Wedding of the Year
by Matthew W. Quinn and Kyli Ann Rasco
August 1st, 1997
2:55 PM
Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks materialized in front of the Burrow, just outside the boundaries of its extensive magical defenses.
Tonks was blonde for the occasion. She couldn't stop grinning and she was so radiant she positively glowed.
Her husband would ordinarily be cheered by Tonks' glee but he knew why she was so happy and that troubled him.
My kind don't usually breed, he thought, worry invading his chest. Lycanthropy is transmitted through bites, but no child of a werewolf known to magic has lived long enough to be affected by the full moon. For all we know…
"Remus," Tonks said, gently taking his arm. "Remus, it will be all right. All the evidence indicates…"
"It's not just that," Lupin said. "It's something I learned at the colony last night."
Tonks' eyes widened.
"What did you learn?" she asked.
Lupin swallowed.
"Greyback's making a move of some kind. He didn't say when. I've informed Shacklebolt, but he hasn't responded yet."
Tonks nodded.
"Looks like there was a silver lining to our fight last night. You've gotten a good piece of intelligence."
Lupin forced himself to smile. He had no right to expect a happy homecoming after storming out and spending the night in the colony and Tonks was taking it better than he had any right to expect.
"Thanks."
But he knows what he said in front of you. Why didn't he kill me, or at least prevent me from leaving? Loose lips sink ships and all that.
For a moment, he wondered if Greyback was lying. If Lupin brought false word of an attack to the Ministry and the Ministry devoted scant resources trying to stop an attack that would not happen, it would leave them vulnerable to attack elsewhere.
For all we know, they're plotting to attack this very wedding, magical defenses or not. Molly, Arthur, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, the twins, Tonks, me — nine adult Order members present. Plus Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were at the Department of Mysteries and they have to suspect Harry is here too.
They made their way to the orchard and took positions in the great line of guests that snaked out of the white marquee set up for the wedding.
Lupin continued brooding, ignoring the white-jacketed waiters flitting about. His mind returned to Tonks' pregnancy.
Even if it's not a werewolf, what kind of life could he or she have? Tonks might keep her name, but any son or daughter would have mine. People would find out just what its father is and there's no guarantee he or she will find people like Prongs, Padfoot, or Wormtail who won't care.
He remembered his own youth, how he had no real friends until he met the boys who became the Marauders. He wouldn't want to wish that kind of isolation on anyone, especially on his own child. And what if, instead of having no friends at all, the child fell in with the wrong crowd? Merlin knew Lupin had turned a blind eye to some of the things Padfoot and Prongs had come up with, and in the grand scheme of things, those weren't as bad as the things the friends of the similarly-outcast Snape liked to do…
"Wotcher," Tonks said, alerting Lupin to the fact someone was near. Lupin saw someone who looked an awful lot like a Weasley…
That's Harry in disguise.
"Arthur told us you were the one with the curly hair," Tonks said as she greeted Harry.
Her voice dropped to a whisper as Harry led them up the aisle.
"Sorry about last night," she said quietly. "The Ministry's being very anti-werewolf at the moment and we thought our presence might not do you any favors."
"It's fine, I understand," Harry said. Although he was responding to Tonks' comment, his eyes were on Lupin.
Wishing to comfort the afflicted. You're very much your mother's son.
Lupin smiled, but as he and Tonks took their seats, the smile faded. He hoped Harry did not see it.
Assuming the child isn't a werewolf and assuming he or she can find friends, there are other problems. Bellatrix is out for Tonks and she'll be out for a child even more. A Half-Blood half-werewolf connected to the House of Black, however distantly? Honor will demand the child die. Tonks can take care of herself, but a child would be vulnerable.
He looked over to her.
Dearest, what have I done to you? What have I put inside you?
Around him, silence fell. Tonks nudged him.
Music then swelled from the golden balloons as Mr. Delacour and Fleur came walking up the aisle. Lupin forced himself to watch as Fleur's aura of beauty encompassed her sister Gabrielle and Ginny, making them prettier than usual, and, as she stood beside Bill, made his scars all but disappear.
Good for her. She can cure him of at least the outer marks.
"Ladies and gentleman," the wizarding official who had presided over Dumbledore's funeral began. "We are gathered here to celebrate the union of two faithful souls…"
Beside him, Tonks grinned. Lupin forced himself to smile.
Despite his smile, Lupin continued worrying.
With all these negative possibilities, it might be kinder if Tonks miscarried. Even at the best of times, a child would be problematic. Right now, it would be a disaster.
He shook his head.
No. Your holding out on her for a year stole her life and Mad-Eye's death cut her like a knife. A miscarriage would destroy her. And it's your son too, not just hers. Damn you for even thinking of that!
For a moment, he felt more like a monster than ever before.
"Then I declare you bonded for life!"
The wizard waved his wand and silver stars fell around them. Fred and George began clapping and the applause spread from them into the audience. Tonks clapped and even hooted; Lupin, red-faced, clapped more quietly.
Above them, the golden balloons burst and birds of paradise and tiny golden bells erupted from them, adding to the noise.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the wizard official called. "If you would please stand up!"
All around them, the marquee transformed into a reception canopy, with gold spreading across the floor to form a dance floor beneath them. The guests began spreading out and pairing off. Lupin saw Bill and Fleur make their first dance as a married couple, saw Arthur dancing with Fleur's mother and Molly dancing with Fleur's father, saw Ginny dancing with Lee Jordan while Harry watched morosely.
Leaving her was for the best, Harry. If the Death Eaters think you've had a row and aren't speaking to each other, they're less likely to try to use her as a hostage.
A white-garbed waiter appeared to his right.
"Would either of you like something to eat," he said, gesturing with the tray of sandwiches he carried.
"Yes, very much!" Tonks said, taking enough sandwiches to feed two people.
She is essentially two people right now, after all.
"Would you like something, sir?" the waiter said.
Lupin shrugged.
"Sure," he said.
He picked a sandwich off the tray and quickly dispatched it. For the life of him, he couldn't taste whatever kind of sandwich it was.
He was so busy brooding he didn't notice the preparations for the cake-cutting until the two phoenixes that sat atop it took flight. He and Tonks took their slices and ate them, but beyond the first sensations of chocolate, Lupin's portion was tasteless.
Bloody hell. You're so damn emotional about this you can't even enjoy this cake. The Delacours paid top dollar for this wedding — you should bloody well enjoy the food.
Even that thought depressed him. No daughter of his would ever be able to celebrate her wedding in such splendor. She'd probably end up having to wear a used dress!
A floating bottle of champagne and a pair of goblets floated into Lupin's field of vision. Tonks reached up for them.
"I think it would be prudent to avoid that," Lupin said, pulling both goblets and the floating wine away from her.
"I know," Tonks said. "But it's nice to play with. I wish we had it at our wedding."
I wish we had a lot of things, he thought morosely. But we won't, and neither will our children, assuming we survive. Not only will they have a werewolf father, but they'll never have the nicest clothes, the newest Quidditch gear…
Lupin nodded as he poured himself a glass. He drank it down in one gulp.
"Someone's thirsty," Tonks commented.
Lupin nodded, pouring himself another glass. He had already finished it halfway when he remembered what Greyback had said.
Best not get too sloshed, even if you'd like to. Something might happen and you need to be prepared.
Lupin set the half-empty glass on a nearby table.
"C'mon," Tonks said, taking his hands. "Let's dance."
Lupin sighed.
"All right," he said.
Perhaps this will take your mind off the whole situation.
"It's a pity we couldn't have a reception like this at our wedding," Tonks chattered. "Not that I mind the circumstances of our first dance."
Lupin smiled at the memory, a smile that, for the first time, wasn't forced.
Yes. James and Sirius taught me some interesting dances. I remember you loved the tango, although swing gave us some problems.
Their dance had ended very much like their tickle fight, only they'd manage to get a bit closer to the bed that time.
Lupin's face fell.
Was that the time our child was conceived?
"Remus," Tonks said, obviously sensing his fear. "Remus, please. Try to relax."
"All right," he replied. He rather mechanically led her through one of the slower dances he knew.
She's not made of glass, you know, he chided himself.
But even though he knew intellectually neither she nor their child would be hurt by a faster dance, he felt a very great desire to be careful.
As they danced, Lupin first took notice of how late it had gotten. It was dark outside the canopy, with the light provided by floating golden lanterns.
Thank Merlin it's not the full moon.
He'd been taking the Wolfsbane the Ministry had provided him as a "member of a paramilitary organization supporting the Ministry's objectives," but an ill-timed transformation would likely lead to the sudden reappearance of many people's dinner.
Suddenly, a large silver lynx passed through the canopy onto the dance floor. Lupin felt his heart sink.
Kingsley's Patronus. Something's gone wrong.
The lynx landed in the middle of the dancers and spoke with Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice.
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."