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Chapter 36





Invitation to a Luau





The sixth year N.E.W.T.s class entered the Great Hall to find the tables against the walls and six benches facing the staff table. All of the participating members of the Hogwarts staff were at their places and Draco and his fellow Slytherins were standing behind Professor Snape's chair, with rather sour looks on their faces.



Anna was in front of the staff table at her place, leaning on the edge, arms crossed, staring at the floor. The students settled themselves on the benches and waited in silence. A long moment passed before she raised her head, no expression on her face. The students nodded as she made eye contact with each of them. She then looked over her shoulder at Dumbledore, who stood.



"Will each of you return the ribbons you were assigned to retrieve to the matching staff members. How about starting with you, Mister Finch-Fletchley? Also, as you hand each of the ribbon back, please inform the owners where they were acquired by you and at what time."



One by one, they gave back the signed ribbons to the rather bemused staff members, some of whom were shaking their heads, trying to figure out how it had been done so efficiently. Snape gave Potter a murderous look when Harry told him where the ribbon had been lifted from his belt.



"What about ours? Who got our ribbons?" inquired Draco, even as he glared at Harry, knowing the answer.



"Yes, who was it, Professor Twigg-Jones?" echoed Snape. "We're just shivering with anticipation to hear the names."



That comment brought a bit of a smile to Anna's face.



"I don't know the answer myself, Professor Snape, not having talked to any of the students since ten o'clock." She looked up at the class. "I've got a Galleon bet on this with Professor McGonagall, so let's hear it. Who has the Slytherin ribbons?"



Nobody moved for a few seconds, and then Harry stood and walked forward to hand Theo and Millicent their ribbons. Then, slowly, Neville stood, pulled the other two ribbons from his pocket, walked up to the staff table and handed them back to Draco and Pansy. The rest of the class jumped to their feet and cheered heartily and the staff joined in. Even Snape did a perfunctory two or three claps, and then turned and started to send the Slytherin students off to their dungeon common room.



"Wait, Professor," Dumbledore said. "They should hear where and when, also, don't you think?"



Draco and the others stopped and turned back to glare at Harry and Neville.



"Mister Potter...Mister Longbottom, location and time, please."



"Same spot where I grabbed Professor Snape's, about a minute after, as a matter of fact. We just held the ends and they walked away, leaving them dangling from our hands. Dead easy, really."



"If they hadn't been having so much fun talking and laughing, they might have felt if happen," added Neville. "Noisy lot, Slytherins; always running their mouths when they should be paying attention."



He looked at Harry, who solemnly nodded agreement. They turned and went back to their seats, while the rest of the class laughed and clapped. Draco, Pansy, Theo and Millicent had nothing to say, for once, so they turned and stalked out.



"He's got a point," Anna said over her shoulder to Snape. "Bet they didn't learn from that lesson, either."



"Probably not," he hissed back.



X # X # X



"Well," Professor Dumbledore rose and turned left and right, addressing the staff, "on behalf of Professor Twigg-Jones and her students, I would like to thank all of the staff for their participation in this exam. It was very generous of you to give a few hours of your free time this evening. I suggest we toddle off to our beds and leave these students to do a bit of celebrating." He looked over his glasses at the class, his eyes twinkling, and winked.



"Indeed," Anna turned to face her fellow staff members. "I couldn't have done this exam without all of your unselfish and generous help. Class!" She spun around. "Don't you agree?"



As one, they student s jumped to their feet and applauded the staff, who rose and returned the claps and cheers. Then the teachers headed out of the Great Hall, waving and smiling, following in Dumbledore's wake, except, of course, for Snape, who had stalked out first, ahead of them all.



After the doors had swung shut, there was a moment or two of silence, and then Anna let out a war whoop and started dancing around the dais, laughing and twirling and clapping.



"You DID it! You DID /it! You /DID it! I just knew you'd pull it off! /Well done/!!!!!"



The students came surging up to the front and she hugged each one of them, congratulating them and they were all talking at once, telling her about close calls and incidents of all sorts that had happened.

They all quieted down to hear Harry and Neville's story of Snape and the Slytherins.



"I'm impressed, you two. And, I'm just tickled pink at how well all of you did tonight. I expected nothing but success, however; I'm tickled pink none the less. And a Galleon richer; I bet Neville would get Draco's ribbon. Minerva bet on Hermione. Sorry, dear."



"That's ok," replied Hermione. "I'm glad it was Neville; taught Draco a lesson."



"Yeah, but the git won't realize that," Neville pointed out. Everyone nodded agreement.



"Oh, well, can't say you didn't try," said Professor Twigg-Jones "Now, I've a big surprise for you lot, so sit down and I'll tell you all about it."



They all looked at one another and grinning, plopped down on the floor right where they were standing.



"All of you are WAY too literal," she laughed. "Ok, here it is. Easter holiday term break starts tomorrow and I'm inviting all of you, plus Ginny, Dennis, Colin, Cho, Katie and Luna, to a party at my place next Saturday. Not in London at my townhouse; I'm having all of you out to my country house for the entire day for a pool party, cookout, movies, and other fun and games."



The kids stared open mouthed at her for a second, and then they started cheering.



"Now, here's the deal," continued Anna, holding up a hand for silence. "I have no idea if you or your families have anything already planned for that day, so this is what I've come up with."



Picking up a bag from under the staff table, she handed each of the students a plastic lei.



"I know, I know: it's simple, it's cheap, it's Muggle AND it's a Portkey. If you can come, just be ready at 9 AM next Saturday, put your lei on and you'll come straight to the party. If you can't make it because of other family plans, just send me an owl during the week and leave the lei lying on a table and it will disappear.



"You'll be going home about 11 PM, the same way. Your name is written on that little tag I attached to each lei, so we can account for everyone and you will use the same lei to get home. You'll only need to bring yourself, a bathing suit, maybe a change of clothes, suntan lotion, you know: pool party stuff. And be prepared to spend the day having fun!"



"Where's your house located?" Luna asked.



"Outside of a tiny place called Bootle Station, at the western side of the Lake District, overlooking the Irish Sea. It's actually Christopher's family's old place. We used it as often as I could drag him away from his work. It's filled with Muggle do-dads: computers, stereo system, billiard tables, pinball machines, video games, big screen TV with a well stocked video library and of course, the pool, which is in a huge greenhouse attached to the converted barn.



"Outside there's a big patio, bar-b-que pit and picnic tables, croquet lawn. We were considering turning the property over to St. Mungo's as a rest and rehab center, but he died before those plans were completed. I still may do that, someday. But next Saturday, it's all yours!" She beamed around at them. "Winky and I'll be down there this week getting everything ready. So, let's hear...what do you all want to eat?"



The next few minutes were spent planning the menu and finding out more from Anna about Briarwood Manor.



"It's been in Christopher's family for six generations, but Gwen, my step-daughter, doesn't like it much, 'too big by half and slightly frumpy', she says; the house, not the barn. She likes to stay in the 'little lodge'; that's another, smaller house, hidden way back in the woods on the property. Plus, she likes the idea of St Mungo's putting it to good use all the time, instead of it sitting idle."



"How about leaving it to Hogwarts, as a weekend retreat for the students? Sounds like a lot more fun than Hogsmeade!" Ron ventured, with several students seconding his proposal.



"I'm not crazy enough to have the whole school down to visit. Well, maybe a graduation party for the seventh years. Hmmm, I'll have to think about that! Oh, dear," she gasped, checking her watch, "it's really late! You all have to catch the Express tomorrow morning, so let's set the tables and benches back in place, ready for breakfast, shall we?"



The Great Hall was soon back to normal.



"That's done. Ok, gang, it's off to bed with you!" Anna pointed to the door and the class started heading for their dorms, waving goodbyes as they split off in different hallways and up the ever shifting staircases.



X # X # X



Anna leaned on the railing and gazed out at the Irish Sea, sparkling in the morning sun. As she took a sip from her steaming mug of coffee, she heard footsteps on the graveled garden path behind her. Remus Lupin stepped up into the gazebo and walked over to join her.



"What a magnificent view, Anna. No wonder you and Christopher loved spending time down here."



"Yes, we did have some lovely visits, and it was almost as hard to get Christopher back to London, away from his gardens, as is was to get him away from his research in the first place, to come /here/," she laughed. Looking at her watch, she took a deep breath. "Ready?"



"Sure. This will be fun. Shall we get back to the front terrace to welcome them properly," asked Remus, offering his arm.



"Why, thank you, kind sir." Anna linked her arm with his and they strolled back to the front of the manor house, then turned and faced the stretch of lawn at the edge of the drive.



"It's going to be a beautiful day. You really know how to pick them, Anna."



"I've got nothing to do with the weather. I'm good, but not that good."



"You were up extra early, though, I noticed," Remus remarked, smiling. "Afraid you might miss something?"



"Oh, be quiet. I made a promise to myself to be out here when they started to arrive. I almost slept on a chaise lounge, right on this very spot, but thought better of it. My luck, I'd have awakened to find the entire bunch of them standing over me, watching me drool on the pillow."



"Oh, now /there's /a picture," Remus grimaced, and then glancing at this watch, he looked out to the grass strip before them. "Any second now."



Out on the lawn, there was a series of pops and the members of the original D.A. appeared on the lawn, individually or, as in the case of Ron, Ginny and Luna, in small groups, leis around their necks, duffle bags or beach bags over their shoulders and smiles on their faces.



"Hello, everyone!" Anna called. "Welcome to Briarwood Manor!"



"Remus! Great to see you!" Harry bounded up the stairs to the terrace and gave his friend a hug. "How's everything in London?" he asked, with a grin and a wink.



"We're getting along just fine. Thanks for asking." Remus smiled back, turning slightly red.



"Hello, Professor!" "Hey Anna!" "Professor Lupin!" "How are you?" "Cool house!" "Everyone here?"



It was a bit confusing for a few minutes as everyone was talking at once, greeting each other and looking around.



"Come in everyone." Anna led the way to the front door and opened it to usher them into the main hallway.



"Oh, Anna, this is lovely," Hermione exclaimed, spinning around to take it all in.



The hallway ran straight through the house, with doors opening of either side, leading into a sitting room on the right and a strangely familiar study on the left.



"Is this," Justin asked, "the room in your husband's painting?"



"Yes, with a few additions of odds and ends from our London house. Come on through, everyone."



The group passed the graceful stairway, rising from the center of the hall, which had a center landing, from which two sets of stairs split off to the two upstairs hallways where the bedrooms were located. As they passed the stairs they saw a billiard room on the left and a large dining room on the right. Anna then headed down a back hallway to a side door that opened onto a covered walkway leading to a small vine covered pergola.



From there the class got their first glimpse of 'the barn'; a huge old stone edifice with an equally large greenhouse attached to the far end. Hanging baskets of flowers and greenery and sparkling sunlight reflecting off of the surface of the pool were visible through the glass. A side door to the barn opened and Winky stepped out, waving and smiling. With whoops and shouts, the kids broke into a run across the lawn, heading straight for the door. Flashing neon lights and music could be seen and heard, even from the pergola.



"Changing rooms are on both sides of the door to the pool!" Anna shouted after them, then shaking her head, she and Remus crossed the lawn to join the fun.



As they arrived in the barn and walked to the door of the pool area, Ron Weasley was flying off the diving board to execute a massive cannonball.



"COWABUNGA!" SPLASH!



The girls squealed and the guys laughed and jumped in to join him. Anna suspected that most had been wearing their bathing suits under their shorts and t-shirts; the quicker to get into the pool.



Putting his arm around Anna's shoulder, Remus gave her a squeeze.



"It's really special of you to do this for the kids, Anna."



"I do have an ulterior motive, unfortunately, besides having fun on spring break," she confided. "I want them to have one good memory to carry with them, Remus. One good 'remember when' to talk about - please God - when they're as old as you and me. We have damn few of them ourselves and too few people to remember with us. Hopefully, with some training and a little luck, this lot will get through this war mostly intact and fairly healthy."



Remus gave her shoulder another squeeze and kissed her cheek.



"From your mouth to God's ear, Anna."



Then he picked her up in his arms and jumped into the pool, with Anna screaming blue bloody murder. Surfacing, laughing and sputtering, they joined in the fun.

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