Dinner With Death

Molly Weasley was hardly ever nervous, today being the exception. She will be cooking for not only her family and friends, but Death himself. She wasn't sure what to cook. What does Death like? Is he more into savory or sweet? Baked or fried? Molly had already cooked the Shepherd's pies, Steak-and-Kidney pies, Roast beef was in the oven with Yorkshire pudding, and Lamb chops were in a deep frying pan. The potatoes were being mashed in their bowl, while knives were chopping fruits for deserts.

"Wow, that's a lot of food Molly. How many are you expecting for dinner?" Dean had wandered into the kitchen at the Burrow. Molly stopped to look out the kitchen window, watching her boys set up the tent. Doing the numbers in her head, her eyes went wide with how many people are going to be at the Burrow for dinner.

{Her list went something like this..

Arthur and Myself

Bill and Fluer (Are they pregnant yet?)

Charlie (Shameful, no girlfriend yet.)

Percy and Penelope (Engaged?)

Fred and George (No girlfriends? Shame.)

Ronald (Sigh, no girlfriend.)

Ginny and Harry (Should speak to Harry about engagement.)

Theo and Claire (Coupled?)

Blaise (Handsome boy, shame no girlfriend.)

Hermione and Draco (Should discuss engagement with Narcissa.)

Remus and Tonks w/Baby Teddy (Need to transfigure chair into highchair.)

Andromeda (Sad Ted is gone.)

Luna (Should invite her father.)

Neville (Doesn't he have a crush on Luna?)

Dean T (Dating Seamus. Not discrete enough.)

Seamus (Should just announce his involvement with Dean T. Nobody would bat an eye.)

Kingsley (Is he married? Maybe Andromeda and him could date?)

Minerva (Lovely woman, deserves someone.)

Sam and Dean (I wonder if Dean would invite Castiel?)

Jody (Lovely woman, raising teenage girls on her own.)

Death (Very nervous but overall grateful.)}

"We are expecting close to thirty people, if everyone shows up. But I am cooking for closer to fifty. I rather prepare too much than not enough." Molly turns to finish preparing the buffet dinner. Dean noticed Molly's nervous twitch when she started to cut vegetables by hand. "It will be fine Molly. His real name is Azrael, if that helps. Don't think of him as Death but as Azrael. He is just another being who loves food." Dean watched Molly's shoulders relax a little. "I can do that. Especially with him visiting every Sunday for dinner. Tonight is different though, it is a celebration of the end of the war. If it wasn't for Azrael, we would still be having funerals. It's not just Fred he brought back, he brought back so many others as well. Sunday dinners seem a little cheap in that exchange," Molly grew concerned.

Dean chuckles, "You'd be surprised how much that man loves food. He will more likely show up as everyone is sitting down to eat, less uncomfortable for him that way. So don't take offense if he pretty much eats and runs. Keeps him from answering questions mankind should not ask." Dean thinks for a moment, "Maybe we should let everyone know not to ask too many questions. Some of the guests don't know who Azrael is and may accidentally offend him. And maybe sit him somewhere in the middle. He would not want to sit at the head of the table." Molly wipes her hands on her apron before taking it off, "Good idea." They both head outside where the rest of the Weasleys are securing the tent. After a quick explanation of what not to say to Death, or Azrael to Molly, everyone spit up to get ready for the evening.

Molly, Bill, the twins and Charlie were bringing the last of the dishes out to the tables inside the tent. Slowly, the rest of the guests showed up. Molly was right, it is a full house. She made sure a seat was left empty between Fred and Harry. Those two were the least likely to annoy Death. Fred is grateful to be alive, as well as Harry. Neither would want to bother Death with any small talk since Fred was brought back to life and Harry has cheated him....Sort of.

Before Harry had left the room he shared with Ron, he checked his pocket for the Resurrection Stone. After the battle he had gone back into the Forbidden Forest and found the small, black stone. Harry did not want it to fall into the wrong hands. Feeling the stone brush up against his fingertips, he was ready to join everyone at the table. On the way downstairs Harry was tackled by Ginny. She looked as beautiful as ever, healing bruises and all. "Ready?" Ginny asked, grasping Harry's hand and leading him the rest of the way to the back door. "As I'll ever be."

The noise coming from the tent was surprisingly joyous. Even though everyone from the battle was brought back, it was still a war. Nobody got away unscathed. Looking at the crowd of people to see so many recognizable faces. Harry searched for his two best friends. Finding them both standing together with their dates. Hermione stood next to Draco with his arm around her waist talking civilly to Ron, who had his arm draped across Lavender Brown's shoulders. The tension wasn't as bad as you think it would be. As Harry and Ginny got closer they could hear Ron and Draco talking about Quidditch... Typical.

"Look who decided to join us." Draco turned the conversation to Harry's arrival. "Yeah, I couldn't let Ron eat all the food before some of us got a plate." Harry snickered. "Hey, I'll have you know I had a snack before coming out here. Plus I'm a little nervous about some of our guests." Ron lost almost all color in his face thinking about Death sitting at the table with them all. "It will be fine Ron. Remember what you told me your mum said, he's just another being who loves food." Lavender reassured him. Lavender joining them for this dinner was a shock. She was also brought back, but not fully healed. Partially infected with Lycanthropy, her face scarred from Greyback's attack but she will not shift. Leaning on Ron's shoulder Lavender tries to hide that side of her face. Ron notices this, "You don't have to hide. You're beautiful."

"All right everyone. Time for dinner." Arthur calls out. Everyone takes their seats. The atmosphere became a little colder for a moment, announcing Azrael's arrival. He quietly takes his seat, sighing when he noticed everyone was silent, "Don't mind me just here for dinner." He started piling food unto his plate. Harry was next to serve himself and Ginny, then everyone followed, conversations started up again.

"Um, sir." Harry nervously turns to Death, who already had his hand out. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone and gave it to him. "You know most people would not hand this over so easily. Where is the Elder Wand?" Death puts the Resurrection Stone into his inner jacket pocket. Harry swallows the lump in his throat, "I sealed it inside Dumbledore's tomb." Death nods his head, "Very good. You can keep the cloak, I have no use for it." The dinner continued with very little talk and even less tension.

When Dessert was being served Death looked at Harry, "I want to make you an offer. Wear my ring, be "Death" for twenty-four hours and I will give you something in return. You will have to complete the full twenty-four hours, you cannot take the ring off any sooner or you will lose what I can give you. And there are rules to follow. Dean can inform you of what they are. Make no mistake, it is not an easy task. Dean even had trouble following all the way through." Azrael takes a moment to bite into his peach cobbler, "And Dean, you are to help Harry. Do not make me regret what I have done for you."

Dean looked at Death for his place a few seats down on the other side of the table next to Sam. Everyone turns to the sound of Castiel's wings. Cas looks a little shocked, "Dean, I went back to the Bunker. The perimeter alarms had gone off and..."

Someone stepped out from behind Castiel.

"What up Bitches!"