Crescent Moons ; J.S. Potter

6. paining pastilles.

"Geez, Daisy, what happened?"

She was standing in front of the entire young Weasley-Potter clan, who seemed to have been having a family tea party before she walked in. She glanced between Dominique, Louis, Molly, Lucy, Fred, Roxanne, Rose, Hugo, James, Lily, and Remus, who must've gotten the password from one of his siblings.

"I dunno ..." she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Went to a party last night because someone forced me into it. Everything hurts."

"James, you can't force girls to go to parties with you!" snapped Molly Weasley II, shooting a glare at her younger cousin. Though only a year above James and third-oldest of the Weasley cousins, she took after her grandmother and was quite stern and bossy.

"She seemed to enjoy the party last night," shrugged James, looking Daisy up and down and patting a space next to him to sit. She remained standing. "Almost like I helped her!"

"She would look better if you would leave her alone for once, James," said Rose pitifully. She gestured for Daisy to sit next to her and she quickly complied, leaving James pouting. "When'd you go to bed last night?"

"I don't remember anything past one o'clock in the morning ..." Daisy muttered.

"Have this tea!" said Roxanne, pushing a steaming cup smelling of lavender towards the girl. Daisy smiled and sipped, though her tongue burned a bit.

"Why're you all here, by the way?" asked Daisy, after she had regained some more sense and energy.

"We have weekly tea parties on Sundays," revealed Dominique, the oldest of the Weasleys who were still in school. "Usually, everyone's out with their friends or in the Great Hall eating lunch leftovers. So, the common room's usually pretty empty."

"The Fat Lady's getting more and more lenient with me coming in here every week!" said Remus.

"I can't believe I never noticed," said Daisy.

"You're Daisy Wood, right?" asked Lucy, who was two years younger than Daisy and had a head covered with ribbons. "You come to some of our holiday parties at the Burrow!"

"Yeah, Dad knows most of your parents," she explained. "I haven't seen some of you since the Weasley Summer Barbecue!"

"Right," said Roxanne darkly. "When grandpa burnt off a portion of the garden and some hair —"

A bang snapped everyone out of focus as they all turned towards the portrait hole. Benjamin had run in and was making a beeline toward James.

"What is it?" he asked, standing up abruptly. Benjamin whispered something into his ear that made him raise his eyebrows so much that they disappeared underneath his hair. "Daisy, d'you ... by any chance ... remember anything past midnight last night?"

"Nothing but flashing lights."

"And you didn't steal my Puking Pastilles, did you?"

"No, what're you up to?"

"I'll see you all next week!" exclaimed James and he and Benjamin sprinted out of the common room with a quick wave. The Weasleys exchanged glances confusedly.

"Woah, Puking Pastilles?" said Hugo. "Someone's about to have a bad day ..."

"Did something bad happen yesterday?" asked Rose. "Y'know, other than this." She gestured towards Daisy.

"Were you with someone that could've made James mad?" asked Remus. "A boy, maybe?"

"Just some sixth-year Ravenclaw —"