Here is the next chapter. Please enjoy it and read and review love Hannah xxx
Dumbledore smirked to himself and put on the best ad fanciest golden robes he owned. He would soon stop that dark bints wedding but that didn't mean he wouldn't look his best while he did it. He got a string of green ribbon and tied his hair in a ponytail neatly at the nape of his neck. He had chosen green to be a smart arse. He had kept to himself today. He would just see the rest of the staff there. He didn't wish to travel with them as they might cramp his style. Hermione stepped through the fireplace in the most elegant dress she owned which was her Yule ball gown which she had retrieved from her house. She looked at Dumbledore who looked at her and smiled.
"Miss Granger you are gorgeous today. You truly do shine like a gem. I imagine you'll look even better than the bride. I wanted you to accompany me so you can get the experience of a high society wedding. It's about time you enjoyed in the pureblood festivities. In a while I will ask you to let go of the portkey but I will have you take my hand so you do not fall ok?" he asked as she smirked.
"Yes sir and thank you for this rare opportunity. I am most grateful!" she enthused giggling wildly with excitement.
"Yes well given all you're going to be doing for me this year think of this as a small reward. There will be more rewards as time goes on obviously because no good deed goes unpunished or whatever the correct phrase is!" he said instructing her to touch the portkey with him. She hadn't been invited but he was bringing her anyway. They both sped out of the office spinning in the air as he took her free hand in his and asked her to let go. Because she was holding his hand she didn't fall flat on her face as she had done last year at the quidditch world cup. They both straightened up and sauntered into the building.
"Let me do the talking Miss Granger. I will need to explain why the wedding must be cancelled. I haven't been in Italy in many years. We must stop this disastrous union" he said shuddering at the thought of the Zabini family being turned dark. They entered a large opulently decorated room which had soft guitar music in it. He was stunned to see that this was an after party and not the ceremony. He let out a strangled string of curses damning them both to hell for eternity.
"Well it would seem we are too late to stop the wedding but I will just keep an extra eye on her throughout her school days so she may not successfully turn dark!" he said with a he scowl as Minerva turned to look at him with a smile.
"Oh hello Albus. I see you got a plus one whereas I didn't. Did you see the ceremony? I didn't see you there. It was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've ever been at in my life. I see you brought Miss Granger for the experience. That is so kind of you Albus!" she gushed as he managed a smile. Clarisse saw him and frowned deeply. He had not been given a plus one but had taken Miss Granger with him anyway. She immediately approached him.
"Mr Dumbledore if you needed to change your glasses you should have done so before coming here!" she scolded as he looked at her in awe.
"Ms Zabini I am afraid I don't understand what you mean" he said in genuine confusion. Did something look wrong with his glasses or something? Were they askew after the portkey? He reached up his hand to feel them and they felt fine.
"Well either you need new glasses or you cannot read. Your portkey was for you alone and not a plus one. I am afraid your plus one which you yourself invited will have to leave now!" she said as he rounded on her with a highly disappointed look in his eyes.
"Now, now, Clarisse I didn't know that but she is here now. I can hardly ask her to leave now as it would be impolite since I invited her as my guest. I am sure we can just let it slide now can't we!" he said using a wandless compulsion charm which her family ring fought against so it didn't reach her but did alert her to what he'd attempted to do. She was excellent though at not showing that she knew anything.
"Albus either she goes or you and her go that choice is your own. Make it now!" she said with a dangerous edge to her voice. He clearly wasn't going to make an impact now.
"I am so sorry Mrs Zabini. I heard he was going to a wedding and asked him if I could join him. What with being a muggleborn I will never get the opportunity to attend an event like this. Him knowing that he allowed me to come along with him!" Hermione said in an attempt to save her hero. Technically he had been very rude but she was still trying to save his reputation.
"Be that as it may you were not invited and had no reason to ask him to take you here Miss Granger. Do not think I do not know what you are capable of. Let's just say if you raise your wand here it will be snapped before you can even see it happening. Do not mess with me. I am sorry about his serious lack of judgement but you will have to leave!" she ordered as Hermione reeled back in horror. It was like being slapped in the face.
"Well then Miss Granger I am sorry for what I did but you must return home!" he said leading her outside where he stopped her.
"Thank you for what you did for me. You didn't have to but you elected to and I am most grateful for it. I will not stand for her insolence though so I'll have to disillusion you and return alone or so they think ok?" he asked as she nodded yes. She was now invisible as he returned alone to the pleasure of Clarisse Zabini. Hermione gasped at the beauty of it. They came out for their first dance and smiled at one another. How long will I love you was sang by Celestina Warbeck who smiled greatly at them and they swayed together.
Astrid rested her head on Blaises chest as they swayed together. She could hear his heartbeat and it was the most relaxing feeling. She leaned out as he twirled her around and brought her back in for a kiss his delighted eyes sparkling with joy. Dumbledore sat in his seat with a huge huff but no one really noticed him thank goodness. Everyone was so focused on the bride and groom that they had no time for an old grouch like him. He reached into his robes and took out a small bag of lemon drops and put them on the table before him with a sneer. He plopped one into his mouth shocked when a stunned Minerva McGonagall summoned them and placed in her handbag with a frown. Why in the hell would he bring lemon drops to such an important occasion? It was disrespectful! He got up to go the bathroom. Come with me Miss Granger he whispered as she followed him out to the bathroom where he removed her spell so he could talk to her properly for a moment.
"I have another task. We weren't able to stop the wedding but we can stop people thinking she's so bloody good when we know she isn't. I will disillusion you and make your feet silent. You are to creep up behind Astrid as closely as you can without her noticing you and attack Blaise. Send any spell of your choice at him ok?" he asked her as she smiled. She'd show that Astrid.
"Of course sir. I will do it and I will come over and tap you on the shoulder when I am done. I won't be seen either!" she said as they went back inside. When they got there Blaise and Astrid had separated and were going around to different people to talk with them and he mildly cursed the fool in his head. They'd have to get together again anyway so she'd do it then. Half an hour later they were back together. Hermione crept closely behind Astrid covering her mouth with her hand so as not to breathe too loudly. Once in place she aimed over her shoulder and then realised she couldn't cast silently. She fumed internally and tried to silently cast a blasting hex his way but it wouldn't work for her as she hadn't learned it in school yet. Giving up and whispering the spell she cast it over Hermione's shoulder as Blaise who didn't see it coming was struck and fell as she ran to Dumbledore tapping his shoulder to show him it had been done. He raised his arm wandlessly wiping her memory of the event. Clarisse watched him and realised it hadn't been him. It had come from behind Astrid or so that's how it had looked from her angle anyway. Surely Astrid herself hadn't cursed him.
"Blaise! Oh my god what the hell happened to him!?" Astrid snapped tears streaming down her face as Clarisse breathed a sigh of relief. Someone that shocked obviously hadn't cursed him. "It came from over her shoulder!" someone in the congregation shouted out. Dumbledore slipped the portkey to Hermione who left via the portkey soon so she couldn't be caught. She had successfully done it and left but the suspicion was now on him fully.
"Ok everyone put your portkeys out on the table in front of you. I need to be sure whoever did this didn't escape!" she shouted as literally everyone but him did so.
"Albus where is your portkey?" she asked him as he groaned.
"I gave it earlier on to Miss Granger to head home when you ordered her to leave!" he said sounding shocked that she had done it at all. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to make her look bad for asking Hermione to leave but it wouldn't work.
"Headmaster Hermione wasn't invited! Why would you bring her here?" Susan asked as Hannah then asked him something along the same lines.
"I really didn't think it would be a problem. She's not a pureblood so she will never get to experience one of our weddings. As a muggleborn I thought I could give her this rare experience she will otherwise never have!" he said as Minerva rounded on him looking so furious he actually gulped.
"I love muggleborn students Albus but what about the rest huh? What about the others who would also never get to see this. I realise Hermione Granger was a friend of Harry Potters but that hardly makes her the best muggleborn of the bunch. I cannot believe you would do this and give her an unfair advantage over the other muggleborns! Now they will hate her for it. How could you be so selfish you foolish man!" she snapped slapping his face in her rage. Why did he never think about what it was he did until it was too late?
Astrid stepped over to him looking more furious then he'd ever seen her looking either. "I invited you here Mr Dumbledore because I am nice and it is the right thing to do. I did not invite Hermione Granger after she tried to attack me in my own home. Not only that but she stunned Blaise here before leaving via your portkey. Whether you know about it or not is not relevant. Did you really think I wouldn't hear her even though she whispered behind my fucking ear!?" she snapped as Madam Bones got up and rushed away at once but not before being given another portkey to return with. Hermione was dazed and confused when she landed in Dumbledore's office and was even more shocked when Madam Bones appeared there alongside her.
"Madam Bones! How are you? Can you tell me why I am here? I don't know why I am here!" she said in confusion as Madam Bones checked her over and saw she was highly dazed and confused. She took out some veritas serum and forced Hermione to drink a tiny amount.
"Did you attack Blaise Zabini at his wedding?" she asked as Hermione frowned.
"Unfortunately I was not invited to that. I don't even know where it's going on" she responded. Another spell the Aurors used often showed her to have been obliviated. She was no use to them now. She returned to the wedding a while later and approached Clarisse.
"Clarissa a word if you please. It would appear someone got to Miss Granger before I could. She had been obliviated and rather well I might add. She didn't even know where his wedding was going on. I do think she did it but without her remembering it we do not have any more proof. I am so sorry!" she said sincerely.
"Never mind about that. Someone clearly wants her to forget what she did to my son but we won't. We will get her back for that in our own and legal way later on!" she said as Blaise came to.
"Ugh who cursed me it came from over your shoulder Astrid! Are you alright my love?" he asked as she cried.
"I thought you were seriously hurt. Oh my Blaise!" she said kissing him deeply as he smiled at her.
"I am fine Mia Cara. Ti amo!" he said with a smirk as she smiled. He got up and dusted himself off. Madam Pomfrey who had been in attendance rushed over and looked him over. He had a slight headache and slight bruising from the curse. He was fed a potion for that and was right as rain again in ten minutes. Then he entered again and everyone clapped for him. Albus had erased her mind not only because he didn't want anyone to know he'd orchestrated the whole thing but because he wanted her to be free of any charges. Astrid approached the top table with a huge smile and sat down as they prepared to bring out the dinner. The menus worked the same way as the Yule Ball ones had.
Everyone was annoyed that Albus didn't have his portkey any longer and that he had brought someone who wasn't invited. They understood his reasoning or the reasoning he'd given but that didn't make it in any way right. Hermione Granger was not the best witch out there and didn't get to do whatever she wanted to because he had said so. The others were furious with her and would watch her closely in school. Albus then apologised to everyone for doing the wrong thing and most people forgave him. Susan, Hannah, the Patil twins and everyone else in their little group vowed to watch Hermione Granger closely next year. She would go from being the hunter to the hunted.