Purple Rain.

Chapter Forty-Nine.

A week after Christmas was the New Year celebration. Most of the Christmas decorations had been taken down by this time but the tree was still up. Charlie's week off had ended on Friday, making him unable to make the celebration. The kids all had permission to stay up through the night and early morning to welcome the new year and the house was quite full of family and friends.
The next-door neighbours also had family over and their family had been quite large. (Y/n) was quite overwhelmed hearing both of the households' loud chattering in both Spanish and English. There was the addition to the small fireworks other families were doing in the street and as they were in London, the city had a large firework show going on.
Tonks had successfully convinced (Y/n) to keep her headphones off at least during the time that people outside of their inner circle were present ((Y/n) had gotten the better half of the bargain as Tonks agreed to have an equal ratio of Muggle and Wizard music). Hermione and (Y/n) were getting odd looks from the family friends due to them wearing Muggle attire— that being a silk brown blouse tucked into nice beige pants for Hermione and a beige dress with beaded embroidery and sewn-on pearls for (Y/n). Neither girl cared due to being too immersed in a crossword book Hermione's parents had sent.

"I think four down might be Cruise," (Y/n) murmured. Hermione traced her pen along the page to find what (Y/n) was talking about.

"'Tom blank and a vacation on the sea'?" Hermione read. "That'd make sense... and it'd make four across..." (Y/n) squinted, struggling to read it at all.

"'Iconic 80's song titled I want blank,'" (Y/n) mumbled.

"Candy?" Hermione guessed.

"It fits," (Y/n) said. Both girls looked up as Mary sat on the couch beside them. She set down three wine glasses (one of which still had a beverage in it).

"Having a good time?" Mary asked, struggling for a moment to open a bottle.

"Yeah. They're a bit judgy though," (Y/n) murmured. "'Do your parents let you wear that?'" she mocked.

"One of the older gentlemen asked why I'm wearing pants," Hermione emphasised, shaking her head. "I get that robes are normal for wizards, but really?" Mary snickered, her tongue poking out as she concentrated on pouring the girls a drink. "What is that?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Martinelli's," Mary answered nonchalantly. "Unless you want something else?" Her eyes twinkled.

"Well... Just a sip or two," (Y/n) said. Hermione gave her a look of disbelief. 

"Don't get caught," Mary smirked, pushing her drink forward. (Y/n) picked up the glass and as she took a sip, her eyes scanned the room and she caught Bill's amused head shake. He tried waving her over to the group of people that had been in their seventh year during (Y/n)'s first, but she quickly averted her eyes and switched hers and Mary's drinks back.

"Mary!" Remus exclaimed, off-put by the bottle and wine glasses on the table.

"What?" Mary asked innocently, turning the bottle for Remus to see. "I wouldn't dare give them actual champagne! Not for another six months for her and nine months for her," she added, pointing to (Y/n) and then Hermione.

"We'd only be seventeen then," Hermione said, blinking owlishly.

"Exactly," Mary said. "By wizarding standards, you're legal."

"Mary!" Remus said again.

"What?" Mary huffed. "They'll only be able to have fire whiskey and alcoholic butterbeer, and that's hardly alcohol."

"But Angelina said she's only been able to drink legally now that she's eighteen," (Y/n) said, tilting her head.

"By English standards, she's only just turned legal," Mary answered. "While, yes, you can get wizarding drinks from wizarding sellers, you shouldn't be drinking alcohol until you're eighteen."