Chapter eight

Harry and Charlie's lips slowly parted, then Harry turned to look at everyone who were all watching him and Charlie.

'I'm saying this now, if any of you die, I'll kill you,' Harry smirked but again everyone laughed.

'You really are a prat Potter, being afraid of three little words,' Charlie shook his head in amusement.

'I know, but it seemed to be the way it worked, love and death,' Harry chewed his lip before he put his hand in his pocket, 'I bought us something the other day hoping what I thought was right and that I could get up the courage to tell you.'

'Harry,' Charlie stared at his face then down at Harry's hand, 'What have you got?'

'Um,' Harry slowly opened his fist revealing two small ring cases, 'Men's rings, bonding rings.'

The silence around the kitchen was thick with anxiety and anticipation as everyone waited for Charlie to say something.

'Blimey Charlie, say something,' Fred said his head swinging back and forth from Harry to Charlie.

'Let's do it now, before we head to Hogwarts,' Charlie said, 'We just need someone to perform the ceremony.'

'We can organise everything for tomorrow,' Molly said urgently making everyone laugh because they knew she loved to see her children married.

'You really want to Charlie?'

'Yes, I do,' Charlie turned to Ron, 'Write to Neville and the other friends you're close with. Tell them to be here tomorrow about five. Hermione write Aberforth, Andromeda, Hagrid and Minerva, tell them the same thing. Dad, who can do this, we don't want some person that we don't know?'

'Minerva can perform ceremonies as headmistress of Hogwarts,' Percy said.

'She would be perfect,' Harry grinned, 'Thanks Percy.'

'Oh blimey, I'm getting married,' Charlie sat there as his face went white, but that look was all it took to make his brothers and his sister break into loud laughter again.

'You are sure, aren't you babe?' Harry asked nervously.

'What, yes, yes, of course I am. It's just that I never thought I would. I figured I'd watch all my brothers and sister marry, but I would be a bachelor forever.'

'If you want this done tomorrow afternoon, then you need to get here early to clean the place up,' Molly said sternly, 'and Charlie.'

'No mum, I am not cutting my hair again, Harry likes my long hair, so it stays.'

'Another thing Mrs. Weasley, don't clean up, this is the Burrow, the chickens, the wellington boots, the weeds, it's home. So can we please leave it like it is?' Harry asked nervously.

'Well,' Molly looked around at her family, 'since this is your wedding, it should be your choice. We can at least make sure the chickens are in the pen and no gnomes running about.'

'Okay, we can do that. Oh I'm excited,' Harry bounced up and down making everyone laugh but Charlie groaned, 'Sorry babe,' Harry laughed as he blushed.

'Careful there saviour or you won't be getting anything.'

'Okay, Hermione writes quicker than me so she wrote to our friends, I wrote to Andromeda, McGonagall, and Aberforth. I mentioned Hagrid to McGonagall,' Ron said as he sat down again.

'Let's hope nothing happens at your wedding Charlie,' Bill raised his eyebrows.

'That was Voldemort, he knew Harry was here somewhere and he had control over the ministry so they took down the enchantments. But they're back up now and Kingsley is minister, so I think it's safe from attacks,' Charlie said.

'But something is going on, we know that. Maybe we should write to Kingsley, he could contact some order members, have them here as well, just to keep a watch,' Harry said.

'I'll do that, but what about dress robes.'

'Harry and I aren't really one for robes, but we can go early and buy something nice to wear.'

'Yeah, I'll have to go to Gringotts anyway. But what about food, I could get Kreacher here to cook, maybe even ask Professor McGonagall if Winky could, all I have to do is pay her, which she won't like.'

'Let me write to Kingsley then I'll do another letter to Minerva. You can talk to Kreacher if you want,' Arthur said as Molly handed him a quill and parchment.

'Okay, Kreacher,' Harry called then within a few seconds the old elf was bowing to him, 'Kreacher, no bowing, remember.'

'As master Harry wishes,' Kreacher stood straight, 'What can Kreacher do for Master Harry?'

'Charlie and I are getting bonded tomorrow, I was hoping you might come here early and help with the food. There will be around, what, thirty or forty people,' Harry looked around and got nods from everyone, 'Can you do that Kreacher?'

'Kreacher will be pleased to cook for his Master Harry and Master Charlie.'

'Then arrive here early Kreacher and Mrs. Weasley will explain what food she want's done.'

'As Master wishes,' Kreacher went to bow and stopped.

'Good, okay, thanks Kreacher, you can go back to Hogwarts now and I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Kreacher will be here Master Harry,' Kreacher snapped his fingers and disappeared.

'Um, what was that?' Mrs. Granger asked.

'A house elf, Hogwarts has about a hundred of them, but Kreacher belongs to Harry. Harry doesn't like the idea of owning a house elf, but Sirius used to own him and he told Harry that if he tried to set him free the shock would kill him,' Hermione explained, 'So Harry leaves Kreacher at Hogwarts with the other elves.'

'So that locket around his neck, that belonged to Regulus Black, Sirius' brother?' Bill asked.

'Yeah, he hasn't taken it off since I gave it to him, even the night of the fighting he was wearing it when he led the other house elves out to fight.'

'Hey Harry, you're going to be my brother, did you ever think that would happen?' Ron smirked.

'No, but I've felt like part of the Weasley family for so long now, but tomorrow I will be officially a family member, like Fleur. Blimey, married.'

'Oh not you too,' Hermione chuckled, 'I think it's finally sinking in to both Harry and Charlie what they are about to do.'

'One more thing, you aren't supposed to stay together the night before,' Molly raised her eyebrows.

'That's one old tradition we are not following. I can't sleep without Harry beside me.'

'Oh alright, stay together since you are living together. Do you think we should tell Muriel Arthur?'

Everyone around the table groaned, 'If she hears about this and we don't invite her, you know she will be impossible. I'll go quickly in the morning see if she wants to come see Charlie marry.'

'I'm not wearing her tiara,' Charlie said stubbornly but seriously making the family, Harry, Angelina, Hermione and the Granger's laugh all thinking of Charlie the big dragon handler with a delicate tiara sitting on his head. But Fred and George had identical wicked grins, so that started everyone laughing again, all but Harry and Charlie wondering what the Weasley twins were up to.

The following morning Harry and Charlie bought a couple of nice suits to wear for the wedding, some new shoes, shirt and even undies and socks. After that, they went to the Burrow to help get rid of the gnomes and make sure Kreacher was helping with the food. They saw Winky working beside Kreacher, but Mrs. Granger was also there beside Molly Weasley. The two women talked nonstop while they went about preparing food. Arthur showed Charlie and Harry the stack of letters on the table. Reading them, they all said they would be here to see Harry marry Charlie.

After some lunch, Harry and Charlie went home so they could relax for a while before heading back to the Burrow to get married. Both men were nervous and excited that they would be legally bound to the other.

After showering together, they restrained themselves, so for the first time they didn't make love. They dried and dressed in their new suits. Both suits were black, but Charlie's shirt was emerald green for Harry's eyes, Harry's shirt was ruby red for Charlie's hair and both wore silver ties. They looked at each other, gave a nervous smile then apparated from home arriving at the Burrow a few seconds later. They were instantly surrounded by all Harry's friends, but they also got a lot of whistles with the way they looked. Harry was surprised to see Dennis Creevey there, but he smiled hugely, then found out that Dennis was going to take the pictures with Colin's camera. Harry held Teddy for a few minutes, kissed his head before handing him back to Andromeda. Then Minerva called for everyone to take a seat and for Harry and Charlie to stand with her, with Bill next to Charlie, Ron next to Harry. Hermione making a joke that being a gay wedding, women were excluded, which naturally made everyone laugh. Finally Minerva started the ceremony, but Harry and Charlie hardly heard a word she said, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Bill and Ron had to tap both Charlie and Harry on the shoulder so they could exchange their rings. Finally they were pronounced bonded partners to loud applause before Charlie took Harry's face in his hands and kissed him passionately, hungrily and naturally Fred and George had to say something which caused everyone to laugh loudly. But Harry and Charlie ended up with their arms around each other and just kept kissing.

'We might have to wait a few minutes,' Minerva grinned.

Harry and Charlie finally released each other and both were panting heavily but were grinning broadly.

'We're bonded Potter,' Charlie smirked.

'Yep, we are Weasley.'

Molly raced up and hugged first Charlie then Harry, then it was Arthur before all the Weasley's, then the friends. Dennis never stopped taking photo's except when he gave Harry a hug, then went right back to snapping pictures of Harry and Charlie with all the family and friends. After standing for what seemed like hundreds of pictures one with Harry and Charlie with identical jewelled tiara's perched on their heads that Fred and George conjured to much hysterical laughter from everyone. They all went to sit down under a marque that Arthur quickly arranged that morning, then champagne was flowing along with other alcohol as Kreacher and Winky brought out the food.

'So it's official Harry, you're part of the family,' Ron said grinning hugely.

'Yep, I am Ron.'

'How did this happen so quickly?' Kingsley asked.

'It was so amusing Kingsley, first Charlie tells Harry he loves him. Harry sits there in shock before finally admitting he loved Charlie only to threaten everyone that now he had said those words none of us better die. Then Harry pulls out two men's rings, then Charlie sits there in shock and we're all wondering if he was going to answer Harry. But you should have seen the chosen one mate, he was bouncing up and down like a little kid he was so excited, but he happened to be sitting on Charlie's lap at the time,' Fred explain to loud laughter as Harry blushed brightly.

'Oh still blushing Potter,' Charlie pulls Harry's shirt out a bit, 'Yep, the whole body again.'

Harry slap's Charlie's hand, 'Stop telling everyone babe.'

'Ah, so it's not just Harry's face that goes red. I wonder if Ron's the same when he's ears go red. Hermione, does Ron's body blush?' Seamus asked cheekily then everyone laughed as both Ron and Hermione blush brightly.

'Too bad we can't see for ourselves,' George grinned, but it was his wicked grin.

'Don't think about it George,' Ron yelled.

'We have something to show everyone. We put it together early this morning, our tribute to Charlie and Harry,' Fred said, then stood up with George.

'Oh blimey, what are they up to now Charlie?'

'You're guess is as good as mine Harry, but expect to be embarrassed.'

Fred and George both had their wicked grins as they threw a firework into the air. It exploded loudly then it was pictures of Harry and Charlie in bed, both naked, usually Harry draped across Charlie and the only thing keeping them decent was Harry was on his stomach over Charlie, with one of his legs thrown across Charlie, the sheet just covering Harry's backside. The pictures kept changing to them moving all over the bed, but always touching some part of the other. Then to everyone's surprise and shock, it was Harry and Charlie in the shower together, but luckily the pictures were from the waist up, but everyone got the idea.

'How in the name of merlin didn't we see them?' Harry asked as he turned his head into Charlie's chest.

'That is a stupid question Harry, we don't take much notice of anything else when we're naked.'

After the laughter stopped, everyone applauded but kept staring at Harry and Charlie who both looked highly embarrassed, which naturally started everyone laughing again.

'That is not the way I want to see either Harry or Charlie. It's going to be very hard to keep a straight face when I look at them at Hogwarts,' Minerva said but she was grinning, 'But I have to say, it's not the first time I've seen Harry naked.'

Everyone gasped with Harry turning bright red, 'You never told us professor McGonagall saw you naked Harry,' Ron said looking shocked.

'She hasn't, she's just winding us up.'

'Oh no I'm not,' Minerva grinned again, 'You're parents used to bring you to order meetings when you were a baby.'

'Oh right, I remember Minerva, you often changed Harry when Lily got busy with plans,' Aberforth said making all Harry's friends and the Weasley's break up laughing again because Harry went even redder.

'Oh blimey, I'm never going to live this down.'

'No you're not, especially since Fred and George heard it,' Charlie laughed, then pulled Harry onto his lap, before kissing him hungrily. But whispers were going around, from Fred and George, to Ginny, then to all the friends seated around the table. They were planning something, something that would show Harry Potter in a whole new light.