Chapter 10 – The Conclusion
Hannah Abbott sat in the Leaky Cauldron, raging inside.
She was not alone; her companions, Terry Boot and Seamus Finnegan, were both livid.
"It's not like I wanted to marry Pansy Parkinson," Seamus said for at least the tenth time.
Terry shrugged. "I didn't mind getting Ginny Weasley. She's good-looking, even if her family is very poor. I guess she wasn't okay with it, though."
"Of course not," Seamus snorted. "All the lions knew she really wanted Harry."
Hannah could bear no more.
"I don't care who she wanted! The point is, we're about to lose our magic because those selfish pigs decided we weren't good enough for them!"
"It's true," Seamus said glumly. "We were willing to go along with everything, but we'll be punished anyway. Right along with them."
"Maybe there's a way out? Maybe we'll be allowed to match with an alternative." Terry wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing.
"Let's go find out!" Seamus, always the impulsive one, leaped to his feet.
As luck would have it, the party from France arrived at the Ministry just as Hannah, Terry, and Seamus did.
All of them ended up in Croaker's office along with the other Weasleys.
"I can't believe Ginny would do this," Ron said. "Even if she doesn't care for herself, she has to know the risk for Terry."
"She isn't thinking straight," Hermione pointed out. "She's not considering the consequences."
Daphne wondered whether something had occurred to them.
"You know, Pansy and Theo are good friends," she offered hesitantly. "Do you think they might be behind the Minister's disappearance?"
Ron flared up. "Ginny wouldn't help them!"
George wasn't sure. "She might, if she thought it would get her what she wanted. Ginny could be manipulative."
"Right." Harry got to his feet, his mind made up. "We know they wouldn't take Kingsley to the Burrow. That leaves the Parkinson or the Nott residences."
"We'd better check them both," Bill decided.
Bill and his brothers, along with their wives, headed for Parkinson Hall; the rest opted for Nott Manor.
Theodore Nott was furious as he contemplated the destruction of his plans. By now, the Wizengamot should have congregated, appointed a new Minister, and voted to annul the marriages! Why had they not?
Worse still, Pansy was nagging and Ginny beginning to waver. She kept arguing that they should release Shacklebolt, even though that would ruin everything and probably land them all in Azkaban.
Ginny sidled up to Pansy.
"I don't like this! Nott said they'd probably call the Wizengamot right away! He never said we'd have to wait days."
Pansy disliked all the Weasleys, but she was growing impatient too. Theo had talked like he had a fool-proof plan; instead, they had the Minister of Magic shut up in the cellar, and she was afraid she'd forfeit her magic if something didn't happen soon.
Pansy made up her mind. "Here's what we'll do. Stun Theo, and tell Shacklebolt we came to rescue him. We'll put the whole thing on Theo!"
Ginny's jaw dropped. "That's Slytherin cunning? Did you forget Kingsley saw three…yes, three! People masked and robed?"
"How could he tell it was us?" asked Pansy.
"I have a better idea. We'll sneak out, and tip off the Aurors anonymously. And if Theo turns us in, we'll say we were together the whole time."
"It might work, but why would we be together? We're not exactly friends."
Ginny waved that off. "We'll say we were both crying in the bathroom at the Leaky, and fell into a conversation. You'll mention you were afraid Nott was up to something, and I said I'd help. Even if nobody believes us, they can't prove it isn't true."
"I guess it's the best chance we've got," Pansy conceded.
They found Nott crouched in front of the wizarding wireless, hoping for news from the Ministry.
Ginny's stunner was on target, and Pansy followed up with Incarcerous.
They donned masks and cloaks for the last time, and repeated the process for the Minister.
"There! Now let's get out of here." Ginny banished the masks and cloaks, and led the way out of Nott Manor…where they walked right into the rescue party.
"It's not like Kingsley came to any harm." Hermione twisted her hands together.
Ernie put his arm around her. "I think the Wizengamot will be lenient."
They were all gathered together at the Burrow, waiting for Harry to return from the Ministry.
He and the Weasley males had gone to discuss the repercussions from Ginny's actions.
Daphne stared at the floor, hoping they wouldn't have to wait much longer.
"What do you think?" For once, Tracey kept her voice low. "How bad will it be?"
"Harry will work something out." Daphne wished she didn't sound so uncertain.
Just then came the crack of multiple apparations, and there was a rush to the door.
"It's all right." That was the first thing Harry said to them. "Kingsley isn't pressing charges for the kidnapping."
Everyone relaxed in relief except Hermione.
"That's not all of it. What else happened, Harry?"
It was Bill who took it upon himself to answer. "Nott lost his magic. He had no intention of honoring the contract, so magic punished him."
"But what about Ginny?" shrieked Molly, making it clear she didn't care about the others.
"Her magic was damaged, but it's not too bad, since she did bond with Terry right away. The same is true for Pansy and Seamus." Percy replied.
"So everything is sorted?" Tracey demanded.
"Yes and no," hedged Arthur Weasley. "The problem is…"
"Hannah." As always, Hermione was first to grasp the situation.
Daphne drew in a sharp breath. Hannah would either have to marry Theo, a man who'd gone to such lengths to avoid it, or remain unwed, at least in the wizarding world.
"Hannah did bond with Nott. "Bill's lip curled in disgust. "Then Kingsley promptly annulled the marriage. It was something he was very reluctant to do, but felt Hannah shouldn't be punished for Nott's crime."
Charlie spoke up for the first time. "To make amends from the Weasley family to the Abbotts, I have offered to marry Hannah, and she accepted."
He did not mention that Hannah was actually delighted by the turn of events, since she disliked Nott, and thought Charlie devastatingly attractive.
Because Charlie didn't reside in magical Britain, he'd not previously been subjected to the marriage contracts.
"Won't that mean giving up your job?" Neville asked.
Charlie shook his head. "I can get one at the dragon reserve in Wales."
Neville nodded. He was uncertain how he felt. He'd wanted Hannah for so long, yet she had never shown any interest in him until he'd become a bona fide war hero.
Susan watched him anxiously, and Neville managed a smile for her. "I'm glad it all worked out," he said, and found that he meant it.
Susan smiled happily. "I'll bet Hannah is very glad too."
"What happens now?" Daphne looked to Harry for an answer.
He grinned at her. "What I'd like is to return to that villa in France, and go on with our honeymoon!"
Ron stared at him. "You know, mate, you're brilliant!"
Time in the south of France passed in a glorious golden haze.
Daphne, lounging on the beach with Hermione while their husbands splashed in the sea, felt she could stay forever.
Hermione's words echoed her thoughts. "I don't want to go home tomorrow."
"I do." Tracey bounced up to them. "I'd like to help George open the shop. Lots to do! And then with Marietta putting a patisserie extension on the place, for the parents to sit and relax while the kids romp around, we'll be very very busy."
"You're right," Daphne laughed. "I need to finish the renovations for Grimmauld."
"Not Greengrass Manor?" Hermione questioned.
Daphne shook her head. "My stepmother has decided to stay in Spain, now that the purebloods can no longer lord it over everyone! So I'm gifting Greengrass Manor to Astoria and Lee, for a wedding present. I'll keep the heirship, though."
"You'd be foolish not to," Hermione agreed. "Have you and Harry decided what you're going to do back in London?"
"Harry has business interests to look after," Daphne said softly. She wasn't quite comfortable alluding to Harry's wealth, though she knew Hermione, at least, suspected Harry was the money behind George and Marietta's ventures.
He was also in talks with Neville about mass-producing the main plants used in potion ingredients. Potter Manor had been destroyed in the first war, yet the land on which it stood still belonged to Harry, and was ideal for farming.
They would not be idle.
"It's funny," Tracey said slowly. "Whenever I thought about being married, I never considered George Weasley. But now, I wouldn't want anybody else."
"I know what you mean," Hermione agreed. "I used to think Ron and I would make a good couple, yet I can see so clearly now that we would have been a disaster."
Daphne nodded. She didn't like to think that, in another timeline, she'd be married to Theodore Nott. Just the thought of that made her shudder.
Instead, the Goblet of Fire had saved her and urged her into the arms of the one man she knew she'd love forever.
The irrepressible Tracey had the last word.
"Who'd have thought," she said slowly, "that the Goblet of Fire would turn out to be such a brilliant matchmaker?"
All three collapsed into gales of laughter.