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Chapter 20 – The Wedding of the Year
'Being engaged has unleashed a passion monster in this man,' Mary thought as she came down from another high delivered to her by her fiancé. It had been twenty four hours since she had accepted Severus's proposal, and he had kept her in such a state of arousal overnight, she thought she was lucky if she had managed a total of three hours sleep. The man was suddenly insatiable! Not that she was complaining as he caressed her secret spots, readying her for another round. Mary tried to never compare Severus with her late husband, but this wizard had discovered erogenous zones she never knew she had possessed! And she had thought she knew her body.
Things were just starting to heat up again when the floo went off in the living room. "Ignore it," Severus instructed as he sucked and nibbled on the smooth skin behind her ear. Mary moaned in response. Severus had just started to kiss his way down her neck when a loud banging on the door caused them to jump apart, Severus falling off the bed into a heap on the floor. They were a lot closer to the edge than he had thought. Mary quickly bent over the side to make sure he was all right. Seeing he had hurt nothing except his dignity she quickly ducked her head under the sheet lest he see her amusement.
The banging continued unabated. "Severus Snape, you let that woman up out of your bed immediately! We have much to accomplish and less time now in which to do so," the cultured tones of Narcissa Malfoy rang through the closed door.
"I knew keying that woman to my floo would come back and bite me one day," Severus muttered rebelliously from the floor. Mary could no longer stop her merriment. She pealed into delighted laughter at being caught like naughty teenagers the day before their wedding. Even Severus chuckled, finally seeing the funny side of this situation. Mary marvelled once again at the change in his demeanour since their engagement. It was as though he was now secure in his feelings, knowing without a doubt that since she had accepted his proposal she was not going to up and leave him on a whim.
Mary rose and quickly threw on a robe. Checking to see that Severus was still hidden on the floor, she opened the door slightly and looked out with a guilty smile. "We'll just be a few minutes, Narcissa," she said apologetically.
"Of course, Mary, I do not blame you. I blame the reprobate on the floor over there," Narcissa said pointing with her chin in the direction of the bed. Mary turned just in time to see a bare foot retract into Severus's hiding place. She closed the door, still laughing, and called for Winky. The small creature popped in immediately upon her Mistress' call.
"Winky, will you please organise our breakfast and offer Mrs Malfoy some tea while she waits?" Mary asked.
"Yes, Mistress. Winky bes sorry Mistress for lettings Mistress Malfoy disturbs you and Master," Winky said fretfully as she twisted her ears.
Mary ignored the incredulous "Master?" that came from the direction of where Severus was rising from the floor. "It is alright, Winky; you did your best, I am sure. Why don't you go and make sure Mrs Malfoy is comfortable while Severus and I get ready?" she suggested. Winky popped back out to do her Mistress' bidding.
"Wonderful, I now have an elf," Severus drawled as he made his way to the bathroom.
Mary smiled indulgently. "You've had an elf since we've been together. You know Winky cleans your lab and classroom for you each day. The only other elf she allows in the vicinity is Kreacher and even that is grudging," she called through the door as she gathered their clothes together.
Mary quickly joined Severus in the shower, innocently of course. They had company in the next room and as their guest had pointed out, time was running short. Severus was ready before Mary and joined Narcissa at the table. He offered a tight smile in greeting as the blond aristocrat sipped her tea, a knowing smile on her face. Severus prepared his breakfast as well as a plate of Mary's preferences.
"Lucius does the same for me, you know," she informed him. "I am so happy you have at last found peace in your life, Severus. I know my family and I have not been helpful in recent years in letting you attain that. I hope we may now atone for any suffering our actions have placed on you."
"Thank you, Narcissa. I have long forgiven your family's involvement in what I have suffered. I know you have also forgiven me the same. Atonement is not required, friendship is," he said as he gave Narcissa's hand a light squeeze. She returned the gesture just as Mary came into the room and offered a bright greeting. After the obligatory congratulations and admiration of the engagement ring, Severus quickly departed to his first class lest he be roped into some task or other in preparation for the wedding. Beyond attending Diagon Alley after classes let out to obtain a wedding ring, new dress robes and gifts for the attendees the only other involvement he wanted in this wedding was to say, "I do". His only other concession to the planning was to place a quick call to Kingsley Shacklebolt to ask him to officiate. The Minister accepted the request with eagerness.
Mary and Narcissa chatted about their plans for the day while Mary ate her breakfast. Winky popped in at one point to deliver a letter. "It seems we are invited to lunch with the Minister," Mary informed Narcissa. The blonde woman nodded regally.
"That suits our plans. We will first book your reception lunch at The Green Garden; the manager is expecting us at nine. From there we will organise the dress robes, which will take us through to lunch. Once we eat, we can arrange the flowers in the afternoon, then all that will be required are bonbonnieres, and your gifts for Severus and your attendants. I am assuming Hermione and Emily will be standing with you?" she asked.
"Emily will be the ring bearer but Hermione is required to help with my vows; she must provide the magic for the oaths I am taking. As such, I require another witness. Narcissa, I know we have not known each other long, but you have known my husband-to-be for many years and I know he holds you in the highest respect. I, too, have felt a kinship with you since we met, and I would be truly honoured if you would stand as my witness tomorrow," Mary asked.
Narcissa was overwhelmed. Never before had she been asked to fulfil this honour, she had been too young to stand for either of her sisters, not that she had attended Andromeda's wedding, of course. She also felt a affinity toward Mary that had been lacking in her adult life. The last two years she had spent with her sister Bellatrix had not been congenial; she was too frightened of her older sister to be of any mind to treat her as a confidant. The other women of her acquaintance were catty, high society ladies, often the wives of other Death Eaters who were too preoccupied with currying favour while the Malfoys were held in high esteem, or reminding her of her low station when they were not. She had hopes of reconciling with her other sister but right now, Mary was the closest female friend she had.
She reached across the table to grip Mary's hand. "It would be my blessed honour to stand with you, Mary," she stated. "I am so glad we can see each other as true friends."
Mary smiled in return. She had worried the pure-blood might be reticent to stand with a Muggle; a lifetime of prejudice can be hard to conquer and, although Mary could see that the Malfoys were doing their best to overcome it, she thought perhaps this might be pushing things too far. Her worries had been for nought, it seemed. The ladies finished their repast and gathered their things ready to head for Diagon Alley.
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Mary and Narcissa quickly dispensed of their business at The Green Garden. When the manager discovered the reason for the lunch, let alone the guest list, he could not do enough for the two ladies. He even offered to close the restaurant the next day to accommodate them if they wished. Mary assured him this was not necessary and Narcissa suggested he may want to employ temporary privacy shields so the wedding party could enjoy their celebration without any curious onlookers.
They quickly decided on a menu with the chef and chose the wines with the help of the manager who also doubled as the restaurant's sommelier. The pastry chef was set to work immediately to produce an elegant wedding cake for the occasion. She would work through the night if necessary, to be able to say it was one of her creations that had graced the wedding table of a war hero.
There was a brief hiccup when Mary was physically unable to enter Twilfitt and Tatting's, the robe shop Narcissa had intended them to patronise in order to buy dress robes. A furious conversation with the proprietor later saw the two women heading back to The Leaky Cauldron to floo back to Hogsmeade and shop with Madam Marshall instead. Mary had met the young woman on occasion since her husband had accepted his apprenticeship, and she thought it would be nice to help the newlywed couple out.
"I am so sorry, Mary," Narcissa apologised as they walked toward their destination. "I really did not think there would be an issue such as this today." Miss Twilfitt was an elderly witch who held fast to her beliefs and traditions. While never a vocal supporter of Riddle, she firmly believed in the superiority of purebloods, therefore a Muggle was not to be seen in her shop. Even the revelation that Severus Snape, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter would be there later in the day to collect robes did not move the woman. 'Half-bloods all, I have spent many years cultivating the clientele of this shop and I will not have it compromised!'
Narcissa informing the octogenarian that the Malfoys would never again darken her door, and perhaps she should look into retirement if she could not change her ways with the times had caused a flicker of unease on the old witch's face but she held firm. A Muggle was not welcome. Narcissa reflected with shame on an occasion when she had used the shop as a way to bring Hermione down during the war. She could only apologise for her actions again.
Mary hastened to reassure her friend. "These things happen, Narcissa. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and may conduct business any way they see fit. I know the three of you and the vastness of your wardrobes. The only thing I have ever seen any of you wear twice are your cloaks and Draco's school uniforms. I am sure a hit to her hip pocket such as she just took will help wake her up. Besides, I enjoy shopping here with Julia. I am happy to provide her with a big sale like this."
The two women entered the shop, Madam Marshall greeting Mary enthusiastically and welcoming Narcissa politely. Draco Malfoy had shopped in her shop nearly every Hogsmeade weekend since Halloween and she had silently hoped he would convince his mother to stop in one day. Even if the fashion icon of the wizarding world bought just one garment from her it would mean a massive boost to her sales. She mentally crossed her fingers as she listened to the requirements for the day.
Very soon, Narcissa was seated in a comfortable armchair while Mary stood on a platform wearing a plain pale green, floor length, sleeveless silk shift dress. Madam Marshall was draping a heavy brocade satin ivory robe over her shoulders. The robe fastened across her bust with ornate silver buckles to her waist and then flared out to the ground offering a glimpse of the under dress. The robe had sleeves that were fitted to the elbow before flaring out to her wrists. It was perfect for the occasion, luxurious but understated, fashionable yet mature. Mary looked at her reflection with awe. With the right accessories and the glow that accompanied all brides, she knew she would look perfect.
Once Narcissa voiced her approval, she rose from her chair as Madam Marshall began to fit the robe to Mary properly. Narcissa began to look through the selection of robes for something for herself, Hermione, and Emily. She pulled a set of silver and gold robes from a rack. "Mary, you must get these for Hermione, they will suit her perfectly," she exclaimed as she held them up. The two women at the dais looked over.
"Actually, Mrs Malfoy, Miss Granger already has those robes. You are correct—it is as though they were made for her. Many people try those on but no one suits them as she did," Madam Marshall said, a look of reminiscence on her face. Hermione's purchases that day remained her single biggest sale to date. From what the two women had described they needed today, though, that may be eclipsed.
"Oh," Narcissa was crestfallen. Hermione could not wear robes to the wedding of her parents that she had been seen in before.
"She hasn't worn them, Narcissa," Mary informed her, laughing softly as the blonde witch perked up again. "I think she was expecting a more formal affair for the anniversary celebration last week and had them ready for that. She already said she will wear them tomorrow."
Narcissa nodded as she placed the robes back in their position. She thought back to the bracelet Draco had selected from the vault to present to Hermione a couple of weeks ago. It was a unique piece, made for one of the Malfoy wives in the 1800's. It was a diamond bracelet, the gems held together with strands of yellow and white gold chains. It was an extremely delicate piece, one of a full set. Draco had envisioned presenting it to his love piece by piece over the coming months. The bracelet would match the robes perfectly. She made a mental note to have Lucius retrieve the necklace that afternoon for Draco to give to Hermione tomorrow. It was a necessary accoutrement.
Narcissa continued to rifle through the selection. She came across a dark green robe that caught her eye. Pulling it from its place she eyed it critically. It was basically the same style as the robe Mary was currently being fitted for in that it had long sleeves and was fastened with the same silver buckles to the waist. It was suitable for Emily. The robe was mid-calf length and if Emily wore a silk under dress in ivory, she would tie in with her mother's gown perfectly. White stockings and shoes would complete the look, very suitable for her age. She placed it on a rack for Mary's approval then set herself to search for a robe of her own.
The colours now seemed to be set at green, silver, ivory and gold. Narcissa concentrated on gold for her robe. She moved around the shop finally coming to a section of three racks each with a discreet sign attached proclaiming, 'Designed by Banks'. One rack held robes suitable for casual everyday wear, another for work wear or smart evening wear and the third for formal wear. Narcissa looked through each rack, robe by robe and was very impressed with what she saw. She looked once again at the signs, 'Designed by Banks'.
"Excuse me, Madam Marshall, I do not recognise the name of this designer," Narcissa said as she indicated the sign. Madam Marshall blushed slightly as she realised where her customer was standing.
"I am the designer, Mrs Malfoy," she replied modestly. "Banks is my maiden name and it allows me to keep the designing separate from the shop. My designs are sold exclusively here."
"They are wonderful," complimented Narcissa as she continued to remove articles from the racks. With a wave of her wand she summoned an empty rack and began to hang her selections on it. By the time she had gone through all three racks, she had removed no less than twenty five garments. Madam Marshall had joined her now that she had finished fitting Mary's robe. Mary had approved of Narcissa's selection for Emily and was currently looking through the selection of men's dress robes for Severus and Harry.
"Obviously we are on a tight schedule today and I am unavailable tomorrow. I would like to come back on Monday and go through these again with you," Narcissa said to the young woman. She indicated the rack of selections she had already made. "These are the initial ones I would like to try and I would like to talk to you about designing some special pieces as well. Is that suitable?"
"Of course Mrs Malfoy, I shall look forward to it," replied the ecstatic shop owner. Here she had hoped for Mrs Malfoy to purchase one garment, now it looked like she may buy practically her own entire collection! Just this alone would ease their road for the next year.
Julia Marshall had been proud that her husband Bryce had finally been recognised for his transfiguration skills. She knew his employment at Zonko's Joke Shop was somewhat beneath his skill level but when you love something as much as he loved Transfiguration then you made sacrifices in order to work with it. She would love nothing more than to design all day but the bills must be paid and so she also ran the shop. It was moderately successful, enough so that when the opportunity for Bryce to take up an apprenticeship arose they were comfortable enough to be able to accept a small struggle and put off starting a family for the next four years in order for him to take it up.
They had already decided to move into the castle to save on rent and food bills as that cost was covered. Zonko's had offered him part time work three afternoons a week and every Saturday the Hogwarts students visited the village to allow some extra money to come in. If Mrs Malfoy continued to purchase Banks' designs then what was going to be a tough four years might not end up such a struggle – plus it would cement her reputation in the fashion world of wizarding Europe.
From the rack of formalwear, Narcissa located a pale gold robe with pale green embroidery that matched Mary's under dress and accompanying dark green embroidery that matched Emily's robe. It had a round neck and fitted three quarter length sleeves. The robe was fitted to the waist before falling in soft folds to the ground. Similar to Mary's impression of her own robe, Narcissa felt this one was stylish yet suitable for her age, not making it seem she was trying to dress younger than she was. With a smile at Madam Marshall, she moved to the dais to be fitted properly. By the time she was finished, Mary had selected dress robes for Severus and Harry.
Severus's one demand in terms of his wedding apparel had been to ensure he did not have to wear a colour. Mary was happy to fall in with his wishes; she did not want her man to be uncomfortable on this day of days. She chose very simple black dress robes for both men, concentrating on finding a high quality fabric and cut. The only colour she introduced was an ivory waistcoat for Severus which was the same heavy satin brocade as her own robe and an emerald green waistcoat for Harry that matched his eyes. Madam Marshall put both aside for the men to be fitted later that afternoon along with Emily. Mary thought they would both be grateful they would not have to go far to have it done.
Their business with the robes concluded for the morning, they found they had just enough time to floo to the Ministry and meet with Kingsley Shacklebolt. Bidding Madam Marshall good day, they made their way to the post office where the public floo was located. An assistant was awaiting their arrival in the Ministry atrium. Narcissa paused to donate a galleon in the fountain as was her custom when visiting the Ministry. A new monument was currently under development to place on permanent display. In the meantime a simple fountain that usually stood in the garden at Malfoy Manor had been loaned to the Ministry to serve as its centrepiece. Narcissa was on the committee for the new tribute; it was coming along very slowly.
There was a brief delay at the security checkpoint when the guard was unable to obtain a wand from Mary to weigh and process. A word from Narcissa about not keeping the Minister waiting finally enabled them to move along. Mary asked the assistant if she would face the same trouble in the morning when attending the Ministry for their ceremony. The assistant assured her he would arrange for a pass while she dined with the Minister to enable a swift passage in the morning.
Kingsley met the two women before guiding them into his private dining room. The three had a pleasant meal while discussing the requirements for the marriage ceremony in the morning. It was decided to merge muggle traditions with wizarding traditions, in order for both their heritages to be recognised. Kingsley assured Mary there would be no problems with Hermione taking the magical oaths on Mary's behalf, providing that Mary was being honest when responding to them.
Over tea, Kingsley congratulated both mothers on the accomplishments of their children being offered apprenticeships. "I am just thankful there is no apprenticeship relating to Defence Against the Dark Arts," Kingsley commented. "I am sure we would have lost Harry to it if that were the case."
"He is very much looking forward to testing for the Auror programme," Mary replied. "His studies are going well; he should easily surpass the academic requirements. Severus has recently begun to drill him in his practicals as well."
"With Severus as a tutor, I do not think he will have any problems with the entrance exams then," Kingsley said with a smile. His assistant came back into the room to let him know his next meeting was due to start. Gallantly kissing the hands of both ladies, he bid them farewell until the morning.
Narcissa and Mary decided their plan of attack for the afternoon would be flowers, then shopping for gifts before meeting up with everyone again in Hogsmeade. There was a fortuitous moment when they ran into Lucius in the atrium prior to leaving. Narcissa was able to ask him to go to Gringotts to retrieve the necklace, and to tell him of the change of location if he required dress robes. Lucius informed her that Severus had asked him to stand as his Best Man and so new dress robes would be appropriate.
The flower selection was undertaken very quickly. Mary decided on yellow roses with red tips for herself, just as Severus had presented her crystal rose on Valentine's Day. Similarly she chose white roses for Emily and pale pink roses for Hermione as wrist corsages. Narcissa had a small bouquet of white and pink roses made to match. For the men they decided on simple buttonholes of red roses for Harry and Lucius and a black rose for Severus. Mary did not care about the implication of a black rose; she simply felt it was appropriate for Severus, similar to the black diamonds.
Mary separated from Narcissa briefly in order to purchase her a gift, as thanks for serving as her witness. Calling for Winky, she and her elf entered a small gift shop. Winky had been following her Mistress discreetly, as was her habit, all day. The two began to look around the shop before Winky alerted her Mistress to a pretty dressing table set. It was made of sliver and had a hairbrush, comb, and mirror, as well as a velvet lined jewellery tray. Mary thought that even if Narcissa already had an heirloom piece, this one could easily be employed in one of the many guest rooms the vast manor she resided in was likely to have.
With Emily being the ring-bearer and Hermione providing the magic required for her oaths, it was left to Harry to give her away. This way all their children had a part in the service without one of them being singled out as having a more important role than the others. Harry had also balked at having to make remarks as would be the case if he were Best Man. She also purchased two gem trees for her daughters to mark the occasion as well as a 24k gold golden snitch for Harry. The sales clerk assured her it was an appropriate gift for a quidditch-mad son.
Severus's gift was problematic. What do you get for a man who has everything? She wandered around the shop a few times before the clerk took pity on her and asked what sort of man her fiancé was. She simply said, "He's Severus Snape." The clerk goggled at her for a few seconds. He had graduated from Hogwarts five years previously.
"You are a brave woman, madam," he replied gravely. He quickly retreated behind the counter though, and opened a cabinet. From there he extracted a leather-bound book. "We got this in a couple of years ago as part of a larger estate. I've shown it to a few people since but they weren't interested. At the time though, I remember thinking the only man we would ever be able to sell this to would be Sna– I mean Professor Snape," he said as he placed the book on the counter and turned the cover so it was facing Mary.
'Obuscurite Potions of the Adriatic' read the title. Underneath it stated that the contents were only suitable for Potions Masters of the highest calibre. Mary carefully opened the book and leafed through a few pages. It appeared to be well used; notes and improvements littered the pages written in all scripts and inks. Mary could tell just from the grammar and spelling of the notes that the book had gone through several centuries of owners. It was perfect.
By four-thirty, the happy couple along with their children and the three Malfoys were back in Madam Marshall's robe shop. The men were taking it in turns to be fitted for their robes, Severus and Harry very happy with the choices made on their behalf. Severus was enduring listening to the other details that had been decided upon, thanking his lucky stars he had not had to suffer through the actual meetings and selections the day seemed to have entailed. Mary and Narcissa appeared to have enjoyed themselves though.
The four men made their escape quickly; united as one, they left the clothing establishment as though it had caught fire. Mary chuckled as she watched them exit loudly proclaiming their need to attend to other errands in London and not to expect them back any time before six – funny how that was when Madam Marshall was due to close for the day. Mary turned back to the dais as Emily climbed up for her fitting.
Emily was enjoying being fussed over. Even before her mother had been killed, the focus in their family had been on nurturing her intelligence at every turn to the exclusion of allowing her to participate in normal girly activities. Her parents had been overwhelmed with their daughter's seemingly random high IQ, and had followed the early advice of psychologists and educators in how they should have her spend her free time. Advanced maths lessons, literature appreciation classes, and educational exhibits had been how she was encouraged to 'have fun'. Emily appreciated now having a balance between the two. Mary had already raised one highly intelligent daughter and knew how to combine cultivating her intellectual side along with teaching her how to be a girl. Mary in turn was privately gratified that Emily seemed to want to explore this side of herself in a way Hermione never had.
As Emily stood on the dais being fitted, Narcissa was standing behind her, waving her wand over her hair and arranging it in different styles to see what would suit the dress best. Mary was standing in front of her offering suggestions while Narcissa worked her magic. Hermione was wandering through the shop and selecting a few articles of clothing to supplement her wardrobe. She had made do with the clothes she bought the last time she was here, but with summer approaching she knew she would need some more. She held some pieces up in front of her as she tried to imagine what Ginny would say if she saw her. As she replaced one robe back on the rack, she thought that the next Hogsmeade weekend they would have to ditch the boys for a while and come back for another mini-spree.
Last on the list was to purchase bonbonnieres for the guests. Hermione and Emily volunteered for this task while Narcissa and Mary indulged in a cup of tea at Celestial Dollars, exhausted from their long day. The two girls were wandering the gift shop, idly looking at a few things. They chose some small crystal sweet dishes then went to Honeydukes to buy some sugared almonds to put in them.
As they exited Hermione muttered, "I should have known there'd be 'nothing like that' in the wizarding world. Honestly, how can people give out chocolate favours? They will expire!" she huffed.
Emily was slightly downcast as well. There was so much that was different here, sometimes it hit her all at once how different her life was now. "This sucks! I thought we could put the almonds under a stasis so they would keep, chocolate just isn't the same." Hermione put her arm around Emily's shoulder.
"It's a pity we don't have more time. We could have gone to London and got them," Hermione commiserated.
Emily looked at her watch. "Why don't we just go to the nearest muggle town to here? Surely something would be available at this time and you can apparate us there," she suggested.
"I don't know the nearest muggle town," Hermione said.
"I do, it's Dingwall. Professor McGonagall took me there in summer to complete some paperwork for Great Aunt Elki. I can remember the alley we went to. If you provide the apparation, I can provide the destination," Emily stated confidently.
Hermione eyed her askance. "Alright, fix the alley firmly in your mind. Think of nothing else," she instructed. "If we splinch, you get to explain it to Dad." Hermione checked her bag to be sure she had an adequate supply of dittany just in case. Hermione knew of the theory behind this type of apparation as did Emily; they had found it in one of Severus's more obscure books over the Easter holidays. Hermione embraced Emily determinedly rather than just grasping her arm, it allowed for a more deliberate apparation to their destination. She felt reiterating the 'three D's', even in her mind, helped her to focus. Emily indicated her readiness and the two sisters popped out of Hogsmeade and into the alley in Dingwall.
"Wow, that was much easier than I thought," Hermione said in surprise. "Do you have all your bits?" she asked Emily.
Emily quickly patted her hand around her head, checking her ears, nose and mouth, smoothing her hair and wriggling her fingers and toes. "Yep," she confirmed happily.
"You know we're going to catch grief for being 'Gryffindor' about this," Hermione fretted as they departed the alley and began to look along the High Street for a sweet shop.
"They don't have to find out about it," Emily replied in exasperation. "We'll just tell them we got them in Honeydukes."
"And when all the pure-bloods ask what they are, I think the game will be given away. Plus, I've been meaning to tell you as you and Mum get closer you will never be able to keep a secret from her. She can tell just by looking at you that you are hiding something from her. It is easier just to confess and get it out of the way," Hermione informed her sister.
"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Emily said.
"And believe me; do not ever try to lie to Dad. You're lucky; you don't have the Professor Snape we used to have. This year he has been a veritable pussy cat compared to how he was," Hermione continued.
Emily goggled at her. "A pussy cat? Yeah, right. What sort of pussy cat screams at the entire class because a stupid boy diced his valerian root instead of chopping it?"
Hermione snorted. "Three years ago if he simply screamed, we would have all wondered who had possessed him. He has this way of looking at you and just hissing his displeasure that makes you want to sink into the floor. He used to terrify Neville beyond belief."
"Neville? Was scared of Dad? But they get on okay now," Emily said in confusion.
"They only get on now because of me," Hermione told her as they entered a cute little sweet shop. "Neville wasn't always the strapping young man you see now. He used to be a chubby, short, clumsy boy who couldn't even abide a raised voice."
"Wow," Emily whispered. She thought Hermione and Harry's friend was quite good looking, for a boy anyway. And he was always so nice and funny and helpful. Oh well, the world was a strange place she thought with a mental shrug.
The two girls quickly located a large bag of sugared almonds. Hermione stopped suddenly on her way to the counter and began frantically rummaging through her beaded bag. "Cough," she hissed to Emily. As Emily faked a massive coughing fit, drawing the attention of everyone currently in the shop, Hermione non-verbally Accio'd a small coin purse from within the depths of the bag. Exhaling in relief, she opened it to find it stuffed with muggle pounds and coins. "That was close," she whispered.
"When I'm grown up, I'm going to make sure I'm as organised as you," Emily said in slight awe. Her sister carried around an actual survival kit in that bag! There were potions, make-up, spare clothes, books, quills, pens and journals among myriads of other practical items. They quickly paid for the almonds and returned to the alley to apparate back to Hogsmeade. At least the return trip was easier, Hermione was well aware of the destination for this apparation. They headed to the cafe to meet their mother and her friend.
Emily went straight to the table while Hermione lined up at the counter to get them some drinks. As Hermione returned to the table, she heard Emily guiltily confessing to their little side trip to Dingwall. "Oh, I would not worry about a trifle like that, Button," Narcissa assured her. "Everything needs to be perfect for tomorrow and if the two of you felt special sweets would help with that then a small detour is no problem."
Mary eyed Emily shrewdly. "That's not all you did is it?" she asked. Emily looked at Hermione, her expression somewhere between utter shock that Mary had picked up she was hiding something along with admiration for Hermione's insight. She had thought if she just confessed to them going to Dingwall that would be enough to not have to mention the risk they took with the apparation.
When Hermione explained what they did to get to Dingwall, Mary was surprised at the force with which Narcissa placed her cup on the table. She was instantly concerned with the visible effort Narcissa was making to not erupt at the table. Only years of suppressing true emotions and her impeccable manners prevented the pure-blood from immediately remonstrating with the two girls for the foolish risk they had taken. She took a few calming breaths before quietly informing Mary of what could have happened had anything gone wrong. As the caster, Hermione should have been the one to provide the destination. Narcissa had never heard of a side-along passenger supplying anything to the process.
Mary was mortified when she heard of what could have befallen her daughters had they splinched or somehow become separated. Her eyes silently conveyed to the two of them that they were in trouble when they returned home. Hermione and Emily sat quietly drinking their hot chocolates while Mary and Narcissa reviewed everything and determined they had covered all the requirements for the next day. Narcissa gave both girls a reassuring hug before she left, satisfied they would learn the error of their ways. It was an exciting time right now and it was understandable that this excitement had led them to behave a little more erratically than usual.
Winky had already transported all the bags back to their quarters so Mary decided a leisurely walk back to Hogwarts might be in order to settle everyone down again. They walked in silence but it was companionable. Emily was holding Mary's hand, contrite now and Hermione had hooked her arm with her mother's. Mary toyed with the idea of addressing their behaviour as they walked but ultimately decided she should involve Severus. He would have more of an idea than she did of the repercussions of the magic they had performed – she only knew from the little Narcissa had disclosed at the cafe.
They entered the quarters and Mary asked the two girls to sit on the sofa while she retrieved Severus. She found him in a nearby empty classroom he and Harry had taken over for duelling practice; the two of them casting toward a metal plate working on improving Harry's accuracy. She briefly explained to her fiancé what they had done, further worrying when Severus acted in a manner similar to Narcissa. He did not take calming breaths to try and compose himself. He turned viciously on the spot and eviscerated the metal plate. Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. 'Okay, new goal,' he thought. That was the level of power and accuracy of spell casting he needed to achieve. He elected to stay where he was; he had no desire to see the girls get into trouble. He would console and commiserate with them later.
Mary and Severus entered the sitting room and faced their daughters. It appeared Emily had been crying, there were remnants of tear tracks on her face and she was visibly trying to hold herself strong. Hermione had an arm wrapped around her for support. Mary felt herself start to melt inside. She hated disciplining her child. She had had no cause yet to reprimand Harry or Emily for anything serious, usually slips of language in Harry's case or usual pre-teen exuberance in Emily's. She had managed with Hermione over the years though and steeled herself for what was to come.
Severus too was in an awkward position right now. He had doled out punishments over the years; some of his detentions were in fact legendary when it came to originality and suffering. He had never had to discipline his own child though. So far the three of them had only engaged in minor infractions that warranted light punishment. He usually assigned a detention then pointed said student in the direction of their parents depending on the severity of the crime. They then dealt with ensuring repeat behaviour would not come about. He found thinking about the ramifications of what the girls had undertaken enabled him to maintain his ire. "Explain," he instructed quietly. Emily got a glimpse of what Hermione had been talking about earlier when she said she had not yet experienced 'Professor Snape' at his finest.
Hermione spoke up. "Over the Easter holidays, Emily and I found a notebook on the shelf," she pointed to the bookshelf closest to Severus's desk, "and on one of the pages it described applying 'deliberation, determination and destination' in apparating. It theorised that if two people were apparating to a place only one of them had been and that person was incapable of performing apparition then they could fix the destination, while the other person supplied the deliberation and determination."
Severus's usual impassive mask had well and truly slipped. So many emotions were crossing his face, Hermione and Emily were struggling to identify them all. Anger, exasperation, pride and fear were the dominant ones. He closed his eyes against the onslaught of visions that had entered his mind of what potentially could have happened if anything went wrong. He knew the book they were talking about – it was one where he researched his own theories of magic.
"Whose idea was it to go ahead with this plan?" he asked.
"Mine," both girls said in unison.
"You both had the exact same idea at the exact same time?" Mary asked pointedly.
Emily looked into her lap and wrung her hands together. "I suggested it," she whispered. Hermione tightened her hold.
"But I went along with it and I'm the adult," Hermione said. "I should have said no but at the time it seemed like a good idea."
"What exactly possessed you to think you needed to carry out a plan such as this with no prior thought, no previous trials, or even a plan in place for if something went wrong?" Severus asked incredulously. If it had been Harry sitting in front of them right now he would not have been the least surprised. Hermione usually had more of a clear head about her, though.
"We wanted a special sort of sweet to give to your guests tomorrow and they didn't have it at Honeydukes. I knew Dingwall was the closest muggle town and we really wanted to get them for you," Emily explained as tears started to make their way down her cheeks. She brushed at them but they kept coming unheeded.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to contain an outburst he was not sure he could control. Mary had no such compunction. "You put yourselves in danger of splinching in order to simply buy sugar?" she asked incredulously. Emily's tears continued and Hermione hung her head in shame. Severus had heard enough.
"I know the events and excitement of the last two days will have contributed to your less than usual level headedness not to mention the anticipation of tomorrow's celebrations, as well. Make no mistake; you will both receive a punishment for this. Emily, you are grounded for the first week of the summer holidays. You will be confined to our quarters here and to the courtyard for fresh air. There will be no letters or floo calls to your friends and you will inform them that any letters they send to you during this time will be held aside until after your punishment. You may go to your room now until dinner and you will be having an early bedtime tonight," Severus instructed her gravely.
Emily stood from her seat and took two steps before turning around and hurling herself into Severus, throwing her arms around his waist and crying stormily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be naughty," she said through her sobs. Severus embraced her firmly.
"It is alright, child," he said softly. "I forgive you but you must promise not to try something like this again."
"I promise," Emily said as she wiped her eyes again. She turned to give Mary a hug as well, offering her apologies once more and receiving forgiveness. She went to her room and closed the door. Mary and Severus were saddened to hear her cries continue but they remained firm. They held a brief discussion regarding Hermione. How do you punish your nineteen year old daughter?
Hermione had succumbed to silent tears as well. 'What was I thinking? I went off at Harry for trying something he read in a book without researching it and now I just go and do the same? I'm the oldest, I should be the most responsible,' she berated herself. Mary and Severus now stood in front of her.
"We find ourselves in a bit of a situation here, Hermione," Mary said. "We can't punish you with grounding and an early bedtime. You are an adult and you should be treated as such. We are very disappointed in you though. You should know better than to act on impulse like this. Did it ever occur to you to go to the post office and floo to Dingwall – or to any muggle town for that matter?"
"No," Hermione replied quietly. In retrospect that should have occurred to her. Her parents' disappointment, in some ways, was the worst punishment she could receive. That they had to deal with this the day before their wedding as well caused further shame in her. This should be a happy time, not a time when they had to punish their daughters for reckless behaviour. The tears continued down her cheeks.
Severus sat in the seat beside her and drew her head to his shoulder. He did not want to get her too worked up. What started as crying could easily turn into sobs, which in Hermione could ultimately lead to a panic attack. Mary sat on her other side and took her hand. "I will take charge of Emily during that week. I know both of you will be busy with finishing up everything for the end of the school year," Hermione proposed. She felt it only fair to share in Emily's punishment. "And tomorrow will be a big day, which is why I suspect Emily will be going to bed early. It won't hurt for me to do the same. During that week, I will make sure Emily completes her summer assignments and we will thoroughly research apparation and its possible consequences. You should know, though, it did work perfectly."
"Yes, it obviously did work but that is not the issue. The issue is you doing something on a whim without thinking it through fully," Mary chided gently. "Thank you for offering to chaperone Emily. We will take you up on that offer as you are correct; we will be busy that first week. If Emily has company, she will be less likely to try and push the boundaries as well. You are forgiven and we will put this behind us now. I am going to go and check on our Button and make sure she is alright." Mary stood from the couch and bent to kiss Hermione's cheek.
"I'm sorry, Dad," Hermione said in a small voice. "I wanted so much for you to never have to be in this situation with me. I'm nineteen for Merlin's sake, you'd think I'd be finished making an arse of myself."
Severus turned his head to kiss the top of Hermione's. He gently stroked her hair as he replied. "You have not, as you so eloquently put it, made an 'arse' of yourself. You acted on a moment's impulse and have shown remorse for your actions. I know you would not put yourself or your sister in jeopardy on purpose and our reaction is born from fear of what could have happened to you. I know you will not let it happen again." They sat quietly for several minutes until Harry cautiously poked his head through the door, trying to ascertain if the coast was now clear.
"I am going to clean up for dinner," Severus said as he stood up. "Will you look after your sister for a while?" he asked Harry. Harry nodded as he sat down next to Hermione, her head transferring to his shoulder. Severus bent and kissed Hermione's cheek as Mary had done before leaving the room, stopping to reassure Emily once again before retreating to his and Mary's bedroom.
Harry smirked at Hermione. "Don't say it," she warned him.
"I was just going to ask why you would do something written in a book when you spent the better part of a year berating me for doing the same," Harry teased. "I told you so," they both said at the same time. Harry bent and kissed the top of Hermione's head. "Gryffindor," he said affectionately.
.
The quarters were a flurry of excitement the next morning. Severus and Mary were both sequestered in different rooms to ensure they would not see each other prior to the ceremony. Severus and Harry were ready quickly and departed early to meet the guests and Kingsley. Draco had stopped in briefly when Narcissa arrived, in order to present Hermione with the necklace that matched her bracelet. She graciously accepted it knowing it was futile to remonstrate with him. At least he had not spent money on it.
"Alright, last check," Mary said. "Something old," she held up her wrist displaying the gold watch Michael had bought her when they adopted Hermione. "Something new," she gestured to her entire ensemble. "Something borrowed," She turned her head, displaying the rose hair clip that belonged to Hermione. "And something blue," she held up her bouquet which had two blue ribbons tied around it, ribbons that had been tied around her first wedding bouquet.
"Here is a silver penny for your shoe, as well," Hermione said holding out a shiny coin. Mary bent and slid it in under her foot.
"Well, let's go get me married, shall we?"
"Wait, let me take one picture of the three of you first," Narcissa commanded. Mary sat in the chair in front of Hermione's dressing table while Emily put her arms around her from beside her and Hermione bent over her head, her arms around her shoulders. Narcissa admired the obvious love between the mother and her daughters for a moment before snapping the picture. She was sure this would be a treasured one for all three.
They exited the floo in the Ministry of Magic atrium at nine thirty. There were a few Ministry workers around, some on duty as their departments required 24 hours per day, seven days per week monitoring and others taking advantage of the quiet weekend time to complete or catch up on their workloads. Narcissa noticed a pretty Asian girl giving them dirty looks as they traversed the atrium toward the security desk. She briefly wondered about the girl's obvious bad manners before putting her from her mind.
The pass Mary had obtained the day before enabled them to sweep through the security checkpoint with no delays. The guard remembered the two ladies from the day before and was in slight awe of being in Hermione Granger's presence. He had already processed Harry Potter and Severus Snape today, he would just need Ron Weasley to round out the set. He had heard the red-head was no longer in the country though, damn it.
They progressed to a small reception room just near where they had had lunch the day before. Harry was awaiting them just outside the door and he smiled happily at them in greeting. They quickly arranged themselves, Harry handed Emily the rings so she could tie them to the cushion she carried, while Hermione slipped inside the door to take her place ready for when she had to help her mother with the oaths. She winked at Draco as she passed, basking in his obvious admiration of her and shared a secretive smile with Ginny. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek before taking her position next to Kingsley.
All eyes turned to the door as soft classical music began to play. Everyone smiled as Emily walked in, the dark green of her robe contrasting beautifully with the light colour of her under dress and her own blonde hair and pale skin. Her hair was arranged in large barrel curls, held back from her face with slide combs decorated with green gems. The pure happiness on her face also leant to her prettiness as she reached the front of the room and stood in her place.
Narcissa was next, the gold of her dress robes reflecting the candlelight in an enchanting manner. Her husband reminisced back to their own wedding, a feeling now filling him that should have filled him on that day. No matter, he had a new memory now to sustain him. Draco too held an admiration for his mother's beauty as she passed him. With parents such as his, was there no wonder he himself was as handsome as he was.
All eyes now turned to the door again as they opened to present the bride. There were appreciative murmurs as Mary swept into the room on Harry's arm. Severus could not resist a quick glance behind him to see his soon-to-be wife walk toward him. Their eyes met and would not be drawn away from each other. Severus followed her progression until she was stood beside him, ready to commit her life to his. Kingsley softly cleared his throat and smiled slightly when it was ignored, the bride and groom continued to maintain their eye contact. He decided to begin anyway.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this wizard and this woman in the bonds of matrimony. These two faithful souls wish to join together as one for their time here in this realm. This is not a bond that should be entered into lightly or under duress but willingly, lovingly, and with honour. Who brings this woman to this wizard in order for them to unite?"
"My sisters and I bring our mother to join with our father," Harry replied. He stepped back to stand next to Ginny.
"Severus, do you take Mary to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honour, and keep her all the days of your life?"
"I do," Severus replied.
"Mary, do you take Severus to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honour, and keep him all the days of your life?"
"I do," replied Mary.
Kingsley continued to smile. "Will you please grasp your left hands? Hermione will you please place your left hand over those of your parents?" Hermione moved to do as Kingsley instructed.
"Severus, do you swear by your magic that you know not of any impediment that will keep you from discharging your promise?"
Severus withdrew his wand and held it up before him. "I, Severus Snape, do swear by my magic that I know of no impediment that will keep me from taking this woman as my wife and keeping my promise to her. So I say it, so mote it be." A single spark shot from Severus's wand and began to circle the joined hands.
"Mary, do you swear by your life and the magic of your daughter by adoption, Hermione Granger, that you know not of any impediment that will keep you from discharging your promise?"
"I, Mary Granger, do swear by my life and the magic of my beloved daughter that I know of no impediment that will keep me from taking this man as my husband and keeping my promise to him. So I say it," Mary paused and looked at Hermione.
"So mote it be," Hermione finished for her mother as she too held her wand up in front of her. A single spark shot from Hermione's wand and joined that of her father's. The two sparks continued to weave around the joined hands of the three until they joined as one, continuing once more in their path before bursting into dozens of tiny sparks above them. Hermione removed her hand quickly and the sparks fell on Mary's and Severus's joined hands.
"Your combined magic and life force has recognised the truth of your statements and deemed your claims valid. Let the witnesses you have chosen proclaim the visible sign of this acceptance," Kingsley looked to Narcissa and Lucius for their role.
Both withdrew their wands and held them in the same manner as Severus and Hermione had. They intoned together, "By our magic, we acknowledge the giving and acceptance of the vows of our friends. We acknowledge their combined magic and life force has recognised the truth of their statements and deemed their claims valid. So we say it, so mote it be." Sparks shot out of the ends of their wands and circled the bride and groom once before hovering above their heads.
Kingsley turned to Emily and asked her to present the rings. She quickly untied them and passed them to him. Kingsley waved his wand over them, performing a magical blessing. "These rings are the symbol to the world of your commitment to each other. By placing them on each other's finger, you are sealing your vows to one another and marking the beginning of your lives as one entity," he paused for a moment, a mischievous look stealing over his expression. "Last chance to back out," he said with a wicked grin and a wink. The assembled guests laughed softly. "No?" He resumed his benevolent expression. "Severus, take your ring and place it on Mary's finger."
As Severus did so, Kingsley explained to the guests they would be observing a muggle custom during this part of the ceremony. "Please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship and all my worldly goods, I thee endower. Hereto I pledge thee my troth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen." Severus repeated the words as instructed. Mary followed suit shortly after.
"Mary and Severus, by the exchanging of vows and rings and in the company of all present to witness this glorious moment, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Severus, you may kiss your bride." With the final proclamation, Kingsley shot a spark from his wand which joined those that Lucius and Narcissa had produced earlier. The three sparks wove a joyous dance around the pair as they kissed before exploding into hundreds of tiny silver sparkles which rained down on the happy couple. All the guests applauded at the display as Severus and Mary broke their kiss and turned toward everyone for their congratulations.
There was a flurry of hugs, handshakes, and kisses before Kingsley quickly drew the newly married couple away, along with Lucius and Narcissa to sign the registry. An assistant of Kingsley's was summoned to take photographs of everyone. Before long, the entire party was making its way toward The Green Garden for the reception lunch. Word had travelled fast and the editor of The Daily Prophet had despatched a photographer and reporter with strict instructions to get some good photos and descriptions but to not question any member of the party directly. The reporter in question had the photographer place a silencing charm on him, in order that his natural instinct did not overcome him and he started to shout questions. Severus and Mary were prepared for this sort of interest, as much as it was not welcome, and had arranged for Minerva to pass a briefly worded statement to any members of the press confirming their nuptials and asking for privacy while they celebrated.
There were a few diners in The Green Garden when they arrived and the wedding party were quickly ushered to a screened off section at the back of the restaurant. The manager was on hand for them, serving wine personally and attending to their needs. The small party broke off into groups, mingling and changing every few minutes. Thus it was that Hermione managed to overhear a conversation between Molly Weasley and Minerva McGonagall.
"Another wedding next weekend, Molly? May I ask whose? I am usually up with who is marrying whom in our world," the Headmistress asked curiously.
"Our youngest son is getting married in Romania. It has been rather rushed, we only found out last weekend," Molly replied, her cheeks taking on a slightly pink tinge.
"Well, no more rushed than this wedding, less so, considering this came together in two days," Minerva attempted to reassure her.
"I can appreciate the difference here. This is a love match between two people who merely wish to be married and spend their lives together. My son is being forced at wand point, if you catch my drift," Molly explained.
"Oh, OH! Ahem, I see," Minerva paused to take a sip of her wine. Hermione's jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she realised the implications of what Molly was saying.
"Charlie tells me that luckily the situation is not all bad. While the young girl's parents are insisting on marriage before she starts to show, the culture over there is very open to young marriage. Ron is quite well-liked on the Reserve and considering Eleena's father is the manager, well it is best for Ron to fall in with his fate. Charlie has said since they found out about all this, Ron seems to have finally faced up to the fact his actions have repercussions. As long as he passes his NEWT exams, he has been guaranteed a place as a dragon-handler," Molly finished.
"Well, please accept my congratulations to your family, Molly. A wedding and a baby are a blessing no matter how they have come about. It is sad for you that they will be so far away but if this is what it takes for Ronald to settle back down then it is probably for the best," Minerva consoled her.
"Thank you, Minerva," Molly replied.
Hermione turned as well; when all was said and done, Ron had been her friend for seven years. "Please accept my congratulations as well, Mrs Weasley," Hermione said as she held out her hand. Molly was having none of formality and grasped Hermione in one of her hugs.
"Oh, thank you, dear. And no more of this 'Mrs Weasley'. You are an adult now, you may call me Molly," she said as Hermione returned her hug.
On the other side of the room, Arthur had pulled Harry aside quietly and explained what was happening with Ron. "I have been asked to ask you if you will accompany us to Romania and serve as Ron's Best Man," he finished.
Harry was surprised. Since Halloween, Ron had not had a kind word to say to Harry and they were no longer in contact with one another. Ron may have been his first friend his own age in the wizarding world, but his behaviour since learning of Hermione's situation had left a lot to be desired. Plus, there was the situation between Ron and Ginny. Ginny no longer recognised Ron as her brother and it was this that firmed the decision in Harry's mind. "I'm sorry, Arthur, but I'm going to have to say no. I don't want to go against Ginny's choice to disown him. Please offer my congratulations to him though and I hope he has a happy marriage," Harry said sincerely.
Arthur nodded resignedly. "I thought you might say that but Ron insisted I ask. I understand your reasoning." He and Harry shared a handshake before separating and continuing to mingle.
"I do not wish to bring up anything unpleasant, Severus, but are you comfortable leaving the girls alone tonight with Harry?" asked Lucius, referring to the trouble Hermione and Emily had gotten themselves into the day before.
"They will not get into any mischief," Severus affirmed. "In fact I am sure by the day's end Emily will be ready for another early night. Why do you ask?"
Lucius looked around furtively to ensure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. "Well, Old Man, you cannot be expected to spend your wedding night under the same roof, in the vicinity of your children's bedrooms," Lucius said with distaste. "I have arranged for you and your bride to portkey from here to our townhouse in Brighton for the night. There you may," Lucius provided a circular hand gesture to imply his meaning, "to your heart's content. Your elf has packed a bag for you and will be on hand to serve; my elves have gotten the house ready."
"Thank you Lucius but I—" Severus was cut off by Lucius raising his hand.
"I will not take no for an answer." There was a delighted noise from fifteen feet away where Narcissa was speaking with Mary. "Besides, it appears your wife is amenable to the idea," he smirked as the two women joined them.
"Thank you, Lucius, it is a wonderful gesture on your part," Mary gushed. Severus curtly nodded his acceptance, he certainly could not deny his new wife a wedding night in luxury and the Malfoy's townhouse was certainly that. Actually, the more he thought about it the better it sounded.
The manager discreetly garnered the attention of the group and informed them that luncheon was now served. The guests took their assigned seats and settled in for the meal. Speeches, toasts, and general joviality followed until mid-afternoon when the bride and groom departed for their brief honeymoon. Minerva escorted Hermione, Harry and Emily back to Hogwarts as the other guests departed for their own homes.
Emily tucked her piece of wedding cake under her pillow when they returned home.
"Button, your pillow will be all smeared with cake, won't it be better to eat it?" Harry asked.
"No, if you put the cake under your pillow then you will dream of the man you will marry," Emily declared stoutly.
"Ooh, a guaranteed 'Draco' dream," Hermione said excitedly as she went to place her own piece of cake under her pillow.
"Really?" asked Harry, when Hermione came back.
"Yes, really. You're engaged, and I see no reason why Draco and I won't be. Why, do you?" Hermione asked challengingly.
"No, not really. I just sometimes still see him as the 'amazing bouncing ferret', you know? OUCH," Harry rubbed his arm where Hermione had punched him. She sat down on the sofa with a huff. Despite herself, she let out a giggle after a few seconds, obviously reliving the day so firmly fixed in the minds of all Gryffindors who had been present. She quickly composed herself though.
They were prevailed upon by Emily to recount the story which ended up including a quick trip to the office of the Headmistress to borrow the use of the pensieve. Emily came out of the memory with tears of laughter rolling down her face. Harry was chastised when he told the Headmistress what it was he'd shown his little sister.
The three spent a quiet evening reliving the highlights of the day and discussing the situation Ron now found himself in. They decided on an early night and departed for bed. Emily did indeed dream of her future husband that evening, but upon waking could not remember a thing except the pleasantness her dream had invoked.
.