Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except for a couple I've added.
Author's Notes: This story has seven chapters: 1. Harry 2. Hermione 3. Ron 4. The Party 5. The Danger. 6. The Long Night. 7. The Dawn. I'm doing alternating POVs so chapter 4 will be mostly Harry's POV again, 5 will be Hermione, 6 Ron and 7 Harry again. Got it? Good, because I'm confusing myself here! Thank you for the great feedback, it helps to make the next part flow a bit easier! This chapter is the longest so far...
Part 4: The Party.
Harry followed Charlie Weasley into the kitchen, a bottle of wine tucked under each arm. "Will this be enough?" he asked, setting them down beside the bottles already arranged in rows under the wooden table, which was groaning with plates of party food. Mrs. Weasley had been busy preparing it, although she had agreed to hire caterers for the reception after the wedding.
"Yeah, we can leave it at that for now." Charlie straightened up. "Anything else that needs doing, Mum?"
"Anything *else*?" Mrs. Weasley snapped at her tall son, sounding distracted. "You can go and help your father tidy up the garden and get rid of those gnomes again, you can move the cars to make more room for the guests to park in the yard, you can go and help Penelope cut more sandwiches in the larder, you can count the plates, you can -"
She paused for breath, and Charlie hastened to jump into the conversation. "OK, OK, I get the idea, there's still loads to do for the party. I'll go and help Dad in the garden." He went out through the passageway which led to the garden at the other side of the house.
"Oh, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, as she placed another plate of food on the table, "would you like to go upstairs and try on your suit, now that Arthur's collected it? It's hanging up in Ron's old room - his is there too."
"Yes, sure. What time do you think he'll get here?"
Mrs. Weasley looked resigned. "Knowing how Fred drives that car, probably any moment now. The train should have got in about twenty minutes ago." As Harry moved to go upstairs, she called after him, "Don't go in Ginny's room, mind!" Ginny was currently upstairs trying on her dress, assisted by Hermione, Susan and Eliza, the over-excited five-year-old daughter of Charlie and Susan, who was going to be a bridesmaid. "It's bad luck for you to see her in the dress."
"I won't look," Harry promised, walking along the passageway and hurrying up the uneven staircase. As he passed the closed door of Ginny's room, he could hear laughter from inside, and Eliza shrieking with excitement. Harry grinned and continued up the stairs until he reached Ron's old bedroom right at the top of the house. He remembered the very first time he had seen this room - the twelve-year-old Ron had covered the shabby walls with posters of his favourite Quidditch team. Most of the Chudley Cannons souvenirs had gone now - Mrs. Weasley sometimes used this room for other guests - but there were quite a few of Ron's personal possessions still stored here, things he hadn't bothered to take to his London flat, like the dusty, empty fishtank on top of the wardrobe and the old Shooting Star propped in the corner which had been Ron's first broom. As Mrs. Weasley had said, two suits in protective covers were hanging on the wardrobe door.
Harry changed into his suit, ducking several times during the process to avoid hitting his head on the low, sloping roof, and then studied himself in the small mirror. The suit was not a bad fit, although he had to perform a small charm to adjust the sleeve length. He began to change back into the old clothes he had been wearing to help prepare for the party. As he was hanging up the jacket, Harry looked out of the small window. Below, he could see the Weasleys' rambling garden, and beyond that, fields, and the rooftops of Ottery St Catchpole in the distance, with more green hills beyond. Mr. Weasley and Charlie were moving amongst the gnarled trees in the garden, tidying it up. Harry knew Mrs. Weasley was hoping that the evening would be fine, so that the party guests could take their drinks and plates outside, making the small rooms of The Burrow less crowded.
Harry grinned as he watched Charlie conjuring the frogs out of the murky green pond and persuading them to wait on the grass while he charmed some of the algae and weeds out of their home. Mr. Weasley had finished working a few spells on the borders, which now bloomed impressively with brightly-coloured flowers. He had moved on and was now transforming tree stumps and stones into garden chairs for the guests. Harry grinned as he noticed the rather unusual chair covers - one was blue with silver stars, another covered in scarlet and gold zig-zags. Mr. Weasley was looking happily absorbed in the task, oblivious to the fact that the gnomes he had evicted from the garden earlier were sneaking back through the hedge behind him.
Harry remembered the first time he had met Ron and Ginny's father. He had been tall, thin and balding, with the remains of the red hair he had passed down to all his children. Now, fourteen years later, the little hair he had left was grey, and his face was thinner and more lined. Retired now from his work at the Ministry, Mr. Weasley had been hit very hard by the loss of Bill, and although he and Mrs. Weasley now seemed happy enough in their daily lives, it had aged them both, and Harry knew they still felt the loss every day. They really enjoyed occasions like this wedding which provided the opportunity for a big family get-together, with all the remaining Weasley children coming home. They also doted on their grandchildren - Eliza, and the one-year-old twin boys belonging to Percy and Penelope, although Penelope had chosen to leave the twins with her parents this time so that she could help more with the wedding. Percy was arriving tomorrow morning, having explained solemnly that he could only be spared from his important work for one day.
Opening the window, Harry leaned out a little. The air was mild, and the new flowers in the garden were scenting the breeze. He could hear Charlie still talking softly to the frogs, clattering noises floating up from the kitchen, another distant squeal of excitement from Eliza, a low moan from the ghoul in the attic and the hum of a Muggle aeroplane crossing the sky far above. This began to be drowned out by a low rattling drone which seemed to be getting louder and louder. Harry recognised it as the distinctive death-rattle of Fred's sports car, which always sounded as though the engine was about to seize up. Craning his neck, he could see a rapidly-moving red blur between the hedges, coming uphill fast. Harry hurried to finish getting dressed, and, as he rose from tying his shoes, and looked out of the window again, he saw the old two-seater turning down the lane to The Burrow, gears crunching, with the red heads of Fred and Ron clearly visible before the car disappeared out of Harry's sight into the yard.
As he turned from the window, Harry thought he saw a flash, like sunlight on glass, from the field across the lane. He stared for a few seconds, but didn't see it again, and shrugged.
Harry hurried downstairs, banging on Ginny's door as he passed and calling, "Ron's here!", but not stopping to wait for an answer. The kitchen was empty now, and when Harry reached the yard Mrs. Weasley and Penelope were already out there, hugging Ron.
"OK, Mum, take it easy, you saw me two weeks ago! Hi Penny." He kissed his sister-in-law affectionately, then saw Harry approaching behind her. "Harry!"
"Ron, you made it!" They banged each other on the back in friendly fashion. "I was worried you would get called away at the last minute to deal with illegal elf-slavers in Cheshire or something."
"What, and miss out on the chance to be best man? Not likely!" Ron turned to pull his old rucksack from the rear seat of the car. "I have to make sure you turn up for the ceremony or Ginny will kill me with her bare hands. I can forget about any other Enforcing for the weekend."
Harry grinned at his lanky friend, thinking privately that he didn't look much like a law-enforcement officer at that moment, tousle-haired from the journey in an old leather jacket and jeans.
"Uncle Ron!" They both turned, to see Eliza racing out of the kitchen door, her red pigtails flying, making a beeline for her youngest uncle.
"Hey, Lizzy!" Ron dropped his rucksack and caught her as she collided with his legs, picked her up and swung her around. Mrs. Weasley and Fred both laughed at her enthusiasm.
"Guess what, Uncle Ron, I'm going to be a bridesmaid and I'm going to wear a blue dress and have blue and white flowers in my hair and I've just been trying my dress on and it's got all net stuff underneath to make it stick out and I can do a twirl in it and I'll show you -" She paused to take a breath.
"Great," said Ron, putting her down. "Where're your mum and dad?"
"I'll go and get them!" Eliza pelted off around the side of the house, just as Ginny came out to join them, looking slightly dishevelled after getting changed in a hurry. Ron held out his hands to her.
"Hi Ginny. Ready for tomorrow then?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," she said, hugging him warmly. She exchanged a laughing look with Harry. "Really, it's all just an excuse to force you and Harry to wear suits."
"Oh, and there was I thinking it was just an excuse for you to wear a fancy dress," Ron retorted instantly.
"Hullo, Ron."
Harry turned, along with the others, to see Hermione standing quietly in the kitchen doorway. Like everyone else, Harry couldn't stop his gaze swivelling back towards Ron.
Ron had still been embracing Ginny when Hermione greeted him. Harry saw him remain absolutely still for a moment, before he gently released Ginny and looked over toward Hermione. "Hermione," he said, evenly and pleasantly. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, thanks." Harry watched as his two friends took a couple of steps towards each other, looking as if they weren't sure how to greet one another under the circumstances - a hug? a handshake? neither? They settled on a quick, civilized, arms-length hug, before Hermione took a couple of steps backwards, distancing herself again. "Um - you look well, Ron," she said, glancing quickly up at him.
"You've cut your hair," Ron said abruptly, glancing at her in return.
Everyone else present suddenly realised they were listening in rather too obviously. "Shall we have a cup of tea before we get changed for the party?" Mrs. Weasley asked brightly. There was a murmur of agreement and they all moved towards the kitchen; Mrs. Weasley and Fred leading the way.
Harry walked behind Ron and Hermione, who were exchanging polite remarks without making eye contact. "How are your books going?"
"I've just finished one, actually. How's your work?"
"Good - it's good."
Harry sighed, thinking how sad it was that his two once-inseparable schoolfriends were now talking to each other like polite strangers. The doorway was narrow, and he hung back to let the others go in. Ginny touched his arm.
"I know what you're thinking," she murmured into his ear, nodding her head towards Ron. "Cheer up, at least they're both here *and* talking."
"Yeah." Harry gave her a crooked smile.
"Who knows, they might still make it up," Ginny continued in a low tone. "They used to make a cute couple, I thought."
"Don't start stirring, Ginny," Harry warned her. "Let's just try to keep everything friendly for the wedding." Ginny widened her eyes at him in mock-innocence. "Me? I won't interfere, I was only saying..."
"Mm."
After a cup of tea in the kitchen, they split up and went to get ready for the party. Harry changed quickly and went in search of Ron. When he entered the little room, Ron was lying sprawled on his back on the bed, staring at the sloping ceiling, long legs stretched out comfortably. "You ready?"
"Um - no. Let me dig out a clean shirt." Ron swung his legs off the bed and fished in his rucksack. "Who's coming tonight?"
"Quite a few people. Remus is coming, of course - he's staying in the village. George sent an owl to say he'd been held up but he might make it before the end of the party."
"What about Neville?"
"Coming tomorrow morning on the Express with Minerva McGonagall and the rest of the Hogwarts people." Perched on the end of the bed, chatting about the guests as Ron changed his shirt, Harry didn't give another thought to the flash of light he had seen across the lane. Down in the lane, however, another conversation was taking place.
"Everything is in place, then. They are all here now. We will wait until there are plenty of people here. Then, you will mingle with the guests."
"And I wait for an opportunity to find Potter on his own?"
"Yes, then you give me the signal."
"What if he is never alone?"
"Then we'll have to use Plan B."
"And where do I leave the note?"
"Leave that to me. Come on, let's get out of here."
Twilight was falling as people started to arrive at The Burrow. Mrs. Weasley greeted the guests, wearing her second-best outfit - she was saving her best outfit for the wedding the next day. Ginny, now slightly nervous, but looking attractive in a green dress, was circulating among the guests and getting a lot of advice about married life from elderly relations. The rest of the Weasley family were taking turns to ferry food from kitchen to garden, and keep conversations going. The party was in full swing when Harry, going through to the garden in search of Ginny, met Ron coming the other way with empty plates in his hands, on his way back to the kitchen.
"The food's disappearing fast," said Ron. "Lucky Mum organized enough to feed an army."
"Have you seen Gin?"
Ron nodded his head back in the direction from which he had come.
"In the garden, trying to sound interested in Aunt Violet's jam recipes."
"Thanks. What about Hermione?"
"Don't know." Ron continued on his way.
Walking into the darkening garden, Harry saw Ginny, who was looking patient as she nodded agreement to Aunt Violet's advice. He rescued her by joining them and saying, "Sorry to interrupt - Ginny, your mum wants you urgently in the kitchen."
"So many things to remember when you're planning a wedding!" Aunt Violet cackled amicably. "Off you go, my dear." Ginny gave Harry a look of gratitude and disappeared into the crowd. Harry, fearing he was about to be left with Aunt Violet himself, grabbed the nearest passer-by, an old classmate of Ginny's.
"Colin! Just the man I wanted to see. Miss Weasley, Colin here works for the same paper I do - the "Daily Prophet". You should tell him your recipes, he could arrange to get them published in the cookery corner."
Colin, who was a news photographer on the "Prophet" and knew nothing about cookery, gave Harry a pained look, but didn't let his hero down. "So what do you like to cook, Miss Weasley?" he was saying politely as Harry left them.
Harry looked around him. Dozens of candles were burning in the flower borders, giving a flickering light to the gathering, but it was still quite hard to pick out individuals. Finally he saw Hermione, who was standing under a tree and chatting to Remus Lupin, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. She was wearing a dark red dress.
"Harry, it's been so good to have a chance to see you all again," Lupin said, a smile on his lined face as Harry joined them. Lupin was thin, with mostly grey hair, but looked better these days than he had years ago when Harry and Hermione had first met him. "I've just been telling Hermione I've never had a student as bright as she was, in the past eight years since I've been back teaching at Hogwarts."
"Are you just saying that to encourage me to take Minerva's offer?" Hermione teased him.
Lupin shrugged and smiled. "She wanted me to tell you, the offer's still open. I expect she'll try to persuade you herself when she comes tomorrow."
"I think you'd enjoy teaching, actually," Harry told Hermione. "Just think, your students would call you Professor Granger and moan about you like we used to moan about all the teachers - not you, of course, Remus," he added hastily.
"Well, I'm thinking about it," Hermione admitted. "I wanted to see the world first, but I've done a lot of exploring, and writing the books is becoming a bit routine. Maybe it is time for a new challenge."
"It would be good if you were at Hogwarts," Harry said. "With Ginny and me being in Hogsmeade most of the time, and you being in London, or abroad, we don't see you often enough. If you were at Hogwarts you could pop round and see us all the time. But, in the end, it depends whether you really want the job or not," he added.
"I'm thinking about it," Hermione said again, before she changed the subject. "How's Neville getting on? I must have a word with him when he comes tomorrow."
"He's fine," Lupin told her. "His Potions classes are very popular with the students. And of course, he's been a very good friend to me, making me my Wolfsbane Potion every month." Lupin glanced up at the dark night sky. "Still, it was thoughtful of you to arrange the wedding for a weekend with no moon - even though I should be all right with my Potion these days."
Half an hour later, Harry made his way through the crowd again, looking for Ron this time. He nodded and smiled at people who greeted him. There were quite a few people here he didn't know - distant relatives of the Weasleys, most of them. As he entered the house, he bumped into Susan.
"Have you seen Ron?" he asked her. Susan smiled, rolled her eyes and pointed upwards.
"He's reading Eliza a story. I put her to bed ages ago, but she kept jumping out again and demanding a story from Uncle Ron, so I sent him up there and made him promise to stay until he'd Enforced her to go to sleep!" They both laughed. "That was twenty minutes ago, and he hasn't come down yet..."
"Harry!" Fred Weasley called him over. He was holding the telephone to his ear. Mr. Weasley had been a happy man when he had persuaded Mrs. Weasley to install this Muggle invention some years ago, but she had now got quite addicted to using it herself, mostly to talk to her children.
"Harry, could you do me a favour? Our sales rep Dave needs some information for tomorrow. Think I've left my notebook in the glove compartment of the car. Could you go and get it for me? Thanks a lot." Fred and George were the joint owners of their small wizard business selling jokes and tricks. They already employed six other people.
Harry went out into the yard. It was quiet out here, the party noise fading slightly. Everyone else was in the house, or in the garden on the other side of the house. Harry walked towards the little red sports car, enjoying the moment's peace. The top was open as usual, and he leaned inside to grope in the glove compartment for the notebook. He didn't hear the footsteps which crept towards him across the bare earth of the yard. He didn't see an exchange of nods. He did hear the sound of swishing fabric as an arm was raised behind him, but by then it was too late. Just as Harry straightened and turned to look, a crashing blow fell on the back of his head, and his world was suddenly black.
End of Part 4.
Oh no! Is the wedding in jeopardy? Stay tuned for Part 5 to find out. (Hermione's POV this time). By the way, can anyone think of good names for Percy and Penelope's twins? They're not very important to the story, it's just that my mind went blank on the subject. Hope you still care what happens next enough to read Part 6!