For Star Wars Week Event over at The Golden Snitch, HP forum.. The storyline prompt: Clone trooper; Write someone dressing up as Darth Vader or a Clone.
This was so fun to write! A little over the limit, but I cut back as much as I could. So if it feels rushed in the beginning then, yeah...haha. I hope guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Harry Potter was always very surprised or in awe when it came to the loud, warm, red-headed group known as the Weasley family.
The moment in question, was that one evening that Ginny and him had been invited to dinner by Mrs. Weasley. They had Apparated to the Weasley's home together only to find it dark and gloomy. The lights had been turned off and the house didn't feel alive.
After several years of people close to him dying, well, one couldn't blame him for whipping out his wand and rushing forward. He wasn't overly concerned about Ginny because he knew she could take care of herself and it would take far too much time to argue with her on whether she should stay behind. In the end, it didn't matter, he could still hear her pounding footsteps right besides him as they ran towards the house.
Upon arriving at the door, he found it partially open. His Auror instincts were kicking in as he slowly crept in and around the corner he knew was just beyond the doorway. Ginny was close behind him, silent but comforting. Both paused when the following conversation met their ears.
"Honestly... why did you have to turn the lights out?"
"Molly! It's all for the affect!"
"You are always doing this! I don't get what is so special about this Muggle costume. It gives me the creeps."
"It's supposed to have an eerie affect and frankly, I quite like it."
"I don't like the lights off, Arthur!"
"Only for a few more minutes till they arrive, Molly."
Harry could feel all the fight leave his body and relief flooding in. Ginny was pressing her face against his back to stop a loud exasperated sigh from escaping. He could feel her mumble something and wave her wand in the air, successfully turning the lights all back on.
Molly was surprised.
Harry blinked.
Ginny shrieked.
Arthur waded towards them both with open arms, "My dear children, I am your father."
"Stupefy!"
Arthur, in all his dark cloaked Darth Vader glory collapsed on the ground. Ginny was pointing her wand at him, shaking. "What was that?"
"That was your father, dear."
"Oh..." Ginny's face went blank. "Why?"
Molly shook her head somberly, "The muggles..."
Harry was trying not to laugh, "Come one, let's wake him up." He was amused for several reasons and it was quite obvious that he was the only who got the joke. The experience of serving Dudley and his gang drinks during a birthday gathering had been worth it for the Star Wars movies that he managed to sneak a watch at.
Ginny knelted beside her father uneasily, and revived him. The Vader helmet turned comically from side to side in confusion, "Hello, Ginny and...Harry. Did you like the surprise?"
Ginny answered, "No." She crossed her arms. "I didn't get it at all and the costume is so..." The Vader helmet tilted to the side in question and Harry bit back a grin. "Spooky!" Ginny finished, looking away from her father.
"Huh."
Harry knelted beside Mr. Weasley, "Ron and Hermione are coming to the dinner as well, right?"
"Y-Yes, they are in fact."
He knew it. Mr. Weasley wouldn't pass up the chance to pull a Muggle surprise on Ron or Hermione. Harry chose his next words carefully, "Then, perhaps, they might be... the droids you are looking for?"
Molly and Ginny looked at him blankly.
But Arthur grabbed his hands, "Harry! I knew you would understand!" While Harry also knew that underneath that mask was the same warm eyes that Arthur Weasley always had, most likely sparkling at him for understanding his Muggle hobby, it was also disconcerting to have Darth Vader's dark, dull, stuff of childrens nightmares across the galaxy mask staring at him like so.
Harry gave a smile and detached himself from Arthur's firm grip and stepped away. "Let's turn off the lights and wait for Ron and Hermione then, shall we?"
Molly gave a small frown, but didn't argue. Ginny looked torn at first until the realization of the joy in pranking her brother came through and she nodded gleefully.
The lights were turned off right away. Three against one, Molly could hardly argue and they happily left Arthur in wait of the front door while they hid around the corner.
"The way you stiffened up really gave me a scare, Harry." Ginny shook her head. "I thought you saw something and my parents were danger."
Harry replied, while checking the window for the two people they were pranking, "I'm not used to seeing the lights off and...I'm a bit paranoid after everything..."
Even in the dark, Ginny's hand found its way to Harry's, their fingers interlocking and it was a comforting warmth to both. Harry took a small glance over to Molly and even though the older woman was facing away from them, he saw a small knowing smile on her face.
He flushed, but didn't let go of his wife's hand. Even if her mother was in the room...
Two sharp Apparating cracks filled the air and he grinned. "And the fun starts..."
When they came through the door, Harry was pleased to note that both of his friends were in similiar positions that he and Ginny had taken. Molly swished her wand and the lights came on.
Hermione was amused.
Ron... not so much. "Who the bloody hell are you?"
Arthur, once more, waddled forward, the cape flowing impressively behind him, and a deep rasping breathing filled the air, "Ron, I am your father!"
The Weasleys always did surprise Harry, but he certainly didn't expect Ron to faint.
Darth Vader!Weasley turned towards Hermione expectantly and she gave a wry smile and a shrug, "Sorry, my family was more into Star Trek."
Harry started to laugh. He had expected something like that from Hermione.
What made it perfect was Arthur's final reaction and declaration to his daughter-in-law's confession, "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!"
Silence.
Molly bustled in. "Alright... alright, enough that. Hermione, dear, wake up Ronald. Ginny, set the table. Arthur, change out of that horrid costume, really."
Hermione was already trying to revive Ron as Arthur slowly climbed the stairs, looking comically dejected as Darth Vader, "Yes, ma'am."
Ginny had just disappeared into the kitchen as a shout came from up the stairs, "I'm 'fraid... I have reached a bit of a... problem."
Molly replied, "What is it, Arthur?"
"The helmet seems to be... stuck."
Molly sighed and turned to him, "Harry, dear, could you help my husband with that silly hat?"
Harry was grinning broadly, "I can try..." He turned to leave, but was stop by a firm grip on his arm, Molly stared at him pointly.
"There is no try, only do."
He stared at her, mouth agape until she hurried away to help Hermione get Ron to his feet.
Would the Weasleys ever stop surprising him?