What if...

Publicity

Hermione was obviously more worried at the prospect of Harry being expelled than Harry was. Her brown eyes were filled with concern and fear for him, even if they met with his emerald green eyes full of mirth and joy.

"Harry, this is really bad, the Ministry don't lie." Hermione bit her lip as she stared at the remanning embers of the letter floating down to the ground.

"Hermione, don't you see? This is obviously a prank, I mean, considering the stuff I said to the Minister in the Third Task, whose delicious name escapes me at the moment, this is just payback." Harry, for the life of him, could not remember the name of the current Minister for Magic. He only knew that his surname was something to do with sweets.

"But what about the disciplinary hearing? That sounded serious." Hermione pointed out.

"It's fine, we can just go ask Sirius... actually, we should probably ask Professor Lupin... or maybe... Professor McGonagall?" Harry tried, noticing that each time he spoke of a different person, her scowl deepened.

"Harry, we don't know where any of them are." Hermione reminded him. "Let's just go back to the others and ask Mrs Longbottom."

"Oh, yeah... they must be worried sick." Harry realised, seeming worried.

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Draco, Ginny, Neville and Luna had completely forgotten about their friends, far too excited at the prospect of competitive making out. Fortunately they had possessed the foresight to kiss their respective partners, though the last things on their minds were the fact that their friends were two hours late.

Augusta Longbottom entered the room, taking note of the activity that they were partaking in. Slowly, without saying a word or making a noise, she exited and found another task to perform.

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Just as Harry and Hermione were getting ready to leave, the telltale crack of apparation broke through the calm atmosphere and caused a couple of mice nearby to let out startled squeaks as they scurried away.

The two lovers were then faced with a significant portion of the Order of the Phoenix.

In a line stood Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Hestia Jones, Sturgis Podmore and Mundungus Fletcher. Though most of these people were complete strangers to both Harry and Hermione.

"It took you long enough to come back here, Potter." The real Mad-Eye Moody rolled his eyes, which in truth was quite a jarring sight.

"In my defence, why would I ever want to be here?" Harry responded. "So, why are we having a party on my front garden and why wasn't I invited?"

"Dumbledore erected wards around your house to detect when you returned. We've been waiting for home signal for the past month." Moody stated.

"He just set up wards around my house without my permission?" Harry questioned, only to reconsider. "Then again, that shouldn't exactly be a surprise."

"I thought Harry Potter was meant to be a wimp." Nymphadora Tonks whispered to Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"That is what Albus said. Though in less colourful words." Kingsley responded

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked upon seeing him. The man grimaced.

"Please do not use that title, I have since lost the right to it. You may call me Remus and it is good to see you both again." He smiled thinly.

"If you say so, Professor." Harry shrugged. "I... don't believe we're familiar with everybody here." He looked at the majority of the group.

"Oh. Where are my manners." Moody said sarcastically, before going through everyone, starting with the woman closest to him. "This is..." He stared at her as she responded back challengingly. "This is Tonks, who adamantly refuses to be known by her first name."