Sometime during the Christmas dinner which occurred in the winter after George and Angelina's wedding, someone noted that their wedding had been the venue for several momentous family events. It was the occasion on which the final and pivotal plans for the attempt to resist the marriage law had come together and been shared amongst the Weasley family and their friends. And, as someone else pointed out a few years later, it was the source of the Weasley grandchildren's favourite bedtime story.

And both of those things were true.

Fred and Hermione's wedding had been a celebration of a passionate and yet previously unknown love between two people who found themselves amidst a whirl of uncertainty and had determinedly chosen to bond themselves while they still had the chance. The wider conversations had contained much concern about the potential upcoming marriage law but, at that point in time, their wedding guests had had little information and even less ability to know what might be done to stop it. All they could do was support Fred's effort to marry his love before the threatened law could affect her.

George and Angelina, by contrast, were less desperate about cementing their own bond but no less determined to resist any attempt to bring in a law which would prevent others from making their own decisions in their own time. In the five weeks that had passed since Hermione and Fred had bonded themselves to each other, a great deal had been learned, many steps had been taken and, perhaps most importantly of all, a plan had been made.

The hub of activity, for once, was not the top table, but the one at which the three elder Weasley sons and their partners were sitting. Soon after they had realised that Ron would not need a seat with them, and just moments after Percy had dropped his bombshell about the pressure being applied by the Wizengamot, Lee and Verity had come strolling over.

"Can we join you?" Lee had asked. "Seems like a good base for operations," he remarked with a grin. He admired the ocean view which was, thanks to Phil's clever use of raised decking, visible from every table on the beach.

"Do," said Bill, smiling warmly. "You can catch us up over lunch," he said, and that was exactly what Lee planned to do.

As food was served and everyone loaded their dishes and began to eat, the table's occupants filled each other in on what had been done and what still needed doing. Percy explained what he knew, Bill asked key questions, Lee filled in gaps and Lauren's eyes grew wider as she realised – for the first time – the full extent of the problem that they were facing and the fact that it might potentially threaten the structure of her newly-discovered family.

"Bill and the twins are OK, because they're legally married," Verity said in reply to Lauren's question about who could be affected. She spoke a bit more airily than she might have done had she thought the implications of her words through. "Percy and Penny are engaged, and the Ministry are aware of that, so they're alright. Ginny will be too, as far as the rest of the Weasleys are concerned. It's those who aren't who need to worry. The law could come in very quickly and those who haven't taken the opportunity while they had the chance might find they are matched with someone they didn't choose." Verity shrugged. She was fighting the injustice of this with everything she had; she didn't have time to worry about the implications for herself or anyone else at this point. To do so would, in her eyes, be admitting defeat before they had even tried.

Lauren turned to Charlie, a note of concern in her voice. "Are you at risk, Charlie? Could you be forced to marry a witch as a result of this?"

"We're hoping it won't come to that," said Percy, earning himself a warning glance from Bill before Charlie had even had a chance to speak.

"I'm not going to let that happen, lovely," Charlie said, putting his fork down and taking Lauren's hand in both of his own. He stroked her fingers. "I'll make sure we're together, sweets, don't worry."

"It sounds like you might not have a choice, come Friday night, or Monday morning," Lauren replied, a little more sharply than she had intended. She turned to Percy, looking between him and Bill. They seemed, as far as she could see, to be the most knowledgeable on this subject. At least as far as the legal issues were concerned. "Could Charlie be forced to marry someone else as a result of this law? Even though we have a child?"

Bill looked her straight in the eye and nodded. "It's possible." He sighed. "Unlikely, given Elliot, but possible. The Wizengamot is our parliament and high court, rolled into one. It's old fashioned, in dire need of reform and, while that process is underway, wholly unpredictable. I'm sorry, love. You've had enough to cope with already, I know. You and Hermione both."

Lauren raised her eyebrows at that and gave a short laugh that wasn't really a laugh at all. "Everything else aside, I think Hermione and I are going to need to spend most of the autumn and winter knitting on a sofa somewhere, just to process everything that has happened."

"I'm going to take care of you," Charlie said, still focused entirely on Lauren. He was gently rubbing her hands with his thumbs, wanting to reassure her that the strange world that she had found herself in wasn't going to tear them apart just as soon as they had found each other again.

Lauren looked slightly exasperated at that. "I know you will, Charlie, but it's not me who's at risk here, is it? They can't compel me to marry anyone. I'm a bloody muggle, for fucks sake. I'm not under their control. It's YOU who's at risk here. It's you who needs taking care of!"

Lee and Verity exchanged a glance. They had wanted to join the Weasleys for the purpose of making things better, but now they both felt that they were intruding on a private family conversation. But before either of them could excuse themselves back to the buffet table, Lauren spoke again. "My sister's never going to let me forget this," she muttered. "Two and a half bloody weeks. Excuse me," she said, pushing her chair back from the table and reaching for her handbag as she stood up. "I need to go to the loo. Clear my head. Won't be long."

Charlie quickly lifted his napkin to his lips and dabbed at them, ready to go after her, but Fleur's hand stopped him. "I will go," she said, and Charlie nodded. Lauren and Fleur got on well and he trusted that his sister-in-law might be the better person for Lauren to talk to on this occasion. The last thing he wanted was to end up having his first argument with Lauren as a result of his hot-headedness.

The fact that the wedding breakfast was being served buffet-style meant that nobody paid any attention to the two women getting up and slipping away from the table, even when Lauren reached back for her champagne glass; a gesture that made Bill and Verity exchange a smile. Lauren and Fleur headed away from the buffet tables and along a boardwalk which led behind a group of large boulders.

"It'll be OK," Bill said to Charlie, who pulled a face in response. "It will," he urged.

"I bloody hope so," his brother replied. "I can't lose her, Bill, not after waiting this long to find her again."

"Can you not just propose? Or am I being really thick here?" That was Lee.

Charlie sighed, at the same time that Bill shook his head. "Not that straightforward, mate," Charlie told him. "Lauren's not really the marrying kind. In fact…" he sighed again, pausing to gather his thoughts. He had the utmost respect for Lauren's position, and he wanted to convey it in a way that would get Lee and the others to respect it too. "Well," he continued, "in her world, she's just as focused on injustice and putting things right as we have been in ours, but in a different way. She teaches about how muggle women are often treated unfairly, compared to men, and the history of marriage is a great example of that. Historically, marriage made a woman the property of a man. So … honestly, I feel that proposing marriage would be really insulting, given that I know how she feels."

Percy pursed his lips with a slight frown. He wasn't sure that Lauren's perspective was quite as black-and-white as Charlie thought, given her earlier comment to him about walking her down the aisle if she ever married, but then he didn't know Lauren that well yet. Perhaps she was just being nice to him earlier. And Percy had definitely learned over the years that it was often better to keep his mouth closed unless he was sure of something. He made a mental note to have a chat with Lauren later; perhaps he could help in that way, once Fleur had helped Lauren to calm down.

Wanting to take Charlie's mind off things and make the most of their planning time together, Bill led them back onto a conversation about the Ball and the plan that Lee was leading, whose aim was to demonstrate against the bringing in of a marriage law. It had been decided that only a handful of people – principally members of the Order of the Phoenix and those closest to them – should know the full plan, lest anybody decide to try to thwart it. So Lee and Verity, who were perfectly located in the bustle of Diagon Alley, and less likely to be suspected because they were not Weasleys, had become of key importance in the resistance. And even Kingsley was unaware of the full extent of the scheme that they, Hermione and the twins had come up with. It would all be put into action this week and unfold on the Friday evening, just a few days away.

As the brothers discussed what else needed to be done, Charlie began to relax a little. Surely, he told himself, the Ministry wouldn't break up a couple who already had a child and who already talked about having more together. It wouldn't be logical or fair. But the Wizengamot weren't always logical or fair, a voice in his head whispered back; that was a good part of the problem. No amount of self-talk could stop his mind and heart from racing, and he barely noticed the taste of his food until, a few minutes later, he saw Fleur and Lauren walking back towards them, hand in hand.

Seeing the look of concern on Charlie's face, Lauren leaned forward to give him a kiss as she sat back down. "It's OK," she whispered. "I'm OK," she reassured him.

"I'm so sorry that this is happening," he whispered back.

Lauren nodded. "I know." She squeezed his hand, and then looked around the table. "I need to ask you all a favour. Will you please agree to keep the conversation we're about to have a secret? Only between the eight of us?"

"Of course…" Their whisper was unanimous, and Lauren glanced around, reassured by the looks on their faces. Verity made a little cross over her heart with her finger, and it made Lauren smile to see the muggle gesture. She was beginning to realise that there were some key differences between muggleborn magical folk – or at least those who had a muggle parent – and those who had only ever known the magical world, and she thirsted to know more.

Lauren turned back to Charlie. "Charlie," she said, and then she stopped and frowned as if something had just occurred to her. "Do you have a middle name?"

Charlie grinned. "Septimus," he said. "After Dad's dad."

"Septimus?" Lauren sounded delighted to hear that. "Fuck me!" she exclaimed, making Bill laugh loudly, and causing Fred and George to look over their way.

"She's just found out Charlie's middle name," Bill called over, wanting to ensure that they didn't charge over to join in the fun.

"Wicked!" The twins spoke in unison and then laughed, before turning back to their own table companions.

"Right, I'll try and keep it down," laughed Lauren. "And I'd better be quick," she noted, seeing that most people were starting on dessert and realising that it would soon be time for the best man's speech, which could scupper the conversation. "Charlie … Charles," she corrected, "Charles Septimus Weasley," she giggled as she spoke his name, making Charlie laugh too, and then composed herself. "Well, it's really simple actually." She looked into his eyes and whispered, "Will you marry me?"

Charlie's gasp was immediate, but Fleur's silencing spell had already taken effect. Knowing what was about to happen, she had cast it around the entire table, ensuring that no-one outside of the eight of them would hear their conversation. Hopefully, she thought, anyone who passed them would think they were planning for Friday evening and didn't want to be overheard.

"Don't jump on me!" Lauren warned him with a laugh. "I don't want anyone to know! Except Percy, the Ministry representative who is witnessing our engagement." She turned towards him. "Hope you don't mind, Percy? Fleur thought it would be best if I asked Charlie here so I would have a formal Ministry-employed witness?"

"I'm delighted to serve," he said with a bow and a smile. "Though you do need to formally accept Lauren's proposal for this to be an actual engagement, Charlie!"

Charlie took Lauren's face in his hand and turned it back towards his own. "But you don't believe in marriage!" he exclaimed softly. "You think it's old fashioned and contains sexist elements and isn't necessary in this day and age…"

"Yeah, that's all true," she nodded, and then turned to the others. "I don't have any judgement about what anyone else does," she added quickly, focusing especially on Penny and then looking back at Bill. "It's just not something I ever wanted for myself. No offence…"

"None taken," said Bill. "Don't worry, love."

"You'd do this for me?" Charlie said, his eyes growing misty as the enormity of what Lauren was asking suddenly dawned upon him. "Despite your views?"

Lauren took her hands fully into his. "I'm not suggesting we become the third couple to marry this summer," she said, crossing her eyes and eliciting a laugh from Bill and Lee. "Or that we do anything big. In fact, if I'm honest, I still don't particularly want to get married, if that doesn't sound too confusing. I'm already planning to stay with you forever without the need for rings or an aisle or any of that." Charlie nodded. That was what he had thought.

"Then what's changed? Why are you doing this?" he asked softly.

"I'm not willing to risk losing you again, Charlie! And if that means us getting engaged and me committing to marry you in front of witnesses, then that's what I'm here asking you to do." Charlie's eyes boggled as Lauren's fingers wandered down the front of her dress and she seemed to be fishing about in her bra. Carefully turning so that only those at the table could see what she was doing, she held up two brightly coloured hoops of plaited embroidery thread for Charlie to see. He smiled. He knew that she always carried her sewing and a tiny pair of scissors in her handbag, and it was very Lauren to have manufactured her own jewellery while she was chatting with Fleur. "Fleur offered to loan us her engagement ring for a few days, until we get one of our own," she said. "But I thought these would be fun, and apparently we can make them invisible once they're on. Are you watching, Percy?" she flickered her eyebrows up and down, teasingly.

"I am," Percy said, smiling, and Charlie allowed Lauren to push one of the loops of thread onto his finger before giving him the other, which he placed carefully on Lauren's finger. He took even more care not to move in such a way that would let anyone else – especially Molly or Ginny Weasley – see what was going on.

"Yes." Charlie looked at Lauren and then Percy, who smiled and nodded, "I will absolutely marry you, Lauren Bennett, whose middle name I don't know either." In lieu of sharing it, Lauren leaned forward and kissed his lips. "Are we keeping this a secret?" Charlie asked.

Lauren nodded. "Just between us and our table friends for today," she smiled at the others before looking back at Charlie. "If you're OK with that?" she asked. "I do want to protect you and make sure this law can't affect our family, but I'm not in the market for more pressure. I don't even want Elliot to know just yet," she said, and then she rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Inardoe willing…"

"Yeah, he's a bit of a loose cannon, our Inardoe…" Charlie raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

"I'm still adjusting to what's already happened…" Lauren continued. "Fleur said she can put the rings under a spell so no-one else can see them … at least for now."

Charlie nodded. "Totally. Just … one question." He looked at Percy, who nodded and then looked away, ensuring his attention was elsewhere once he sensed what his brother wanted to ask Lauren. "Is this just for show … because of the law?" he whispered. "Just so I know…"

Lauren looked at Charlie for a long moment, her heart beating quickly. Then, slowly, she shook her head. "No," she said. "Not if you don't want it to be. Just give me a few months to adjust and let us figure out where we're going to live and get settled and then we'll talk about it … OK?"

Slowly, the biggest grin spread across Charlie's face. "OK," he said. Then he looked around the table, whispering a thank you to Fleur, who simply tipped her head to one side and then cast a disillusionment spell on their linked hands.

"I'll explain how it works later," Fleur promised Lauren, who was trying to feel the thread that she now couldn't see.

"Congratulations," Verity whispered, tipping her champagne glass in the very slightest of movements so that nobody else would notice. Lee winked as he lifted his own glass and did the same.

"Nice one," he said. "Can't believe I get to keep a Weasley family secret from the twins. Bloody brilliant," he joked.

"Don't get too excited about that," Lauren told him. "It'll be a matter of hours before I tell Hermione. It's just the rest of the world I don't want knowing."

"And Mum," said Bill. "Definitely best not to tell Mum just yet. And when you do, make sure she's clear that you're planning a long engagement."

"Unless you want to wake up one morning covered in flower samples and fabric swatches," Fleur smiled.

"Actually," Lauren replied, "I rather like the way that those four have done it." She flicked her eyes discreetly towards the top table. "Wham, bang, thank you Kingsley, and it's all done in a weekend," she laughed, turning to Charlie. "Maybe we'll plan it all out, invite your Mum over and then just present her with a hat to wear…"

"Love," said Charlie, "you could tell me you want to get married while we were circling the garden on my broom and I'd go along with it if it meant spending my life with you!"

"Ha ha ha, Charlie Septimus," Lauren said, poking him in the chest. "You and your bloody broom fairytales!"

Percy and Lee opened their mouths at the same time, both about to point out that, as a previous quidditch seeker and Gryffindor team captain, Charlie would probably really enjoy getting married on a broom, but Bill's warning hand and teasing face stopped either of them from speaking. He widened his eyes, giving them a look to let them know that he would explain his action later, and made a mental note to do so. It really was time that he and Charlie got their heads together and found a way to surprise Lauren with the knowledge that they really weren't joking when they told her that witches and wizards were able to fly about on brooms. She remained utterly convinced that they were teasing her with the muggle storybook myth of magical folk using broomsticks for travelling around.

"Actually," Lauren said, snuggling into Charlie's side, having decided that she preferred a cuddle to a dessert, "this is rather fitting, you know?"

"Hmmmm, how's that?" he asked, his eye caught by a movement from the top table which made him realise that the plates were being cleared and Fred was getting ready to take the floor.

Lauren lowered her voice and leaned even closer to him. "You know I used to lecture about how the story books do so much harm in the way they portray romance and marriage? How it's really unhelpful to teach girls that their role is to make themselves pretty and to be nice and wait to be picked by the sexy dragon keeper who rescues them and rides them off into the sunset to marry them?"

"Mmmmmmm?" Charlie was nuzzling his face into her neck, intoxicated by her scent and still getting used to the idea that they were secretly engaged.

"This is much more how it should be. Fab woman works hard at cool career, travels the world and gets a PhD. She lives life on her own terms and then rocks up with her equally fab French witch friend to save the sexy dragon keeper from the scary marriage law. That's a MUCH better bedtime story for our daughters." She laughed; clearly delighted with her thought. "I'll write it out for you one day so you can read it to them."

"I love you, Lauren Bennett," said Charlie, dropping a kiss on her curls.

"I love you too," said Fleur. "Can I have a copy for our daughters as well?"

"And me!" exclaimed Penny.

"You do realise you're all shagging Weasleys, right?" Verity asked, keeping her voice down as Fleur remembered she needed to remove the silencing spell that she had placed over the table during their conversation. "Your odds of having a flock of daughters aren't that good," she joked. "You're going to be reading this bedtime story to lots more wizards than witches, you know!"

"Even better," whispered Lauren, as Fred took the floor to begin his speech.