"Congratulations, Mrs. Fleur Weasley."
The bride, who was being constantly showered with flowers and kisses, turned around expectantly and stood face to face with an old friend from Hogwarts.
"Elise!" Fleur exclaimed happily, pulling her in a tight hug.
"It's Lisa, actually. Lisa Turpin," the girl corrected, her voice muffled by the half-Veela's golden locks.
"Oh, Elisa! Of course! We 'ad so much fun together! Remember the Ravenclaw common room? You were so gentile to help me with Potions and Transfiguration, I couldn't figure any of it!"
Lisa Turpin had only vague memories of helping Fleur with her school work in their Fourth Year, because her entire attention had been given to the Triwizard Tournament and the French girl had, at the time, barely registered on her radar. Fleur was likely to remember her though because she and Sue Li had been assigned to look after her.
"Oh, it was nothing," Lisa said, waving her hand in dismissal.
"I will never forget your kindness!" Fleur yelled happily over the loud music, hugging her one more time. It was clearer than day that the bride was ecstatic to be married.
Lisa managed at long last to extricate herself from her grip and had only a couple of moments to congratulate Bill Weasley and wish him good luck, when the orchestra called everyone to a new dance.
Lisa was squished between all the familiar faces from Hogwarts and the wizarding society without being able to get out. She wished she could find Luna Lovegood. She had been walking in circles for the past hour, trolling the snack tables like a gatecrasher and making idle chit-chat with tipsy relatives who kept popping up next to her, asking her if she was Fleur's cousin.
She had underestimated the size of the wedding tent. It hadn't looked so big from outside, but inside, she felt like the needle in the haystack.
Not that she wasn't glad to be there, but she wasn't really in the mood for a wedding and she could hardly believe anyone else would be. With everything that was going on, she was more afraid than happy to go out in society. She understood that people could put their problems aside for a couple of hours and celebrate young love, but even so, the most wanted wizards in all of England had gathered there, all in one place, with an open invitation for Death Eaters to attack. She couldn't exactly enjoy herself under these circumstances.
"Well, well, well, the girl who can't give me the time of the day," someone drawled from behind her.
Lisa knew that voice. Oh, how she knew that pratty, condescending voice.
"McLaggen, how in the world did they let you in?" she asked annoyed.
Cormac Mclaggen smiled in his sleazy fashion and draped an arm around her waist.
"I used to date Granger," he said proudly, pointing at Hermione, who was standing next to Ron Weasley and Harry Potter at one of the tables.
"I would hardly call going to a Slug Party together dating," Lisa commented.
"Keeping an eye on me, I see? It's only natural," he said smugly.
"What is it that you want exactly, Cormac?" she asked in boredom.
"Just a chance to show my appreciation for your House, darling. Last time we talked, I got the feeling you were...preoccupied," he said, tracing his fingers over her naked arm.
Lisa rolled her eyes. She had been quite obvious actually.
"Yes, I was busy ignoring you," she bit back, stepping away from him.
"You are cruel, Turpin. At least let me have a dance. Just one, and then maybe a snog," he said, his fingers gripping her arm clumsily. She could smell some meagre Fire-Whisky on his breath.
"I think I made myself clear the first time," she spat, yanking her arm away.
"Playing hard to get with me? Come off it, Lisa, you know it's just an act."
"Oh yes, I am pretending not to like you, but deep down I want nothing better than to waste the evening away with a drunk idiot."
McLaggen paused briefly, thinking she was joking. Her stoic glare did not waver.
"Merlin, you don't have to be such a bitch about it, Turpin," Cormac replied angrily.
Lisa's nostrils flared in fury. No one, especially a moron like him, could call her something like that and get away with it.
She readied her fist and aimed the punch at his gloating, smarmy face, when, in a moment of inspiration, he suddenly ducked down, and her fist landed into someone else's nose.
Charlie Weasley, younger brother of the groom, was accidentally passing through with the intention of getting away from the dance floor as fast as humanly possible, when he suddenly walked in on their little argument. He hadn't heard much of it, and if he had, he had not paid attention, since all he wanted to do was get away, but he had unfortunately taken the hit for Cormac McLaggen.
Lisa looked up in horror at the blood-sputtered face of a ginger young man.
Of all the things she could have done tonight, punching one of the Weasleys during a wedding right in their back yard was among the worst, topped only by a sudden invasion of Death Eaters.
"Oh my God! I am so sorry! I was aiming for McLaggen and I didn't see you – " she began frantically, taking out her wand to try and fix his face.
"Why the bloody hell would you punch people?" he asked, pressing his hand to his bleeding nose.
Lisa frowned confused. She didn't suppose she had to explain to him why some people needed punching.
"Because they deserve it, why else? And McLaggen really had it coming!" she said, looking around for the sleazy Gryffindor who had conveniently disappeared.
"Well, you obviously missed your mark, Merlin's beard!" he swore, trying to stop the bleeding.
"Here, I'll fix it for you –" she said, aiming her wand at his face.
It was right then, however, that a great, shimmering bowl of light flew right into the tent, casting a lugubrious glow on everyone's faces as they drew near it.
The soft, trembling voice gave the dreadful warning that Death Eaters were on their way to the Burrow and everyone had to make their quick escape.
Lisa clutched Charlie's arm almost instinctively as she tried to keep herself from falling to the ground.
Damn it, she had known, she had known it from the start! Why hadn't they listened?
"Everyone, grab the nearest person next to you and Apparate this instant!" Lupin's voice boomed across the tent.
Charlie, who had momentarily forgotten about the nosebleed, looked around in terror, trying to spot his family. He caught Ron, Harry and Hermione Apparating together and his mother grabbing Ginny's hand, but knowing this wasn't the time to loiter, he grabbed Lisa's arm and Apparated with a soft pop.