RP: Picnic, Party, Pig?

[rar_bill]

Date: 27 August 1998
Characters: Bill and Fleur Weasley and EVERYONE (please add tag as you arrive)
Location: Shell Cottage
Status: Primarily Public
Summary: The picnic has arrived.
Completion: InComplete

If Bill had know that it would take all day to roast a pig, he'd have conscripted some help after the Quidditch match yesterday to dig the pit. As

Comments

[rar_fleur]

Fleur had been up very early. She was slightly vexed that Bill had wanted to roast a pig but had not bothered to dig the pit yesterday as she asked. She sent him out to get to work with a little admonishment. "Zere is nozzing to make up for 'ad you done it when I say, but I love you and will make eet up to you anyway because zen I can 'ave my wicked way with you," she told him when he began to sulk. She did not tell him that she already changed the pig so that it would roast faster by cracking the spine.

She was well prepared and had all of the other food prepared except for the potato salad. Fleur had gotten wrapped up in other things last evening and decided it leave it for today since Molly offered to bring some too. She fed her husband a sandwich while she finished her preparations, but Bill had other ideas. Fortunately, they had time for a shower before the guests arrived. It was also fortunate that there had been little time for him to growl over her choice of bathing suit for the picnic. She wrapped a light sarong around her

[rar_molly]

Molly apparated to Shell Cottage with a pop, adjusting her wide-brimmed sunhat. She checked over the potato salad and flowers that she was carrying and made sure that she hadn't splinched anything. Then she stepped out of the way as Charlie apparated in with a slightly louder pop. He was laden down with food, blankets, drinks, a wireless, and anything else Molly thought they might possibly need for the picnic.

"Thank you, love," Molly said, kissing her son on the cheek, "you can run along to Andromeda's now." She looked at him fondly as he disapparated. She was very much looking forward to seeing Andromeda and little Teddy again, and she was pleased Charlie had asked them along.

Molly took out her wand and flicked it at the packages so they floated along behind her as she walked over to the cottage. She knocked on the door and then stuck her head inside.

"Bill? Fleur? It's Mum!"

[rar_fleur]

"I am in ze kitchen, Mama," Fleur called out. Normally she would have gone to greet her guest but she was just taking something out of the oven.

Fleur smiled as Molly entered with an arm full of things. "Oh, anozzer wireless. Zis is good. We can have one for ze beach alzo. Bill is in ze yard in back."

[rar_molly]

Molly made her way back to the kitchen, her little trail of packages bouncing along happily behind her.

"Hello Fleur," she said, and waited until Fleur was free before hugging and kissing her daughter-in-law hello. "Yes, I wasn't sure if you needed extra. I also brought some more potato salad, but ah," she caught sight of the large bowl on the counter, "I see you had no trouble at all. Excellent. Well, it's always handy to have around for leftovers. Arthur enjoys it in his lunches," Molly added.

"Is the food all going to be outside then? I'll go take this out to Bill," and with another kiss, Molly was headed back outdoors in search of her eldest, her packages floating merrily behind her.

[rar_bill]

Bill had just taken an ice chest of butterbeer down to the beach for later when he saw his mum making her way through the chairs and blankets set out. He hurried to help her, and they unloaded on the tables by the house, already starting to fill with food.

"Morning." He said, dropping a kiss on her cheek. "Glad you could make it." He gestured to the tables and blankets. "Pick wherever to set up for the afternoon."

He gave his mum a hug once she was unencumbered. "Think Dad'll be along later?" He'd need a buffer if he started grinning like an idiot and mum started guessing.

[rar_eloise]

Eloise had followed Fleur's instructions in her owl and had given them to Anthony as well. She'd been looking forward to the idea of a picnic, even if she didn't know Fleur well, she liked what she did know. And of course she knew some of the other Weasleys as well. She'd even gone ahead and bought a bathing suit for the occasion, realizing it had been more then a year since she'd gone to the sea. The suit was red, her favorite color, and it came down in the back to cover her scars. She didn't want them showing, not so much because she was embarrassed, but because it was just another reminder of all they were trying to forget.

When they appeared outside the house, she looked around, frowning down at her watch. She'd come at the suggested time, but it would seem noone else was around. She had a basket of biscuits in her free hand and she weighed it self-consciously as she looked over at Anthony. "I thought I had the right day."

[rar_anthony]

Anthony hadn't been swimming in ages and he was looking forward to it. Even if he likely wouldn't know a lot of people there. Honestly, he was a bit surprised that Eloise had asked him along since she'd received the invitation. He was happy that she had though.

He adjusted his bag, filled with towels and dry clothes and other things they might need, on his shoulder and shrugged. "Not everyone is as obsessed with being punctual as we are, yeah?" he said with a smile. It smelled like salt and sun and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Do you want to go in and drop off the biscuits?" he asked. He, however, was dying to get his feet in the sea. So much so that he was already wearing his swimming trunks (in Ravenclaw blue with large white flowers on them) and a T shirt.

[rar_eloise]

Eloise looked over at him and then smiled. "Yeah, we should. Maybe there's tables in the back?"

The two of them made their way to the front door and Eloise knocked briskly. From the back of the house she could smell something cooking and she wondered if they should just make their way around to the back.

"Do you think we should go around?" she asked, looking at Anthony over her shoulder. He looked so excited to be here and it made her feel a wave of fondness for him.

[rar_harry]

Harry had been looking forward to this picnic all week. It had been his birthday since he'd seen all the Weasleys together, and he knew there would be lots of other friends in attendance, as well. It would also be great to get some sun and some time on the beach, which he knew was beautiful. He was looking forward to getting in the water. It might have been a bit cloudy, but it was warm. He'd gone to London on Monday, since he'd not had any trunks, and bought a pair of blue and white board shorts, which he'd worn today with a white tank top undershirt, so hopefully there wouldn't be a formal portion of the picnic because he'd have been quite under-dressed.

Kreacher had made a chocolate cake as well as some cut veggies with this dip that had been quite good when Harry had snuck a taste after breakfast. Harry was carrying the parcels as they arrived at the cottage and approached the front door. There didn't seem to be a lot of people yet, so he knew they'd not been very late.

[rar_hermione]

After the Quidditch match yesterday, Hermione's anticipation for the picnic had faded quickly. Her conversation with Malfoy had set her on edge, and she'd eventually found a quiet spot to hide until they were finished playing. This wouldn't be the same, of course, so she told herself to stop being anxious. Shell Cottage had been a refuge during a horrible few months, so she knew it was safe there.

When they arrived, she shifted her bag on her shoulder and picked at a button hole on the shirt she'd worn over her new bathing suit. It didn't really need a cover-up, but she'd felt uncomfortable until she'd put on a pair of cotton shorts and the white shirt. She didn't button the shirt, since she knew she'd take it off once she was settled on the beach and ready to swim, but it still provided some comfort when she felt nervous.

[rar_fleur]

Fleur opened the door to fix a note to it that if no one answered to walk around the left side to the back for the picnic and saw her friends. She thought Hermione looked a little uncomfortable, but she assumed it had been a rough couple of weeks for her. Fleur felt she should have checked on her last week but she had been so caught up with her agency and planning for today that she had neglected her friend. "Bon jour! I was just putting up a leetle note to go around ze back. Oh, thank you for bringing theengs. 'ow are you?"

[rar_ron]

"We're good," Ron squeaked, feeling a little faint as the door burst open to show Fleur in a suit that was worlds apart from the one Hermione had chosen. He blinked a few times, rather harder than normal, and shook his head while she greeted Harry and Hermione.

"Sorry," he grinned, a little sheepishly. "You startled me." Ron, swim trunks and spare t-shirt tucked carefully under his arm - to avoid turning the day into a fiasco if Mum were to see his shoulder - held out the blanket and dark green umbrella that had been found at Grimmauld and enlarged to a beachier size even if the color had only been lightened a little. "Where d'you want these sort of things?"

[rar_charlie]

Charlie was dressed rather unformally, but that didn't stop him straightening up his shirt before his mother gave him a fond kiss. He smiled at her. "Won't be long."

Clothes finally sorted, he checked his watch to make sure he was neither too early nor too late, furtively stole a summer lily from Fleur's beautifully kept garden, and apparated straight to Andromeda's front door to fetch her and Teddy.

[rar_andromeda]

This would be Teddy's first trip to the sea. While Andy disliked swimming in the ocean, she did enjoy listening to the waves and enjoying the sun. It had been ages since she'd been, not since she and Ted went on holiday in France a few years ago, so she was looking forward to the picnic.

After she put a fresh nappy on Teddy, she got him dressed and then worried about herself. It didn't take long to put on her bathing suit, after all, and her cover-up was even easier. She brushed her hair, slipped on her sandals, and packed a bag with extra clothes for Teddy, in case he splashed in the water, and a pair of linen trousers for herself if it got cooler later.

She finished getting ready just minutes before she heard a knock on the door. "Are you ready to see the ocean, dear?" she asked Teddy, who simply laughed and kicked his foot towards her. She kissed his forehead and situated him in her arms before she went to open the door. "Good afternoon, Charles. Shall we go?"

[rar_charlie]

"Flower," he said, and presented it to her. "You look...ah..."

Surprisingly womanly, was the answer.

It took a great effort to speak again after that. "May I take your bag?"

When she gave it to him, he drew his wand again, moving to the end of the path. He offered his arm towards her. "Hold on tight to Teddy," he warned, "Just in case my aim is off."

He waited just a moment and then tugged away, apparating back to Shell Cottage, and landing them a foot deep in seawater. "Oops...sorry about that," he apologised, and lifted up one of his feet. Wet boots, and wet jeans.

[rar_andromeda]

She took the flower and arched a brow when he said she looked and failed to complete the sentence. She frowned slightly and put the flower down before she handed him her bag. "Yes, you can. Thank you."

After she closed the door, she and Teddy followed him to the end of the path. She took his arm and held on to Teddy, waiting for the familiar pull of Apparation. They arrived in the water, and she quickly moved out of it.

"There's no need to apologize, Charles." She looked around and shifted Teddy. There were already people around, and it was a very pretty spot. Turning back to Charlie, she smiled. "I think finding a spot and sitting down would be best. You don't have to look after us, if you'd rather swim or frolic with other young people."