A snapshot prompt by Neon from the Tumblr game - found here on tumblr. The prompt was Good day, Monty and Lawrence: "This isn’t exactly what I had in mind."

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1989, October, the day before Octavius gets married to Catherine


“Givvus a hand.” Octavius Pepper was nodding to the blue garage door, a full bucket of water at the end of one arm and shammy clasped in the other hand. On the concrete driveway, arms folded and long brown curls catching in the October breeze, Lawrence Musgrave gave him a funny look. “Come on, come on, I’ve got to get this done today so she’s clean for tomorrow.”

Lawrence wondered, not for the first time, how he’d managed to get persuaded to be one of Octavius Pepper’s groomsmen for the wedding. He was a little older the both Pepper brothers, at 27 - Octavius, 22, almost 23 - had been sorted into Ravenclaw when Lawrence was in his fifth year. The Musgraves were not too distant from the Peppers in social circles. He had been asked more because Octavius was bound to do something stupid, and Lawrence, the capable, respect auror, would probably be able to get him out of it, or better still, stop him before he managed it. As long as he got off with the prettiest bridesmaid tomorrow, he didn’t really care too much.

With a roll of his eyes, Lawrence twisted the handle of the garage door and pushed the top of it back, stepping away as the bottom swung up with a metallic rattle.

“There she is!” Octavius exclaimed with glee, as the Ford Capri was revealed inside the snug brick garage. Lawrence had to agree that the Muggle contraption was intriguing, even if it didn’t really appeal to him. Certainly Pepper’s Muggle wife-to-be, Catherine, was able to drive it pretty well the other day when Lawrence had come along to meet a few of the bridesmaids - they were also Muggles, mostly.

“Be quicker if we used magic of course,” Octavius fussed.
“You can’t.” Lawrence assured him, folding his arms again and shaking his head at the artist. “That’s why I’m here. I’m meant to be giving you a hand.

It only took a moment to pull the car out onto the driveway. There wasn’t enough space to manoeuvre inside the garage, so it would have to come out. However, rather than getting on with washing the car, Lawrence was confused to find Octavius dragging out a piece of cardboard from the garage, sliding it under and climbing beneath the car instead.

“What are you doing, Pepper?” He asked, pausing only to nod politely to two passing Muggles with toddler who passed by the end of the driveway.
“Just a few improvements…”
“Don’t be a fool…”
“I’m not, come and see!”

Lawrence let out an exasperated sigh, and crouched down, realising with annoyance that he’d have to climb under beside Octavius to be sure of what he was up to.
“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” He grumbled as he slid underneath, feet sticking out beyond the car. “You best not be doing what you joked about on your stag night.”
“What was that?” Octavius asked innocently, drawing his wand.

It certainly wasn’t ‘inserting your wand up your backside’, Lawrence silently reasoned, beneath the car, but he was certainly tempted to make it so.