Vows
Chapter 10

Fred sat nervously in a room that connected to the Great Hall. He'd talked Dumbledore into letting him have his wedding, the first one at least, at Hogwarts, where he would stay for his honeymoon. He wasn't getting cold feet, he was just nervous that things wouldn't go right, that Ani might say no instead of "I do," or worse: laugh in his face.

He'd planned everything perfectly, Hermione had gotten a few coworkers in to call a large storm cloud, so that they were sure it would rain, and everything was set up perfectly, the chairs all facing the lake, and Ani had been able to see the castle. He was afraid she wouldn't be able to, but besides feeling like she should be somewhere else for the first few minutes, the girls had said she'd been fine, amazed actually.

There was a soft knock on the door and George walked in. He looked more nervous than Fred. He pulled a chair next to his twin and sat down.

Fred looked at his brother, unsure why he was there and looked so nervous.

George smiled oddly, "Um, well, Charlie said that I sort of, had to u, well tell you, erm, give you some pointers," he said wishing feeling rather peculiar, talking to his twin about his wedding night. "Told me some, he did," George was wringing his hands slowly.

Fred's eyebrow cocked, "You mean, about the uh, and all that," he said before he took on a surprised expression, "oh."

"Yeah," George said before letting out a sigh, "Glad I get to tell you instead of Harry, think about how hard that would be."

Fred chuckled uncomfortably, before realizing it was going to be his responsibility to talk to his little sister's prospective husband about his wedding night, "Then I have too?" He now started to feel a knot in his stomach, not about talking to Harry but about the wedding night.

"Suppose Ron could, if he gets married first," George said before getting back to the original topic. "Well, anyways, about the, um, later, about later."

"Out with it George, your making me nervous," he paused, "more nervous than I was."

George gave him a halfhearted smile, then pushed his nervousness aside. "So, tonight," he said oddly confident and reassuring, "well, I guess, first, be really gentle, it hurts, really bad."

Fred was taking mental notes, even if the conversation was odd and uncomfortable.

"For the girl, that is, Katie, well, it's rather enjoyable on your part, well, besides the fact that the woman you love is in pain," George said going into more details than he needed to.

"George," Fred said not needed in more detail than he had already received on that area, "go on to the important stuff."

George explained the essentials, like unhooking her bra without fumbling around for a few minutes, and the more detailed things that two brothers talk about. They'd talked about George's wedding night as soon as he'd gotten back from his honeymoon, they were best friends after all, but they hadn't gone over the things they talked about hours before Fred would have to live through the moment.

"Alright, Fred?" George asked as they stood at the doors, waiting to walk outside, into the rain.

"Don't worry, your going to be married, so if your good or bad you'll have plenty of time to practice," George joked before walking out.

Fred gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing, and walked out after his brother. Everyone was there, everyone he knew at least. All his old teachers, including Mad Eye and Lupin and excluding Umbridge. His other brothers were waiting, the groomsmen waiting to escort the bridesmaids. Hermione had become good friends with Ani and had been the maid of honor, and she walked down with Ron, even though George was Fred's best man.

Ani looked exactly as she had the day they met, her blonde hair with soft wet curls, and water dripping from her nose. They smiled at each other through the rain, both of their faces covered in warm tears as well as the warm rain. It was like a dream for both of them, everything else seemed to fade away, even as they said their vows, it was surreal.

She looked so ecstatic, like it didn't matter that none of her family was there to see their daughter get married. She was actually happy they weren't there, it was so perfect with just Fred's family and friends, his father had given her away, he'd taken a liking to her and was just as odd as Fred and the rest of his family, something Ani had been so used to she didn't notice.

Fred spun her around, her dress gliding softly, and kissed her, just as they had when he'd proposed. He gripped her tightly, not wanting to let her go, not wanting to loose her touch on his skin.

They walked to the great hall, sitting at the staff table, something Fred had always wanted to do, he sat in Dumbledore's chair, which let out a loud fart. He looked down at Dumbledore, who was smiling like a student at a professor.

"Alas, a prank on one half of the biggest pranksters to hit our school," he said with a laugh, "There is still a section of your swamp in the corridors."

The food appeared as it always did in the Great Hall, but Ani didn't notice as she was staring up at the ceiling, which looked like the sky outside, and the rain that was falling and disappearing meters from their heads.

Fred nudged her and she looked down at the food, forgetting the ceiling completely, something she usually did when something odd happened. She ate slowly and Fred distracted her when it was time for the next plate of food to appear, not wanting her to find out about magic just yet, that was another thing he'd planned perfectly.

George tapped his glass, he too was excited to be at the staff table of Hogwarts, he felt powerful. He cleared his throat and did his best expression of Dumbledore, "I would like to say a few words, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! And yes, Harry I am mad," he joked remembering his third year, the year all the amazing things started to happen.

Fred laughed at his brother, he too remembered those words. Ani laughed too, though the words held no significance to her.

"Also, I have a few start-of-term announcements. First years should note that the forbidden forest is forbidden and Fred and George Weasley would do well to remember that as well. Also, Mr. Filch has asked that the Weasley twins do not," he paused and remembered Ani and that his brother didn't' want her to know about magic yet, "make a mess in the corridors between classes.

"Also, the Gryffindor dormitory is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death," he said referring to the rooms Fred had confiscated for him and Ani. Fred laughed again.

"I'd also like to point out to our mother that even though we didn't finish our blessed time at good ole Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts, we still left a very nice swamp in one of the corridors, and I doubt anyone forgets the fireworks, or our flight from the school," he laughed.

"Now, onto the people that we are here for, Fred and Ani," he said and raised his goblet to the couple. Fred and Ani raised their goblets and George looked at his goblet, "It seems like just yesterday Fred and I were trying to get our names into the Goblet of Fire." He knew Fred didn't want to know about magic yet, but he couldn't ignore it, they were wizards. "I thought the beards looked rather nice, aye Headmaster?"

"Aye, master Weasley," Dumbledore said raising his goblet to the man.

Ani looked at Fred oddly and he winked at her.

"I've known Fred all my life, considering I was born two minutes after him, something he's held over me for years," George paused, his speech almost as sentimental as Fred's had been at his wedding. "We've grown up, though our mum doesn't think so," he winked at his mother who shook her head at him as she smiled. "Fred has found himself a beautiful woman, lucky man," he said jokingly causing Katie to hit him. "Oy, love, I was joking, you're beautiful too."

George looked at his brother, "Thought the bloody git would never get married, never took kindly to the women in the store," he joked. "But he has, and now all the pressure is on ickle Ronniekins."

Everyone laughed except Hermione and Ron, who gulped and smiled cheekily at her as if she were a large spider.

George raised his goblet into the air, "I say we toast the couple and the three Marauders, I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

Everyone repeated him and drank deeply.

Fred smiled at Ani, and kissed her nose softly. He was happy his brother hadn't gone over board and hadn't mentioned magic.

The last few hours passed quickly and Fred took Ani by the hand. He led her up to the common room, past all the portraits that he had asked to keep quiet around Ani. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open for him with a smile and a wink that only Fred noticed. He heard the staircase start to shift and quickly pulled Ani inside. He led her past the burning fire and up the staircase that had led to the dormitory he had spent almost seven years in.

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AN: You've taken the time to read... so please review!