Moonette's Birthday Magical Mystery Tour Bus Tour I
Ginny Potter stepped away from the Floo Connection and wondered why she had agreed to drive a group of tourists anywhere they wanted to go on the Magical Mystery Tour Bus. She was only doing it as a favor for her mum's friend, grandma_kate. It wasn't that Grandma Kate wasn't a nice old lady, but Ginny was beginning to have doubts about the rest of the passengers, as described to her in far too much detail by her mother. Until last week, she hadn't even known that her mother (and occasionally her father), had been going on jaunts to celebrate the birthdays of a loosely connected group of witches and Muggles, most of whom write stories about Harry and her and their friends. Mum had said that they usually used Portkeys to get to the site of the party, but that Kate Wallace had insisted that the journey was the very foundation of the adventure. Then Kate had convinced her mother that her only daughter was the only qualified tour bus driver trustworthy enough to Apparate this festive group around.
When Kate had Floo Called to make the final arrangements for the weekend, she promised that the guest list included experienced relief drivers. She also suggested that Ginny bring her Firebolt along because they were going to play Quidditch during the Hogwarts leg of the trip. As a special incentive, she had also promised Ginny a proper High Tea at a reputable Muggle establishment when they returned to London. She said that it would include an enormous chocolate cake. Ginny was hooked because everyone knew that she did love chocolate.
So, here she was, about to put on the Magical Mystery Tour Bus driver's hat and Apparate the bus to the convenient alley next to Kings Cross station. Mum, Kate, Nic Meath, two of his grandchildren, and a friend of theirs were going to meet her there and vouch for the rest of the people who were taking the tour. Kate said that Nic's granddaughter's boyfriend was Oliver Wood, who had ben the captain of Harry's first Quidditch team. Ginny remembered Oliver and had been in the same class with Sara Meath. She wondered if that dishy Dom Meath, the former Puddlemere player, was the other grandchild.
The whole trip was in honour of the birthday of a woman named moonette1. Her Very Good, Very Close Personal Friend was Oliver's uncle. Both the birthday girl and her VGVCPF were Healers. Kate hinted that that having a couple of Healers was essential to the success of the trip. Ginny, nevertheless, packed the emergency first aid kit.
Before she left for Kings Cross, Ginny attached the requested extra carrier to the top of the bus. Surely, Kate hadn't said that there would be 300 well-oiled Spartans (complete with armor) riding in the third class seats up there. Apparently they were some sort of combination honour guard and personal recyclers that were magically bound to the birthday girl. Last of all, Ginny levitated the bar with the initials 'A.P.W.P.D.' engraved on a brass plate onto the bus and set it up in the back row. Whoever had sent it had enchanted the liquor compartment, mahogany bar complete with brass rail, and padded bar stools with very strong spells. Ginny packed a big jug of Sobering Potions.
Another thing that puzzled Ginny was the guest list. She'd never driven a party that included royalty. The birthday girl was a Grand Duchess. The Queen of Fluff had an entire section, reserved for people properly attired in turtlenecks. Much to Ginny's surprise, several of her brothers and doppelgangers that resembled them except for eye colour, were also expected. Why would any of her brothers want to ride around the British Isles on a weekend? Perhaps they had been promised that they could play Quidditch on the Hogwarts pitch. Sure enough, Hogwarts was listed as the first stop, followed by the Isle of Lewis. The destination list seemed to change every time she looked at it, but the bus could Apparate anywhere.
It was always a good idea to be prompt when transporting new witches, wizards, and Muggles, so Ginny was determined to arrive early at the appointed meeting place.
When Kate had Floo Called to make the final arrangements for the weekend, she promised that the guest list included experienced relief drivers. She also suggested that Ginny bring her Firebolt along because they were going to play Quidditch during the Hogwarts leg of the trip. As a special incentive, she had also promised Ginny a proper High Tea at a reputable Muggle establishment when they returned to London. She said that it would include an enormous chocolate cake. Ginny was hooked because everyone knew that she did love chocolate.
So, here she was, about to put on the Magical Mystery Tour Bus driver's hat and Apparate the bus to the convenient alley next to Kings Cross station. Mum, Kate, Nic Meath, two of his grandchildren, and a friend of theirs were going to meet her there and vouch for the rest of the people who were taking the tour. Kate said that Nic's granddaughter's boyfriend was Oliver Wood, who had ben the captain of Harry's first Quidditch team. Ginny remembered Oliver and had been in the same class with Sara Meath. She wondered if that dishy Dom Meath, the former Puddlemere player, was the other grandchild.
The whole trip was in honour of the birthday of a woman named moonette1. Her Very Good, Very Close Personal Friend was Oliver's uncle. Both the birthday girl and her VGVCPF were Healers. Kate hinted that that having a couple of Healers was essential to the success of the trip. Ginny, nevertheless, packed the emergency first aid kit.
Before she left for Kings Cross, Ginny attached the requested extra carrier to the top of the bus. Surely, Kate hadn't said that there would be 300 well-oiled Spartans (complete with armor) riding in the third class seats up there. Apparently they were some sort of combination honour guard and personal recyclers that were magically bound to the birthday girl. Last of all, Ginny levitated the bar with the initials 'A.P.W.P.D.' engraved on a brass plate onto the bus and set it up in the back row. Whoever had sent it had enchanted the liquor compartment, mahogany bar complete with brass rail, and padded bar stools with very strong spells. Ginny packed a big jug of Sobering Potions.
Another thing that puzzled Ginny was the guest list. She'd never driven a party that included royalty. The birthday girl was a Grand Duchess. The Queen of Fluff had an entire section, reserved for people properly attired in turtlenecks. Much to Ginny's surprise, several of her brothers and doppelgangers that resembled them except for eye colour, were also expected. Why would any of her brothers want to ride around the British Isles on a weekend? Perhaps they had been promised that they could play Quidditch on the Hogwarts pitch. Sure enough, Hogwarts was listed as the first stop, followed by the Isle of Lewis. The destination list seemed to change every time she looked at it, but the bus could Apparate anywhere.
It was always a good idea to be prompt when transporting new witches, wizards, and Muggles, so Ginny was determined to arrive early at the appointed meeting place.