‘A bit higher. Bit more to the right. Yeah, just hold it there for a bit. Ok, maybe a bit more to the left. My left, not your left! Down a bit.’
They had been at it for quite a while now. Everything had to be just perfect. This was a big deal. It had been quite a long time since they had welcomed any new residents and the last time, the welcome had not gone quite according to plan. They had hoped that at least the floods of tears would have stopped by now, but alas.
And now there was quite a large group joining them and a much younger age cohort at that. It was always such a shame when they were this young, but that was life, he supposed or, more accurately, death.
‘Will you make up your bloody mind and hurry up, I can’t hang out here all night. I’ve got a life!’
‘For Merlin’s sake stop whining', Sir Nicholas said, irritated. 'First of all, you are as death as the rest of us and if it wasn’t for me having put in a good word with the rest of the ghost community, you wouldn’t even be allowed hanging out here at all.’
‘Would too,’ Peeves said in his usual peevish voice. ‘Would too,’ he repeated for good measure, ‘You need me more than I need you, Your Nearly Headlessness, and you know it. If I dropped this right now, you would have no means of putting up your precious Welcome Banner. Happy to clear off, you know. See if I care.’
‘No, no, sorry, I did not mean it,' Sir Nicholas was quick to reply, 'I am just a bit anxious. I just want this to be perfect. They have been through so much already.’
‘Fine,’ Peeves sighed and continued to hold the banner. While it was true that Nick needed him right now, Peeves also needed Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, who was probably the only ghost preventing Peeves being turfed out of Hogwarts. The Bloody Baron may think he was keeping Peeves in check by scaring any sort of daylights out of him, but at the end of the day, it was His Nearly Headlessness, who Peeves really looked up to. Furthermore, Peeves wanted this to be as perfect as Sir Nicholas wanted it to be. Despite his mischievous nature and love of chaos, he took no pleasure in having to welcome back these youngsters. He had gotten to know a number of them well over the years and while he was happy to see them joining their ranks, he was sad that the war had so suddenly ended their futures and sniffed out any hopes they might have had for love and happiness. Young Fred might be a good ghost to have around to create a bit of chaos, but without his twin he wasn’t sure Fred would be in the mood for fun and games. Young Creevey would have little use for his camera in the afterlife and he was wondering if that Gryffindor girl, Lavender what’s her name, would get on with the Grey Lady or Moaning Myrtle, the current youngest and soppiest resident. At least they might be able to compare notes on the creatures that killed them. He didn’t think there had ever been a Basilisk versus Werewolf debate before. And there were so many more who clearly had not gone to the light after the battle ended. The ghost quarters would be awfully crowded, but for once in his life, or death, he agreed with Sir Nicholas that they had to show these young warriors a true Hogwarts welcome after what they had sacrificed themselves for. Being the only one who could actually manipulate and handle physical objects, it was left to him to first of all make and now hang up the big banner saying ‘Welcome Back to Hogwarts’. Just a simple heartfelt message, nothing too pompous or sappy, just a simple welcome into their ranks.
Once Sir Nicholas was happy that Peeves had hung up the banner correctly across the entrance hall, he gathered all the Hogwarts ghosts to welcome the recently departed students, killed in the battle of Hogwarts, back to the school. It would be a while before the castle would be rebuild and be home to any new students and before there would be any sorting ceremonies or welcome feasts, but the least they could do for now was to take the ghosts of former students under their wings.
Sir Nicholas took one last look at the banner and then gave Peeves a satisfied nod. They were ready.