Chapter XI – A British Wedding
The wedding invitations had gone out a few weeks ago and by the Friday before the wedding everything was set. The ministry provided a dozen Aurors that surrounded the Burrow; more to keep away uninvited witches and wizards who wanted to be at Harry Potter's wedding from harassing the family and guests as they arrived rather than because of the worry about Bellatrix's followers who were so few now. Although the Fidelius charm around the Burrow would keep people out; a few dozen witches and wizards not knowing about it showed up hoping to see the ceremony from a distance and had to be forced to leave by the Aurors.
Almost everyone had replied that they were coming except Hagrid who had not replied to the invitation at all. With Harry, Hermione, and Ron busy at work, on the Wednesday before the wedding, Ginny apparated to Hogwarts only to discover that Hagrid forgot that a sick niffler he was nursing had chewed up the gilded invitation. He thought he had sent the reply and was surprised that anyone would think he wasn't coming.
Even with Hermione having only her parents coming, and the fact that almost no outsiders were invited, with all the Weasley relatives it was difficult to keep the number of people below a hundred, the most that could be comfortably handled at the Burrow's rented tent and dance area.
Harry of course had no relatives attending except to Harry's surprise, his cousin Dudley, who accepted the invitation that had to be sent through the muggle mail. Ginny insisted on this for reasons of proper manners; and Dudley was bringing a girlfriend. Aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon did not even respond.
Arrangements were made for Mr. and Mrs. Granger to stay overnight Friday and Saturday in a small muggle hotel in Ottery St. Catchpole. Dudley said he and his date would drive in Saturday morning and was sent a map to direct him from Surrey to the hotel where the Grangers were staying. Bill had volunteered to meet the Grangers there both on Friday and Saturday and guide them to the Burrow since, as muggles, the Grangers could not be secret keepers for the Burrow's Fidelius charm and would even have trouble finding the road to the Burrow, which in order to discourage muggles from driving that way, was kept as barely more than a cart path and easy to miss.
Charlie had arrived from Romania earlier in the week so he could spend some time with the family. Bill and Fleur, Percy and Audrey, and George would all apparate in from their own homes early Saturday morning.
Luna and Rolf were staying at the Lovegood house just over the neighboring hills and were coming to the rehearsal party since Luna was the only bridesmaid. Neville was bringing Hanna Abbott but they would apparate in Saturday morning.
Harry and Ginny were best man and maid of honor for Ron and Hermione and vise versa. Charlie and George would act as ushers to seat the guests. At four years old, Harry's godson Teddy Lupin would be ring bearer but the idea of Victoire Weasley at two years old being flower girl had to be dropped since she refused to walk with Teddy unless her mommy walked with her.
The American couples Samantha and Darin Williams, and Joan and Stan Wonski that guarded them on their visit to the states last year and helped after the attack on Viktor and Stephanie's wedding were invited to stay at Grimmauld Place. Ginny had been writing back and forth with Samantha and Joan on a regular basis and had become quite friendly with them. They had used the wedding as a reason to tour Europe. After ten days traveling in France, Italy, Germany and Spain they arrived at Grimmauld Place early Thursday morning while Harry, Hermione, and Ron were at the ministry.
Viktor and Stephanie came from Bulgaria later that day and had also been invited to stay at Grimmauld Place which had six bedrooms spread over three floors. This large amount of available space for people to stay overnight was one reason Dumbledore choose Grimmauld Place as headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix.
All the guests were all fascinated by Kreacher who did all the work that Viktor's entire staff handled in Bulgaria; of course there were no outside grounds to care for. The Americans couldn't remember ever hearing of a house elf in the states and thought they must be a strictly European thing. Kreacher took pride in showing them around Master Harry's house telling master's friends what a good master he had and how he tried to always be able to please Master Harry and his friends.
When the house had been fixed up to make it not such a 'Grim old place' anymore Harry decide that Kreacher needed a better place to live than under the boiler off the kitchen. Since Kreacher had become so fond of the owls; with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's help, part of the attic was fixed up as his bedroom so he could be close to the owl loft. Kreacher insisted a bell attached to a chord be installed so if any of master's friends need him they could ring from any floor; Kreacher of course always knew when master needed him so Harry never had to use it.
The heads of his ancestors were move up there from the hallway which pleased both Kreacher and everyone else for different reasons. Finally Kreacher asked Master Harry if the picture of Sirius' mother that had been blocked off earlier could also be moved to the attic. When Harry tried to tell Kreacher it was attached to the wall by a permanent sticking charm and couldn't be moved Kreacher using elf magic moved it in less than a second; another move that pleased everyone.
Late Friday afternoon, everyone apparated to the Burrow for the wedding rehearsal and a wonderful dinner prepared by Mrs. Weasley.
The weather on Saturday was perfect, cool in the morning, but by eleven when the wedding ceremony started it was a pleasant if not warm 66 Fo and sunny. Bill went into town at ten to guide the muggles to the Burrow which under its Fidelius charm was invisible to muggles like Dudley and the Grangers even after they were told about it.
The Grangers were used to such unusual happening from years of having Hermione tell them stories; but Dudley was somewhat bewildered at not being able to see the house then having it appear when, holding hands with Bill, they were all guided over the boundary of the charm.
Dudley's girlfriend seemed to think she was at some type of muggle magician's wedding rather than with a group of real witches and wizards. Everyone thought it best that she be allowed to continue to think that rather than telling her the truth and having to obliviate her memory after the wedding.
It was already decided that Hermione's studies of Fidelius charms would be put to good use. After the wedding she would remove the charms from both the Burrow and Grimmauld Place and replace them with a new Fidelius charm so there wouldn't be so many secret keepers for each location.
Guests began to arrive about ten-thirty and Charlie and George showed them to their seats. At five minutes of eleven the same man that had done Bill and Fleur's wedding and Dumbledore's funeral was ready under the canopy with Harry and Ron who stood together, both looking nervous, in front of the seated crowd of nearly one hundred.
Just as the wedding march music was to start; Harry saw one of the Auror guards surrounding the Burrow come in and go over to where Kingsley and Clyde were sitting next to each other. Whispering something to them he waited until they talked to each other and Kingsley finally said something to the guard. He left and Harry looked at Kingsley with an inquisitive look. Kingsley smiled and held up a thumb while shaking his head. Harry took that to mean whatever happened it wasn't that important or didn't concern the wedding and everything was in order.
Mrs. Granger and Mrs. Weasley sat across the aisle from each other and as Wagner's bridal chorus from Lohengrin started. First Mr. Granger in a muggle tuxedo escorted Hermione down the aisle. She wore a traditional muggle white dress with a wreath of cream colored roses over a veil. Lifting the veil Mr. Granger gave her a kiss on the cheek before shaking hands with Ron and placing Hermione's hand in Ron's.
Then Mr. Weasley in a wizard's bright purple dress robes escorted Ginny up to Harry. Ginny wore the traditional white part robe part dress that was so common for witch brides. Aunt Muriel's goblin made tiara, the same one Fleur wore, sat over the veil. Mr. Weasley also gave her the customary kiss on the cheek but gave Harry a solid hug instead of a hand shake.
Hermione and Ron pronounced their vow first then Harry took their rings from Teddy and passed them to Ron and Hermione who placed them on each other's fingers. Then they switched places and Harry and Ginny took their vows with Ron passing them the rings to exchange. The minister then said "I now pronounce both Ronald and Hermione and Harry and Ginevra to be husband and wife. You may now each kiss your spouse."
Applauds from the crowd were followed by hundreds of butterflies suddenly appearing around the couples as they kissed. Then George's best fireworks display began to explode out in the field across from the house. Waiters came around with glasses of champagne and everyone toasted the new couples. The chairs moved outward and placed themselves around tables surrounding the dance floor.
Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny went out to the center of the floor and music began playing. After the couples danced a few seconds; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Mr. and Mrs. Granger joined them on the floor. Next Bill and Fleur came out followed by George and Angelina. Angelina had arrived with Dean though both had returned separate invitations with only themselves marked attending. Harry remembered that George had dated Angelina off and on while they were at Hogwarts and whispered to Ginny to look.
"Harry, for an Auror you are so oblivious to what is happening around you. George has been dating Angelina regularly for more than a year now." she replied, "I thought you knew, being that you were in class and now in the same office with Angelina every day. She only arrived with Dean because George being an usher couldn't leave to escort her here."
When the song finished and before another could start Kingsley and Chitterly approached the newlyweds and Kingsley asked," I don't want to be nosey but where are you planning on staying tonight?"
The four of them looked at each other and then back to Kingsley before Harry answered the question with another question, "Why? What's up? I saw the Auror whispering to you two just before the ceremony started."
Clyde responded instead of Kingsley, "We didn't want to disrupt the ceremony when we got the news. My old partner was attacked at his house this morning. He is the best Auror I ever worked with and he was able to evade the attack and kill the man who attacked him."
"What does that have to do with where we spend our wedding night?" interrupted Ron.
"Cartwright was injured during the war." Kingsley said. "He lost both legs and couldn't get around well enough to continue as an Auror. Rather than retire him, with the Dementors untrustworthy, we needed human guards and we offered Cartwright the position as supervisor of Azkaban where his experience would be put to good use without requiring him to move around that much.
The man that attacked him turned out to be one of the five of Bellatrix's people still at large. It can't be a coincidence that the head of the prison where Bellatrix is being held is attacked by one of her people. Until we get all the facts Clyde and I would feel better if we knew you four are someplace safe."
"We were planning to go back to Grimmauld Place for the night then tomorrow to the French Riviera for two days." said Ginny. "You only gave us Monday off since we already put in for a vacation week to go to the states again for a real honeymoon in July."
"Can you stay here tonight to give us time to check on what is going on?" asked Clyde.
"Grimmauld Place is as safe as here." said Hermione. "Both have Fidelius charms on them and anti apparition spells."
"But your already inside this Fidelius charm." said Kingsley. "Have you forgotten how Bellatrix's people attacked Arthur and Molly last year when they went outside the charm to apparate to St. Mungos? We have a dozen Aurors here and the normal two man team at Grimmauld Place but not knowing if Bellatrix's people have recruited any new followers it will take time to make a coordinated plan to protect you leaving here and arriving at the park at Grimmauld Place. This may all be nothing but I don't want to see any of you killed on your wedding night because we didn't take it seriously."
"What about our guests?" asked Ginny. "Is it safe for them to leave?"
"I doubt our enemies will waste their efforts to attack random people. If they are waiting near here it's you they are after." said Clyde. "I'm sure your guests will be safe."
Ron waved for his parents, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and George to come over and Kingsley went over the story again. They agreed it would be safer if the newlyweds stayed at the Burrow. George said he planed to return to his loft above the shop to sleep anyway. Charlie offered to go with Bill and Fleur to Shell Cottage and act as an extra guard for them. Percy said with Audrey seven month pregnant they planned to return home that night anyway so she could be comfortable in her own bed. That freed up Ron's old room for him and Hermione, Ginny's old room for her and Harry, Fred and George's room for Viktor and Stephanie, Percy's room for Samantha and Darin, and Charlie's room for Joan and Stan.
Even though the Krums, Williams, and Wonskis could get into Grimmauld place since they had been make secret keepers when they arrive on Thursday; Clyde was afraid if there was an ambush set up and they apparated into the park at Grimmauld Place in their dress robes they might be attacked before they were recognized as not being the couples that actually lived there.
"There seems to be enough room," said Harry, "but we have to tell the others of this change in plans and ask if they want to stay here or maybe go to some other location."
"Not now." said Clyde. If they have to stay here you can tell them later. For now let your guests enjoy the wedding."
"Remember this is only a contingency plan for now." said Kingsley. "Clyde and I are leaving for Cartwright's place and if this all comes to nothing we should be back before the wedding is over. Then you all will be able to go on with your plan to return to Grimmauld Place. If we aren't back by six or if there seems to be a real danger you will stay here until we can make other arrangements."
With that Kingsley and Chitterly walked to the edge of the Fidelius charm, spoke to the Auror in charge, and then went out and apparated away.
The wedding guests, unaware of what had happened, celebrated and offered toasts and congratulations to the newlyweds who carried on with as much enthusiasm as possible with the thought that Bellatrix or her people wouldn't be allowed to ruin their wedding as they had Viktor and Stephanie's.
Through the afternoon and into the evening the newlyweds alternated between dancing and visiting the tables where friends and relatives sat talking. Remembering the dances they did in Bulgaria; at Ron and Ginny's urging the couples and their relatives tried to teach Viktor and Stephanie, Darin and Samantha, and Joan and Stan the steps to some traditional English county folk dances.
Taking turns at being the active couple and doing the more complicated movement during any given portion of the dance, Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Bill and Fleur, George and Angelina, along with some older Weasley family members eventually got Viktor and Stephanie, Samantha and Darin, and Joan and Stan to do dance maneuvers such as arm right and arm left links, back to back passes, cast off, cast up, cast down and how to chassé.
Eventually they mastered the Mad Robin figure; dancing with your partner while standing back to back with your neighbor while maintaining eye-contact with your partner across the set. Still keeping eyes on your own partner, men have to take one step forward and then slide to the right passing in front of their neighbor, then step backwards and slide left behind their neighbor. Conversely women have to take one step backwards and then slide to the left passing behind their neighbor, then step forwards and slide right in front of their neighbor, all without looking at anyone but your partner. After a few tries the guests looked like long time English couples who had done this dance all their lives.
However, attempts to teach them to do a figure eight, a weaving maneuver in which dancers pass between two standing people and move around them in a figure eight pattern led to hysterical laughter as people inadvertently bumped into each other throwing the dance into chaos requiring them to start over several times before eventually giving up.
As the wedding drew to a close Viktor called for a final toast and when everyone had a drink in hand he said, "To Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermy-o-ninny; my friends of many years now. You came to helped us celebrate at our wedding though it put you in great danger. Now we come to celebrate with you in the hope that that you will live long and happy lives with your children and grand children by your side in fear no more. Nazdrave!"
With the wedding over and almost everyone gone Harry called the three couples into the house and explained what happened earlier. "The Minister of Magic said he would be back before the end of the wedding if they felt there was no threat. As you see he is not back so we think it would be best to follow his contingency plan and stay here for the night. You six may stay here also, or if you would like, leave for another location; but we think it is not advisable to go back to Grimmauld Place. The park across the street that we apparate into has many hiding places we use to avoid muggles seeing us come and go but this cover may also give our enemies an opportunity to launch an attack."
"We stay with you as you stayed with us at our wedding." said Stephanie. "Your enemies are our enemies and we do not run from them. We will wait to see what your people have found. Now tell us where we are to sleep and in the morning things will look better."
Darin and Stan answered together, "If you need our help we'll stay with you; just tell us what to do."
Everyone was shown to one of the bedrooms and hours later after the house grew quiet, in Ginny's bedroom, after consummating their marriage, Harry and Ginny lay in the darkness talking lowly.
"Harry, I have something to tell you that I have been keeping secret from you for some time now and I hope it will make you happy not angry."
"What could you say to make me angry," whispered Harry, "especially tonight?"
"I'm pregnant," said Ginny slowly, "I'm going to have a baby boy."
"You're what?" said Harry loudly in an excited tone.
"I'm pregnant," said Ginny again.
"You're what?" said Harry more loudly. "How did you get pregnant? When did this happen? Are you sure? How do you know it will be a boy?"
"Harry," laughed Ginny, "you're twenty-one and we've been together more than four years; do I have to explain how a girl gets pregnant?"
"Yes Ginny, I mean no Ginny, I mean I know how a girl gets pregnant; but I mean you said… you told me you were using the anti pregnancy spell so I wasn't expecting this."
"Don't be angry Harry," after our first time in bed together I always used the spell except for one special time when I forgot because I was so thrilled with your surprising me."
"I'm not angry," said Harry, ""I'm happy. But I now I'm the one surprised. How far along are you, when is the baby due?"
"Well," said Ginny, "this will take some explaining. I'm four years pregnant and we will have to decide when we want the baby born."
In the dark Ginny could feel Harry freeze up for a second. "What? Four what? How can you be four years pregnant? What do you mean? How can we decide when the baby will be born; I thought they came when they were ready?"
"Do you remember at Hogwarts, the end of my fifth year right after we started going together, you surprised me one night by taking me to the prefect's bathroom, the one with the huge tub the size of a swimming pool? We pretended to be on a tropical beach swimming in the moon light."
"Yes," said Harry, "I remember I did that because you told me how that summer before we started going together, you tried to get me to go swimming alone with you in the pond over the hill from here. You wanted me to see you in your little two piece bathing suit so I would think of you as a girl and not just Ron's sister. But we couldn't go because Dumbledore made me promise not to leave the protection of the Burrow's charms. I took you to the prefect's pool that night for a romantic evening because I wanted you to have a happy memory, not a sad one."
"Well that's the night I forgot to use the anti pregnancy spell. When I was two weeks late; Hermione took me to Madam Pomfrey who confirmed I was pregnant and called Dumbledore to decide what should be done about me.
With all the time Hermione spent at the library she once read about a spell used by witches hundreds of years ago to suspend a pregnancy in times of danger from the witch hunts by muggles. It puts a baby in suspended animation. It's like the baby was frozen in time until it was safe to revive him and complete the pregnancy. Snape found the complete spell in one of his old books and Dumbledore gave Hermione the book before his death.
With you on the run with Ron and Hermione, and me forced to go back to Hogwarts, with everyone knowing I was your girlfriend; if anyone found out I was pregnant with your baby Voldemort would most likely use me and the baby to get to you. My mother and I went over the spell and decided it was safe. To do it right the spell required me to wait until I knew if the baby is a boy or girl, so when the baby was two months along, but before I started to show, mom preformed the spell and the baby has been suspended inside of me for four years now."
"Why didn't you tell me about it after Voldemort was dead?" Harry asked quietly.
"I talked that over with my mother several times before deciding. Things were still chaotic," Ginny replied. "Many of Voldemort's death eaters were still around and might have been looking for revenge. Later we discovered Bellatrix was still alive. Also you were going into Auror training and I knew you couldn't afford to be distracted and worried about me and a baby.
We were engaged and I knew the baby could wait until we were ready to have it. I had regular checkups with Madam Pomfrey and also with the healers at St. Mungos who all said everything was and is still fine."
"What about you playing Quidditch?" asked Harry. "The baby could have been hurt. Wait a minute; that's why everyone tried to talk you out of playing. Hermione and your mother were worried about the baby. What about Luna and Neville? They know you're pregnant, don't they? I felt for a long time that you four were keeping a secret from me. Who else know about this?"
"First, said Ginny, "Madam Pomfrey and the healers I saw at St. Mungos all agreed there was no danger to the baby from my playing Quidditch. I never would have done it if it endangered the baby.
Secondly, nobody other than the people we already mentioned know. You must realize that Luna, with her gift, knew the first time she saw me on the way back to Hogwarts that September. At the time I couldn't figure out how she knew but with Hermione gone I needed someone to talk with and Luna is loyal to us.
Also I didn't know Dumbledore got the spell book from Snape or that Snape was on our side at the time. When he showed up at my first check up with Madam Pomfrey and told me he knew I was pregnant I was in a panic that he would tell Voldemort. With him and the Carrows looking at me as the leader of Dumbledore's army, the others thought I needed extra protection. I had to let someone else know because Luna was in Ravenclaw and she couldn't be with me all the time. Neville was the person I trusted most and he acted as my escort to and from classes so the Slytherins didn't bother me.
Now that you finished your training and we are married I felt I couldn't keep it from you any longer. But there is still the problem of Bellatrix and I think we both need to decide what to do about the baby. Do we revive him now and have him born in seven months or do we go on the way things are until we both feel it is safe enough?"
"Just now as you told me the story of when you got pregnant my first thought was that I wish you told me all of this as soon as you found out;" said Harry, "but then I remembered how terrified I felt that year Ron, Hermione and I were on the run I don't know if I could have taken one more thing to worry about. I think I understand that you must have been terrified too and were trying to protect me because you love me. There wasn't much else you could do.
I think we both need to protect the baby now and I think we better talk this over more before making a decision. Grimmauld Place is nice now that we fixed it up but it is no place for a baby. We have to find a house in the country with a yard. Then there are all the baby things we will need. As you said there is still the Bellatrix problem. We better wait until tomorrow to hear what Kingsley and Chitterly discover before we talk more."
"I also think," said Ginny, "that we better not tell anyone that doesn't already know about the baby until we make the decision of what to do. Agreed?"
"Agreed." said Harry. "And now we better get some sleep because it could be a long day tomorrow."
It was after eight when a knock on the bedroom door woke Harry and Ginny. "The minister of Magic is in the kitchen," Mrs. Weasley said, "and he wants to talk to all of you. Get dressed while I go upstairs and wake Ron and Hermione."
Less than ten minutes later Harry and Ginny were having coffee with the Kingsley but he insisted on waiting for Ron and Hermione before telling them anything. Two minutes later they arrived along with everyone else including Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Seated at the table holding a coffee Kingsley started his story with, "I'm afraid I have bad news; Bellatrix has escaped."