Wicked Ways

Chapter 11 – “Firewhiskey”


Both of the Firebolt X’s were well hidden, and spelled against anyone but their owners touching them – just another part of the Firebolt’s cost: their parents had paid to have the spells installed. It was really easy to tell which belonged to which, they even had silver and gold engraving. Tuardae spent the first day of Christmas break riding it around the Quidditch pitch while those who remained of the Quidditch team watched on.

Avari on the other hand spent most of the time polishing the broom and parading it around in front of Malfoy, who just ground his teeth loudly in frustration.

The morning of Christmas dawned bright and early and Avari pounced on her pile of presents, ripping open each with a vicious glee. Her roommates had left for the holidays, so she was happy she had a whole room to trash. The broom had been an early present from both of her parents, but T’la had also sent her an engraved Potions set and Cieyua had sent a silver chain made out of thin links that were strong. Her sister had sent a large box. Avari frowned, not sure if she liked this.

Just like her sister’s re tre the first box was red and contained five sugar quills. Giggling she placed these in a small pile next to her bed. The next box was green and had an assortment of chocolate frogs. Before she moved to the next box she tore open the packages, letting the frogs jump around while she searched for the cards she didn’t have. After gleefully placing two new ones, and throwing the rest away, in her current stack, she went for the next box. It was gold and had a new Quick Quotes Quill; she’d broken her last one when she’d been frustrated with Draco. The next box was small and silver with a black bow.
loo looked at the box, turning it over in her hands carefully before delicately removing the ribbon. Avari had a feeling this wouldn’t be just another simple gift. She opened the silver box and nudged aside black silk to see a single faceted opal with an odd symbol engraved into it with gold. The setting was silver, and with a raised eyebrow at the chain Cieyua had sent, she put the two gifts together and put the charm around her neck.

She slid into clothes that her two favorite uncles from her Family had sent her, a big black fluffy sweater over a pair of black velvet overalls that looked like they would have better fit a 500lb wizard than a lithe elf form. She opened a bright orange box and pulled out a pair of sneakers and immediately wrinkled her nose. “I hate sneakers,” she said before reading the note from her Aunt. “I know how much you hate ruining your boots in the snow so I’ve spelled them against water. – Aunt E.” With a squeal she jumped up and down and sed ced changing clothes. The overalls, in her usual style, only had one side buckled. After pulling on the black sweater and sneakers she ran down the hallway.

She only had to wait a minute or two before Tuardae showed up with a grin on her face. “Dungbombs and fake-chicken-wands? Did you talk to Ron?” she said with a giggle. “I mean, the Sugar Quills I understand, we get those for each other every year.”

Avari just grinned and said, “You’ve been too nice here. Try to spice things up a bit.”

They laughed, and Avari poked at Tuardae, looking at her clothes, which were almost identical to her own. Olive green overalls, just as baggy with a black tank top and a cream colored sweater with a large neck. Looking down Avari laughed even harder and pointed out their matching black sneakers beforeing,ing, “Aunt E sent us the same thing again. If she could ever remember we’re two different people I think she’d die of shock!” They started laughing again before walking into the breakfast hall where trees and tinsel made a forest inside, unlike in the halls where they were every so often.

“Merry Christmas!” the girls shouted cheerfully.

Hagrid smiled and waved from the tree he was finishing decorating. Lupin grinned and trotted over to the girls, holding up two small bags.

“What are these?” Tuardae asked, surprised.

“A return gift. The cockroach clusters and the sweaters were very surprising. Thank you girls,” he said, hugging each of them.

Peeking inside the bags the girls’ eyes went wide. “Pearls?” Tuardae asked while Avari squealed and played with her new cache. “Where did you get this many?”

“The merfolk,” he said with a grin, putting an arm around her shoulders. “And I couldn’t have done it without your assistance. I muay, ay, watching Snape’s face when I told him you were the best detention I’d ever put up with was wholly entertaining.” Tuardae giggled and hugged Lupin while Avari just nodded, not sure how to take this sudden niceness. Before the dark-haired girl could say anything he grinned at her and said, “No, I am not telling you where he is.”

Avari was laughing when Ron and Harrlkedlked in, followed by the Crevey brothers. The eldest brother held up a camera and the group of them huddled in for a picture, Ron and Tuardae grabbing Avari so she couldn’t run off. After Collin promised to make copies for each of them he ran off to talk to a Hufflepuff. Avari growled at them and told them she hoped she always looked dejected in the picture, stuck out her tongue and sulked off.

After breakfast the group was allowed to wander wound and the Gryffindors and the lone Slytherin girl decided to take a walk down to Hagrid’s hut to say hello. Before they left the hall Dumbledore smiled and thanked both Tuardae and Avari for their wonderful Christmas gifts. When Ron asked what they could have possibly gotten the Headmaster to make him so cheerful, both girls simply responded: “Socks.”

Harry laughed while Ron still looked confused.

The red haired boy grinned and said, “Time for a run down to the kitchens! Wouldn’t want to be late for the deal!”

The girls raised their eyebrows but followed, Harry and Ron looking very pleased. They followed the boys down hallways and didn’t blink when Ron tickled a picture of fruit that was hung up on the wall. Both girls squeaked with surprise when a house-elf, gaudily dressed flew like a cannonball out of the portrait hole and landed hard on Harry’s chest. They watched as Harry struggled to get the creature off, learning the things name: Dobby.

“Dobby,” Ron said with a smile. “These are the Ladies Avari and Tuardae.”

Dobby looked at the girls just as they looked shocked at Ron. “But they aren’t Ladies yet! They have two more years,” he said wisely before looking closely at Avari. “Three more for that one. She’s younger. Trickster probably. A little Darkie, yes, yes.”

“Quiet!” Avari snapped viciously. “Why in the name of pissed off Hippogriffs are we down here?”

“To get the shipment,” Harry said with a grin.

Dobby’s eyes lit up and he scrambled back into the kitchen, the four following.

“What is going on?” Tuardae asked Avari, who shrugged.

“You’d think if it was devious I’d be in on it,” the darker girl responded. “I’m upset that I wasn’t in on it. I’ll have to give these boys a talking to.”

“You do that,” Tuardae said, rolling her eyes.

Dobby scrambled off into the depths of the kitchens and the four were immediately charged upon by the rest of Hogwarts’ house-elves. The girls accepted drinks and a pastry each, while the boys just grabbed the baskets that they were offered and put them on each arm. When Dobby came back swinging around a tiny basket the boys grinned and offered the house-elf a sock each, neither of them matching. The house-elves waved a cheery goodbye and Avari and Tuardae helped carry the baskets full of meat, bread, fruit and pastries, Harry carrying the closed basket that Dobby had given him.

“Shall we go up to the fourth floor Mr. Potter?” Ron asked, a large, stupid grin on his face.

“Why, Mr. Weasly! What an excellent idea!” responded Harry with gusto.

“They’ve gone insane,” Avari said flatly.

“For once, on the insanity issue, I will so agree with you,” Tuardae said, staring wide-eyed at the two six foot boys who were practically skipping down the hallway.

Harry put his hand on a door handle and said very loudly, “I do believe we are in requirement Mr. Weasly! We need a place to party!”

Avari and Tuardae just looked at them as if they’d been knocked over the head and had lost all sense. “Has a Bludger gotten into the male dorm and beaten all common sense out of them?” Tuardae whispered.

“I don’t think so,” Avari whispered back as Ron and Harry walked joyfully into the room while the girls stayed out in the hallway. After a moment they heard music coming from inside, vaguely echoing down the hallway. “Although, I could be wrong.”

A hand shot out and grabbed Avari and she yelped being pulled into the room and spun around. Ron was laughing by the time Avari stopped spinning and was holding her temple. She slumped into a chair and glanced around the room and her eyes went wide. It was decked out in holiday cheer with boughs of holly and silver bells and a giant fireplace that was roaring. Black furniture was all around and the table on the far wall next to the window was covered in the food they’d brought up from the kitchens, and the little closed basket Harry had carried.

“What’s going on here?” Avari asked. “You holding a party?”

Ron grinned and held out his hands wide as Harry walked over to join them, his arm around Tuardae. “Of course! It’s our last year, thought we’d celebrate the holidays with a bang! Everyone’s invited, even the Slytherins!”

“But Avari is the only Slytherin that stayed this Christmas,” Tuardae pointed out.

“Exactly!” Harry said, pinching her noise lightly.

They spend the rest of the day setting up the room completely and moving the furniture around a little more to their liking. That night they ate dinner with the staff that had stayed behind at the school for the holidays. Afterwards Dumbledore bid them all goodnight, and told them not to stay up too late, winking at Harry as he ushered everyone out the door.

“Does Dumbledore know about this?” Avari asked.

“Oh,” Harry said, “Dumbledore knows everything. Surprisingly he trusts Ron an I.”

“Surprisingly,” Avari said dryly.

Harry laughed and hugged her with one arm, leaving it draped around her shoulders as they ushered everyone up to the Room of Requirement. There was one Ravenclaw sixth year, and two fourth. Three Hufflepuff fourth years, and a second year who was slightly nervous at all of the older children were also in the group. Avari looked at Harry’s arm and sighed before deciding not to move it. Although she did think about biting it.

Everyone looked at the food and sighed, having already been stuffed from dinner. Harry smiled and picked up the closed basket while Ron made sure the door was locked and put a silencing charm around it to make sure that no sound would escape the room.

“No, Harry,” said Ginny, her hand on her belly. “No more food.”

A few people called out agreement and Harry just shook his head with a grin before opening the lid and pulling out a bottle of firewhiskey. Someone whistled, and a Hufflepuff squeaked in surprise. Harry grinned and reached in again, pulling out another bottle of a different kind. The older students took a moment for this to sink in, while Harry kept pulling out different kinds of alcohol.

“Well then,” Ginny said. “I do believe that first bottle is mine. Pass it over.”

Someone laughed and everyone loosened up, claiming bottles as they went. The second year Hufflepuff was a little uncertain at the prospect of getting drunk, but Harry smiled warmly and offered her a butterbeer, telling her there were more if she needed them. Soon the music was loud and everyone was singing or shouting, laughing in their drunken holiday merriment.

“Ronald Weasly!” Avari shouted, pointing at the red-haired boy with a hand that held a bottle. “I cengeenge you to a drink off! Let’s see how many shots you can take pansy boy!”

Shouting ensued and Ron accepted.

Tuardae picked up a bottle of butterbeer but it was snatched away from her. Pouting she looked up and saw Harry, who pushed a shining green bottle into handsands. “Nuh uh,” he said, already tipsy, half of his own bottle gone. “Not tonight. You don’t get to sleep tonight.”

“She better do something else!” Avari shouted before downing a shot, Ron laughing into his shot glass.

Harry laughed while Tuardae tipped the bottle back.

* * * * *

Avari rolled over and nudged Ron. “Wake up you lousy, good for nothing Lion-boy,” she said, her speech only slightly slurred. She pushed him, as she’d been sitting next to him on the couch.

Ron’s head rolled around and he said, “Hnuh?”

“C’mon, everyone else is passed out. Wanna go for another round?”

Ron looked down at his bottle. “But minssempty,” he slurred.

Avari got up and tottered around the room, poking around people for bottles not empty. She’d checked Harry and Tuardae, who’d drank four and half bottles themselves and had promptly passed out after making out and picked up that one, leaving her own empty bottle on the floor next to them with a thunk. She poked around a little more, shoving Hufflepuffs over and shoving the older Ravenclaw off of his own bottle which was still half-full.

With a triumphant grunt she walked ove over to Ron and pushed the bottle into his hand, saying, “You know, I never thought yacould drink tch Wch Weasly,” she said, blinking several times.

He clinked his bottle’s mouth to Avari’s and said, “Anican thodrink more.”