The news that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are going to be married spread around Hogsmeade and Hogwarts like wildfire. People seemed to talk of little else, in fact. The next day after they had read Harry's letter, Celena entered the shop to find Luna Lovegood very pleased.
"Ginny wrote to me and asked me to be her bridesmaid!" She told excitedly, "It was very nice of her, wasn't it? And Hermione Granger is going to be the other bridesmaid – I do like her too – oh, it's going to be so lovely!"
"Oh, certainly," replied Celena, smiling, "I can't wait to see Ginny as a bride. I'm sure she is going to be beautiful."
"Were you invited too, then, Professor?"
"Oh – yes – I'm quite friendly with the Weasleys, you know," Celena hastily explained, "I know them through Fleur, their eldest son's wife – we're best friends."
That was true, and Celena was happy that she had a valid reason to attend Ginny's wedding without rousing anyone's suspicion. She was very much looking forward to seeing her husband as best man, and wouldn't miss it for the world, even though she knew conspiracy would have to be ingenious if they want to continue keeping their secret – something she was seriously doubtful about. Severus, however, got so wound up whenever she mentioned the possibility of revealing their marriage to the public that she decided to drop the subject for now.
"Are you going with someone, Luna?" asked Celena.
"Oh – yes, I'm going with Neville," said Luna, and Celena thought she could detect the faintest hint of a blush on the usually serene features of Miss Lovegood, "Neville Longbottom, you know – but of course you wouldn't know him personally, we used to go to school together, but he left the year before me –"
"I have met him and his grandmother when I worked at St. Mungo's, actually," said Celena, "talked a bit with Mrs. Longbottom while Neville was visiting – his – his parents."
There was a sad, understanding little silence between them while Celena and Luna both thought about the sad fate of Frank and Alice Longbottom, who were tortured into madness by Bellatrix Lestrange and have been in a closed ward in St. Mungo's ever since.
"Are you going out with Neville, then?" finally asked Celena, and Luna seized the subject with gratitude, looking pleasantly embarrassed.
"Well – yes – sort of - it has been going on for a while, actually - I told him that we don't have to come to the wedding together, that we'll meet there anyway as Ginny has invited us both, but Neville said there's no need to hide. I mean, we're not at school now, no one is going to laugh –"
Surprises kept coming. Later that day, during lunch break, Celena had a letter delivered by a very old, very frail-looking owl, who looked on the verge of fainting and had to take many long, steadying gulps from her cup of tea before taking off again. The letter was from Mrs. Weasley, and Celena hastily opened it and scanned its contents. It was short and clearly written in a haste.
Dear Celena,
By now you must have heard our wonderful news – I'm simply wild with happiness for Ginny and dear Harry, who is really going to become part of our family now. This is going to be a very special day for all of us.
We are looking forward to hosting the wedding here at the Burrow, just like we did when Bill married Fleur. It's going to be crowded, even though we will, of course, set up a Magical Marquee, but Ginny and Harry wouldn't hear of having the wedding anywhere else.
Since Severus is going to be best man, I thought it would be a good idea for you two to come to the Burrow the day before the wedding, so we can go through the details together, do a rehearsal and make sure there won't be any blunders on the big day. It will be weekend so it shouldn't be too inconvenient.
The house, of course, will be packed as Ron and Hermione and Fred and George have decided to come a little earlier too, but I'll have a room reserved for you and you should be comfortable. Let me know when we can expect you.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Molly Weasley
"Stay overnight with the Weasleys to attend a wedding rehearsal?" Snape frowned at the prospect as Celena showed him Mrs. Weasley's letter. "Don't they realize how busy I am going to be during the weekends?"
To Celena's great dismay her husband, who couldn't be absent from Hogwarts too much during the week, told her most of his weekends will soon be occupied by trying to solve the mystery of the Death Eaters' stronghold in the Bulgarian forest.
"Oh, lighten up, Sev, it's only a couple of days," Celena said airily, "besides, I really don't see how you can refuse after you already wrote to Harry and said you will be his best man. I'll pack your new dress robes, shall I?"
The weekend before they were to depart to the Burrow, Snape was gone during most of Sunday, to the dismay of his wife. He only appeared when the table was long laid out for dinner, the food that Celena prepared earlier that day already getting cold.
"Where have you been?" asked Celena, trying to keep indignation out of her voice. After all, he did promise to spend the entire day with her, and she was looking forward to a few quiet hours together, a pleasant respite from what had been a long and busy week for them both – he at school, she in her shop.
"I visited Malfoy Manor," said Snape, shedding his long black traveling cloak. He looked rather tired and apprehensive.
"At Malfoy - ? But… what have you been doing there?"
"Oh, I took advantage of the fact that Lucius is still in Azkaban," told Snape, accepting the glass of wine she handed him, "I hoped Narcissa would prove to be more persuadable, and provide me with some useful information about our current – for lack of a better word – target."
Celena froze on her way to fetch another bottle of wine.
"And?" she prompted.
"And it appears that, quite apart from not trusting me any longer, my friends Lucius and Narcissa are no longer in he close circle of Death Eaters who would have much important knowledge. The interview, however, was not a complete waste of time. I managed to extract from Narcissa that the stronghold of the Death Eaters is protected by the Fidelius Charm, and that Bellatrix is one of the Secret Keepers."
"Not a complete waste of time!" repeated Celena, paling, "Have you reported this to Professor McGonagall?"
"I stopped at Hogwarts on my way here. Minerva wondered how I got Narcissa to say anything at all, to which I replied that few people are able to resist a combination of assertive manner, carefully worded questions and a swig of Veritaserum. I avoided using Draught of Clarity, you see, because I didn't want Narcissa to be aware that I have penetrated her intimate thoughts."
However casual he tried to sound, it was clear that Snape's excursion to Malfoy Manor had left him exhausted, and Celena's expression softened as she started ladling soup into their bowls.
"So now what?" she asked him once they had finished their first course.
"Now it is all a matter of convincing Bellatrix to let me in on the secret," said Snape.
Celena laughed mirthlessly.
"And you think this is going to work, Severus? Bellatrix was always the one who trusted you least of all You-Know-Who's supporters. And now, when she knows you have been spying for her master's worst enemy all along –"
"I will have to find the means of convincing her I was the Dark Lord's faithful servant after all," said Snape, contemplating his roast chicken, apparently lost in thought, "I will have to make her trust me. I see no other way."
"But Severus," continued Celena, half skeptical, half frightened, "to convince Bellatrix, first you have to find her, and she has been gone all the time since Voldemort's fall – and even if you do find her – won't it be dangerous?"
"Dangerous?" Snape raised his eyebrows. "Of course it will be dangerous, it's Bellatrix Lestrange we are talking about. But I know Bella, and I will be fine. Narcissa promised to try and get me an audience with her charming sister – in return for my working on behalf of Lucius, to try and get him out of Azkaban. I promised I would do that."
"And will you really?" Celena sounded quizzical. "Try and get Lucius Malfoy out of Azkaban? He deserved what he got, surely you don't think –"
"I don't think any harm will be done if Lucius at least gets to spend some time at home. All kinds of enchantments can be cast upon Malfoy Manor to prevent him from sneaking out."
"Alright then," sighed Celena, "but whenever you schedule your get-together with Bellatrix Lestrange, make sure it isn't next weekend. The wedding, remember?"
Celena had visited the Burrow once before, on the occasion of Bill and Fleur's wedding, and unmistakably she pointed out towards a large, lopsided house just visible from the edge of the field where she and Severus had just Apparated.
"There it is, Severus," she said happily.
"I still have second thoughts about coming here," he said grumpily. "Do you realize how strange it is going to look, me as best man at Potter's wedding?"
"Oh, nonsense, Severus, of course you are doing just the right thing – let's get going, or Mrs. Weasley will start to wonder –"
They started walking across the field, Snape carrying their bags. It would have been far easier to suspend the bags in mid-air by a simple Locomotor spell, but they didn't dare to risk it in broad daylight when Muggles might be present.
At the entrance to the Burrow, where the garden was spruced up and the fence was painted, they were welcomed by a flustered Mrs. Weasley, who wiped her hands on her apron before giving Celena a hug. She attempted a nervous smile in the direction of Severus, who returned a stiff nod. Obviously, it was very strange for Mrs. Weasley to have him as a guest in her home, but she attempted to brave it.
"Hello, Severus – Celena – I have Percy's old bedroom all set for you, it's right upstairs – here, let me help you with your things –"
Ushered forward by Mrs. Weasley, they climbed upstairs to a small, shabby but neat bedroom, where two beds were pushed together and covered by a freshly laundered sheet and a heap of pillows and blankets. A washing sink stood in the corner of the room, next to an old, scratched closet.
"There you go – I hope you will be comfortable here. We are having the wedding rehearsal right before dinner, while there is still light outside. In the meantime I'll be downstairs in the kitchen if you need me."
When the door creaked and closed behind Mrs. Weasley, Celena turned and smiled at her husband. In the golden afternoon sunlight, she could see a large white marquee in the orchard, very much like the one that hosted Bill and Fleur's wedding over two years ago. A golden flag was billowing on top of it in the wind of an unusually warm autumn day.
"Would you like a cup of tea, Severus?" asked Celena, "I can go downstairs and fetch it."
"Yes, thank you," he said, stiffly sitting upon the bed. It looked unlikely he would emerge from the room until he absolutely had to.
Celena easily found the kitchen, which was filled with smells of Mrs. Weasley's delicious cooking. Mrs. Weasley, who was prodding a large pot with her wand when Celena entered, proved to be much more talkative and carefree without Snape around.
"So happy you could come, Celena dear – and Severus, I'm so glad he agreed to be best man, it seems so important to dear Harry – of course, I think they should make amends after all that has happened – but all the same, cannot be easy."
"You must be so excited, Mrs. Weasley," said Celena.
"Oh, just call me Molly, dear!"
"Thanks, Molly – isn't it surprising, that Ginny is the first of your children to get married after Bill?"
"Ah, it does seem a little early for them to marry, Ginny fresh out of Hogwarts and Harry still in the midst of training," admitted Mrs. Weasley, waving her wand airily and causing a large steak-and-kidney pie to slide neatly out of the oven and rest itself on the stovetop. "But we have known for ages that they are perfect for each other, and we love dear Harry so – he's really like another son to me, has been for years. I have hoped he would marry Ginny for a long time before there was even a hint of anything between them. So in their case, I believe there is not much point in waiting. They have enough to live comfortably on if they are prudent, and they got the loveliest little house, not far from here. It's a dream come true for me – for us all. And now, as Percy plans to marry Penelope, and hopefully Ron has the sense to propose to Hermione soon enough, I'll be expecting two more weddings soon – which will leave just Charlie, Fred, and George, who will, I hope, meet someone decent – which seems unlikely at the point, I must say, seeing how busy they all are with their careers –"
"Talking of marrying us off, Mum?" said a grinning Fred, who just walked into the kitchen, followed by his twin. Both stopped to give Celena a swift hug. "Doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon – nice seeing you here, Celena!"
"Hi, Fred," said Celena, taking a tray bearing two cups of steaming tea and some ginger newts from Mrs. Weasley. "Hi, George. Came to watch the wedding rehearsal?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," said George, the second Weasley twin, smiling at Celena.
"Well, I'm going to take this upstairs to Severus," said Celena, indicating the tray she was holding, "it looks as though he's in need of refreshment. Molly, you'll tell us when it's time to come downstairs, right? See you later, Fred, George."
Mrs. Weasley watched Celena ascending up the narrow, rickety staircase, and there was a definite wistfulness in her voice as she spoke.
"She's such a nice young woman. And intelligent, and good-looking too. I must admit, I rather fancied something might happen between her and Charlie when Fleur introduced them, but oh well –"
'I actually hoped she might choose one of us when we first met her in her parents' shop in Diagon Alley," admitted George, "though I understood, of course, that she might choose anyone, stunning as she is."
"Precisely," said Fred, "she could have chosen anyone. Anyone. And she chose Snape. Snape, of all people. It's so weird – seeing Snape here, as her husband – are we sure he doesn't have her Imperiused?"
"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley cried out in indignation, "I'd have thought, given how we now know for sure Professor Snape was on our side all along –"
"I know, I know – but still, that doesn't make him any more likeable – and I still don't see how on earth she could have married him. I thought I should ask her once –"
Mrs. Weasley looked very stern.
"I forbid you to do any such thing, Fred. No, don't you dare. I won't pretend I'm not curious about how it all came to be, but prying into it would be extremely nosy and meddlesome."
At five, when shadows already started creeping over the house and garden, there was a knock on the door of Severus and Celena's room, and they went downstairs with Mrs. Weasley. Fred, George, Ron and Hermione were already assembled next to the front door, ready to go out, and together, they made their way towards the orchard. Everyone tried to act as naturally as possible – Fred and George were cracking jokes on Ron's account, Hermione was chatting to Mrs. Weasley and Celena, but Snape's gloomy, rigid silence seemed to overrule and cast a shadow over them all.
Finally, they stood in front of the entrance to the huge white marquee. Celena was the last to enter. It looked very much the same as it had looked at Bill and Fleur's wedding, with many rows of fragile-looking golden chairs assembled on two sides of a long carpet, except that the carpet was not purple now, but red and gold, presumably to match the Gryffindor colors of the bride and groom. It looked eerily empty, with so few of them inside, and Celena tried to imagine what it would be like the next day, when Ginny would glide along the aisle arm in arm with Mr. Weasley, watched by hundreds of admiring eyes, and later, when the guests would break into applause, and the air will be thick with laughter and song and the clinking of goblets and plates, and the whiteness of the marquee would be diluted by many colorful robes, hats, cloaks and gleaming jewels… she suppressed a small sigh. She had always loved weddings, and had dreamed of having a wedding like Fleur's one day, yet her own had been so small. It doesn't really matter, of course, she told herself firmly. She certainly preferred to be married to Severus with no ceremony to speak of, than have a fancy wedding and be stuck for the rest of her life with someone like her former fiancé, Timothy Whitechapple. Still, she could not suppress the tiny stab of longing as she imagined how Harry and Ginny would be proclaimed husband and wife, to tumultuous applause worthy of the Quidditch World Cup.
"Oh, here they come. Finally," said Mrs. Weasley, somewhat nervously.
Sure enough, as everybody turned to look, Harry and Ginny walked in, both wearing casual Muggle clothes – jeans and sweatshirts.
"There you are, Ginny, Harry dear," said Mrs. Weasley, "I have been expecting you earlier – well, up front you go, Harry, Severus –"
But Harry, after leaning close to Ginny to whisper something in her ear, had eyes for no one but his former Master of Potions, who drifted off to the side of the small group. He approached Snape, so that the two were standing slightly apart from everyone else, and boldly said:
"Thank you for coming, Professor Snape."
" I was rather surprised to receive your letter, Potter," said Snape, attempting to keep his face blank, yet Celena, who was watching her husband intently, saw how much effort this was costing him.
"I thought this is a good opportunity to properly thank you for everything you have done, Professor," Harry pressed on. Fred, George and Ron exchanged distinctly uncomfortable looks. "For everything you have done for me. For all of us."
Snape stared at him, whatever words he intended to say apparently stuck in his throat.
"I never knew, until the very end," continued Harry, "I would never have known, if you hadn't given me that memory when you thought you were dying. You watched out for me all these years. You saved my life more times than I can count –"
Two tears ran down Celena's cheeks. She quietly brushed them away with the back of her hand. A sideways glance at Ginny told her Ginny's eyes were distinctly red.
"You saved my life too," said Snape, "if you hadn't applied essence of dittany and phoenix tears back then –"
"That was different," contradicted Harry. "You were about to die, I would have done it for anyone. And I confess, Professor Snape, I didn't want you to die like that, at the hands of Voldemort. Back then, before seeing your memory, I was still sure you were serving him, and I wanted you to be tried and sent to Azkaban. But you – you dedicated your entire life to protecting me. When we were all alone, Ron, Hermione and me, looking for Horcruxes, we knew someone was watching over us, and it gave us confidence - and that someone was you. You risked your life. You were Dumbledore's right hand. When Voldemort tried and failed to hunt me, on the night when I left Privet Drive, you were there, making sure he would not harm me. And that night in the forest, it was your Patronus that led me to the sword of Godric Gryffindor. And it wasn't just me you saved, either, you saved hundreds of students from torture and mutilation while Voldemort was at large and you were Headmaster."
Harry, it seemed, was determined to keep talking, to let out what he has meant to say for a long time.
"But you never got any respect, any appreciation. We always suspected and mistrusted you. There was a time when I hated you as much as I hated Voldemort – when I thought you were a murderer –"
"Well, Potter – I must say I cannot blame – it really appeared as though – there was no way you could have known –"
For once, Snape's sarcastic eloquence had failed him.
"I called you a coward once," Harry's voice quivered and broke. "I take my words back. Severus Snape, you are probably the bravest man I ever knew."
Both men took one step towards each other and grasped hands, in an open gesture such as had never existed between them before. A gesture of respect, of hope and possibility, and through the tears that blurred Celena's vision, she saw that a rare smile lifted the corners of her husband's lips.