Monday, 3rdJune 2002. 12 Days Before the Double Wedding
Hermione Granger, Brightest Witch of Her Generation, waved the wand, resulting in a green mist rising out from her body.
Nope. Negative for potions. Sometimes she really wanted the test to be positive, at the very least she would have a very good reason to break up with her git of a fiancée, currently in a snit, due to Harry James Potter.
Then again, Hermione mused, what was Harry to do? Ron was the one who flunked auror training. If it weren't for Harry pulling the strings, Ron would have been drummed out from the corps two years before.
The fact that it was done two weeks before their double wedding was for all intent and purposes following procedure. After the very public censure in the Wizengamot, Harry, war hero or not had to be a law abiding, toe the line citizen publicly.
Of course, plans had to be adjusted, but Hermione was basically paying for the flat anyway. Being deputy head of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creature (Fleur joked that it meant she fell under the purview of her department), she could afford it, which among other reason was why Ron keeps getting into these snits of his. Then again, who is he going to blame?
He didn't take his NEWTs after the war, taking the blasted Chudley Cannon offer. The fact that the Cannons had enough of his antics and cut him after two years wasn't anyone's fault but his. Seriously, pranking until you managed to burn down your own dressing room?
The he decided to do auror training. Of course, Harry by this time had two years' active duty with the auror team, and was in line for Head Auror, with so many of their number either dead, retired or in Azkaban for supporting snake-face. Only Harry's recommendation got him an extension after he flunked the first year.
Which he then again flunked for the second and third year. She had resorted to buying him muggle motivational books to get him going, since he had developed immunity to her nagging.
She knew Harry would help him again, but the very public censure under the Marriage Law had put Harry under scrutiny, so no more favours, resulting in a rather public drumming out from the auror squad. It made page three of the Daily Prophet. Even then he complained about 'only' landing on page three.
To avoid Molly, her erstwhile fiancée is currently bunking in a room above the WWW. Molly had suggested that George offer Ron some type of work, which George, bless his heart is considering, since business is booming.
George also had promise to set Ron's head straight before the wedding, which Hermione was grateful for. She even agreed to allow him a stag night when it came up, hoping to make up his disappointment regarding the auror training. Plus, she hoped that it would serve as a good distraction, since she had a lot to settle before their wedding, especially with the all-important werewolf bill coming up. She had used up a lot of political capital to push that through, and like Harry had to play it safe a few weeks to ensure that the Prophet didn't start up its usual smear tactics again.
Sometimes she really hated playing politics. Then again, like Harry said, the alternative seems to be doing what Voldermort did, so she gritted her teeth and played the game.
She had been spending time pouring over the relevant laws that Harry had gotten snagged into, but the law itself is rather reasonable in its wording, and the backing of the Wizengamot meant that little manoeuvre could be done escaping it. She had recommended the appropriate course of action, and Harry promptly decided that the best course of action was to pawn it all to Ginny.
She hoped that her future sister-in-law would have fun doing the work.
The red-haired witch was most assuredly not having fun.
Ever since Cyrus Greengrass stood in the Wizengamot and censured Harry for not following the provisions of the antiquated Marriage Law act, things are getting pretty messed up. Of course, everyone sidled up to Harry for his support when inheritance test gave him the hereditary seats of Potter, Peverell and Black, and a lot of legislation got passed thanks to his three votes and the sway he has as a war hero.
Until Cyrus found out that under the provisions of a very old law, if a member command the hereditary seats of more than one Most Ancient and Most Noble house, he is obliged to propagate, by way of marriage separate bloodlines for each of the houses.
In effect, three wives for the three lines in Harry's case.
Of course, they could always straight up and charge Harry for the offence, but by going the censure route, Cyrus Greengrass in effect gave Harry the chance to rectify the matter and to allow the Wizengamot to meddle. Hearing that there is a chance of elevating their daughter into a Most Ancient and Most Noble house, the majority voted to give Harry that chance, and set a time limit of one month, which ends 1st July, else the Wizengamot will discuss electing his bride for him.
The git, after finding from Hermione that the law didn't have any palatable loophole, promptly announce that prospective brides should contact his fiancée, Ginerva Weasley, as by the old customs, the first wife, or in this case wife to be must consent to any subsequent marriages.
The Burrow began to get swamped with marriage proposal the day after. All address to Ginevra Weasley.
"Lavender Brown!" Ginny shrieked. "That slag!" She tossed the offending proposal into the fireplace.
Fleur Weasley just smiled, as she watched the youngest Weasley's temper increasing by the hour. Even after five years of marriage, to be honest, she's not that close Ginny, as it took nearly a year for the whole phlegm thing to subside. Molly had been mollified earlier by the arrival of Victoire, although Fleur had to pun her foot down regarding the name of her eldest. She is quite proud of her French heritage. Plus, she could never say Guinevere right, although honestly, she was purposely butchering the name badly just to irk Molly.
"Ginny, burning marriage proposal still won't stop Harry having to get two more wives you know." Fleur advised, as she set aside proposals that she thought warranty deeper though. Her accent when speaking English has slowly disappeared over the years, but she could still exaggerate it when needed, especially during her alone time with Bill.
"I know!" She rubbed he hands into her face. "Harry shouldn't have left all this to me."
Fleur shrugged. "I think he was thinking of you when he left all this to you. Would you rather he chooses, and you can't get along with his choice, or would you rather choose someone you could get along with?"
Ginny sighed, knowing Fleur was right. Resolved, she picked up a letter and opened it. Pansy Parkinson! Slag! Death Eater Slag! The letter of course made its way into the fireplace.
Fleur decided to turn the screw a bit. "Besides, who knows, you might enjoy some different perspective about sex you know. I remember when I was in Beauxbatons, girls do tend to experiment a lot."
It took Ginny a few minutes before she turned red, understanding what her sister-in-law just insinuated. "Seriously?"
Fleur just nodded. "There are advantages to marrying a Veela you know. Hey! What about Gabrielle?"
Ginny just raised her hand, palm open pointed to Fleur. "No. No freaking veelas. I don't think so, no. No. No offence, but, no."
Fleur shrugged. "She'll be disappointed." Silently, she laughed. It would be funny if she did press her suit though and resolve to talk her sister into coming for the wedding. She had a feeling that Gabrielle could bring some levity to the union, if she wanted to, and it is not like there's a surfeit of men who could withstand the allure, something quite important to a Veela.
The man in question had a reputation for being just and fair. As the seventh pool secretary sent him an unneeded report, sending him a salacious smile while doing so, he wanted so much to be able to hex the girls. With the upcoming wedding, the whole Wizengamot censure thing and the whole thing with Ron, he's getting stressed out.
Neville Longbottom just raised his eyebrows as the woman left Harry's office. "Are they all doing that right now?"
"Shut up Neville." Harry bit out, earning him a smirk from the incoming Herbology Professor of Hogwarts.
"You have to admit, that last one got a great body." Neville needled.
"I'll be sure to tell Hannah you said that." Harry retorted, causing Neville to snicker. "Seriously, what was everyone thinking? I mean, sure, I could understand the pureblood faction side agreeing to this, but my own faction agreeing to the absurd select-my-bride proposition?"
Neville shrugged. "Light or not, having your daughter as mistress of a Most Noble and Ancient house comes with perks." He stared at his friend. "Look, just pick two and move on. At least they gave you the time to pick."
Harry shook his head. "I told Ginny to pick. At least it'll be someone she likes."
Neville nodded. "Good idea. Less chance of sleeping on the sofa if you happen to favour one over the other. 'But you chose her!'" Neville mimicked a whining Harry.
"Don't let her hear you." Harry joked. "Come to think of it, why aren't you in the same boat as me? I'm sure that there's a house somewhere that you need to propagate."
"Most Ancient and Most Noble, my friend." Neville explained. "The law is quite specific, I think to catch one of your ancestors, if I'm not mistake. Hermione could explain the history better."
"I asked her to look for a way to get me out of it, but like she said, none of them are that palatable. And I'm sure as hell are not going to hand the House of Black to Malfoy." Harry added.
"Anyway," Neville looked nervous. "I need to talk to you about Ron."
Harry exhaled his breath. "I've run out of favours to give, Neville. Kingsley already pulled the no NEWT requirement already, and I'm not that inclined to change his mind, since we are not experiencing an auror shortage right now. Surprising what a competent potion professor can do with the grades."
"I know." Neville agreed. "He had sort of badgered me into talking about it to you."
"Yes well, like I said. I'll let Hermione straighten him out. Or George, from what she told me. You still going to be my best man, right?"
Neville smiled. "You bet. So, I can blame you for not helping him then?"
"Why not?" Harry exhaled. "Sometimes I wonder if he actually realizes that we're not Hogwarts students anymore."
Neville looked uncomfortable at Harry's words. "I would say it's more like he has not idea yet how he fits in the world right now." Neville offered. "Don't be mad at me for saying this, but he had you and Hermione to fall back on that he does… Things knowing that both of you would bail and back him up."
"I know Neville." Harry admitted. "You're not the first person to point that out to me. But… He's Ron, you know? For a long time, he's been there for me. Yes, he had his moments, but..." Harry shrugged. "He's still a close friend. And Hermione loves the git, so like it or not, he's family."
Neville could only nod to that.
It's fair to say that Ronald Billius Weasley didn't like his current situation much.
That is technically an understatement. He hated his current situation with a passion of a burning star. The messy apartment located on the second floor of the WWW building is still full of his stuff that he started sorting out, then abandoned for a nice drink at the Leaky Cauldron.
He had asked Neville to sound Harry out, with the Boy-Who-Lived being a bit unreasonable with him right now.
In fact, they are all being quite unreasonable right now with him, Ron had decided. Harry for not doing more to help him, Hermione for nagging him too much. They are war heroes, Order or Merlin Second Class holders, that should account for something.
Who cares about procedures and correct paperwork warrants? Can any of the auror trainees state that they had been in an actual battle situation? Stole something from the Goblin's vault before escaping on a dragon? That should at least accord him some respect. Instead they made him study procedures and laws, tripping him over something that he thought he had left behind at Hogwarts.
Homework.
And now he's supposed to get married to Hermione in two weeks. With all that is going on, he needed a bolt hole, and the WWW suited him fine compared to the Burrow, where Molly would subject him to an even worse rant, that part he very well knows.
Ron sighed. What was it that Hermione said again, make three piles. Keep, donate or junk? Something like that. Having an expandable storage trunk meant that everything he had collected over the years gets stored into the trunk and he had planned to leave it like that, but Hemione put her foot down and demanded he clear the trunk, not wanting years of mess going into her flat.
To be honest, Ron sort of bristled at that. But he can't say much, since technically Hermione is paying for the flat. Which he had to admit to himself, is rather disconcerting.
The odd feeling of being dealt a bad hand surfaced again. The trio had went through hell, well, admittedly he went through less hell than the other two but all three of them broke into Gringotts to save the wizarding world. That has to count for something, and each year the masses celebrated the downfall of Voldermort, a time where usually people up and remembered him as part of the Golden Trio.
The rest of the time though it seemed that the whole world forgot what he had done and expected him to be a responsible citizen. Worse, even Hermione and Harry are getting on his case with that expectation.
It's partly why he had so many arguments with Hermione lately. The girl had blossomed to a beautiful woman, but she seemed worse than even his mother now, prodding him to do things in this way and that. Harry had also started doing the same. Why can't both relax and live a little? Ron asked himself, a bit disgusted at how responsible they had turned out to be.
So, what if he did burn down the Cannon's locker room? They needed renovating anyway, but he found himself cut from the first team, and asked to train alone, which in the end made him quit. He was even more disgusted by the betrayal when word came out that the reason the Cannons were asking him to train alone was to run down his contract. That little lie from the Cannons made him unwanted by the other teams.
Hence the auror training stint. With Harry refusing to back him, it felt to Ron that everyone is expecting unreasonable things from him, and not doing a lot to help him out.
He took another look at the mess, and the fact that night has fallen. I'll do this after dinner, he thought, quickly leaving the mess behind for later.