Just because we're criminals, doesn't mean we can't party.

It was three o'clock in the morning and everyone was asleep, Jack presumed. But they would not soon be. She had 'modified' some scrolls to roll across the house to the designated rooms, squeeze under the door, and beat the occupant's over the head until they woke up, unrolled the scroll, and read the message she had printed out. She had only sent it to those she thought would be up for it - Chase, Teddy, James, Lorcan, and even Lenora, even though Jack didn't know the woman very well. Basically, she had invited the young ones. The message was simple, scrawled over the tightly rolled parchment in her messy handwriting:

Meet Downstairs!
ASAP.
There may even be cake.
Our little boy is a little man.

She was now downstairs, dressed for the evening's, well, morning's plans. She had a nice little sack of money that she was stowing away into her knapsack; she would not admit where she had gotten it from, so she hoped no one would ask. She had even sent an owl to the infamous Charlie Dursley, thinking it wise to invite him to his own cousin's birthday celebration. Now it was time to wait to see who would show up today.

Teddy shuffled into the room, yawning. He was still in his pajamas, and he looked decidedly disheveled.

"R-r-really, Jack?" he asked, stifling a yawn with one hand, "You feel the need to celebrate 'lil James' birthday at 3 o'clock in the morning?"

Teddy regarded Jack with his half-closed eyes, the dark circles of sleep still quite visible. He would need to wake up quick. Being a half-asleep Teddy Lupin within the company of Jackles was a dangerous thing to be.

Jack grinned at Teddy, glad to see she had disrupted his sleep. Jack was always glad to be the cause of a disruption, and even now, at the forefront of war, she liked to see her friends irritated by her antics.

"Of course I do! I want to be true to his birthday, to the minute." She paused. "Oh wait. It's Chase that was born at three in the morning. James was like four in the afternoon. Ah well. Invitations already went out."

Heh. Jack made no accidents.

"Chipper up before Cinderella descends upon us. You know he'll be cranky until he gets his crown."

Lorcan and Lysander were both awoken in the dead of night in quite an excitable manner. While Lorcan wrestled with the object attacking him, Lysander hastily groped for his wand.

"Is it a Peruvian Diamondback Scuttlebug?!" Lysander whispered excitedly as he lit his wand.

Disappointment reflected on both men's faces when it was quickly discovered that instead of being assaulted by such a magnificent creature as a Peruvian Diamondback Scuttlebug, they had been attacked by a pair of tightly rolled pieces of parchment.

"Well, perhaps it is a secret message from the Unspeakable Ultima," Lorcan suggested consolingly to his twin as he untied the scroll, "After all, we were able to give them the slip on our way to the Manor recently. Perhaps they have use of our skills."

Lorcan unrolled the parchment, his eyes scanning the document. He sighed as he set it down on the bed, looking at Lysander with a face full of regret.

"...or perhaps not," he confessed, his voice heavy with disappointment, "It is merely a summons to celebrate James' birthday."

"Well," Lysander mused.... excitement yet again growing in his voice, "you know that wrackspurts are attracted to excitement and energy!"

"and these are things which would be generated at a party," Lorcan added, his own excitement building.

"What's better....they are most active in the early morning and evening!" Lysander finished with a shout, pumping his fist in the air.

"I'll get the Spectrespecs!" Lorcan said hurriedly, hopping off his bed and wrenching open his closet.

Both men dressed quickly, then armed with their Spectrespecs, they rushed downstairs where Jack and Ted were already waiting.

"Little boy?" James asked crossly as he shuffled into the room.

James froze in the entryway, staring at Lorcan and Lysander. Finally deciding it was better not to ask, James ignored the twins and turned his attention back to Jack.

"Is my birthday really that important that you felt the need to wake us all up at 3 am in the morning?" James asked a bit waspishly, "It's not like we can just waltz into the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, you know."

And in walked the devil himself. "Why it's the belle of the ball!" Jack announced, fishing around in her knapsack before withdrawing a glittery, plastic, cheap crown. She approached and put it on his head in a swift motion, hoping he didn't get a full glimpse of it before it landed on his head.

He brought up what she supposed he had thought to be a clever little point. But Jack was prepared. "It's okay! I thought of that. Hang on." She once again rifled through her bag, pulled something out, and immediately reached up, pushing it onto James' face.

Yes. She had just put a fake mustache on him.

"And I know what you're thinking, but I'm one step ahead of you!" She began to turn over the contents of her bag again, dipping her head. She paused, and when she lifted her head, she had a mustache of her own. "See?"

James looked to Teddy hopefully, but if he had hoped to be saved by his brother, he found himself dead wrong. Teddy took one look at James and burst out laughing.

Not amused, James tugged at the mustache fervently, but it refused to budge....which only made Teddy laugh harder.

"D'you really expect these mustaches to disguise us?!" James asked between tugs.

Jack rolled her eyes, finding that this responsible James was a real kill joy. "We're going to a muggle bar. Look, we're young and full of a need to go crazy. One last hurrah before it's impossible. Besides, it'll be an excuse to chat with locals and see if the muggles have noticed a change."

She looked at Teddy, openly asking, "Did that sound like a good excuse? I pulled that one right out of my ass."

((lmao! DRACO!!!! What're ya doing in here?!))

Teddy grinned at Jack, flashing that smile which made the girls' knees go weak.

"Sounded good enough to me!" he said, marching up to James and catching him up in one arm, "C'mon mate! We can't just sit here and feel sorry for ourselves for the rest of our lives! We need a bit of excitement in our lives! A bit of action.....a bit of mmmmmmmmruph! Alcohol!"

James gave a reluctant grin and sighed. He was beat.

"Just remember to be careful with consuming too much," Lorcan chimed in, his voice sincere, "The Bavarian Swallow of Antioch consumes those of extreme drunkeness...."

At this, James gave out the first laugh he had uttered in weeks. Teddy grinned even wider at this, tipping Jack a quick wink.

((After we've had our fun....I think I'm gonna finally introduce Morrigan to the roleplay. She's gonna crash the party. I'm gonna look up and see if it was a full moon on the night of James' birthday....))

((my words exactly))

Jack's knees were unaffected as Teddy smirked back at her, for she had often shared such grins with him when they taunted their dear friend. She swelled a bit with approval as Teddy swooped to James, surely driving away any lingering doubts in the Potter boy's usually impulsive mind.

It took one look at James to see she had won. As usual.

Lorcan was quick to chime in, which incited a swift reaction of mirth. Jack ruffled Lorcan's hair, responding, "It's okay, Lorc. The Bavarian Swallow and I go waaaaay back. He's been trying to swallow me his whole life."

((I approve. It wouldn't be a proper night out if they didn't face some sort of evil at the end of it.))

Lorcan's eyes widened, and he grasped Jack suddenly by the shoulders, swinging her around to face him. His eyes were weirdly distorted by the Spectrespecs.

"You have survived an attack by the Bavarian Swallow of Antioch?!" he breathed, astonished, "You must tell us every detail! Lysander and I have never had the fortune to meet with the legendary beast!"

"Did you conjure a series of flowering shrubberies to keep the beast at bay?" Lysander asked from behind his brother, peeking over Lorcan's shoulder to look at Jack as though he had never seen her before, "Legend tells that if confronted by the Bavarian Swallow of Antioch, you need only to present it with an offering of a flowering shrubbery. This will calm the beast and he will allow you to pass by him, keeping your life."

Teddy and James were doubled over in silent laughter, their arms clapped around each other's shoulders. It was hard to remember to be gloomy when the twins were spouting their tales fed to them by their mother.

((BTW, I'm just gonna edit Lorcan's application to include Lysander. I'll just own both characters. I have fun writing for both of them.))

((Sounds good. You play them both so well, too, I think you really have to XD ))

Jack knew people thought humoring the Scamander twins was somehow cruel, but Jack always made sure to make her tales sincere and as true to their imaginations as possible. She was not teasing them, she was giving them hope. And she always had a good story for them.

She approached them, her face lighting up with the story as she locked eyes with one twin, then the other. "At first, I was terrified. But you two told me all about the scoundrel a few years back and I was lucky enough to remember. I transfigured a nearby bench into a hedge of roses. You'll never believe the noise he made! It was like a..." she hunched her back, curling her head up, and began making a strange, grunting noise. "Ha-ooh. Ha-ooh. Leeeeeeeeeeeee," she let a shrill cry raise up before she dropped back. "Ha-ooh!"

Loud footsteps could be heard thundering down the stairs and Curtis appeared seconds later, his wand held aloft in a defensive position. When he saw who was grouped in the entrance-way; however, Curtis lowered his wand, looking annoyed.

"What the bloody hell are you lot doing down here at near 4 in the morning?" he growled, shoving his wand back into his sleepwear, "I thought it was the damn caterwauling charm going off down here. Who was making all that racket?"

Curtis may have entered, but Jack had not quite entered. He was shouting something, but she was in the middle of another hearty, "Ha-OOOOH." She looked up to realize a change in her company and slowly turned, straightening up from her hunched position.

She grinned, beginning to feel foolish, but Jack refused to believe she was embarrassed. She was never embarrassed. "Sorry about that. Just doing a brief demo for the twins here. We're... We're celebrating James' birthday. We already discussed safety measures and whatnot so, don't worry about us. We'll probably be out pretty late, you probably want to get your sleep." She turned to the others, adding, "We'd probably better get going."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Curtis asked, a bit concerned, "What with the entire wizarding world looking for you....."

Curtis trailed off as he noted the mustache on Jack's and James' face. He allowed himself a small smile.

"Well," he added, "I suppose I don't want to be the party pooper here. Can't stay cooped up in here forever."

He stared at Jack, attempting to trap her eyes in his stare.

"Just be careful," he warned, speaking mostly to Jack, "and send a patronus should you fall into trouble. I'll apparate straight away to help....even if it means disabling the anti-apparation jinx momentarily."

Curtis smiled, forcing his expression to relax.

"You kids have fun," he said as he turned to climb back up the stairs, waving one hand in dismissal.

Jack was so prepared to respond to Curtis, but his eyes traveled down to the mustaches and he seemed to lighten up. Surprising, since Jack thought the mustaches, if anything, proved how ill-prepared this plot was.

He gave them his blessing but then locked eyes with her, informing her on how to handle any dangerous situation that may arise. Why he addressed her, she could only guess. Perhaps because she looked like the ringleader of this ploy. She raised a hand to her brow and said, "Aye, aye, captain."

He forced a smile and turned to leave, suddenly looking very alone on his solitary trek back up the stairs. She forced herself to turn back to the group. "What are you lot looking at? Let's go!"

They shuffled out the door, Jack pushing them all from behind, promising the twins to continue her story at the bar. As the door closed behind them, Jack glanced behind her, still managing to spot Curtis walking upstairs. She faced forward and then closed the door. The boys turned to her, as she was the one that knew where they were headed. She paused, chewing her lip, and then said, "Hang on, I forgot something."

She dashed back inside, running up the stairs and calling, "Hey!" She stood a few stairs down from Curtis. "Um... Instead of waiting around for us to get in trouble since, you know, they're idiots, why don;t you just... come with us?" She shrugged. "If you don't mind babysitting late."

"Can't say I've ever been a very good babysitter," Curtis replied, smiling slightly, "but I would be more than delighted to accompany you for your celebrations. Just need to get...."

Curtis waved his wand, transfiguring his pajamas into a casual sporting jacket and jeans. With another wave, he conjured a mustache of his own, twirling the ends around his wand tip, so that they curved ever so elegantly.

"...dressed," Curt finished, then descended down the stairs to follow Jack and the boys.

Jack grinned to see him on board and felt a weight lift off of her. It was actually kind of interesting, having Curtis come along. He was pretty interesting, really - not that she would admit that to him. Merlin forbid she seem like an agreeable person.

She clapped her hands together, and said, "Well, then! Off we go." She turned and strode out the door, leaving it open for Curtis. She announced to the group, "You can stop your crying, I've returned. I'm dragging the old man with us to teach us ancient drinking games. We ready? Right. Let's go." She pushed her way through the group and began walking to their destination. Fortunately, it wasn't too far off.

"Right!" Teddy exclaimed as he jogged up next to Jack, "One question, though....the idea is not to attract attention, right? Well, what do we do about them?"

Teddy jerked his thumb towards the twins, who were currently looking extremely conspicuous in their spectrespecs as they glowed faintly in the darkness.

"Why?" Lorcan asked with an air of astonishment, "Is there something wrong with them?"

Jack glanced back at the twins, briefly sizing them up. Jack knew there was no way her group could go to a muggle bar and not attract attention. She was just hoping they managed to get there safely. Her plan was to sneak off and put a few protective spells up once in the bar. But there was something distinctly magical about the Spectrospecs.

She paused, turning. "Nothing wrong with them. But you know muggles. If they suspect something out of the ordinary, and then they panic. And you know what is likely to attack if a crowd panics..." She trailed off because she had no idea what sort of creature attacked when panic was dominant, but she trusted the boys knew of one.

Lysander gasped and looked to Lorcan wide-eyed.

"Glasses off, I think," Lorcan said regrettably, "we'll have to see the wrackspurts some other time...."

Lysander and Lorcan removed their spectrespecs, and stowed them away inside their coats. They held hands, peering a bit fearfully (yet obviously a bit excited) around, as though they expected some fearsome creature to pounce suddenly out at them.

"Remember!" Teddy reminded them with a smirk at Jack, "They only come out in a panic! No one is panicking!"

Lorcan and Lysander nodded their head simultaneously, but continued to walk side-by-side holding hands, their free hands at wand-ready (like a cowboy about to draw his gun at a duel).

"Just out of curiosity," James chimed in suddenly, "What sort of creature is it that has you two so out of sorts?"

Lysander stared at James as though he had never seen him before, making James shift a little uncomfortably.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked James with an air of wonder, "You do not know of the creature so foul, so cruel, that no man yet has fought with it and lived?"

"The bones of more than 50 men lie strewn about its lair," Lorcan added knowledgeably, "Only those courageous of soul have dared to defy the monster, and all have met their death with nasty, big, pointy teeth."

"Rabbit of Caerbannog!" Lysander exclaimed in a hushed voice, his eyes wide.

James snorted, hardly containing his laughter, "A rabbit?"

"It is no ordinary rabbit!" Lorcan argued sternly as his brother nodded his head, "It's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you'd ever set eyes on!"

"That rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!" Lysander avidly added.

"What's it going to do? Nibble your bum?" Ted asked, having overheard.

"More like tear out your throat," Lorcan answered him in all serious, "The only thing which can defeat the rabbit is the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch."

James rolled his eyes, but was too afraid of ask about the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Ted, however; had no reservations.

"Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch?" he asked, "What the bloody hell is that?"

"Armaments, chapter two, verses nine through twenty-one," Lorcan replied, raising his eyes to the sky as he and his twin recited in harmony, "And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, "O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy." And the Lord did grin. And the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths, and carp and anchovies, and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit-bats and large chu..."

"Point?!" James shouted loudly above them, unable to take much more.

With a flustered look at James, the twins continued their recitation, obviously skipping ahead a bit, "And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it. ' "

An eerie silence hung over the group as the twins fell silent, peering impressively at everyone around them. James and Ted shared a look, rolling their eyes so the twins could not see.

"Amen," Ted said with a grin.

((This... was... so fun to read))

Jack walked on, smiling as she listened to the chaos unfold behind her. She let the group down the street, turned, cut across the roadway, and down a smaller avenue. At the end, on the corner, stood their destination. She could see a figure under the light, peering nervously at the oncoming horde. Jack was sure it was Charlie, but tightened her grip on her wand, just in case.

She glanced back and told the twins, "That was beautiful, mates. I'm really glad you're on our side." All kidding aside, she was. If any of those wacky beasts of theirs were real, she was glad to have people who knew how to handle them on their side.

As their neared the pub, the Wonky Donkey, Charles Dursley approached. "Charlie, you got the invitation! And you found the place! Kudos!" Jack said, clapping him on his back as they approached.

"But, I don't understand-"

"So, nothing's new then! Just buckle up, conjure a mustache if you must, and enjoy yourself." She opened the door and gestured inside to the rest of the company. "Ladies first," she said, directing her smirk mostly to James.

"Hardy har har," James replied blandly as he entered the pub, but he quickly side-stepped to stand beside Jack while everyone else filed in.

"We have spoken to Charles since that issue of the Daily Prophet, right?" he asked her in a whisper, "Obviously he wouldn't believe it, but perhaps we should rest his mind a bit?"

Jack shrugged. "He's your cousin, mate. I've been busy trying to get Chase to stop bringing me tea every three hours. I assumed you had spoken to him."

Perhaps it was for that reason Charles awkwardly dawdled at the back of the group, searching the faces of each individual without ever really making eye contact. Jack shrugged. "It's probably be best if you talked to him alone. Charles hasn't really liked me ever since I shoved a firework down his robe third year."

James raised an eyebrow at Jack, barely able to keep the smirk from his face. "Can't imagine why a firecracker down the robes wouldn't earn you a life-long friend..." James said as he turned from Jack to go and speak to Charles.

"Hey, Charlie," James greeted the man, clapping him about the shoulder, "Come walk with me."