Relations, Revelations

Thanks again, Carmen! And my beta has gone missing, so this one\'s as-is again... *sigh*


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*Chapter 18 – Nocturnal*

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“I trust that everyone has had a lovely evening. But seeing as it is four in the morning, I’d recommend everyone get some sleep. Albus, if you’d be so kind as to conjure up some sleeping bags in the Ballroom later, I’d be most grateful. So help me, if there’s any hanky panky in here tonight…” The students laughed. They’d really never expected to hear the words hanky panky come out of Professor Snape’s mouth ever. “I give up. You’re all adults. Dunderheads, but adult dunderheads. Do at least try to practice some self-restraint. I’ll be setting up beds in the Study and the Library, as well as some of the spare rooms upstairs for my colleagues in the Order. Breakfast will be served in the garden from nine to eleven in the morning. I’m not planning on kicking anyone out, so feel free to leave at your leisure tomorrow. Merlin knows I’ve got nothing to do for the next week. Albus?”

Dumbledore stepped forward and conjured up two-dozen squashy purple sleeping bags on the floor of the ballroom. Snape rolled his eyes.

“Honestly, Albus. Purple again?”

“It’s my thing.” He shrugged and approached Minerva, stretching his hand out to help her up from her bench. “Severus, we’ll be taking the second guestroom on the left in the east wing. Would that be alright?”

He nodded, and the couple left the ballroom. Hestia and Kingsley soon followed. Emmeline peeled herself out of Remus’ embrace and pulled him to his feet. Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Weasley made their way back into the study, where they had been weeping together most of the evening. A few short minutes later, the ballroom was left to the members of Dumbledore’s Army and the younger members of the Order of the Phoenix.

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“Moody you sorry old bastard! Harry did it!!!” Arthur grabbed Amelia in a bear hug and spun her around a few times before depositing her back on the floor. “Voldemort’s dead and Harry Potter’s alive and it’s ALL! BLOODY! OVER!” Mr. Weasley had obviously learned how to be a complete goof while basking in the afterglow of victory from his sons (or perhaps it was the other way around), because his arms were outstretched and he was running a few rings around the corridors of the ninth floor, much in the same way a muggle child would play ‘Airplane.’

“Arthur. I think we should take this to my office,” O’Leary said, sounding eerily calm and subdued.

“Alright. After you.” Arthur let the other three lead him down the corridor and through the door at the end, into the Department of Mysts. Os. O’Leary unwarded his office then took the seat behind his desk. Arthur took a seat on the sofa along the sidewall, Moody remained standing by the door, and Amelia sat down next to Arthuakinaking his hand in hers.

“Arthur, I’m afraid I have to be the bearer of some bad news.” She looked into his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid Charlie was killed by Lucius Malfoy in the battle.” Arthur just stared at her.

“He died saving Ron’s life.”

Arthur swallowed hard, never breaking eye contact.

“Arthur, please…”

His shoulders slowly began to shake and his lips slowly turned downwards. Arthur Weasley dropped his head onto Amelia Bones’ shoulder and wept.

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“So, what’ll it be? Truth or Dare? Spin the Bottle? Suck and Blow? Twister?” Sephera grinned at her audience.

“I’m afraid the crowd’s a bit too large for Twister, Phera,” Tonks reminded.

“Naw, you kidding? I’ve got six Twister mats up in my room. Whenever my friends come over, we have Twister tournaments.”

“What in the name of Aphrodite’s nipples is Twister?” Ron screwed his face up.

Hermione spoke up from the floor where she was nestled between George’s legs, his arms around her waist. “It’s a board game of sorts. You place a big mat of colored circles on the floor and spin the arrow of a spinner. It lands on a limb and a color and you follow the instructions. It’s really quite simple.”

“Nah, Spin the Bottle’s much simpler. Not everyone’s on top of muggle games like you and Sephera, Mi,” Harry added, poking his head out from bd Gid Ginny, where he was pleasantly perched giving his girlfriend a back massage.

“Yeah, but there are too many established couples to shake up. Let’s play Truth or Dare,” Everyone knew Justin was right, but he’d made a rather boring suggestion. Susan elaborated on his idea from where she was perched on his lap.

“How about this? Truth or Dare, but with a twist. If you pick truth, you can tell the truth, or bluff. If anyone calls your bluff, they go to the closet for one minute with their significant other or the unattached individual of the challenger’s choice. If no one calls it, you get a minute in the closet, your choice of who. If you pick dare and successfully complete it, you go to the closet with your significant other or unattached individual of your choice. Fail, and your challengers get a minute, partner’s their choice. Simple enough?”

Some people in the group scratched their heads, while others nodded in agreement.

“You’ll catch on. Right. Harry, truth or dare?”

“Uh, truth?”

“Okay.” Susan grinned. “Is it true that you own a pair of Gryffindor boxer shorts?”

“False.” Harry blushed.

“That’s a lie! I saw a pair in your laundry basket just last week!” Dean interjected, nearly throwing Parvati from his lap. Ooh Ooh Harry! Caught in a lie! Dean, grab your girlie and head for the closet!” Dean and Parvati jumped from the floor and headed to the broom closet down the corridor that Lavender and Seamus had occupied just hours before.

“Right, Harry, ask away.”

“Eh… Michael. Truth or dare?”

“I’ll go with truth.” Michael crossed his arms across his chest.

“Is it true you snogged my girlfriend in the Room of Requirement last year?”

“We were goout out at the time! But the answer is yes. I did.”

Harry looked at Ginny and waited for her to object. She didn’t.

“Right, I get a minute in the closet! I pick… Luna!” Luna’s eyes nearly bugged even further out of her head. Did Michael Corner just ask her for a snog in the closet? She shakily took the hand offered her and the pair went to relieve the other couple in the closet.

“Hm, no one’s here to ask the next question. I’ll take it.” Ginny picked up the game where it was left off. “Colin, truth or dare?”

“Dare!”

“Okay Colin. Did you bring your photo album?”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t part with that thing for all the galleons in Gringotts!” He ran from the ballroom and came back moments later, clutching his beloved photo album to his chest.

“Alright, show us the dirtiest picture you’ve got in there.” Colin’s ears went bright pink. He looked at his girlfriend in horror.

“I… well… It’s a picture of…” Hannah leaned over and whispered something in his ear. His whole face went the same shade his ears were. “It’s a photo of Hannah sunbathing in Brazil these past Christmas hols. She owled it to me. She’s… well, she’s… topless.” He flipped the photo album open and showed the audience. Whistles and catcalls rang through the ballroom, and the Hufflepuffs hooted and hollered at their housemate.

“Right, I’m claiming my prize!” Hannah jumped up from the floor, dragged Colin with her, and barely contained her… enthusiasm on their way to the closet.

“Wow. Those two are nuts,” said Zacharias Smith from where he sat between Cho and Terry Boot in the corner.

“That’s nothing. You should have seen what I caught them doing over the Floo this summer.” Dennis twisted his face in disgust. “I’ll take over. Tonks. Truth or dare?”

“Dare!”

“Okay, I dare you to go down to Snape’s lab and steal his jar of shrivelfigs. Then, go into the kitchen and put them in the cookie jar.”

Tonks gave a sort of war-whoop, grabbed Neville by the hand, and dragged him out onto the balcony. He yelled his protests all the way. The pair barreled down the spiral staircase into the yard, then down the narrow stairway that led down the side of the house and into the basement. A few minutes later, the pair came backo tho the ballroom clutching a large sack.

“Phera, you sure your dad’s got enough shrivelfigs?”

“I think he’s got some sort of project planned for them.”

Tonks and Neville headed for the kitchen, deposited the shrivelfigs inside the oven instead of the cookie jar, then returned to the ballroom.

“Well, I believe it’s our go in the closet. We’ll send Colin and Hannah back to you.” Tonks dragged a blushing Neville down the corridor.

Hannah came back smoothing down her hair as Colin tried frantically to rub some pink lipstick off his collar. The group looked at them in expectation.

“Oh, uh, right. George, truth or dare.”

“Dare.” Hermione glared at him. “Did you think I’d pick truth? I’m a prankster by trade.”

“Okay, I dare you to give Seamus a big wet sloppy kiss.”

“No can do. I’m spoken for, mate. Oh, try not to look too disappointed, Finnegan.”

“Ha! If you’ll excuse us…” Colin grabbed Hannah, who had just finished fixing her hair, by the hand and dragged her back to the closet. Tonks and Neville returned looking rather disappointed at the interruption.

“That Colin’s got too much energy for anyone’s good.” Neville nodded in agreement with his girlfriend.

“Okay, Ronald. Take your pick.”

“Truth?” He said, with a severe degree of uncenty.nty.

“Have you ever cheated on a potions assignment?”

Ron gave Sephera a very apologetic look. “Don’t look at me, you weasel. It’s not my wrath you should worry about.” She grinned at him and nudged his shoulder with hers.

“Oh alright. Yeah, I have. Two weeks ago I paid off Ernie to give me a bottle of his potion to turn in.”

“That’s a lie!” Ernie bellowed from across the room.

“It is not! I was sitting right next to you!” Susan giggled at his vain attempts to defend his honor.

“Yeah okay, but I used the money to buy a self-stirring cauldron in Hogsmeade.”

“That’s a lie too!” Shouted Justin. “I saw you creep into the dormitory with an armful of butterbeer! That you didn’t share, might I add!”

Ernie was blushing furiously, not because of the objections to his lies, but because of the couple furiously snogging beside him.

“Take it to the closet, you perverts!”

Ron and Sephera stood, barely breaking lip-contact, and made their way to the closet.