𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐭𝐡 | 𝓱.𝓹. 𝓼𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻

𝙭𝙫𝙞𝙞.

"Bella, if I have to hear your stupid acronym argument one more time..." Ginny threatened, not having to finish her sentence before turning her attention to her brothers. "And the two of you better not even think about joining! We're really only doing it to placate Hermione – the only house elf who questions his welfare is Dobby, and he's being paid now!"

"I am absolutely aghast at that assumption, Ginevra," Bella placed a hand over her heart dramatically. "I don't know about you, but I take my duties very seriously as an officer in this organization, and I care deeply about the promotion of Elfish Welfare."

She paused for a moment, furrowing her eyebrows at her own words, gathering her thoughts before she continued. "And, seriously, they're all brainwashed! Just because this is the way things have always been doesn't mean it's the way things should have always been."

Ginny just shook her head, ignoring Bella's sincerity for the most part, her attention mainly focused on the twins, who seemed interested, if only to spite their sister. "I swear if you two–"

"We're in," they interrupted in unison, grinning whole-heartedly. "How exactly do we join?"

"There's a two-sickle membership fee, and then you get a badge," Bella told them, surprising herself with her excitement – perhaps she was more passionate about this than she thought. "I don't mind paying for the two of you though, since you've recently come into hardship regarding your finances."

Ginny furrowed her brows. "Hardship?"

"Don't worry about it, dear sister," George said quickly, patting her on the head, then gave the password to the Fat Lady, and they all became distracted by the task of handing food through the portrait hole before they could all climb through.

Luckily, they'd made it back before Harry, so they were able to contribute to the setup process and admire the posters that Dean Thomas had been able to draw rather quickly before Harry got back. Of course, once he did, the party was immediately in full swing.

Lee had set off Filibuster's Fireworks, and after some much needed pleading from Ginny and Bella, he got out his enchanted radio, which was much better than the one they'd been using for Open Mic Night, so the air was thick with smoke and the sound of the Weird Sisters, and everyone was eating and drinking and laughing and dancing, and Bella was having so much fun that, for one, she didn't feel it necessary to try to get a word in with Harry.

She didn't even care when Harry opened his egg and it began shrieking. She found the whole thing rather funny, which apparently was the wrong response, as Neville thought it sounded like someone being Crucio'd.

"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," George told him in response. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing... maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower, Harry."

Ginny nodded vigorously in agreement next to Bella, and a quick look at her friend told Bella she might have had one too many firewhiskies. Bella couldn't really judge, though – it was very possible she was in the same boat.

"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" she heard a voice next to her, and jumped at the sight of Fred on her side. When had he gotten there?

He seemed to notice, because he laughed at her before Hermione could answer. "Careful, Bells, it'd be quite embarrassing for you to topple over right now."

"Shut up, Fred."

"Did you lot get all these from the kitchens?" Hermione asked as she cautiously took a treacle tart, and Fred and Bella both nodded.

"How do you get in there?" Hermione asked, and Bella had to stifle a giggle at the way she tried to sound casual about it.

"Easy – concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and –" he stopped, seeming to suddenly realise that she might have ulterior motives. "Why?"