Greeks, Countrymen, Lovers, Monsters? (Sequel to Halfblood IsThicker Than Magic)

The Marauders Return

Skye's P.O.V.

At around six thirty everyone paused in the preparations to have dinner. Since there was now a grand total of thirty one people staying in and around The Burrow there was no chance of all of us fitting around their table, and so we all poured out into the once unruly garden, which was now looking spruce and neat. Bill, Charlie and George charmed several tables to set themselves in the garden whilst Percy, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I helped Molly carry the food outside. It was a warm night and crickets chirruped lazily int the surrounding fields. I craned my neck but was unable to catch a glimpse of the wedding marquee. Oh well.

The half-bloods cheered when they smelt the wonderful aroma of Molly's cooking, making the plump old lady blush with pleasure.

'At least someone appreciates my cooking,' she said lightly, with a glance towards George and Ron, who had already started wolfing the food down. I laughed and sat down next to Nico but a second later all of the halfbloods picked up the plates and stood up.

'I'm sorry Mrs Weasley,' Chiron said, 'But could you possibly provide us with a fire?'

'Call me Molly, dear' she replied, 'But why do you want a fire?'

'Maybe it's because the foods not cooked properly.' Charlie joked.

'Nah,' replied Percy with faked concentration. 'Bill's the only one who eats his steaks raw.'

 'Hey,' complained Bill, childishly sticking his tongue out and earning a disapproving glance from his mother, whilst George let out a fake howl.

Chiron chuckled at Bill's put out expression and explained, 'It is customary to sacrifice some of our meal to the gods in order to thank them.'

'Oh of course, you should have said earlier. Here,' and with a wave of her wand Molly had conjured a cheerfully burning fire in a metal grate.

Chiron inclined his head in thanks, before scraping some of his food into the flames, an action immitated by the rest of the half-bloods.

Surprisingly the burning food created a pleasant aroma and I began to pile food onto my plate.

'Woah,' Ginny and Hermione admonished, making me look up from my food mountain guiltily.

'You still have to fit into your dress tomorrow,' Hermione scowled as I poked my tongue out.

'Can't you just make it bigger with magic?' I said, giving her the puppy dog eyes.

'Yeah, make it bigger wiv magic,' Teddy cheered enthusiastically, making the whole table laugh.

'Well, I can see we have a young pranktser to tutor,' The stoll twins said in unison. I saw a look of pain flit over George's face before he replied with a convincing grin, 'Hey, he's already learning from the best.'

'NO!' yelled Harry, making us look at him in shock. He looked at George weakly, 'Please don't teach him to prank anymore, have you forgotten who Teddy's father is?'

'Who?' Asked connor.

'Only Remus Lupin,' George grinned. 'One of the greatest pranksters to have ever strolled the halls of Hogwarts. Marauder and werewolf extrordinare. A truly amazing man.' He paused and we all thought sadly of Remus, taken away by war to leave his young son on his own.

Then George's eyes lit up and with horror I could see an idea forming in his prankster mind.

George's P.O.V. (YAYAYAYAYAY)

I had an idea. A truly amazing idea. It was astounding. It was magnificent. It was an idea worthy of the Marauders themselves. Fred would have liked it. I would form the next generation of marauders.

I stood up, beckoning to the stoll brothers and to Teddy, who slipped easily away from Harry and ran to my side. 'Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen, but we have business to attend to.'

I marched away from the table, Connor, Travis and Teddy behind me. They followed me inside and I stopped in the kitchen. After giving them a brief history of the Marauders their eyes began to shine. When I explained my idea they looked so hyped up that they were practically floating on excitement.

'Okay, so you're in?' I asked happily.

'IN?' Connor and Trivis yelled in unison. 'We're so far in we're practically out the other side again.'

'I'm in,' Teddy squeaked, joy shining in his eight year old eyes. I was aware that the original marauders had all been the same age, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the need to prank.

'Okay, so when are we gunna do the first prank?' asked the Stoll Brothers. Apparently they weren't twins but they looked it. Connor was 23 and Travis was 22 and I couldn't tell them apart.

'No point in delaying,' I grinned, ruffling Teddy's hair. 'We might as well start straight away.'

Skye's P.O.V.

The dinner table was in turmoil. Some of the greatest pranksters known to the godly and magical worlds had just disappeared into a room together with glints in their eyes and no good could come of it. There was a small squeal from Ginny as Teddy appeared. He walked slowly across the garden towards us and stopped next to Harry, who was suddenly looking terrified. Harry might have defeated the darkest wizard of all time, but when faced with an innocently whistling eight year old he was helpless. Silently Harry turned to face Teddy. The little boy stuck out his hand and we could all see that something unidentifiable was clenched in his tiny fist.

'Present for you Harry,' he said smiling sweetly.

'No thank you Teddy,' Harry said warily. 'I'm eating.'

Teddy pouted and put on a rejected face that I knew would melt Harry's heart. Teddy knew it too because a tricky little smile twitched at his lips, something Harry didn't notice.

'Pwease?' Teddy pleaded.

Oooh the manipulative little bugger. Not talking properly to get Harry to do what he wanted. But it had worked, Harry stretched out his palm and, with everyone watching anxiously, Teddy dropped the object into Harry's hand. We all peered at the object nervously and Harry let out a small laugh of relief when he saw that it was just a flower.

I stared at the regular little garden flower that could be found everywhere in the weasley's back yard and wondered what in Merlin's name the boys were up to. Harry sniffed the flower cautiously and smiled at the pleasant fragance.

'Put flower in Ginny's hair,' Teddy giggled in delight and Harry obeyed, sliding the flower gently into Ginny's long red hair, which contrasted with the paleness of the flower beautifully. Ginny smiled despite herself and Teddy quickly pulled some more of the flowers from his pockets. He held them up to Fleur, who was sitting with Bill, and gave her the puppy eyes. Laughing delicately she also took a flower and let Bill slide it into her hair whilst she tucked one into the button hole of his jacket.

Soon everyone had a flower somewhere about their person and the danger had been forgotten, with everyone laughing and enjoying the flower's wonderful aroma. The food was finished and I felt pleasantly full and a bit sleepy. There was something bugging me though and it frustrated me that I couldn't place it. Then I caught a glipmse of bright red hair through the kitchen window, accompanied by some brown and turquoise, and realised that the four pranksters still hadn't returned to the table. Alarm bells started ringing in my head and I turned round to face Nico, who seemed confused by the look of panic on my face.

'What is it love?' he murmured softly.

'George, Teddy and the Stoll brothers,' I whispered just as a loud laugh that was unmistakably George rang across the garden. Suddenly the flowers that were all over the table began to smoke and a terrible stench filled the air. Soon everything reeked of rotten vegetables, sour milk and dungbombs. Ripping the stinking flower from my hair I tried not to throw up and looked around for the tell tale sign of red hair. I found George grinning down at me, having performed a bubble head charm so he wouldn't be able to smell the awful aroma filling the air. Smiling maliciously I waved my wand and whispered 'Finite Incantatem.'

George stared at me in horror as I shoved the flower under his nose and stalked off into the house, leaving him retching behind me.

Serves him right. It will take ages to get this stink out of my hair before tomorrow.