscilla explained their childhood friendship.

A short while later (after taking Invenios Elixir which had become a ritual) all available armchairs were pulled up around the fireplace, Harry and Hermione, Ron and Luna occupying the large armchair directly in front of the fire in their usual positions (Harry and Ron at each end, Hermione and Luna between them). Ginny sat in one of the fattest and squashiest armchairs alongside Ron while Dean sat on a large cushion at her feet, his arm across her lap. Priscilla sat in an armchair at the other end beside Harry and Neville was comfortably perched on the large, padded arm, his arm protectively behind his fiancée. Seamus was lying on the rug in front of the fire, his head propped up on his elbow, facing everyone, wishing he had his own girl ... his own Hermione...

Seamus noticed Luna once more staring at him and during a lull in the conversation, she started to say something to him about "a past lack of loyalty to one's friends" which was quickly steered into another channel by a very astute Ginny who, while she loved Luna dearly, was only too aware of her predilection for saying precisely what was on her mind, come what may, regardless of consequences or other people's feelings.

Once everyone was filled in on Seamus and Priscilla's meeting as youngsters in Ireland, Seamus was brought up to date with all the things Ginny and Hermione hadn't had time to tell him earlier that afternoon.

'So you ended up in Gryffindor, too, Priscilla?' asked Seamus, forcing himself to look away from the sight of Hermione and Harry smiling as they whispered to each other.

Priscilla nodded. 'Professor Dumbledore didn't want me to feel embarrassed by being Sorted with the new First Years when I was actually starting Sixth Year, so he Sorted me in his office and I ended up in Gryffindor. I must say I was rather pleased about that and so was my Mum considering the exalted company I joined!' She gave Harry and Hermione a wink and a wave.

'Oi! What about me? Aren't I exalted too?' complained Ron, trying to look hurt.

'Well, of course you are Ron!' said Priscilla, rolling her eyes, amazed at how comfortable she now felt amongst these people she once held in awe.

Before Ron could say any more, there was a loud crack! and Dobby the house-elf appeared, bowing so low his nose almost scraped the floor.

'Dobby!' cried Harry, 'What are you doing here?'

'Dobby is here to help of course, Harry Potter, sir!'

Harry turned and looked at Hermione only to find her smiling at him. 'Dobby has agreed to do the catering for our little party tonight,' she informed him.

'And Harry Potter's My-Knee is paying Dobby, sir!' announced the house-elf proudly.

Harry laughed. 'I wouldn't expect anything less, Dobby!'

'So, Dobby,' said Ron eagerly, sitting up straight. 'What's on the menu?'

'Harry Potter's Wheezy will soon see, sir! I shall be right back!'

'Where's he gone?' asked Priscilla who, while she hadn't before seen a house-elf, knew of their existence and was fascinated at coming face to face with one.

'Probably back to Hogwarts, I'd guess,' replied Seamus, wishing the persistently pesky thoughts of how lovely Hermione looked by the firelight would cease and desist and leave him in peace.

True to his word, Dobby returned shortly afterwards with six other house-elves, all carrying an impossible amount of food which they placed on the dining table that Ginny had transfigured earlier that afternoon to look as though it belonged in the Common Room (doing an admirable job as it wasn't in any way recognisable as Harry and Hermione's table).

Hermione spent a minute speaking to Dobby and his friends, thanking them all and handing a bag of galleons to Dobby, asking him to distribute them to the other house-elves individually later; she knew they would be quite mortified if she offered them any such thing here and now. Dobby promised to do his best before he and all the other house-elves Apparated back to Hogwarts.

When everyone had eaten their fill, it was Ginny who once again stood and encouraged (or was that coerced?) everyone into playing a game of Charades.

'How will we decide teams?' asked Priscilla.

'Easy - everyone's names are on a slip of parchment in this small cauldron on the table -' as she spoke, Ginny put her hand in the cauldron and pulled out a name, reading it aloud, 'Dean! And that means he's in the first team and pulls out the next name and that person will be in the other team. Got it?'

They did. And so it went. Dean pulled out Priscilla's name and she pulled out Luna's name. Luna then pulled out Hermione's name and she drew out Harry's. Harry called out Seamus' name, he called out Ron's and Neville's name was then the last. Ginny felt quite a measure of relief that Luna and Seamus were on different teams - she was positive Luna wouldn't have been able to stop herself from making some reference to Seamus' temporary "defection" during Harry's Fifth Year.

Because Ginny had organised the game and come up with the various charades she would, she informed them, be the "adjudicator". She then instructed them to, 'go to opposite sides of the room and choose a team name and the order you're going to play in.'

Dean, Luna, Harry and Ron decided with much merriment that they were the Wedding Planners and would take their turns in the order they were called out in. Because they came up with the team name, Dean wanted to know who'd been coerced by their fiancée into watching more "chick flicks" - Harry or Ron - but they weren't saying...

Priscilla, Hermione, Seamus and Neville called themselves the Knights of Bus; prompting Priscilla to ask, 'Not the "Knights of Ni"?'

This remark, while it drew a long, hearty laugh from Hermione and Seamus thanks to their Muggle upbringing, managed to draw a look of complete bewilderment from Neville. Priscilla valiantly tried to explain Monty Python to her fiancé until Hermione managed to stop laughing enough to take pity on Priscilla and say, 'Don't worry Neville, when we have a free weekend we will introduce you to Monty Python.'

Can't wait! thought Neville, not sure whether he wanted to "meet" this Monty Python or not...

Ginny "introduced" the teams to each other.

'The Knights of Bus? What sort of name is that?' asked Ron, so Neville told him, 'You, me and Luna - as soon as you're back from the honeymoon - party at my place - we all meet Monty Python together.' He wasn't meeting this weirdo alone.

Luna stared at Neville. 'Monty Who?' She wondered if her father may be interested in doing an article on this person - was he half wizard, half snake? He may prove to be rather interesting...

'What's he got to do with the Knights of Bus?' asked Ron who was completely lost. Neville shrugged, looking with undisguised disgust at Dean and Harry who were almost doubled over with laughter.

Ginny clapped her hands to get everyone's attention, wondering if it wouldn't have been better for her to name the teams - less commotion! 'Come on you lot! Wedding Planners (she rolled her eyes) this side -' she indicated the seating near the fireplace, 'and the Knights of (she rolled her eyes again) Bus, this side,' and she pointed to the armchairs that had been moved down near the now-cleared table. The seating had all been arranged so that the two teams could sit facing each other with plenty of room in between for the acting out of charades. Ginny asked each team to pick a number between one and ten with Harry and his team getting the closest, giving them first turn.

Ginny held out an old First Year's pointed hat to Dean who drew a folded piece of parchment from it. He unfolded it and groaned as he read, Book: Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them.

Ginny gave each player five minutes in which to get their team mates to guess their charade, Luna's replica lion hat roaring when the time was up. Hermione and her team members were in stitches at Dean's attempts to look "fantastic", then "beastly" before attempting to appear as though he was looking for something. Luna, Harry and Ron were also laughing so much it hindered their attempts at guessing and before they knew it their five minutes were up and Ginny announced what Dean had been trying to act out.

'What?!' cried his team mates in unison.

'How the hell is prancing around like bloody Lockhart supposed to mean "fantastic"?!' called Ron.

Dean sat down in disgust. 'A bloody First Year would've gotten that! Just you wait till it's your turn!' he laughed.

Harry and Luna couldn't help but laugh although they pulled themselves together when Neville stood and unfolded his piece of parchment.

'Blimey, Ginny - you like to make it hard for a bloke,' he complained good-naturedly as he wondered how in hell he was going to act out Phrase: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus.

It was Hermione who successfully guessed that Neville's rather good imitation of Draco Malfoy together with his rather poor imitation of a snoring dragon, finished off with him tickling Priscilla mercilessly did in fact add up to the Hogwart's motto, "Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon".

Luna gave her team their first point when she did an impressive impersonation of Thing: A Golden Snitch.

Seamus looked in dismay at Famous Witch or Wizard: Albus Dumbledore, but managed to pull it off.

Harry also did a good job of conveying Book: Hogwarts, A History by imitating Hermione reading - his over-the-top impression bringing him a barrage of pillows from the other end of the room.

Hermione consoled Priscilla after she struggled gamely with Unpopular Witch or Wizard: Rita Skeeter. 'Hard to impersonate someone you've only heard about,' Hermione told her.

Ron surprised everyone by taking his team to the lead with his hilarious re-enactment of Action: Professor Lockhart Teaching DADA, Dean and Harry remembering only to well the disastrous results of that!

Hermione's charade, Action: Bridal Waltz, got off to a good start when she grabbed Seamus and began waltzing with him in a very exaggerated manner (the effect of her closeness making Seamus step on her toes a couple of times in the process) but it was only when she dragged Seamus up an imaginary aisle, waving her left hand around, that Priscilla jumped up and cried out 'Bridal waltz!'

'It's a tie!' announced Ginny, brandishing a wrapped parcel shaped suspiciously like a box of chocolates, 'so I keep the prize!'

Dean reached her first.

Needless to say, Ginny quickly decided that sharing was the best policy.

While there was merriment and mayhem at Harry and Hermione's, Lucius Malfoy was sitting in front of his own fireplace feeling extremely pleased with himself. Things were going as planned and soon, very soon...

His slow, unpleasantly smug smile said it all...