Refer to chapter one for disclaimer.
Oh my goodness gracious! I am so sorry for the long delay; I guess you could say I had a bit of writers block… I originally planned to have the wedding later on in the story, so when I pushed it so far forward I had to rearrange things… so it took me awhile, but now I'm right back on track.
Also, Harry doesn't have much of a reaction here because I needed to fit so much in, but don't be dismayed there will be lots and lots of explanation in future chapters. Ok? Great.
Enjoy!
"Mr. H. Potter?" Harry whispered aloud, rereading the words over and over to himself, frantically trying to make sense of it.
'It can't be me… that's impossible'… not even his parents had been alive in 1934, no; this had to be a strange coincidence… didn't it?
Harry had never known much about his family; in fact he had barely known anything at all about his own parents before he arrived at Hogwarts. So perhaps there was a distant relative by his same initial. An Uncle named Howard or Henry? Or maybe a cousin or grandfather by the same name.
Trying with all his might, Harry tried to cover up the feeling that Mr. H. Potter was in fact the man standing alone in this dusty room, whose heart was beating faster than a drum.
He wanted to cover up this foreboding with sensibility…
"No," he closed the book and stepped away, looking at it from afar, sitting there at the table, laughing at him. His first thought was to run, but that's what he'd done before, and it had only landed him deeper into this haunting mystery.
Picking up the book he flipped back to the page…and staring down at it once more he ripped it clean from the book and held it out in front of him.
Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He had just defaced an incredibly important school document… not that anyone was likely to find out, there wasn't much interest in these closets anyway… but it had been so long since he'd broken even the tiniest rule or done something he obviously wasn't allowed to do. And it felt good. Smiling to himself, he folded the paper and pocketed it before hurrying out of the room of records.
It certainly made no sense, everything he was finding just distilling more and more fear into him… and this last discovery was definitely not helping.
That night Harry went to bed, determined to push these thoughts from his head if even for one night in order to clear the jumble of confusion from his mind… but he slept even worse than he had the night of the dream… tossing and turning with the muddled thoughts and dreams flashing back and forth, keeping him from his much deserved sleep.
There was something however, that through the hectic evening and dream filled night had simply slipped Harry's mind…
Rosie however, being the smart elf she was, would have never forgotten Harry Potter's important occasion that day, and that's why when Harry had less than an hour to get ready, Rosie had already pressed his tuxedo and polished his shoes. His breakfast was on the table to be eaten quickly, and the precious wedding ring was taken out of the desk drawer and set next to the plate of bacon and toast.
Rosie, rolling her eyes at her young master's silly ability to forget the most important of matters, walked through his bedroom door and standing on the tips of her toes stretched to see him from over the wad of blankets.
"Harry Potter sir!" Rosie whispered… but Harry simply groaned and flopped over on to his other side.
"Harry Potter sir!" Rosie said a little louder, but to no avail for Harry didn't even flinch.
Rosie didn't think that her master had drank any of that disgusting liquid that always caused the humans to sleep so soundly and made them hate the sun and the smallest sound… but… maybe he had. And if so, it would take a much louder noise to wake him up she reasoned.
"HARRY POTTER SIR," she shouted this time as loud as she could, making her long ears flap wildly.
Harry jumped up, and immediately reached for his wand, pointing it straight towards the innocent face of a very amused house elf.
Through blurry vision he saw Rosie giggle a little and push the end of his wand away from her nose…"Sir might want to get ready to leave now. Sir's friends' wedding is today." And with that she smiled and popped back to the kitchens where she would surely tell the hilarious tale of the famous Harry Potter and how silly he was this morning… the Hogwarts elfs were always anxious for any story of Rosie's master.
Harry rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses, how could he have forgotten? The wedding was today. He had been so caught up in his new findings the night before he had completely forgotten.
Jumping out of bed he looked at the clock hanging against the wall across from his four poster bed. It was quarter to eight and he had to be at Ron's by eight thirty so they could all aparate to the garden Hermione had chosen for the wedding.
Running into the bathroom Harry quickly showered and threw on some old jeans and a brown sweater.
Eating quickly and grabbing the ring and his tux he was right on time when he finally tossed the floo powder into the fireplace.
Unlike the previous visit to the burrow the day before, it was certainly not eerily quiet … in fact he wasn't sure he had ever heard so much commotion.
"Hermione probably would know where he went, but do you really think it's wise to hunt her down and ask her such a question a few hours before her wedding Fred?" Percy was shouting from the other room.
Dusting off, Harry wasn't sure he wanted to walk through the kitchen doors and find out what all those voices were arguing over… but, he had a feeling.
On the other side of the door Mr. Weasley sat with his head on the table his nerves shattered… what made him think Ron wouldn't do something as stupid as this. Someone should have kept an eye on him.
Fred and Percy stood near the stove arguing as George, Charlie and Bill were talking over each other, as they too tried to think of something. All of them claiming they knew where to look first, but knowing that none really had any clue.
Neville Seamus and Dean, Ron's three other groomsmen sat across from Mr. Weasley with even less idea of what to do.
"Does this mean there isn't going to be a wedding?" Neville asked looking over at his two long time friends.
They both shrugged and looked behind them at the mess of red headed frenzy.
Harry walked meekly through the thin old wooden door. As soon as Charlie saw Harry enter he broke away from his current argument and walked over to the very bewildered man. "Thank God Harry!" he exclaimed and suddenly nine eyes focused directly on him.
"Ron ran, and we have no idea where he went." Charlie said from across the room. "We woke up and he was just gone" Fred finished.
That was strange Harry thought, Ron seemed so excited to get to see Hermione last time he saw him. "He seemed fine yesterday," he questioned.
"Yes we know, that's why no one was worried enough to bother keeping an eye on him in case he did this," Percy explained. "No one knows where he could possibly be. We were hoping you might know, because if we cant find him and bring him back in the next…" Percy looked down at his watch. "Forty five minutes, were going to have to track down the girls, and I sure don't want to be the one to explain why we don't have the groom to a dozen women."
Mr. Weasley just dropped his head against the table once again, this was the third son he watched get married, Bill and Percy's weddings having been a thousand times less stressful… and it wasn't so much that he feared for Ron's whereabouts, no… he now feared for the day that Fred and George's got married, for if Ron was proving to be this difficult, surely his twin sons would be hell on earth.
"I don't have a clue where he would go," Harry said dumbfounded and obviously annoyed that everyone would put the pressure on him to save the day once again.
"Then that's it then, what else can we do, unless he shows up we're just going to have to tell the girls and pray Hermione knows where he went without flipping out." George said shrugging.
"Which isn't going to happen," Fred muffled under his breath.
Everyone mumbled a few final comments and moved off in their separate ways around the house… "So I guess we just wait then?" Neville asked. No one answered, but he took that as an answer and pulled the daily prophet from under Mr. Weasley arm to read, seeing that he older man was clearly no longer interested.
Where would Ron go? Harry thought to himself. It wasn't like Ron to just disappear or hide… but… if he was to hide somewhere where would it be?
Harry had an idea… it was unlikely he'd find him, but knowing his best friend, it was certainly worth a try.
"I have an idea" Harry told the few men left in the kitchen… "I'll come back within the half hour if I don't find him."
And with that he ran back through the kitchen door, Dean, Seamus and Neville watching him go in bewilderment… and then as quickly as he went he came back again… "I'm going to need a broom."
Harry flew over the Weasley's house a few times scanning the horizon hoping to see something, anything.
Knowing Ron he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of running very far. Ron would never intentionally lose Hermione, he loved her too much… and he was smart enough to know that ditching his own wedding was a sure fire way of losing her forever… didn't he?
Well, chances were when he had finally wrapped his head around the commitment he was making that day, he had simply ran off to clear his mind, and if Harry could only find him, then he was sure all Ron would need was a little common sense pounded into his scull and he would be fine.
Flying back and forth Harry scanned the ground for any signs of his red headed friend… surely he wouldn't be too hard to spot.
But as far as he could tell Ron was no where to be found within a five mile radius.
Harry was just about to give up, when he spotted something no more than a mile or two from the house sitting alone with a few old trees surrounding it.
It was a small shed that had probably once held tools for whoever had tended the small field across from it. The wood was old and cracked, the roof falling in the middle. Flying down, Harry un-mounted and rushed to the door, he could bet just about anything that what he was looking for sat just beyond that door… and of course the mess of red hair he spotted through the window did help just a bit.
"Ron?" Harry said upon spotting his best friend, his back against the wall below the window, his head tilted back and his eyes closed, an old broom perched next to him.
"Ron what the hell are you doing." Harry exclaimed.
"Go away."
"No." Harry said roughly. "Do you have any idea how scared everyone is? What were you thinking, I never thought you'd sink so low as to run on the day of your own wedding." He spat.
Ron opened his eyes and glared, "You have no idea what you're talking about… Do you have any idea what it feels like to wake up one morning with the realization that you will never again be a free man? Never! There will always be a wife, and then children and then grandchildren tying you down." Ron spat back furiously.
Harry sighed and moved over to sit in front of Ron, who instantly gave him a look of pure venom and tried to stand up and move away from what he knew was going to be a very unwanted shot of common sense... but Harry reached out and took Ron's shoulders, pressing him back to the ground.
"Ron, I know you don't want to hear me talk at you, so I'm just going to say one thing then leave you alone and hope you come home…"
Ron looked at him, surprised that he wouldn't force him back to the burrow and then onto the alter to say his "I do's" as he assumed whoever found him first would surely do.
"You're right Ron, I have no idea what it's like to feel that loss of freedom… but. What I do know, is what it feels like to lose someone you love. And if you don't show up at that wedding, then you are going to lose Hermione." He said slowly and firmly.
Harry looked straight into Ron's eyes for a moment, now filled with fear, and finally releasing his shoulders stood up and picked up his broom.
"Think about that Ron." He said as he stood at the moldy old door. "But if you're not back in the next twenty minutes we're leaving, and we're going to tell the girls." Harry gave his friend one last stern look then shut the door.
Mounting his broom, he flew back to the burrow alone.
Harry stepped back into the kitchen to find nine very quiet and nervous looking men. A great difference from the last scene he had encountered upon walking into this kitchen.
"Did you find him?" Bill asked.
Harry nodded and sat down at the table across from Sean. Everyone looked at him wide eyed awaiting further explanation. But instead Harry just grabbed the tea pot in the center of the table and poured a cup of tea.
Then just as Percy was about to open his mouth and question him, the kitchen doors opened once again.
"Is my tux pressed because we're really late?" Ron exclaimed looking across at the room full of shocked men.
"Come on lets go we're going to be late for God's sake," he shouted into the silence, "What are you all doing just standing around."
Harry smirked and looked over at Ron who held the same smile of amusement… and after another moment of bewildered silence, they both burst into laughter.
The party of men arrived right on time and without any hint that something had gone amuck that morning. People were running every which way between witches conjuring up flowers and girls zooming back and forth between changing rooms, giggling as they frantically slipped their shoes on.
By the time everything was in order, the guests had arrived, and the ceremony was all ready to start, everything looked beautiful… the sun was shinning perfectly on the gorgeous secluded Scottish garden. Everyone was dressed impeccably and not one thing had gone wrong since they had arrived. The photographer was busy setting up his camera and the people were talking quietly amongst themselves.
When Ron, Harry, Neville, Seamus and Dean finally lined up in front of the alter, there was a slow hush.
Ron still hadn't seen Hermione since she'd left three days earlier, and as he stood there waiting to see her walk out of the white tent across from him, he couldn't believe he had ever doubted wanting to get married today.
The music started and one by one each bride's maid walked slowly up the aisle, each dressed in beautiful light coffee colored dresses. They were sleeveless and came to the knee, in a soft flow with a silk bow that tied around their front. Simple but sweet just as Hermione would want her wedding.
Nothing was bright, or displayed overly girlish colors, everything white and cream with a little green here and there.
When Hermione walked out, the awe felt by each person was greater than even at the Yule ball during fourth year. No one, not even Ron had predicted the beauty she possessed in that moment.
Her dress was also sleeveless revealing the delicate shoulders that few ever had the pleasure of seeing. The top of the dress was a beautiful laced fabric of small flowers and leaves wrapping around her small waist that was gently tied with a satin sash that flowed down the back of her dress. The sash perfectly matched the dresses of the four bride's maids and Harry now realized the gorgeous color of her light brown hair.
He had never realized how beautiful her hair was before now, as it was tamed to soft curls that flowed simply down her back and shoulders.
The skirt of her dress was full and soft as it lay gently to ground, the bottom most layer a gentle silk and above it thin, almost translucent layers of tulle that tapered to the ground from under the sash.
Hermione was never one to wear make-up, but today her face was perfect. Not a single blemish, so perfect that Harry would have been surprised if she hadn't used magic. Her lips were a soft peach and her eye lids sparkled the lightest coffee brown behind long black lashes.
There was no way in this moment that anyone, even the hated Draco Malfoy would compare this woman to the buck toothed plain girl they had known at school… no, she was radiant.
Ron watched her walk towards him, a huge smile plastered across his face; he never dreamed that he would ever be lucky enough to marry someone so beautiful. Someone he loved so much that it hurt, and who loved him enough to want to spend the rest of her life with him.
The reception was going well; everyone was laughing and talking under the huge white tent. Hermione and Ron had run off somewhere, claiming they needed to take pictures. But Harry found it odd that the photographer wasn't needed for these pictures as he had been grazing the buffet ever sense they left nearly an hour ago.
Harry giggled under his breath as he moved through the crowd. His feet hurt from dancing, and his throat was sore from talking to dozens and dozens of people, most of which he'd never met before, but obviously knew him…However despite this, he had luckily run into a few old friends.
Harry had been stopped by Remus earlier in the evening. The two hadn't spoken much at all since the final battle, and Harry was glad to regain the friendship. Remus had, as everyone had expected married Tonks and settled down.
Tonks still works as an Auror and Remus had recently taken up position at the ministry of magic with the Werewolf Support Services… after their long conversation, Harry began to feel the loss of those seven years of solitude he spent removed from those he loved so much. He felt almost guilty when he thought of all the things people like Remus and Tonks had done for him during the war, only to then cast them off for almost a decade…
The evening had gone on like this for hours, some conversations more pleasant than others, but now, all he wanted was to sit and relax.
Harry spotted Lavender, one of Hermione's bridesmaids sitting alone at a table across the room. Making his way over, he plopped down next to her.
"Amazing evening isn't it?"
Lavender smiled and nodded in agreement. She had changed a lot since her school days; she was still as sweet as ever, but no longer a giggly follower. She had grown up and was now engaged to a Hufflepuff whom Harry remembered from school.
She took a deep breath and looked at Harry in amusement… "Kind of glad it's over to be honest, we had a bit of a scare this morning." She said quietly.
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Well, if you promise not to tell… Hermione would kill me."
Harry nodded.
"Well she sort of disappeared this morning to put it lightly… No one could find her for almost two hours… We searched the hotel exhaustively. Mrs. Weasley finally found her hiding in a maid's closet in her pajamas and talked some sense into her… but everyone was so sure we were going to have to cancel." She said quietly, giving him a look of concerned amusement.
Harry smiled a little, trying to hold back his laughter… but when Lavender looked at him, stumped as to why he wouldn't be surprised at this news, he burst out into breathless and hysterical laughs, leaving a very confused witch sitting beside him.
Ok, so I'd like to comment that I did mention Remus and Tonks for a reason, but I didn't talk too much about them because we'll have plenty of time for that later, and besides this chapter was already a little too long.
Oh yes, rumor has it we're not aloud to reply to our reviews anymore, but I don't care I'm doing it anyway…
I've also noticed that I have a lot of readers who have me on their favorite's lists or story alerts who never ever review!
If you are one of those people, shame on you, you should review! GO DO IT NOW! EVERYONE!
trishna87 – Yea! Well I'm glad you've caught up with the chapters, that makes me superbly happy! And thanks for the compliments, I adore Ron and Hermione too, their great. Sorry again about the delay :(
Sybyll– hehe, well you'll have to wait and find out the answers to all those secrets a little later, but I can promise their coming within the next two to three chapters… then things will start falling into place.
lia23 – Ok, so sorry I didn't write too much about Harry's reaction, but like I said I need to get the wedding into this chapter… but don't be dismayed more is coming soon… and much quicker too!
humor my lips – Math geeks are cool… and I absolutely suck at math, perhaps you could teach me a thing or two…
And what do you mean there isn't going to be any real romance? I did put romance down as a genre didn't I?
KT – secretly psychic… hehe that is fun to say…